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XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Interview (MP3)

• Towers completely forgot about his usual 1pm interview.  He was meeting with Moorad. 
  
• Chad Gaudin had a good outing, he had the slider working and the fastball in the strike zone.  Any time he can match him up against a right handed line up he will do better. 
  
•  "To win back to back games in Interleague play is a historical event for the Padres"
• About Gaudin: "He should throw his slider about 60 to 70% of the time because he's actually got better command of that than his fastball"
• Towers doesn't really like pitch counts, he thinks the number of innings can be more detrimental.  The Padres have big investments in the amatuer players so they really have to take care of them.  Starters now try to throw as hard as they can for as long as they can, which abuses the bullpen.
  
• Giles has a similar injury to what he had a few years ago, with bruised knee cartelige.  He hurt it sliding into the bag.  They are hoping that he'll take two weeks off and the swelling will go down. He has trouble walking up stairs in the hotel.  He feels it while swinging the bat.  Surgery probably isn't necessary.
  
• A lot of the young guys are going to get opportunities. "Long term Brian is probably not in our plans beyond this year, but we still think there is a productive player there."  If he's not able to get it going in the next month than he could be cut.
• Kyle Blanks has looked pretty good in Left Field.  He's a very selective hitter and he's trying to get a feel for the big leagues.  Even if this is just a two week stay in the big leagues, it will give him a jump start for next year.  He's only going to get better with time.
• Minor Leagues are playing better than they ever have.  Towers talks draft and minor leagues.
• Towers passed along David Justice's offer to be a free BP coach to the coaching staff.  He didn't follow up but the coaching staff probably wasn't interested.
• Tony Gwynn Jr. is definitely the best centerfielder.  "Hands down Anthony".