Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
I am finishing my list of my personal Padres awards with one that doesn't exist in the National League. Yangervis Solarte earned a special spot with me this season.
Only months separated from the loss of his wife Yuliett due to cancer, Solarte arrived in Spring Training "with a passion to play the game I love" and served as a leader on and off the field during the 2017 season, while accepting new challenges in both his personal and playing life.