Padres Links 3/29

by jbox on Mar 29, 2009 11:20 AM PDT

Dysfunction in the Padres Front Office is the result of a rivalry as old as time itself... Jocks vs. Nerds. “Look, I believe the statistical information definitely has its place,” he said. “But the pendulum went too far. We're making decisions on almost 95 percent of what the numbers say and only 5 percent of what the evaluators see. We've been signing guys who our own scouts say are non-prospects.”
Meredith is feeling the pressure now that he has a wife and a kid to feed. Guys in the clubhouse say he's a lot more responsible. "He's always been a mature guy anyway, but he's definitely a little more focused on what he is doing," Hampson said. "Having a wife and a baby will do that. He's pitching for not just himself anymore."
Gwynn sees the similarities between the change in ownership back in 1994.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This article about the dysfunction in the front office is beyond scary.

Is there any wonder we’re in the position we’re in now with this kind of structure?

Another said Alderson created an unwieldy executive structure that sowed confusion and turmoil when he had Executive Vice President Paul DePodesta report to him instead of to Towers, a longtime GM, upon Alderson’s hiring of DePodesta in July 2006.

"Paul is really a bright guy and a nice guy, but it’s just been an impossible situation," he said. "It was a train wreck waiting to happen. You have all these different groups reporting to Sandy, and it’s created all this division. Grady’s looking over his shoulder at DePo in the draft. It’s hard to know who makes the decisions. At the end of the day, Sandy becomes GM.

"I don’t think there’s a real bad guy in the bunch. It’s a dysfunctional organization. It’s dysfunctional by the way it’s organized."

We’re letting the number crunchers make all the decisions? No wonder we don’t use advance scouts…we don’t even bother listening to the scouts we do have.

This is a brilliant example:

One goofy episode, though, can create overly negative views – such as when a Padres number-cruncher suggested in 2006 that manager Bruce Bochy bat pitcher Woody Williams second in his lineup.

What a joke.

"We're not going to be as bad as you think."

by Drama on Mar 29, 2009 1:45 PM PDT reply actions

No wonder

A complicated and expensive divorce between club Chairman John Moores and his wife of 44 years that played out through most of last year and created budgetary uncertainty for Alderson and staff.
A 99-defeat season despite a franchise record-high player payroll, followed by an economic downturn and anticipated plummet in season-ticket renewals that further encouraged Moores to slash the 2009 player payroll.

Those two things alone speak for where we stand, all the rest is bad speculation and people speaking out of turn.

Nowhere are number crunchers making all the decisions. A) DePo’s not a number cruncher, and B) I think you missed this part:

A counterpoint to that view is that the Padres, with zero statistical input, guaranteed $5.5 million to foreign amateurs in 2008.

That was right after the superbly bitter-sounding assessment that, “95% of what they say gets done and only 5% for me, wah wah wah.” Sounds like jock math to me.

The Woody example is silly because obviously that idea was never realized. Is the Cardinals FO dysfunctional for batting some of their pitchers 8th last season?

I think Sandy’s biggest mistake is not firing all the yammering word holes in that FO when he could have easily blamed it on the economy.

Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? ◔ヮ◔
Uncommon Sportsman :: Absurdity in play

by Axion on Mar 29, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Seriously

I think Sandy’s biggest mistake is not firing all the yammering word holes in that FO when he could have easily blamed it on the economy.

It’s like every guy without GM or VP in their title is just dying to slip anonymous quotes to the UT. It’s disgusting.

1-10-DEN 18 (9:52) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short right intended for 19-E.Royal INTERCEPTED by 93-L.Castillo (95-S.Phillips) at DEN 18. 93-L.Castillo to DEN 14 for 4 yards (62-C.Wiegmann). 6-J.Cutler pouts ob to DEN 25 for 11 yards.

by Wonko on Mar 29, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I got my Masters Degree

in Jock Math

by jbox on Mar 29, 2009 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions

You can count to two?

by ABY on Mar 30, 2009 12:05 AM PDT up reply actions

I disagree.

First off…the Woody example is silly. Not just because of how ridiculous the suggestion was…but because someone that was collecting a paycheck from the San Diego Padres had the audacity to suggest it. The organization I wish we had would would have fired that moron the second it came out of his mouth.

I didn’t say DePo was a numbers cruncher. But I will say this…having a former GM on staff that reports directly to the club president while having a GM with KT’s pedigree was a disaster waiting to happen. Grady is “looking over his shoulder at DePo” during the draft? You don’t think that’s a serious problem? Really?

Sorry. It’s difficult for me to praise them for dropping $5.5 million bucks on foreign amateurs LAST YEAR when teams have been pillaging that market for years and reaping the rewards of it. It’s a little like Steve Garvey buying a pack of condoms at age 50.

I will agree with you 100% that the divorce is the majority of the reason we are where we are right now…but the structure of the organization before that came into play was clearly a mess. There’s a reason why the minute Sandy stepped out the door “sources” were so eager to talk.

And Wonko…if you think this info is only coming from guys “without GM or VP in their title”…you’re incredibly naive.

