More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - ASSOCIATED PRESS

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

• Kevin Towers is doing "not too bad".  He's cleaning out his office and headed off to Catalina soon.  He's getting the opportunity to do a lot of things that he hasn't been able to do since he entered baseball.
• "I'm a competitor, man I love to compete".
• "I'll still root for the Pads."
• He'll definitely be working for a club as a GM by Spring Training.
• Moorad has the right to bring in his own people and Towers thinks that's the main reason. "Ultimately he wanted his own guy in there"
• "I hope they pick the right one because I want these guys to be successful."
• Moorad spoke with Towers 3 weeks ago telling him that they were going to do a GM search.  "If your not sure you probably should be sure, I don't want to be the fall back guy."  Towers was a little stunned at first.  He hopes that this is a move that benefits both parties.
• Towers always thought he was being evaluated by team owners on a daily basis.  Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkel are really the only ones that know why they wanted to make the change.  "I understand it, I'm good with it, I'm in a good place right now."
• Reading the Sunday paper really made Towers feel validated.  It's almost as good a feeling as he had in 1998.
• He doubts he could have done anything different this year to be able to keep his job.  He thinks that Moorad had planned to replace him from the beginning.
• Whoever takes over the GM job is in a real good spot.  "Good things are going to happen to this organization going forward."
• Towers would have had no problem going into his last year without a contract extension.  Moorad didn't have a problem with his Manager being a lame duck, but did with having his GM as a lame duck.
• Towers isn't bothered being called a "gunslinger" since decisions have to be made fast sometimes.  He can watch a pitcher and decide what to do with them without looking at stats.  He has a lot of confidence in his ability.  He doesn't look back on his trades with regret.  His decisions were planned out.
• Wally Joyner for Bip Roberts is one of his favorite trades.  Trading Derek Lee for Kevin Brown was the reason why we went to the World Series and Petco was built.  Towers also traded a player for a treadmill and some weights.  Andy Sheets for Phil Nevin was his most lop sided trade.
  
• Towers got a voice mail message from John Moores.  He'll be forever indebted for letting him sit in the GM chair for 14 years.  They are going to get coffee later.  Towers talked to Bochy too.
• Towers has been getting calls from GMs asking him to be an advance scout.
• Towers got a Rolex watch and a Padres jersey from the team.
• On Matt Bush: "I'll take the bullet on this one."  They narrowed it to Stephen Drew or Jered Weaver and Moores asked if they were worth the $6m or $7m.  Towers said they weren't because they were unproven and he doesn't think any unproven player is worth that much.  He answered the question honestly and he should have fought for the money more and instead he ended up with Matt Bush.
  

A Padres hat made an appearance on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

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• POSTGAME on Channel 4: Postgame Team- Behind the Scenes
  I enjoyed this Cavnar and Weisbarth video way too much. "My shoes... are awesome."

• Hall of Fame wants Kouzmanoff's glove | padres.com: News
  A day after Kevin Kouzmanoff set a single-season record for National League third basemen with a .990 fielding percentage, the National Baseball Hall of Fame asked Kouzmanoff if he would donate a glove that he used at some point during the season. "I have to pick the glove. They aren't getting my gamer!"

• Will Padres manage? - SignOnSanDiego.com
  The mood changed noticeably immediately after Towers was terminated.

• PADRES NOTES: Young pleased with progress
  Nearly six weeks removed from shoulder surgery, Chris Young is feeling healthy and confident. The right-hander is optimistic as he heads into the offseason that both he and the Padres are on the right track.

• Heat Bell has a new diet
  Everybody has noticed that Heath Bell has been packing on the pounds during the season. Heath Bell said his offseason diet will focus on more natural foods, meaning no sugars or fast food... and yes he'll continue to use the Wii Fit.  I wonder if he's going to get the Wii Fit plus?  It's only $20 and has new exercises and such.  I may pick that up too.

• XX Sports Radio: Bud Black (MP3)
  The Padres skipper wraps up the season with Scott & BR. He also reacts to the news that Kevin Towers is no longer with the San Diego Padres.
• XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers (MP3)
  KT discussed his firing, why he'll always root for the Padres, what lies ahead and why his dismissal was handled as well as it could be.

