6/9/2011
Looking for an offensive boost, the San Diego Padres appear ready to make Anthony Rizzo’s dream come true.
The Padres’ prized prospect is expected to make his major league debut at first base Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home set with Washington.
One of two highly-touted prospects acquired by San Diego (28-35) when it traded three-time All-Star Adrian Gonzalez(notes) to Boston in December, Rizzo batted .365 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs, and slugged a whopping .715 in 52 games for Triple-A Tucson this season.
“This is frankly ahead of the schedule,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We thought he was a guy that if he pushed it he could be a September callup and could help us in 2012. He’s played so well in spring training and this year that he really forced us and pushed the clock.”
The Padres hope Rizzo, playing through a thumb injury, can deliver some punch to a team that’s scored a major league-low 215 runs.
“I don’t want to sit in Triple-A forever,” the 21-year-old Rizzo told the Padres’ official website. “It has been a dream of mine to play in the major leagues since I was a little kid.”
Rizzo, who battled limited-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, also looks to help San Diego bounce back from a 5-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. Though the Padres dropped two of three to the Rockies, they’ve won nine of 14 following a five-game skid.
Looking for an offensive boost, the San Diego Padres appear ready to make Anthony Rizzo’s dream come true.
The Padres’ prized prospect is expected to make his major league debut at first base Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home set with Washington.
One of two highly-touted prospects acquired by San Diego (28-35) when it traded three-time All-Star Adrian Gonzalez(notes) to Boston in December, Rizzo batted .365 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs, and slugged a whopping .715 in 52 games for Triple-A Tucson this season.
“This is frankly ahead of the schedule,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We thought he was a guy that if he pushed it he could be a September callup and could help us in 2012. He’s played so well in spring training and this year that he really forced us and pushed the clock.”
The Padres hope Rizzo, playing through a thumb injury, can deliver some punch to a team that’s scored a major league-low 215 runs.
“I don’t want to sit in Triple-A forever,” the 21-year-old Rizzo told the Padres’ official website. “It has been a dream of mine to play in the major leagues since I was a little kid.”
Rizzo, who battled limited-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, also looks to help San Diego bounce back from a 5-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. Though the Padres dropped two of three to the Rockies, they’ve won nine of 14 following a five-game skid.
