XX Sports Radio: Jed Hoyer Interview (MP3) with Darren Smith

• Winter Meetings are next week.  Hoyer wants to talk to all the teams.
• Kevin Towers left behind a great Baseball Operations staff, they've made it easy for him.
• "I like information.  If that comes in the form of scouting, that's fantastic.  If it comes in the form of quantitative analysis, that's great too.  Medical information, information on players personalities, I think every piece of the puzzle is so valuable.  I see my job and my staffs job as putting those pieces together to make a decision."
• Hoyer let the cat out of the bag to the Boston Globe that he hired McLeod.  McLeod has run 5 fantastic drafts for the Red Sox. 
  
• Hoyer likes a diverse group of people that disagree with him.  He doesn't want yes men. 
  
• Hoyer knows what his payroll will be next year, it will start with a 4.
• "We're not going to be out there shopping for the elite free agents."   They do have flexibility to get guys in targeted areas.
• It bugs Hoyer that people think that big market GM's have it easy because they can just write a check.  "Yes they have the ability to retain some of those guys."
• Petco Park plays a role in every decision.  "You have to be able to win close games."  "It's not as simple as adding fast guys."
  
• The center fielder for 2010 quite possibly could already be on the team. "Certainly Tony Gwynn Jr. he played well for the team last year, he showed really good on-base skills and is certainly very capable."
• Hoyer has a priority list for the Winter Meetings, but he's not going to share it with Darren.  "We have to go into those meetings knowing exactly what we are going to do."
• Donovan Tate was in an ATV accident on Saturday. "He broke his jaw.  It was obviously something he regrets already and hopefully it's something he learns from.  He's going to fine for Spring Training.  Right now he's got his jaw wired shut. He'll start conditioning after 4-6 weeks."
• Hoyer can't wait for the first Padres win.
• Hoyer doesn't see trading Adrian Gonzalez as a necessity.  "Certainly not."