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

• The last few days have been rough, losing leads.  Haven't been able to score runs.  The Pads are giving opportunities to a lot of young players.  The key is getting healthy again.  They have to pitch well and score more runs. 
  
• Towers always gets upset when the Padres lose, he doesn't lower his expectations.  "Winning motivates me.  You know when you lose ballgames regardless of what your payroll is or what type of ball club you have out there, I take loses very tough."  Last years team had more talent.
  
• "Everth Cabrera looks like the real deal."  Cabrera could be like a Raphael Furcal.  Tony Gwynn Jr. has been doing a great job at the top of the batting order and providing great defense in center.
• This year Towers is trying to find out if these players belong or don't belong.  "I like some of the things I've seen from the young guys."  He is hoping that they have something to build upon in 2010.
  
• "I wish Nick Hundley was healthy."  They wanted to see him catch 120-25 games to see what they have behind the plate.  Josh Geer keeps in you in every ball game, he's a legitimate 4th or 5th starter. 

  "Hopefully after the break we'll get Mat Latos up here."

    He's hoping that the pitchers that came over in the Hairston deal will make an impact.
  
• "Really we kind of looked at this year as a chance to see younger players."
• Hairston is going to be a 4+ in arbitration next year and he is more than likely going to triple his salary.  The money wasn't a big deal in the Hairston deal. He did a nice job for the Padres.  They traded one pitcher Leo Rosales to get him. The strength of the minor league system is in the outfield.  If they waited until the off season they wouldn't have gotten much for him.

  "Probably the best player in the the deal is the Player To Be Named Later, that will be here before the end of the month that will make an impact on our pitching staff".

• Adrian Gonzalez is a legitimate Major League Baseball player.  Everth Cabrera is very exciting.  Chase Headley is starting to come on.  Nick Hundley once he gets back.
• Adrian Gonzalez doesn't want to take a day off.  He wants to be in there each and every day, regardless of how he is swinging the bat.  He's still young, he's an Iron Man.  Towers likes having his bat in the line up.  He'll play the next 4 days in San Francisco and hopefully win the home run derby.  Towers leaves it up to Adrian and Black to decide when to take a day off.

  "I think Adrian is smart enough to know that if he felt like he's getting tired... I think he's fine."

• This is the best Dodger team that Towers has seen in his 14 years.  The Dodgers have a great following.  The attention that Manny got for being busted for using PED's really bothered Towers.
• Towers is very pleased with Moorad and Garfinkel. 
  
• Towers thinks it is very doubtful that he'll trade Adrian Gonzalez before the trade deadline.
• All the scouts and staff are on the same page.  Moorad's vision isn't a lot different than Sandy Alderson's.
• This is Buddy Black's best year as a manager, he's done a good job motivating the guys and dealing with young and veteran players.  He deserves a renewed contract and that will happen in the next 30 days.  

  "I don't think he should be held accountable for the 99 losses last year or this year. A lot has to do with the product, cut our payroll by 50%, he believes in young players, that's how they did it in Anaheim, I think the players respect him. I think he's smart, he understands what he has to work with, he manages the game well and he's somebody that I certainly believe in and he'll only get better with time."

• "I think we should all be held accountable"