Artist's rendering or the Park at the Park from 2000.

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A couple years ago I took a look at a artist's rendering of the Park at the Park from back in 2000.  I just came across an article about the features that the Park at the Park was supposed to have.  I thought I'd just go through them and show which ones were delivered and which ones were not.

Padres Complete design of "Park at the Park"

Lucchino said. "The Park at the Park will be a place where families can make watching baseball, including batting practice, part of an affordable, full-day outing. It will remind fans of baseball’s pastoral roots, but they will have easy access to modern amenities and comforts.

Padres do not allow fans to watch batting practice.

Lawn chairs, picnic tables and blankets will be available. Gates will open early and close late.

Fans cannot bring lawn chairs to the game and picnic tables are not available.  The only way to get a blanket is if  Pad Squad Andre brings you one.

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

about 1 month ago: San Diego Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff, right, and teammates look out from the dugout during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009 in San Diego. The Giants won 4-3 in 10 innings. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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• Padres drop finale to Giants, look to 2010 - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "We've got something going now. When we came out of spring training, that was not the case."

• Clubhouse belongs to youngsters - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "We were joking that our September call-ups came up in July and August," closer Heath Bell said. "Everybody they wanted here was already here. Had been for months."

• Padres gain confidence after late surge | padres.com: News
  There is hope in San Diego, something that wasn't apparent a year ago at this time, on the heels of a 99-loss season.

• Padres turn season into a positive | padres.com: News
  The Padres used 15 different starters, traded away a Cy Young Award winner and made a notable second-half push with an active roster of players who made a combined $26 million -- and somehow, it all worked.

• Padres pleased despite loss in finale | padres.com: News
  A full season with this roster, the one that ended the season with a 4-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants in 10 innings, has the Padres are hoping a brighter and bigger future awaits them in 2010.

• PADRES: Loss in finale doesn't dull late-season optimism
  "We embraced a bunch of young guys," said closer Heath Bell, who finished with a National League-high 42 saves. "I think the future's bright in San Diego. We have great arms, great hitters, all-around good players, and everybody's going to get better and do what it takes to be a playoff team."

• Padres' finishing kick provides optimism | padres.com: News
  The talk for much of the last two months is that the Padres are not that far off from contending again in the National League West.

• XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Press Conference Part 1 and Part 2
• XX Sports Radio: Jeff Moorad Press Conference

Here were your 2009 Padres Predictions from April 5th 2009.

First thing we notice is that the poll shows that 26% of Gaslamp Ballers were correct that the Padres would finish with between 71-75 wins.  That choice was also the leading vote getter.  Pessimism lost out to optimism.

I was way off in my predictions.  I just kind of randomly chose 66 wins and a last place finish.  Then I corrected myself and chose 76 wins and 4th place which would have been crazy close, but then I decided that I better go with my initial hunch.  They always tell you to go with your initial gut reaction, f that.  I also thought that Peavy would survive the season.  I'm a dummy.

Now for the winner of the Gaslamp Ball prediction contest: 

Continue reading this post »

Moorad is more of a "strategic" sniper than a "gunslinger". He's had Towers in his sights since he became CEO.

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• Housecleaning not over - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "There's a gentleman's agreement to avoid Arizona," said Moorad, who was the CEO of the Diamondbacks before entering into an agreement to purchase the Padres from John Moores early last spring. "DiPoto is not on our list."

• Bottom line: Moorad blew it in firing Towers - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "He never told me exactly what the reason was," Towers said.

• PADRES: Moorad wants Towers' replacement to focus on player development
  "We've made it clear that we intend to focus on scouting and player development going forward," Moorad said. "I think there will be a greater focus in those areas, probably more planning and more discipline in those areas. This was the important (decision) on the baseball side. ... I'm not here to point fingers at track records. I think we need to excel in the draft and development process."

• PADRES NOTES: Moorad says 2010 payroll will be about $40 million
  Padres CEO Jeff Moorad indicated on Saturday afternoon that the team's 2010 payroll would be at least $40 million, which should give Kevin Towers' successor some wiggle room when constructing the roster.

• PADRES: Who's next GM?
  Here's a look at some of the candidates

• Jeff Moorad Answers Questions on Towers Firing
  Padres Vice-Chairman/CEO Jeff Moorad just concluded a press conference discussing the firing of general manager Kevin Towers. When Moorad finished at the podium, he answered questions from the collected San Diego sports media

• KT: "A Gunslinger Shoots First, And He Wins The Battle"
  In strikingly candid comments, Towers told the media he thought the Padres might lose 120 games this year when they broke spring training.

• Outgoing Padres GM Towers addresses being fired
  "I never thought about losing this post, but I know it is part of the baseball world," Towers said. "New owners want their own people."

• Towers Fired :: Friar Forecast
  My biggest concern is losing some of the great non-G.M talent the Padres have had on payroll the past few years.

• Season winds down as wins pile up - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "I really don't know what (the change in GMs) means for us," Eckstein said. "I only know that a lot of good is going on in this clubhouse."

• SHOOTING THE BREEZE: A Q&A with Padres announcer Mark Grant
  I want to be different. I feel by being different that I can still analyze the way I analyze and still help people understand. I'm not going to be one of those guys who overanalyzes one play, one pitch. It is what it is. I want to be one of those guys who sits down to talk baseball and is having fun. This game is 95 percent analysis and 5 percent fun.

• Friar John's Blog: Padres visit SEAL base
  After a firearms safety briefing, the Padres group got the chance to go to the indoor practice range and actually fire various weapons used by SEALs.

• Le-blank: Padres lefty subdues Giants | padres.com: News
  Left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc tossed seven scoreless innings Saturday as the Padres defeated the Giants, 2-0, at PETCO Park.

• Padres take one last look at Ramos | padres.com: News
  It's probably only fitting that the Padres will run a rookie pitcher out to the mound in the season finale against the Giants at PETCO Park.

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

about 1 month ago: San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera makes the play on a bad hop grounder hit by San Francisco Giants' Juan Uribe before flipping to the second basema for an inning ending force out in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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You guys are such saps. If one didn't know any better, one would think that you were in love with Kevin Towers. One would think that you wanted to marry Kevin Towers. For approximately 50% of you, that's gay.

O, pobrecito. su pequeño amigo no estará aquí.

You see what happened tonight? We defeated the Giants with no general management. The sky didn't fall. Heath Bell knew what he was supposed to do. Adrian Gonzalez didn't seem overly shook up.

The only ones shook up? YOU saps. Kevin Towers is old. He likes old things. I'm sure you'll see him around town doing old person things like riding around in a golf cart or laying around naked at Black's Beach. That's where you old lovers can be with your love of old things. The Padres? They're young. Petco Park is young. Gaslamp Ball is young. This is a place for young things like me and 2009 wines and what's left of the Girl Posse.

I'm pretty sure Kevin Towers cried a little at his press conference and let me just say that I'm glad none of the other GMs in the major leagues never found out till now that KT be the kind of "guy" who cries.

GO PADRES!

The bearded one fires Kevin Towers

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The Padres are holding a press conference today at 2pm PST where they will announce Kevin Towers dismissal.  

I'll be watching on Padres.com and we can comment about it right here in this open thread.

LIVE BLOGGING!

• They had to make the decision to extend KT or make a change
• Yesterday they told Kevin that they had made a decsion to hire a new GM
• "We'll miss him day to day... we're going to be paying him for another year."
• If KT becomes GM for another team than Moorad will be a big fan.
• KT is leaving the club in a very good spot to go forward.
• A new GM will be brought in in the next few weeks.
• A greater focus on planning, strategy and discipline in scouting.  Looking forward to a new GM to take the lead on crafting the new strategy.
• The new GM will make decisions on the baseball front not Moorad.
• There is not an internal candidate at this point.
• Moorad is thrilled that Bud Black is the manager and thinks it's extremely unlikely that he will be impacted.
• Towers has done a terrific job molding the team this year on the fly.
• He feels bad about the impact on Towers but feels good about the future of Padres baseball.
• "It wasn't an easy decision"
• They thought now was the right time because they didn't want him to be a lame duck for 2010.
• Towers feels he should clean his office out, but Moorad wants him to keep an office in Petco Park.
• Moorad respects Towers for remaining professional.
• "The human side is the most difficult challenge."  Towers, Towers' mother, Moorad and Garfinkel flew to Cooperstown this year.
• Moorad hopes they can remain friends.
• All employee meeting on Monday at Petco Park to honor him and let him say goodbye.
• They have interviewed three candidates and plans to interview more.
  

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - ASSOCIATED PRESS

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• Moorad Sending The Wrong Message
  The new message from Moorad is one of uncertainty. It’s a message that says, the improvement you saw in the second half was not seen the same way by the man writing the checks. It’s a message that reinstalls doubt where hope was growing. If the Padres have turned the corner, why is the man who’s been charting the course about to walk the plank?

• Towers Fired! What The Hell?
  Sounds like a bunch of malarkey to me. Is Moorad really trying to tell us that Towers – whose skills as a baseball man he said he admired greatly — was let go because, although he does a great job getting players, its his organizational acumen that fell short?

• Padres appear ready to dismiss Towers | padres.com: News
  The Padres apparently are prepared to part ways with general manager Kevin Towers, who has been the Padres' general manager since 1996.

• Towers ousted as GM; Moorad seeks more 'strategic approach' - SignOnSanDiego.com
  Padres CEO Jeff Moorad thinks of Kevin Towers as "a gunslinger," and, he added, "a masterful one, at that." What he wants is someone who can put more of the "general" in general manager.

• Towers could talk the talk - SignOnSanDiego.com
  Simply put, baseball people like dealing with Kevin Towers. They enjoy his company and they generally trust what he tells them. This cannot be said of some of the executives who have come and gone during Towers' tenure.

• PADRES: Source: Towers to be fired
  "Obviously, Kevin and I have a long history and a great relationship," Bochy told the Associated Press. "He's done a great job. If that happens, I'm stunned. I feel awful for him. But I'd like to hold back comment until I know more."

• Correia, Cabrera struggle in Padres loss - SignOnSanDiego.com
  "Kevin's never had a big payroll and always had to trade for guys," said closer Heath Bell, one of the many who came to the Padres in deals made by Towers for unknown entities. "He did a really good job of taking guys that other organizations weren't really high on, but could perform, and they performed after he brought them here. He found guys who fit here."

• PADRES NOTES: Giles hopes to play somewhere in 2010
  "I'm probably not going to be an everyday player any more, but I still think I can be a big contributor off the bench," said Giles, who has a career on-base percentage of .400. "That's probably where my career is going to change, but I think I've done well enough in my career where people will take a chance."

• LeBlanc looks to finish season strong | padres.com: News
  One last chance to make a good impression. That's what Padres left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc will be charged with when San Diego faces the Giants in the second game of a three-game series.

• Correia handed loss in final outing of '09 | padres.com: News
  Kevin Correia allowed three earned runs in six innings Friday but was tagged with a loss as the Giants topped the Padres, 7-2.

• The Sacrifice Bunt:Dear Jeff Moorad (10/02)
  we at The Sacrifice Bunt are registering our support for the decision.

• Perpetual Padres Saga: Final game at Petco
  Eck: "Oh hey! I remember you." (Gave me a big hug.) "How's everything going?"

• XX Sports Radio: Bob Nightengale Interview(MP3)
  Gives Coach the national perspective on the Kevin Towers firing

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SDpads_1

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Union Tribune: Towers ousted as GM, Moorad seeks 'strategic approach'

"The organization is indebted to Kevin for not only the 14 years he served as general manager, but for the fact that the club is well-positioned to go forward into the future," Moorad told the Union-Tribune in an exclusive interview before Friday night's game at Petco Park. "I think we need to build a better baseball operations department, better skilled at the areas we're committed to going forward.

"I admire (Towers') skills very much and respect his relationships that exist around the game. But I think over the next period of time, our focus is on more of a strategic approach to drafting and development that has a chance to compete in the division year-in and year-out."

The article says that Moorad told Towers 3 weeks ago that the club would start a GM search and that the meeting was "emotional".

Don't worry though it's not like Towers is being kicked out:

“He's been told that he can office here, he can stay here for as long as he's comfortable being around.

I'm still having a hard time stomaching the fact that the Padres are turning into the Arizona Diamondbacks.  I think I'm going to be sick.