Towers: "If we fall completely out of this thing in the next month than I think you're going to see a lot of younger players getting the AB's"

by jbox on Jun 17, 2009 2:08 PM PDT Comment 44 comments

XX Sports Radio Interview: Kevin Towers (MP3) with Darren Smith

When you lose two top guys in you rotation, it's tough to overcome but it provides opportunity for younger guys.
This is the streakiest ball club that Towers has ever had.
"Going into this year, we didn't think our club was probably as good as the 2008 club". The payroll dropped 50%, lost Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux and Trevor Hoffman. "We had such a terrible year in 2008, we just felt that even with probably a lesser roster we should be able to do better than we did."
Towers is hoping that Hairston and Floyd would help in Interleague.
Need to get Kouzmanoff, Headley and Giles going.
"Other than really Gonzo, there's really nobody that can do any type of damage in our line up to score some runs"
Towers thinks some guys are capable of getting their game going and others can't. Towers and Black have daily discussions. "We probably have an idea on particular players, how much longer we're going to go with them. That's something we're certainly not going to share on radio or in the press". Younger players need more opportunity. They are more concerned with veteran players.
"If we fall completely out of this thing in the next month than I think you're going to see a lot of younger players getting the AB's"
The timing of the Interleague always happens when the Padres have big injuries. It would be nice to have Hairston now. Floyd hasn't been right since the start of the season. The NL versatile players like Edgar Gonzalez and Josh Wilson aren't the big thumpers that are sitting on the bench of AL teams.
Towers thinks that Interleague play should be opposite. Play AL rules in NL ballparks and vice versa so that fans can see different styles of play. Also NL teams can see the best DH hitters. "We've never played very well so it's hard to be a big fan." Towers is a fan of a balanced schedule, you could tell who the best teams were because everybody played the same schedule.
Hairston hit off a tee yesterday. He might play a couple rehab games over the weekend and be ready for Seattle next week.
Towers is going to make some decisions in the next 4 or 5 games. "We've got to find a way to score some runs". Padres have played terrible in the last 5 games.
Everth Cabrera should be ready by Friday. He'll get more playing time than he had in the first month of the season.
It's a possiblity that Cabrera could bat last in the batting order. It's been discussed in the past. He's going to leave that up to Ted Simmons and Buddy Black. "I think we're at a point now where we gotta look at every different angle of ways to put the best line up out there to score runs, because right now it's not happening.
Mat Latos is definitely on their radar, it's just a question of when to pull the trigger and call him up. He's got less than 150 professional innings and only 50 innings above rookie ball. "He's definitley flat dominating in down at AA right now, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the season that you see him." If they brought him up right now and threw him every 5th day than he'd be at risk for injury for throwing too many innings.
Peavy will be in the walking cast for a month. He'll have to do rehab and similulated games after that. If things aren't progressing than they'll reevaluate. Surgery would be the next option if it doesn't get better.
Chris Young should be ready in about 10 days since there is no structural damage. Hopefully at the backend of the next road trip.
Darren Smith notes that Towers sounds disappointed.
The options now are the younger players in the farm system. Blanks will get an opportunity. Venable will play more regularly. Cabrera will play every day. Latos is on their radar. Ramos is throwing well but hurt. Decisions need to be made on veteran players that aren't a part of the Padres future plans.
Correia did a good job, but he has been sporadic in the past. Balsley got him in line after his delivery. He's mixing in secondary pitches and consistent with his fast ball. "Right now he's probably the ace on our staff with Peavy and Young out."
The Padres will meet with Donovan Tate in the next week. More guys will start to sign in the next few weeks.
Towers is rooting for Phil Mickelson in the U.S. Open.

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When he talks about making decisions about veteran players

Giles is the first one that comes to mind. He fits the description in the 7th bullet point and he fits the “veteran players that aren’t a part of the Padres future plans” in the 4th to last bullet point. Cliff Floyd, David Eckstein and Henry Blanco would also fit the “veteran players that aren’t a part of the Padres future plans”, but I’m not sure who else would. I don’t think there are any other players on the roster (other than Peavy) with more than 5 years of experience. Would Kouz or Gaudin be considered veterans? Luis Rodriguez? I guess it depends on your (or, actually KT’s) definition of veteran. Plus, those guys are technically a part of future plans unless they are cut or traded, the ones I originally mentioned (Giles, Floyd, Eckstein, Blanco) are all guaranteed free agency this year.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 2:24 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Hairy's return...

