How's A.J. Preller doing after 75 games? Byrnes was fired at this point last year.

Josh Byrnes was fired after the 75th game of the 2014 season.  His record was 32-43 at the time and the team was 12.5 games out of first place.  He was given a $40 million payroll bump by ownership and they expected better results, Byrnes thought perhaps unfairly.  Still you can see how team leadership would want some return on their investment and someone to take the blame for the lack of it.  After all the 2013 team was 38-37 after 75 games so the team was losing ground.

San Diego Padres fire general manager Josh Byrnes

Under Byrnes, the Padres payroll increased nearly $40 million to $89,881,696 on Opening Day this season -- 23rd overall -- but the team has made little progress.

A.J. Preller was given a pretty hefty payroll increase too.  ESPN reports the Padres payroll at $126,107,229.  He's got a 35-40 record in his first 75 games.   I'm curious if Preller wasn't under a 5 year contract if he'd have been fired by now or if Byrnes had a 46% winning percentage if he'd have kept his job.  Leadership can't be happy with him, they announced the team was all in this season and their 6.5 games out and in 4th place.

Obviously Josh Byrnes was a leftover from the Moorad regime and A.J. Preller was chosen by current ownership, but expectations for Preller are monumentally higher than they were for Byrnes.  Leadership may have bought Preller some time by making Bud Black the fall guy for this season.  At least it feels that way because Preller isn't getting much negative publicity yet, but you can definitely feel the tide turning.