Padres GM Hoyer reports back from the GM Meetings

XX Sports Radio: Jed Hoyer Interview (MP3) with Darren Smith

• Hoyer just got back from the GM Meetings.  The meetings are a little different this year, only the 30 GM's were invited. Many of the discussions are about the CBA and rule changes.
• There was a lot of discussion about the expanded playoffs.  They aren't anywhere close to a decision.  He joked that he wished they were expanded this year.  He can't say which side of the debate he was on.
• Cameron Maybin is a guy the Padres are excited about.  They'd asked about him in the past but he wasn't available.  He's very athletic, his defensive numbers have been excellent and he's only 23 years old.  He's always performed in the Minor Leagues, but his Minor League numbers haven't translated to the Majors yet.  He strikes out too much.  "We like the potential and we thought it was a worth while gamble."  They gave up some real good bullpen arms, but they still have a surplus of arms.  Maybin is out of options so he can't start the season in AAA.
• Theoretically they can have Anthony Gwynn Jr. and Cameron Maybin on the 25 man roster, but they haven't made a decision on Gwynn Jr. yet.  They have a lot of outfielders on the roster right now and they're going to have to make some tough decisions.
• They added 7 players to the 40 man roster to protect them.  They put Cedric Hunter on the roster because he's a player that another team would have taken in the Rule 5 draft.  Hunter is a player they like a lot and he had a very good year in AA, but struggled a bit in AAA.  Don't read too much into him being Major League depth.
• The bullpen is very important to the Padres because they play so many close games.  He won't say he wouldn't trade another piece out of the bullpen if it filled a big hole.  They are less likely than they were before the Maybin trade to trade out of the bullpen again.