Padres GM Josh Byrnes talks about Chase Headley among other topics

XX Sports Radio: Josh Byrnes interview with Darren Smith (MP3)

• Byrnes didn't hear any "push back" from sabermatricians when Chase Headley won the Gold Glove at third base. "We looked at the metrics a little bit but I don't think they are our primary tool for evaluating defense." He says they use eyeballs first and foremost to study defense. "Metrics are somewhat usable." They evaluate with their eyes more than anything.
• Byrnes thinks WAR is valuable. It's not a perfect statistic.
• Byrnes thinks Mike Trout vs. Miguel Cabrera for AL MVP is a good debate but he sounds more impressed by Cabrera's triple crown than Trout's WAR.
  
• Winning the Gold Glove will help Headley's arbitration salary. The Padres still have him under control for another 2 years so they don't need to make a decision on him right away. A lot can happen in that time.
  
• Byrnes thought Petco Park was too big. It's hard to predict how the recent changes to the outfield walls will affect run scoring. Byrnes is hopeful that hitters will be rewarded when they absolutely crush a ball. The day to day grind of playing in a park that suppresses offense has hopefully been alleviated.
• The off-season is going to move faster with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement rules. "There will be more going on in November." Acquisitions will come from both free agency and trades. Byrnes guesses it will be about "half and half".