Lunch with DePodesta... OH SNAP! WHAT!?

by Dex on Feb 13, 2007 8:32 AM PST in News Comment 16 comments

We finally got an interview to make the Gaslamp Ballers proud.

...wait for it... (just in case the photo hasn't given it away)

Paul DePodesta! The protagonist of the spectacular science fiction novel, Moneyball by Billy Beane. Former GM with the Dodgers. Current Assistant to the Regional Manager of the San Diego Padres.

No, actually it's Special Assistant for Baseball Operations, right? Right? What the heck is his title? Have we even figured out what we're doing with an extra GM in the front office? Really? Don't we have like 17 GMs over at 100 Park Blvd already?

Fortunately for us... That was our first question! "So, Paul. First question. What do you do, exactly? Dumb it down for me and jbox. We're on the slow end of the upswing over here."

The Gaslamp Ball typing monkeys are furiously working at transcribing the recordings of our interview, which will likely be distributed to you in epic chapters. As a teaser, here's what the Olympus Digital Voice Recorder didn't capture!

Running into ex-Pad Squad Steph while we waited
Steph: Hey! What're you guys doing here?
Us: We have an interview with DePodesta for Gaslamp Ball.
Steph: No seriously. What're you guys doing here?
Us: Seriously, that's it.
Steph: Huh. Imagine that.
Our first encounter with DePo
Us: We were worried we weren't going to recognize you.
Paul: I had considered wearing my Jayson Werth jersey so you'd know it was me.
Us: *nervous laughter*
What's DePo doing before heading out to Spring Training?
Painting his kid's room and working on the Todd Walker arbitration case. See that ladies? Young, handsome and powerful, but with a gentle, craftsman quality as well.
And as a teaser for what the Olympus Digital Voice Recorder did capture... Here's what you'll learn!
How the Padres use Secret Weapon Paul DePodesta!
What DePodesta considers the Padres "high-class" problem!
What seafood plate DePodesta orders when he hits the Tin Fish (I'll give you a hint... It's the shrimp plate)!
Why DePodesta takes miniature golf so seriously!
AND MUCH MORE

So, tune in tomorrow, when the Gaslamp Ball typing monkeys will have the first installment of Lunch with DePodesta!

Type, monkeys! Type like the wind!

Part I, Part II, Part III

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Next time

You have lunch with him, can you ask him why?

The Padres' ongoing search for baseball talent recently found an unusual source: the United States Marine Corps. The Padres are enlisting Brandon Cooper, a Purple Heart recipient and Marine corporal whose service includes two tours of duty in Iraq, according to the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE.

A former high school pitcher, Cooper worked out for Padres scout Brendan Hause recently and will participate in spring training with fellow minor leaguers. The 22-year-old right-hander is to report to Peoria on March 2.

"He is a little raw, but he is very athletic and has a great body and a loose arm," said Grady Fuson, the Padres' vice president of scouting and player development.

Cooper sustained wounds to his left hand during his second deployment, which resulted in his being sent to San Diego Navy Medical Center. "The (Marines) are going to let him out of his deal a year early to pursue this," Fuson said. "We'll give it a shot for a year. There's nothing but good that can happen here."

by lozanolaw on Feb 13, 2007 11:26 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Interview

This kid just did a couple of minutes on the radio with Dan Patrick. Sharp, funny, humble. Knows its a longshot. 6'4", 235, throws in the low 90s right now, they plan on getting him to the mid-90s. Lost the little finger on his non-throwing hand when a grenade exploded in his hand.

Pretty low risk signing on a guy who really seems to have his act together.

by Winfield's Ghost on Feb 14, 2007 12:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Injury to the pitching hand

With a mid-90s fastball? Could've been the next coming of Three-Finger Brown.

by Dex on Feb 14, 2007 1:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

nice reference!

way to slip Mordicai "Three-Finger" Brown into the blog!

Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by TheRevRun on Feb 14, 2007 8:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dex loves 3 Finger Brown

He's always saying how some pitchers should have their fingers surgically removed, to put more movement on the ball.

by Jonny Dub on Feb 15, 2007 8:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

finger removal surgery? Not for me

doesn't Antonio Alfonseca have twelve fingers? Dude has four pinkies and twelve toes too.

Beware the Octopus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Alfonseca

Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by TheRevRun on Feb 16, 2007 1:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Gotta update the minutes

I totally forgot that we discussed the 3 armed baby. That kid would make a helluva pitcher.

Bring in the lefty!

by Dex on Feb 16, 2007 8:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Cause

Cause they think he can throw in the mid 90's?

by garmentad on Feb 13, 2007 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure that is it.

Was Garth Brooks/ Chris Gaines not avialable this offseaon?

There generally are press conferences held for signing 22 year old free agents, right?

See it all the time...

Hoepfullly he can throw, but I doubt it.

by lozanolaw on Feb 13, 2007 12:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Give P-Dep a break

The guy brings a fresh way of thinking to the baseball world. He may not always be right...but he's gonna try new things.

I can't wait to read the interview. Although I wish he woulda been able to comment on such low lifes as JD Drew, I'm sure he can't.

I think he's gonna be good for the Padres and can't wait to hear some of what he's got up his sleeve.

by thenerdhater on Feb 13, 2007 1:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Oh

And congrats to Dex and Jbox on getting one more step towards legitimacy with this interview.

by thenerdhater on Feb 13, 2007 1:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Risky?

Dex ... with the way that John Edwards is burning thru bloggers, were you at all surprised that DePo agree'd to an interview (including photo) with GLB? :-)

ps. Sounds like PS Steph sure was!

by LynchMob on Feb 13, 2007 7:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait!

What common wisdom?
They say DePo rocks the boat.
No: he just plain rocks.

by haikuandrun on Feb 13, 2007 8:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Type monkes, type!!

I cannot wait! I thought of you guys and your Big Interview today. Welcome to being a step closer to the Big Leagues boys!

Christina

by Christina on Feb 13, 2007 9:16 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

lunch

so who paid for lunch?

by mato on Feb 16, 2007 11:09 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

DePo did

Jbox and I made a move towards our wallets, but he said it would be on him. I felt a little bad cause I ended up getting the two taco plate and I could only really finish one taco.

The tacos at Tin Fish are relatively large.

by Dex on Feb 17, 2007 9:36 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs