XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Interview (MP3)

• Peavy trade talk has slowed down.  The Pads are focused on the Cubs right now.  The Cubs are going to have to get a couple extra clubs involved.
• There was momentum with Atlanta but that stopped so the Pads have to start all over again.  The Cubs are missing two to three key pieces to make a deal.
• The Padres need pitching and the Cubs need pitching as well, which is causing problems.
  
• The Padres know that any deal for Jake will not be perceived as a good deal by the media or the fans.
  
• Towers has not talked to the Angels and has very little discussion with the Yankees.
• The Padres might ask Peavy to expand his list of clubs he'd approve.
• There is no time line for the Peavy deal, but the earlier the better.
• Towers thinks Peavy enjoys San Diego but wants to be competitive but would be happy to stay if it came to that.
• They are going to look at free agent veterans for back up catchers like Ausmus.
• The biggest void is rotation and bullpen
• Towers hasn't talked to Hoffman since last Monday night in Puerto Rico.  Trevor is a really emotional guy and very proud of his service for the Padres.  Towers still thinks he has a good relationship with him.  Things didn't work out the way they all had hoped.  They no longer have exclusive rights. 
  
• Towers has a great deal of respect for Hoffman.  "I probably wouldn't be sitting in this chair if it wasn't for some of those important games that he closed out."
• "It's been pretty difficult over the last week, comments are made in the paper about the organization, him being upset, you never like to see that especially with a guy as classy as Trevor"
• Towers thought the Trevor discussions went well and wouldn't do anything differently.  Towers thought it was important to get an offer out early.  Towers told Hoffman in Milwaukee that the offer would be what the Padres could afford not what he was valued at, so that he could explore his options. 
  
• It was a tough decision to withdraw the offer.  Towers says that talks with Hoffman could resurrect themselves in the future.  Hoffman is pretty frustrated with the way things worked out, but Towers has nothing negative to say about him.
• Towers hasn't talked to Khalil recently and he hasn't spent much time talking to other clubs about Khalil. 
  
• Khalil's hand has healed and he's swinging the bat again and feeling good.
• Hitting an equipment chest isn't Khalil's style.  Khalil's a pro, if he comes back he'll be prepared and he'll play hard.  Towers gets the feeling that Khalil didn't want to play in San Diego after this year anyway.
• Towers has a lot of confidence in the young players like, Nick Hundley, Chase Headley, Jody Gerut, Scott Hairston.
• From an everyday standpoint Towers thinks they have a chance at becoming a pretty good ball club.
• The division is still very winnable.