Brian

Sweeney

Sweeney was a member of the PCL All-Star team with an 11-4 record and a 3.83 ERA. He’s as good a candidate as anyone to make a spot start for the Padres.

Had the Padres known in advance that Chan Ho Park might need to be scratched, they likely would have arranged it so that Sweeney, not Tim Stauffer, was called up to start in his place. Sweeney should be available out of the pen tonight, but he might be called on to make a start next week.

If Justin Germano doesn’t pitch well tomorrow, Sweeney could be the Padres’ next fifth starter. He’s not worth adding right now, though.

He was not given an invite to spring training. Sweeney, 37, spent all of 2011 in the minors, holding a 4.34 ERA over 32 appearances -- eight starts -- for Triple-A Buffalo in the Mets organization. The journeyman is a longshot to crack the Opening Day roster.

Sweeney, 38, put up a 4.63 ERA over 95 1/3 frames at Triple-A for the Mariners last season. He hasn’t made it up to the big league since 2010 and is unlikely to do so in 2013.

Sweeney, 31, saw time with the Padres in 2004, but was non-tendered after the season and signed with the Devil Rays to start last year. When that didn’t work out, he rejoined the Padres organization and went 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 110 2/3 IP for Triple-A Portland. He’s not going to have much of a chance of making the Padres out of spring training.

Sweeney is the surprising cut here, especially since he had a 3.00 ERA in four appearances this spring. He’ll probably get a look as a middle reliever at some point. Tucker (Tommy John surgery) and Guzman (elbow) will miss the start of the minor league season.

Sweeney is better than a handful of relievers who will begin the season on major league rosters, but because his upside is limited, no one decided to pick him up off waivers.

Because of a mediocre fastball, the 28-year-old Sweeney wasn’t ever going to get a chance to make an impact with the Mariners. The Padres will see if he can become a useful middle reliever.