"We're not going to be as bad as you think."

by Drama on Mar 29, 2009 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Old vs. new

What is wrong with everyone reporting to Sandy? He was the CEO after all… You bring your report to Sandy, he collects his info from everyone else, makes a decision that’s not what you wanted and then you, what? Run to the paper and talk about dysfunction on account of everyone’s resumé?

I’m not praising them for dropping $5.5 million alone, that example serves only as a counter-point to the statement that the number crunchers are making all the decisions. But that $5.5 million also represents a departure from the old ways, the old ways that drafted Matt Bush.

Nobody that wanted to talk waited until Sandy left, one of these three anons is probably the one that was whispering in Brian Giles’ ear when he was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox late last season.

There’s a lot of people in that front office with many different backgrounds and philosophies, and Sandy managed to make them work together. I just expect them to be adults about where they stood.

The easy way to avoid this situation is firing everyone who disagrees with you, but I think it was recognized that that wasn’t in the best interest of the club.

The Woody Experiment: I’m not going to call it a great idea, but I appreciate that someone’s taking a different viewpoint.

Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? ◔ヮ◔
Uncommon Sportsman :: Absurdity in play

by Axion on Mar 30, 2009 12:35 AM PDT up reply actions

It's not just the $5.5 mill on foreigners either

It’s the Boras thing as well. The whole “we’ll take Matt Bush over the Boras guys” was not on Sandy’s watch. The Padres top pick in 2008 was a Scott Boras client.

I get the feeling that people want to scapegoat Alderson for the really dysfunctional years between his arrival and Lucchino’s departure (2001-2004). When Alderson arrived he had a team with only 3 homegrown regulars (Greene, Burroughs and Peavy) and a system that produced only one more regular (Barfield) and one that became a regular elsewhere (Nady), Yet, somehow the pieces were managed such that the club maintained a contending team for 3 out of his 4 years while not having the money to sign any big free agents. I find that amazing. While I’m not saying that any of that credit is square on Alderson’s shoulders, what I am saying is that a season like 2008 should have been expected under those circumstances so it’s hard for me to blame much of that season on Alderson. I’m just glad that all of the last fours years weren’t like that, because they easily could have been. On top of that, I’m willing to taken in the idea that maybe all those smart guys Alderson brought in had something to do with that. But I just wonder how problematic the Alderson dysfunctional was given how the the franchise overcame some (what I consider to be) long odds to have some success in those years.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions

apparently the process

was broken.

Blame who ever or what ever you want , but there were lots of unhappy people in the organization, that much is apparent, and there is only one person to blame for that. Make excuses all ya want.

Kevin Towers saying just yesterday, that “.. things will be better now ..” speaks volumes, imo.
When asked directly about Alderson, sure he gave him praise, but it had to be apparent that Towers wasn’t all to thrilled with having his wings clipped, first by Alderson, an then by DePodesta.

I have said it before, and people scoffed, but Towers was reduced to coffee boy.

Again. I am not saying that’s a bad thing. I am no KT fanboy.

It was just dysfunctional. as in ..

no process.

552

by wrveres on Mar 29, 2009 7:02 PM PDT reply actions

ANYWAY

The padres are on a three game winning streak.

I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Philip Rivers fan.

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 29, 2009 7:15 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

lets hope this is not the last time we can say that this year.

by Grey Suit on Mar 29, 2009 7:42 PM PDT up reply actions

And Buddy seems to be falling in love with Cabrera

And ECab seems to be making a little headway at the plate. Not to mention, E6 isn’t showing up nearly as often.

by Wonko on Mar 29, 2009 9:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Burke's gone

Looks like Ecab will start the season on the roster.

I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Philip Rivers fan.

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 29, 2009 9:50 PM PDT up reply actions

predictable

i dont see the difference between him and callix crabbe last year. just like crabbe if he werent a rule v guy hed be in portland getting the abs and time in the field that he needs. hes a mlb talent but hes only 22 and needs more grooming. he was in A ball last year, i just dont see the reason to keep him on the bench

Bud Black, if nothing else, he's even keel.

by JelloArm on Mar 30, 2009 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions

There are some main differences

One Cabrera is much younger, so he has the potential to develop further into a starting caliber player. Crabbe had already reached most of his peak hitting potential and was never going to grow into anything more than a utility player. The second difference is that ECab is seen as having the potential to play SS while Crabbe was seen as someone who could play there in a pinch. Combine that with the now nonexistent depth at the SS position and ECab is a fit for the rebuilding team’s roster. Crabbe was a fit for a contending team’s roster that lacked speed and a utility guy. Not to mention that Crabbe had already played at AAA so he was ready to get his shot at the majors rule 5 or not, and Cabrera would never have played in the majors in 2009 if not for Rule 5 Draft. Both are gambles, ECab more so, but the payoff is much higher for him. I think that’s why a lot of us are rooting for ECab because the SS options for the Padres are pretty bleak. Not to say that we weren’t rooting for Crabbe, it’s just that it’s a little easier to find a utility guy (or get by without one) then it is for the SS position.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions