GM Towers talks Padres

by jbox on Aug 6, 2009 9:10 AM PDT

XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Interview (MP3)

The team is a lot more athletic with the youth movement. Blanks is hitting home runs as far as Albert Pujols, just not as consistent. Venable is showing power. Latos is a bright spot, may get ROTY consideration. Towers is enjoying watching the team in the last few weeks.
The draft 3 or 4 years ago put an emphasis on speed and athleticism. "It's nice to have power, but contact hitters can make things happen."
Towers says they are rotating all the outfielders to get them all consistent AB's.
Venable's confidence is starting to come.
Giles will get at bats, they won't be as many as he's used to. Giles will do some pinch hitting. He'll get occasional playing time in the outfield. Towers is sure that Giles sees the writing on the wall that the young players are going to get the plate appearances.
The Padres have accumulated a lot of pitching. They've got a lot of depth in the rotation, but not a lot of experience. Bunch of power arms in the bullpen.
In the off season, the Padres will try to improve the catching and will try to bring in a big right handed power bat as a corner outfielder. He'd like to bring Eckstein back because he's such a great leader.
Padres will shut down Mat Latos in September because of the number of innings he has already thrown this year. "Last thing we want to do is hurt this kid." Padres might go to a six man rotation but it won't include Latos.
Towers talks about the pitchers the Padres have acquired during trades.
It's by design that the Padres have traded for pitching. When the Padres have succeeded in Petco they've had pitching, they've always been at the bottom when it came to offense.
The Donovan Tate signing will probably go down to the last minute. Towers thinks they will sign all three top draftees. The Padres had a significant budget for draftees even before trading Peavy.
Padres still plan on being a force in the Dominican Republic.

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Giles

Giles will get at bats, they won’t be as many as he’s used to. Giles will do some pinch hitting. He’ll get occasional playing time in the outfield. Towers is sure that Giles sees the writing on the wall that the young players are going to get the plate appearances

Why would he get even one AB? What purpose would that serve? There’s no way he could do enough to make some team want him and then pass through waivers. There’s already a 4 man rotation of young players out there and their going to give less ABs to those guys. Don’t get it.

http://avengingjackmurphy.blogspot.com/

I don't agree with a word you're saying but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" ~Patrick Henry

"Shut the fuck up Donnie, you're out of your element!" ~Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski

by AIChief on Aug 6, 2009 9:52 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I don't get it, either.

The money is already gone … just release him and save the ABs for the kids.

by FresnoPadsFan on Aug 6, 2009 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions

"Giles will get at bats, they won't be as many as he's used to. Giles will do some pinch hitting. He'll get occasional playing time in the outfield."

It’s stuff like this that makes me hate this team. WTF is the thought process here? How does giving Giles ANY at-bats help this franchise? There is a ZERO percent chance he’s in a Padre uniform next season…we have a ZERO percent chance of making it to the post-season and we are clearly looking towards 2010.

So why in the world would you give him playing time? ONE at-bat is one less at-bat for guys like Blanks, Venable, Headley and Anthony. Playing time in the field is less time for Blanks to learn a new position…less time for Anthony, Venable and Headley to get more comfortable out there.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. Cut him now and stop f**king around! Dammit!

by Drama on Aug 6, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs

It’s stuff like this that makes me hate this ~~team~~ Towers.

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

by John Gennaro on Aug 6, 2009 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Umm

“this” should be crossed out too. Now I just look dumb.

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

by John Gennaro on Aug 6, 2009 12:27 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Aye, that really bothered me also.

I don’t see any point in letting him play at all. Cut him, take your losses and let the kids play.

This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Aug 6, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I guarantee some team will sign him next year for like $1-2 mil

and the first thing he’s going to do is talk about how glad he is to be playing for team X and how the Padres stabbed him in the back, etc, whine, whine, bitch, etc. He’s going to pocket $9 mil for doing nothing this year and will turn around and cry about it next year. Guaranteed.

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Aug 6, 2009 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions

He will cry

and we will laugh and laugh.

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 Aug 6, 2009 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Giles is still type B free agent

The Padres want their free draft pick at the end of the 1st round. so they won’t cut/trade him

But yea I don’t want to see him as anything but a pinch hitter. btw how effed up are those stupid rankings if Giles still easily can net us a draft pick. he’s almost a type A still and just barely under Adrian.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18014543/Rankings-080109

by bcamp on Aug 6, 2009 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions

you really think they are going to offer Giles arbitration?

552

by wrveres on Aug 6, 2009 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions

ha good point

i forgot about that part.. theres no way they offer him arbitration

by bcamp on Aug 6, 2009 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Rigth Handed Power Bat

In the off season, the Padres will try to improve the catching and will try to bring in a big right handed power bat as a corner outfielder.

Assuming Kouz gets moved and Headley goes to 3b our outfield would look:
LF-Blanks
CF-Gwynn
RF-Venable

Unless Adrian gets traded we have our right handed power bat in LF and he doesn’t cost a thing. Let these guys all play and develop so we know what we have (also letting other teams know so they have trade value if necessary).

Look at the change in Venable since he’s started playing with more regularity. Gwynn might not be the answer in CF but give him a chance to prove it over the course of an entire season. This is just like the case with Nady—he never got regular ABs.

Save the money in 2010 and then spend it in ’11.

http://avengingjackmurphy.blogspot.com/

I don't agree with a word you're saying but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" ~Patrick Henry

"Shut the fuck up Donnie, you're out of your element!" ~Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski

by AIChief on Aug 6, 2009 10:01 AM PDT reply actions

I think that "a big right handed power bat" could be...

referring to a bench player/pinch hitter, like Cliff Floyd was supposed to be. Towers, as much as anyone, would love to fill any position with a cheap young player instead of an old expensive one. I think Towers just wants a power bat off the bench, something the Padres don’t have at all right now.

I could be wrong, but that’s how I read that sentence.

by JollyWaffle on Aug 6, 2009 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions

If I took the time to listen to the interview

maybe there would have been more context to KT’s statement. It’s easier to read the Cliffs N….er…J-Box Notes and be reactionary.

Having said that; It would make the most sense to just re-up Cliff Floyd. He’s been solid this year…

http://avengingjackmurphy.blogspot.com/

I don't agree with a word you're saying but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" ~Patrick Henry

"Shut the fuck up Donnie, you're out of your element!" ~Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski

by AIChief on Aug 6, 2009 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions

The way it sounded to me

Is that they could make a free agent signing or trade and replace someone as a starter with a right handed power bat. I think this is plan A and with a team on a budget, Plan A almost never gets executed. And looking at the free agent market, unless they are going to sign Holliday (too expensive) or Glaus (might not even count with his injuries) they aren’t going to find one. I guess they could trade CY for one. Anyway, I don’t think Towers would have mentioned it so prominently if he was talking about a bench player.

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

by Wonko on Aug 6, 2009 6:22 PM PDT up reply actions

KT, let's be real here

Are you enjoying watching this team, or are you just enjoying watching this team more than last month?

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 Aug 6, 2009 10:21 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs

Totally cracked me up

Drama is an a-hole.

by Winfield's Ghost on Aug 6, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Six man rotation?

That does NOT include Latos? Who are the six?

1. Stauffer
2. Clay Dick
3. Gaudin
4. Correia
5. ?
6. ?

Who are the other two? Poreda? CY?

by Drama on Aug 6, 2009 11:52 AM PDT reply actions

I wasn't supposed to say anything...

…but I’m being considered for the 5 slot.

Drama is an a-hole.

by Winfield's Ghost on Aug 6, 2009 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Six man rotation?

That does NOT include Latos? Who are the six?

1. Stauffer
2. Clay Dick
3. Gaudin
4. Correia
5. Winfield’s Ghost
6. ?

Who is the other one? Poreda? CY? Ron Mexico?

by Drama on Aug 6, 2009 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions

They mean for the rest of 2009 after Latos is shut down.

1. Correia
2. Richard
3. Stauffer
4. Carrillo
5. Poreda
6. Ramos/Frieri/Gaudin

I really hope Gaudin is finished for this year.

Greg Maddux for manager.

by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 6, 2009 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions

And forever as a Padre.

Greg Maddux for manager.

by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 6, 2009 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions

ME TOO

Or at least put him in long relief.

by JollyWaffle on Aug 6, 2009 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions

He mentions Poreda by name as a September call up

He mentioned Carrillo briefly (and DePo spoke with praise about him today), so this seems about right.

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

by Wonko on Aug 6, 2009 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Glad you spilled the beans, WG ....

… you couldn’t be any worse than LeBalnc or (bleach!) Silva!

by FresnoPadsFan on Aug 6, 2009 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions

He names them in the interview

I was too lazy to get the names.

by jbox on Aug 6, 2009 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions

He mentioned that Luebke kid, too

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 Aug 6, 2009 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Really?

Wow. He was in A+ to start the year, and they really think he’s ready for time in the big leagues?

Greg Maddux for manager.

by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 6, 2009 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Surprised me, too

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 Aug 6, 2009 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Latos started the year in Low A. . .

I know, different pitchers with different stuff, and Latos probably would have started the season higher had he not been hurt last year, but a jump from A+ to the majors in one year wouldn’t be unheard of. Plus, Luebke isn’t young (24) and he’s shown decent stuff in AA (although strikeout numbers are low, and of course we have the small sample size).

by Bigworm8 on Aug 6, 2009 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Last time I checked 24 is still young

I guess our standards have changed with Latos, Blanks and Cabrera up.

But, in all seriousness, I understood the meaning. He was a little old to be in such low levels, so now his physical maturity matches his competition. So maybe don’t think of him as an A+ level guy.

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

by Wonko on Aug 6, 2009 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions

The second to last bullet point

I don’t think was worded correctly. It says:

The Donovan Tate signing will probably go down to the last minute. Towers thinks they will sign all three top draftees. The Padres had a significant budget for draftees even before trading Peavy.

Based on what I heard in the interview a better way to put it would have been:

The Donovan Tate signing will probably go down to the last minute. Towers thinks they will sign all three top draftees. The Peavy trade will not have an impact on signing draft picks because the Padres had a significant budget for draftees before even before trading Peavy.

My point being that while Darrin Smith implied that the Peavy trade freed up money for draft pick signings, Towers seemed to dispel that with his answer.

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

by Wonko on Aug 6, 2009 6:31 PM PDT reply actions