XTRASPORTS 1360AM: Jed Hoyer Interview (MP3) with Chris Ello
- Hoyer moved out of the Omni Hotel, but his office is still his primary residence.
- In general, moves have been happening later and later. It's exhausting but enjoyable.
- Good scouts get information and filter misinformation at the Winter Meetings.
- In Boston, you seem to be involved in every deal because you can afford players and are always striving for a World Series. In San Diego it's a different puzzle. It's a more targeted search for players.
- There are organizations that are able to compete consistently with a small payroll, but they have to be built the right way over time. Oakland, Twins and the Rays are examples. There's no point in crying about the low payroll in San Diego.
- Grady and Chief did a good job, but Hoyer needed people he could trust close to him. That's why he brought Jason McLeod to the Padres.
- The Padres farm system is a little better than fans and media think it is. "There was a period not too long ago where it was pretty baron." Randy Smith deserves credit for international scouting.
- The only way to win if you don't have a big payroll, is to improve the farm system.
- Adrian Gonzalez is a great player has a lot of appeal here in San Diego. "Our job is to find players like him." When Towers made the deal with Texas Adrian was probably the second player in the deal.
- The trade talk and people are too focused on Gonzalez and not the rest of the team.
- Hoyer would like to add veteran pitching and general depth. The Padres need good replacement players.