When Hairy gets back they really should just cut Giles at this point. They have zero chance of trading him and they have to pay him either way. It’s time to cut bait.

by Drama on Jun 17, 2009 2:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

There are a couple of teams that maybe could use Giles

Like the Tigers with Guillen going down. But, I just remembered (it came up last year, but doesn’t get mentioned much this year) that on top of Giles’ full no trade clause he also gets a $2 million salary bonus if he gets traded. That is a real tough sell. It’d be one thing to eat Giles’ salary and trade him for a minor prospect, but it’s another to convince yourself or the other team to eat the addition $2 million.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

but

No team will want to give up a halfway decent prospect for a washed up, backup outfielder. The only teams i could see at all trading for him is the BoSox. They want a lefthanded bat, but I wouldn’t consider Giles a bat

Sporting 4 Sports

by 4sportathlete on Jun 17, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

I just don’t see anybody picking that up. And all that is based on him even accepting the trade in the first place.

I think of the four guys you mentioned…only Eck and Blanco might get us back a minor prospect near the deadline.

Giles and Floyd should just be released outright. They probably won’t release Floyd until after Interleague play.

by Drama on Jun 17, 2009 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

If it was one of those things, instead of all of those things, we could hope for a trade.

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 Jun 17, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ya

even though we would want production for $9 million, we would pribably win more without Giles

Sporting 4 Sports

by 4sportathlete on Jun 17, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't even think it's about winning more.

You’ll have Hairy, Gwynn and Headley out there….AND you want to get Venable at-bats…you have to dump Giles.

by Drama on Jun 17, 2009 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know

Can we somehow deal him and Kouzmanoff to any team?

Sporting 4 Sports

by 4sportathlete on Jun 17, 2009 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Winning is pretty much an afterthought at this point. We need to make sure that any player that has nothing more to prove in the minors is getting used to big league baseball so that they can be ready to contribute to next year’s team. Or, in the case of Kouz and Headley, getting them back on the right track to be ready to contribute next year. Or, in the case of Gwynn and Hundley, making sure that they are for real (and maybe work a little on their defense).

And, don’t forget about Blanks. I don’t see this team being competitive next year unless Blanks is in the lineup and hitting well enough to stick into the 4th or 5th spot in the lineup.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

No one wants him in a trade, but I’m pretty sure he’d sign somewhere if we cut him. We just need to move on.

"If I wasn't Bob Dylan, I'd probably think that Bob Dylan has a lot of answers myself." - Bob Dylan

by JollyWaffle on Jun 17, 2009 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Giles

in the last 30 days he actually turning things around, his OPS is .621, BUT this is .174 points below his predictive OPS over the same span (.795).

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on Jun 17, 2009 2:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

and of course...

he’s still having article’s like this being written about him.

by pjbno4 on Jun 17, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's an excellent link.

It seems to say Giles owes the Padres $6.9 million for giving him the opportunity to lose so many games. I say he forks the money straight over to the fans who have actually paid to get into Petco this year.

by dontkickthebaby on Jun 17, 2009 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not this slippery slope again...

Go ahead and take $6.9 from Giles, but don’t forget to pay Adrian twice that.

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 Jun 17, 2009 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeh,

That’s actually a better idea.

by dontkickthebaby on Jun 17, 2009 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't get me wrong

I’d love to pay Adrian for his job well done, but if you took back all the negative value from our players, we’d be paying it back out to Adrian and Hairston alone.

Someone double-check this math if you want, but I totaled -$19.8, with Aid and Hairston together worth $21.8.

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 Jun 17, 2009 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

is that absed on

his babip being some mean, or his flyball/homer rate reverting? because sometimes, it’s bad luck, and sometimes….If you look at Vernon Wells, say, his homer rate to flyball is awfully low, and his babip is low…and he is playing with the effects of a hurt wrist. Not saying giles is hurt, just that sometimes you are seeing what you are getting.

by wobatus on Jun 17, 2009 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But

He’s a free agent next year. Just like Maddux or Wolf last year, it really doesn’t matter how he’s currently doing since the franchise should be shifting it’s focus to next season and next year’s team won’t have Giles on it. If he was tradeable you’d trade to highest bidder (like Maddux and Wolf), but since he’s not you need to make sure he’s not eating away learning time from someone who will be on the team next year.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what is up with hairston'r rehab

I have looked all over the net for something, anything.

by wobatus on Jun 17, 2009 3:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Seems like I saw an interview with Kevin Towers somewhere

and he talked about Hairston. Anybody got a link?

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

He may be ready

in time for the series in Seattle.

by maestro876 on Jun 17, 2009 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Right now he's probably the ace on our staff with Peavy and Young out."

