Towers comments on Padres dysfunction, hints at starting rotation

by jbox on Mar 30, 2009 2:10 PM PDT

XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Interview

Scott and BR question Towers on Boras being Strasburg's "advisor". They mention that if a college football player had an agent as an "advisor" that there would be red flags everywhere but the NCAA doesn't care when it comes to baseball. Towers seems fine with agents "advising" college athletes.
Towers briefly read Krasovic's "dysfunctional" article yesterday. Towers thinks that nothing went right last season and people internally started pointing fingers and giving their two cents. "I would not say dysfunctional, do we have issues internally? Absolutely, but so does every other sports organization". On the actual structure: "Our structure maybe is a little different than most, the way it was set up from a baseball ops standpoint, but Sandy always gave me full economy as a General Manager to make baseball decisions. I always felt that way. Did he have other sounding boards in the organization? I can't answer that, I don't know " Towers likes to think that he had the final say so. "Were there other people in the organization that were in his ear? I don't know."
Moorad will likely evaluate the organization structure this year.
Moorad respects scouts and the analytical side of things. Towers doesn't think it will be much different from the way it was under Alderson. "I don't think we are a Moneyball organization"
Moorad likes to negotiate but finds a way to get things done.
"It's tough to evaluate pitchers in Arizona." Young's arm is "sound and healthy" Towers expects Young to be fine and ready.
Towers is a little more concerned about Baek. "Anytime that a trainer talks about strain in the flexor tendon, that's kind of the Tommy John ligament, the inner part of the elbow, is not good." The trainer wasn't overly concerned. It will be 7-10 days, so he will miss his opening start. Correia might take the third spot and Walter Silva the 4th spot. Shawn Hill and Eulogio De La Cruz who aren't quite ready might team up for the 5th spot. Hill will take the first three to four innings and De La Cruz will take the next three.
Towers will not rule out a trade for Kouzmanoff, he'll always listen to trade possibilities.

Starting Rotation:

Peavy
Young
Correia
Silva
Hill / De La Cruz

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Hill

If healthy, is really good. I’m excited about him.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 30, 2009 2:24 PM PDT reply actions

I just saw this from you in another thread back on March 10:
The bullpen is FINE. We have literally 30 bullpen possibilities in camp. Nova, Burke, Patterson, Britton, Ryu, Thatcher, Hampson, Reineke, Ekstrom, Adams, Buschman, DeHoyos, Inman, Lopez, Moreno, Silva, Perez, the list goes on and on. I’m pretty sure they can construct a decent bullpen out of that and Heath and the rest. The problem is the ROTATION!!!! How does he not see that. Other than Peavy and CY, we don’t have one starter than would crack the rotation on any of the other teams. NOT ONE! Not Baek, not Correria, not…who else is there? We seriously have no starters. At all. Zero. Ramos and Carillo will NEVER be major league starters. Leblanc and Geer are fringe starters. How on earth does he feel good about the rotation???? This baffles the f@ck out of me.
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All of those guys are no longer in consideration outside of Adams and Silva I believe. Just made me think of all the arms that didn’t work out this spring and how truly screwed we are for a season that starts in a week and we still don’t have a set rotation and bullpen is still full of holes.

We are in for a hell of a year.

Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall -- and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Mar 30, 2009 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions

That's only partially true

Moreno is definitely in consideration for a spot.
I’m pretty sure Patterson is penciled in as well. And I wouldn’t rule out Burke or Lopez.

But your point is still taken.

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 30, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Don’t know anything about Moreno, not even listed on the 40 man roster Patterson was sent to AAA last week. Lopez is not on the active roster and Burke is not listed on the 40 man either.

Guessing they are already with the minor league camp and you see them being called up?

Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall -- and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Mar 30, 2009 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Moreno

Had an article on padres.com.

The rest I was kind of pulling from my rear. I know Lopez was doing well and I missed the Patterson demotion.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks for the link. Totally missed that.

Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall -- and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Mar 30, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions

According to the UT today

Looks like Moreno and Lopez and both on track to make the team.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 30, 2009 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions

They need to update the roster

on the MLB Padres site. Don’t even list Moreno, Lopez is listed not on the active roster and they still list Worrell.

Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall -- and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Mar 30, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't think the official roster has actually changed yet

They need to start adding Adams and Worrell to the 60 day DL which will open up 2 40 man spots, but the team hasn’t done that yet even though it is merely a formality at this point. There are probably one or two players that will get released outright or traded, but the Padres are waiting until the last second in case of injuries. So we have to just pay attention to rumors and innuendo for now.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Rumor mill

Scouts will be watching the radar gun pitching challenge at Padres Fan Fest this Sunday.

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Uncommon Sportsman :: Absurdity in play

by Axion on Mar 30, 2009 2:40 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

According to Corey Brock's Twitter

1. Baek will miss his first start of the season and likely be put on the DL.
2. Andy Masur is driving him and Jerry Coleman to the game at Goodyear today.
3. He’ll be on the radio broadcast today at 4.
4. Today’s Lineup

1. Eckstein
2. Egon
3. Giles
4. Brown
5. Headley
6. Blanks
7. Hairston
8. Hundley
9. Lrod

Correia gets the start.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 30, 2009 2:43 PM PDT reply actions

ewwwww

Emil Brown, at least he’s not batting high in the…wtf?!? Cleanup. Oh Buddy. You silly goose.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Most managers don’t know how to set a lineup and do stupid things like bat their best hitter #3.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Mar 30, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I can live with that

But batting an out machine like Brown 4th is lame. Even in an exhibition game. Of course, I don’t really see the need to let him bat at all. Or play the field. Or really be in the dugout. But, that’s just me.

by Wonko on Mar 30, 2009 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions