XX Sports Radio Interview: Kevin Towers (MP3) with Darren Smith
- When you lose two top guys in you rotation, it's tough to overcome but it provides opportunity for younger guys.
- This is the streakiest ball club that Towers has ever had.
- "Going into this year, we didn't think our club was probably as good as the 2008 club". The payroll dropped 50%, lost Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux and Trevor Hoffman. "We had such a terrible year in 2008, we just felt that even with probably a lesser roster we should be able to do better than we did."
- Towers is hoping that Hairston and Floyd would help in Interleague.
- Need to get Kouzmanoff, Headley and Giles going.
- "Other than really Gonzo, there's really nobody that can do any type of damage in our line up to score some runs"
- Towers thinks some guys are capable of getting their game going and others can't. Towers and Black have daily discussions. "We probably have an idea on particular players, how much longer we're going to go with them. That's something we're certainly not going to share on radio or in the press". Younger players need more opportunity. They are more concerned with veteran players.
- "If we fall completely out of this thing in the next month than I think you're going to see a lot of younger players getting the AB's"
- The timing of the Interleague always happens when the Padres have big injuries. It would be nice to have Hairston now. Floyd hasn't been right since the start of the season. The NL versatile players like Edgar Gonzalez and Josh Wilson aren't the big thumpers that are sitting on the bench of AL teams.
- Towers thinks that Interleague play should be opposite. Play AL rules in NL ballparks and vice versa so that fans can see different styles of play. Also NL teams can see the best DH hitters. "We've never played very well so it's hard to be a big fan." Towers is a fan of a balanced schedule, you could tell who the best teams were because everybody played the same schedule.
- Hairston hit off a tee yesterday. He might play a couple rehab games over the weekend and be ready for Seattle next week.
- Towers is going to make some decisions in the next 4 or 5 games. "We've got to find a way to score some runs". Padres have played terrible in the last 5 games.
- Everth Cabrera should be ready by Friday. He'll get more playing time than he had in the first month of the season.
- It's a possiblity that Cabrera could bat last in the batting order. It's been discussed in the past. He's going to leave that up to Ted Simmons and Buddy Black. "I think we're at a point now where we gotta look at every different angle of ways to put the best line up out there to score runs, because right now it's not happening.
- Mat Latos is definitely on their radar, it's just a question of when to pull the trigger and call him up. He's got less than 150 professional innings and only 50 innings above rookie ball. "He's definitley flat dominating in down at AA right now, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the season that you see him." If they brought him up right now and threw him every 5th day than he'd be at risk for injury for throwing too many innings.
- Peavy will be in the walking cast for a month. He'll have to do rehab and similulated games after that. If things aren't progressing than they'll reevaluate. Surgery would be the next option if it doesn't get better.
- Chris Young should be ready in about 10 days since there is no structural damage. Hopefully at the backend of the next road trip.
- Darren Smith notes that Towers sounds disappointed.
- The options now are the younger players in the farm system. Blanks will get an opportunity. Venable will play more regularly. Cabrera will play every day. Latos is on their radar. Ramos is throwing well but hurt. Decisions need to be made on veteran players that aren't a part of the Padres future plans.
- Correia did a good job, but he has been sporadic in the past. Balsley got him in line after his delivery. He's mixing in secondary pitches and consistent with his fast ball. "Right now he's probably the ace on our staff with Peavy and Young out."
- The Padres will meet with Donovan Tate in the next week. More guys will start to sign in the next few weeks.
- Towers is rooting for Phil Mickelson in the U.S. Open.