I just threw up in my mouth.

"If I wasn't Bob Dylan, I'd probably think that Bob Dylan has a lot of answers myself." - Bob Dylan

by JollyWaffle on Jun 17, 2009 4:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was waiting for a comment like this

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 17, 2009 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish it was arguable

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 Jun 17, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Padres signed LHP Mike O'Connor to a minor league deal today.

4.80 ERA in 2006 in 20 starts for the Nationals. Last pitched in 2008, in 5 games.

by JollyWaffle on Jun 17, 2009 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

gotta love KT's frankness

OK, some so-so choices this off-season (don’t know all the constraints, etc) but love straight talk. very refreshing, a good to know the mgmt is not if some crazy, bizarro land.

by jayman66 on Jun 17, 2009 4:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

"If we fall completely

“out of this thing in the next month than I think you’re going to see a lot of younger players getting the AB’s”

Isn’t this backward? Shouldn’t you replace unproductive over-the-hillers with more productive younger players now so you have a better chance of not falling “completely out of this thing?” In other words, so you have a better chance of winning?

I have some sympathy for Kevin Towers. He gambled by not trading Peavy during the winter. He gambled by picking up Giles’ option. And he gambled by signing Floyd. But at the time, they all seemed to be really smart bets. Now Giles and Floyd are killing the team, and Peavy’s salary could tie the Padres’ hands for years.

Giles and Floyd need to be removed from the clubhouse so the rest of the team can actually think about winning rather than being burdened by carrying two old men through the season. And if Towers really can’t see that, if he really waits until the Padres are “completely out of this thing,” he deserves no sympathy. He deserves to be fired.

by dontkickthebaby on Jun 17, 2009 4:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Even if we dump Giles

we still won’t be saving that 9 mil in the long run

Check this out:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/19/padres-2009-contracts/?padres

Granted, this was posted back in December, but it’s still pretty accurate.
With the increase in Peavy’s, Young’s, and Gonzalez’ contracts next year, that 9 mil is essentially gone.

We need to find some way to increase payroll, otherwise this team will never be competitive.

Here’s another salary info site:
http://www.sportscity.com/MLB/San-Diego-Padres-Salaries

We’re 2nd to last in player salary total.
Hell, even the PIRATES have a higher team salary than we do…

"I don't think about the things I say. You guys are the ones who think about it."

by surferfromSD619 on Jun 17, 2009 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those numbers are accurate

Although the best place for info on Padres contracts is here. To summarize, Jake, CY and Adrian are due a salary increase of $7.5 million combined. On top of that, Hairston and Bell will be due salary increases of $1 million each or more due to being in there second year of arbitration eligibility, which you can see here. Luis Rodgriguez and Kevin Kouzmanoff will also make significantly more due to their arbitration eligibility (LRod is actually in his second arb year, but wasn’t a starter until this year). However, at some point the ownership will allow for the payroll to go up a little. We may not be a large market, but we aren’t so small that we need the second lowest payroll.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 18, 2009 12:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not backward

Most teams would rather go with guys that have a track record of productivity (like Giles) and count on them to help the ballclub win. If you start going to the young players you aren’t sure which ones are going to be ready, you could bring a guy up that’s crushing AAA (see: McAnulty, Paul 2008 or Sledge, Termel 2007) and he could struggle and not help the team win. Even the best teams are loath to gamble in this way. So, it’s not really backward to talk about it that way. Obviously, if you look at what Giles is doing now he doesn’t look the part of stable veteran, but given that in the history of baseball most healthy veteran players don’t suddenly lose the ability to hit (it’s usually more gradual or injury related), an experienced baseball exec is more likely to see what he is doing as a slump more than the end of a career.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 18, 2009 12:27 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

"Most clubs would rather go with guys

“who have a track record of productivity.” Trouble is, Giles has a 60-game, 221-at-bat track record of being a 38-year-old liability who can’t get around on the fastball anymore and who can’t hit lefties at all. The Padres have been counting on him to help them win for more than a third of the season now and he’s just not up to the job.

And I realize you can never be sure that someone who is crushing the ball in triple-A will be ready for the bigs, but please don’t put Termel Sledge in this category. By the year you mention, Sledge already had a track record of failure in the major leagues. The only people who thought he still had potential were the same experienced baseball execs who still think Brian Giles has potential. And, I might add, the same people who kept Sledge on the 40-man roster the previous winter and exposed Joakim Soria to the Rule 5 draft.

Let’s face it. Sledge sucked when they chose to protect him over Soria, and Giles sucks now.

