XX Sports Radio: Paul Depodesta Interview

by jbox on Feb 8, 2010 11:35 PM PST

XX Sports Radio: Paul DePodesta Interview (MP3) with Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton

DePodesta is engaged in more business items like ticket pricing and beer pricing.
The goal is to try to have a great scouting staff, have great drafts year after year and develop players internally.
Smaller market teams have less room for error.
"The payrolls don't play the games, the players do."
Drafting is so much more difficult than in other sports because even the best players can be 3-4 years away from the big leagues.
The Padres are prepared to ramp up their investment and offer players professional contracts that are more money then they would normally get in that round and convince them to not play in college.
Over the past 4-5 years the Padres are in the top 5 in amateur player spending.
The Padres are still committed to getting players from Latin America.

Paul DePodesta Interview Part 2 (MP3)

The first 3 years of a players of career a team can set his salary as long as it is above the minimum. He is eligible for salary arbitration for the next 3 years and then after that he is eligible for free agency.
The minimum salary for a player is $400K.
Adrian Gonzalez signed a long term deal that took out his arbitration years. A player takes deals like this for security and so they don't have to go through arbitration.
Adrian is 2 years away from free agency. "Are we willing to go two years and get nothing in return?"
Kyle Blanks is 6'7" and close to 300 lbs. DePodesta thinks he moves really well in the outfield. He has a chance to be a solid/average defender in the outfield and he's an above average first basemen.

Paul DePodesta Interview Part 3 (MP3)

The Padres think Chase Headley turned the corner in the middle of the season and he is going to be a very productive third basemen.
Trading Kevin Kouzmanoff wasn't because they didn't like him, but because they could move players to more natural positions.
David Eckstein made a lot of people around him better. He gives solid veteran leadership. It was like having another coach on the field. If he gets hurt, Jerry Hairston Jr. would take his place. Jerry gives the team a lot of comfort knowing that he can fill in anywhere.
The Padres want to keep restocking the farm system.
The Padres have 30-35 16-18 year old players in the Dominican Republic.

Paul DePodesta Interview Part 4 (MP3)

The Padres feel good about their outfield depth and the versatility.
Matt Stairs is a dangerous left handed bat off the bench.
Jon Garland's durability fits the needs of the Padres.
The Padres want to force the young players to earn a spot on the club.
They feel confident that they have 9-10 Major League ready pitchers. They'll probably end up using about 8 of them this season.
The Padres spend all the money that comes in. It doesn't always show up in Major League payroll, sometimes it shows in drafting.
Chris Young is feeling good. It would be a huge boost if he can come back healthy. The top 4 starting pitchers are probably Young, Garland, Correia and Richard. Latos, LeBlanc, Stauffer, Gallagher, Ramos and others will compete for the fifth spot.
Logan Forsythe James Darnell, Cedric Hunter, Sawyer Carroll could be stand outs in AA San Antonio.

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Comments

6'7", 300lbs

Holy crap. Who is the biggest OF ever to play the game? GLBers who know things, look this up and let us know, please.

Also – he’s gonna need a nickname. Blankzilla? The Monument? Sunblock? We are gonna need something…

Thank you for waving at me.

by Winfield's Ghost on Feb 9, 2010 6:39 AM PST reply actions

i like Blankzilla

by jbox on Feb 9, 2010 8:13 AM PST up reply actions

Blankzilla is good

by goldfyngor on Feb 9, 2010 1:41 PM PST up reply actions

Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Feb 9, 2010 8:29 AM PST up reply actions

My vote's

for 8-Train.

by friarfanatic on Feb 9, 2010 9:28 AM PST up reply actions

Not as good as

Blankzilla

by jbox on Feb 9, 2010 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

8 Train never sounded right to me

by goldfyngor on Feb 9, 2010 1:52 PM PST up reply actions

Me either

It’s the hard T sounds back to back. It doesn’t flow correctly.

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 Feb 9, 2010 2:10 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, I don't like 8-Train.

What about “Tiny”? Everyone likes an ironic nickname, right?

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Feb 9, 2010 2:54 PM PST up reply actions

I prefer Mongo

by field39 on Feb 9, 2010 5:05 PM PST up reply actions

Oh no, is this going to be a theme?

I’m not calling Venable Sheriff Bart and our 3rd baseman Chase Headley Lamarr.

by goldfyngor on Feb 9, 2010 5:53 PM PST up reply actions

hes basically the same size as adam dunn, no?

by Kozak on Feb 9, 2010 9:44 AM PST up reply actions

How does a guy who's 6'7" and 300lbs get through 15+ years of playing baseball

without acquiring an awesome/hilarious nickname. I hate when fans have to brainstorm to come up with ideas for a nickname. This is the teammates job. They’re around the guy all the time… they should come up with a nickname “organically”.

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Feb 9, 2010 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

ball players

aren’t creative at all. They just add a "y’ at the end of their names. Those nicknames are the worst.

by jbox on Feb 9, 2010 11:59 AM PST up reply actions

You're right, boxy.

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Feb 9, 2010 2:05 PM PST up reply actions

Now that's a great nickname

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 Feb 9, 2010 2:09 PM PST up reply actions

I lobbed that meatball right over the middle of plate. I knew you wouldn’t miss it.

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Feb 9, 2010 2:56 PM PST up reply actions

BIG NASTY

Just asked someone very close to me who happens to know Kyle and that has been his nickname since he was drafted and while coming up through the minors.

by friarfanatic on Feb 9, 2010 4:32 PM PST up reply actions

He doesn't seem too nasty. Somewhat pleasant really.

I like it better than 8-train but not as much as Blankzilla.

by goldfyngor on Feb 9, 2010 5:55 PM PST up reply actions

The Padres have 8 year old players in the Dominican Republic?

That doesn’t sound legal.

by theodore donald kerabatsos on Feb 9, 2010 8:32 AM PST reply actions

that should read 18

by jbox on Feb 9, 2010 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

Does this mean

That Paul’s blog is as good as done? Did the question ever come up?

by elemenohpee on Feb 9, 2010 10:05 AM PST via mobile reply actions

no

he was never asked.

by jbox on Feb 9, 2010 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

All those young pitchers

Major league ready…. but there aren’t a lot of spots in the rotation available (with or without injury). I really feel conflicted about the fact that we might lose one or more of them only to see them turn it up a notch and become a solid 3/4 starter for some other team.

Let’s be honest, the Padres can’t expect to have solid #1/2 starters every year.

by Zen Blade on Feb 9, 2010 10:27 AM PST reply actions