One pitcher's start is another's scouting report

SAN DIEGO -- Most pitchers get the scouting report for their next opponent on paper at some point before the series begins.

Padres right-hander Tyson Ross, however, typically gets his in living color within 24 hours of a start.

With fellow 26-year-old righty Andrew Cashner pitching a day ahead of Ross in the starting rotation, Ross learns plenty about what might work against his next opponent, simply by watching intently. That is what he will be doing Monday when Cashner starts against Pittsburgh.

"We're very similar," Ross said. "It gives me an opportunity to watch a similar pitcher to myself the day before me. It's a rare opportunity -- to have an advanced scouting report like that."

Both pitchers are hard-throwing right-handers with a sharp slider and a changeup used to keep hitters honest, so they are constantly learning from each other.

"I think the best interaction is teammate-to-teammate," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It really is. When you have two guys who ... can relate to each other because of velocity and because of hard-slider and because of the change, and how those all work together, I think it's great."