The Padres plan to limit Joe Thatcher's workload during the early days of camp. Thatcher has begun the season on the disabled list in each of the past two years due to shoulder injuries (and even required surgery last May), so the hope is that the lighter workload will lead to less complications. "I've always gone to spring training thinking I had to impress everyone right away," said Thatcher. "And it's kind of against my nature to approach it any other way. But it's nice to have them know what they think I can do and be able to ease into it." If healthy, Thatcher should open the year as the Padres' primary left-handed specialist.