“Even the best teams are loathe to gamble in this way.” The best teams are contending and do not have to gamble. Winning teams are not looking to turn around their seasons. The teams that take risks are the teams that need to. Because they’re losing.

The Padres need to make some big roster moves, not just in an attempt to turn their season around, but to see who they might be able to count on in the future.

by dontkickthebaby on Jun 18, 2009 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Giles does have a history of decline

Last year was a blip up, thee things aren’t linear, but he was basically maybe a game above replacement in 2007, a nummber which had declined steadily for years…and look at his home runs, which is a fairly linear decline, year after year, and it isn’t just Petco. Dave cameron et al twisted themselves into pretzels to say how good he was, and yeh, he seemed to have a last hurrah last year, and he likely isn’t this bad, but he is bad.

I will repeat the hemingway line: how did you go bankrupt? 2 ways, slowly and then suddenly.

See Robbie Alomar and Carlos Baerga on the Mets. Baerga because he stopped juicing. Bobby Valentine said so.

by wobatus on Jun 18, 2009 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Winning teams are not looking to turn around their seasons."

But some of them are certainly looking to reshuffle. Billy Beane is obviously a GM who’ll do this. Kevin Towers, on the other hand, will only “fine tune” a winning team at the deadline.

"When the going gets tough... TheGrandHatching pops in later." -- WG

by TheGrandHatching on Jun 18, 2009 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Padres need to make some big roster moves, not just in an attempt to turn their season around, but to see who they might be able to count on in the future.

Just to remind you. You were the one arguing for “better chance of not falling completely out of this thing?” Now your message is to look towards next season. It’s hard to discuss something when you’re all over the place like that.

Also, I think you need to look up what a track record is. Because you’re not using it right. Termel Sledge had a very good rookie season (6th in the rookie of the year) and then got hurt. That was his major league track record. And 221 at bats in a 6523 AB career (or 3125 AB as a Padre) is not a track record. It’s a merely a blip on the radar. You could argue that his skills have diminished this season, but you can’t call it a track record.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 18, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Making friends, Wonko?

"When the going gets tough... TheGrandHatching pops in later." -- WG

by TheGrandHatching on Jun 18, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So how much longer do you think the Padres should keep Giles in RF

Until they give up on him and let the kids play?

by Steve (Grey Suit) on Jun 18, 2009 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last Week

The should get rid of him last week.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 18, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually,

I’ve been very consistent in calling for Giles and Floyd to be cut loose, both so the team can start winning and to see what the future holds. At this point, however, it is obvious that even if the Padres start winning, they are not going to make the playoffs. And that reality is simply another reason to go with youth. You, meanwhile, have been consistently blind to the fact that Giles is a huge liability who is an obstacle to winning and an obstacle to younger players learning the ropes. At this point, when it is obvious he is having difficulties seeing the fastball, what good does it do to keep a slug like Giles on the roster? It’s a moot point, anyway. He will be cut Tuesday to make room for Hairston. Perhaps you can call the Padres then and demand they buy back your season tickets.

by dontkickthebaby on Jun 19, 2009 4:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm blind to the fact that Gilesis a huge liability who is an obstacle to winning and an obstacle to younger players learning the ropes?

Then why do I want him off the roster to make room for younger players? You apparently don’t pay attention very well. I was just pointing out to you why younger players don’t necessarily mean a better chance of winning in 2009 (and, I had to point out that you didn’t know what track record meant, but that was more of courtesy to help your future endeavors). But, at this point I don’t care about wins in 2009 so I’m all for dumping anyone and everyone who won’t be a part of the next winning Padres team. Especially players that are struggling and are painful to watch.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 19, 2009 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"We had such a terrible year in 2008, we just felt that even with probably a lesser roster we should be able to do better than we did."

The logic behind this quote should force Towers to quit immediately. “Things were so bad that if we made them worse, they were bound to get better.” AHHH! I think my brain just exploded.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Jun 18, 2009 5:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

We are going to catch up

by going slower.

by strummer on Jun 18, 2009 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you are overthinking it

The logic is that teams don’t do what the Padres did in 2008 without things going very poorly for them (injuries, guys playing below their talent level, scheduling, etc.). If you replayed 2008 groundhog’s day style, the majority of the time the Padres wouldn’t finish that poorly. So, if you trim the fat by taking away underperforming expensive players (this is apparently the definition of a lesser roster), then you should perform better. This is backed up by looking at a projection systems. They all showed that the Padres had lesser players than the 2008 team, but projected them to finish with more wins than in 2008.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 18, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs