Padres GM Hoyer talks draft, the importance of this home stand and injuries

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

• This is a busy but fun time of year.  He's in draft meetings all day. Ultimately Jason McLeod is in charge of the drafts.  Hoyer asks questions and listens.  "We budgeted aggressively for the draft."
• The pitching talent is deep in this draft from both High School and College.  "There will be a ton of arms taken."  You have to take a mix between HS and College.  "It's important to diversify your portfolio." High School players are harder to draft because they haven't failed yet, every college player has failed.  
• You absolutely take Petco Park into consideration when you draft players.  "It'd be crazy not to consider the context of Petco Park."
• "I love the draft, it's the life blood of the organization."
• This is a really important home stand.  "We have to start playing well at home.  I don't think there is any question."  The Padres have played exceptionally poor over the first 29 home games of the year.  After this home stand they''ll have finished half their home games of the season.  "We need to chip away to get back to .500."  It's hard to feel good about yourself until you get back to at least .500.
  
• Hoyer denies that the Padres are looking to sell Heath Bell, Ryan Ludwick and Chad Qualls.  "Our goal is to claw our way back and get to .500 and hopefully be looking to add."  
• Hoyer says Buster Posey is one of his favorite players to watch.  It was terrible injury and a bad break for MLB.  "No one is more defenseless than a catcher sitting behind home plate."  Hoyer thinks anything they can do to protect them should be done.  "I'd be totally open to seeing some changes."  He's going to talk to Buddy Black about these types of scenarios in the near future.  He wouldn't make the decision known to the opposition though.
• Nick Hundley is going to go on a rehab assignment this weekend. Hoyer hopes he'll be back early next week.
• Kyle Phillips has been a great mentor for the young pitchers in AA.
• Cameron Maybin has some inflammation below his patella tendon.  He'll be ready a couple days before he's due to come off the DL.  They don't want to rush him back.
  
• Hoyer can't really give a prognosis on Orlando Hudson.  He's responding to treatment.
• Hoyer has been to the Dominican Academy.  They're still signing players.  The organization is proud of the facility.
• Hoyer did not come prepared with a fact of the week.  He promises to have two facts next week.
• The road record makes their home record more baffling.  "We've played really well in road series."  "It's been a head scratching season."
• Hoyer is surprised by the standings in the NL West.  The D-Backs were the team of May for sure. "The story of the NL West is injuries."
• Hoyer thinks both Chase Headley and Ryan Ludwick's contributions have been underrated because of the ballpark.