Padres, Torrealba agree on 1-year deal

Yorvit Torrealba, one of the few remaining free agent catchers, has agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the San Diego Padres…
Torrealba recently tried to engage the New York Mets in negotiations on a one-year deal for less than $2 million, but the Mets indicated that they had no interest, given financial restrictions.

Jed Hoyer: Adrian Gonzalez isn’t a goner yet - BostonHerald.com

More options mean more trade value.

So the day after John Boggs, the agent of Adrian Gonzalez and Padres CEO Jeff Moorad each indicated to the San Diego Union-Tribune that a trade of Gonzalez looked more likely than a contract extension, Hoyer kept his choices at the maximum.

He indicated it’s too early to assume anything about anyone.

“The team’s position with regard to Adrian has not changed at all,” said Hoyer in an e-mail to the Herald. “We are excited to have him under contract for the next two seasons. He is a great player who fits our city, team and payroll remarkably well. We have had, and will continue to have, dialogue with Adrian’s representatives about keeping him in San Diego long term.

“It is still early in that process and attempting to draw conclusions in the middle of any negotiation is an inexact science.”

NC Times: Jerry Coleman will have reduced role in 2010

“I’ve never seen a game like this. Every game this year has been like this.”

John Lynch, president and CEO of the Broadcast Company of the Americas ---- the parent company of XX Sports Radio 1090, the Padres’ flagship station ---- said Coleman will call only 20-30 home day games.

Coleman will still be involved every day, however, doing pregame features.

“What does that mean?” Coleman said. “I guess I’ll be doing the ‘Manager’s Report’ like I’ve always done. “Honestly, I haven’t been told much. “At my age, I’m still fortunate to be working. I’m happy to have a job with the Padres and with XX. Really, I’m delighted to be working.”

Lynch said he has the utmost respect for Coleman, 85, and that he “will be involved as long as he wants.”

“We want to be very respectful of Jerry,” Lynch said. “But we also have to think about the station and our audience. We feel this is a more appropriate role.

“Jerry would still like to be playing second base for the Yankees. But things change.”

Coleman, jokingly, said that’s not true.

“If I had my way, I’d be playing second base for the Padres, play 10 games, get hurt and make $4 million,” said Coleman, the 1949 American League Rookie of the Year and 1950 World Series MVP as a member of the New York Yankees.

Bud Black and Pitchouts – Ducksnorts

That might make for an interesting study. Testable hypothesis: The pitchout is more effective and less risky when executed by pitchers who possess excellent control. Someone other than me should investigate this.

S.I.: Marchman: Hot Stove Report: Garland is a better signing than Sheets

Garland pounds Billy, boy.

Over his last four seasons (2004-08), Sheets has averaged about 120 innings with a 3.45 ERA. If he does that for the A’s, he’ll be worth about what he’s paid. If he does more than that, he’ll be paid more. For him to create any real extra value he’ll have to pitch like a true ace, and there’s little reason to think he’s physically capable of doing so. It’s not a bad signing, just an uninspired one. As a broke team in a tough division, the A’s need to do better than that.

Down in San Diego, the Padres made a far sharper signing this week. Unlike Sheets, Jon Garland will never start an All Star Game or have a season where he strikes out 10 men for every one he walks. He’s pitched at least 190 innings eight years in a row, though, and run up a below-average ERA in just one of them. He’s also just 30 and signed for about half what Sheets is guaranteed. As a nearly mortal lock to be worth about twice his $5.3 million salary, Garland is a steal. Given how durable he is and that Petco Park is the most extreme pitcher’s park in the majors, he may even have more trade value than Sheets this summer.

Beane made his reputation exploiting market inefficiencies, an unfortunate bit of jargon that just means he had an eye for players who were worth more than they cost. He used statistics to find them, something you can’t really do anymore. Aside from the real paste eaters, every team understands that it’s better to have hitters who get on base than those who don’t, and that there is some benefit to be had from evaluating defense with math.

There are still inefficiencies out there, though, and taken together these two signings hint at a big one, the hardwired human desire to hit a jackpot. Teams are more willing than they should be to bet a lot on the small chance that a player will be really great, and curiously uninterested in paying for a sure thing. That the A’s are on the wrong side of this might seem a bit odd given their reputation, but then that always had less to do with how sharp they were than how dull some of their rivals were.

Keith Law: Top 100 prospects

NO.  PLAYER
1 Jason Heyward, OF, ATL
2 Stephen Strasburg, RHP, WAS
3 Carlos Santana, C, CLE
4 Buster Posey, C, SFO
5 Mike Stanton, OF, FLA
6 Desmond Jennings, OF, TAM
7 Martin Perez, LHP, TEX
8 Dustin Ackley, CF, SEA
9 Justin Smoak, 1B, TEX
10 Jesus Montero, C, NYY
11 Brian Matusz, LHP, BAL
12 Starlin Castro, SS, CHC
13 Neftali Feliz, RHP, TEX
14 Domonic Brown, RF, PHI
15 Wade Davis, RHP, TAM
16 Aroldis Chapman, LHP, CIN
17 Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, TAM
18 Casey Kelly, RHP, BOS
19 Aaron Hicks, RHP, MIN
20 Brett Wallace, 1B, TOR
21 Logan Morrison, 1B, FLA
22 Tyler Matzek, LHP, COL
23 Jenrry Mejia, RHP, NYM
24 Michael Taylor, OF, OAK
25 Zach Britton, LHP, BAL

Scouting reports for the top 25 should be free, I think.

Padres acquire free-agent pitcher Jon Garland

Wish I was an inning
‘Bout to make the most out of an inning-eater.

I’d ease myself down,
Comin’ up brown.  Or maybe some weird camouflage color…

Free agent pitcher Jon Garland is apparently becoming a Padre.

Padres President Tom Garfinkel, speaking at a Military Appreciation Luncheon Tuesday afternoon at the Torrey Pines Hilton, said the Padres have signed the 30-year-old free agent…

MLB: Loretta retires to Padres’ front office

Damn...one less Pavement intro.

On his first official day of retirement, former Major League infielder Mark Loretta landed a job in the Padres’ front office.

Loretta, who played for five teams over a 15-year career, will join the Padres as a special assistant to the baseball operations staff.

“It was a culmination of several things ... a lot of things came together to make me feel as if it was time,” Loretta said. “I knew [general manager] Jed [Hoyer] in Boston and being able to come back to the Padres was a draw.

“Also, I wanted to end my career on a positive note. Last year with the Dodgers was a great year from a team standpoint, I got a big hit [game-winning RBI single in Game 2 of the NLDS] and I got to play for Joe Torre.”

Padres have signed Matt Stairs

Up (2007 - 138 OPS+) the Down (2009 - 93 OPS+): Stairs case.

The Padres made a move Saturday that they hope will strengthen their bench, signing veteran outfielder Matt Stairs to a Minor League contract.

A source confirmed the signing of Stairs, who will be 42 in February. ESPN.com first reported the deal.

Stairs hit .194 last season with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 99 games with the Phillies.

General manager Jed Hoyer has said this offseason that he wanted to add a left-handed bat for the bench. Stairs will also be available to serve as the Padres’ designated hitter in six Interleague road games.

ESPN.com reported recently that Stairs has lost 31 pounds in the offseason in order to get himself ready for Spring Training, going from 230 pounds to about 199 pounds. It’s the lightest, Stairs told ESPN.com, that he’s been in 15 years.

Sullivan: Headley at hot corner a heated decision

The Padres’ decision to entrust third base to their erstwhile left fielder and to trade away the guy they had touted (unsuccessfully) for a Gold Glove was the product of spirited internal debate and high-level upheaval.

It is a domino that might have fallen much differently were Kevin Towers still in charge and Jed Hoyer still in Boston.

“Buddy (Black) and I were on the same page,” Towers said recently, describing the Padres’ philosophical divide before his dismissal as general manager. “I’d keep Kouz and trade Headley. But DePo (Paul DePodesta) has always been a huge Headley fan. Huge. As was Sandy (Alderson). Headley was kind of our poster child.”

Black declined to discuss Towers’ characterization yesterday — “That serves no purpose,” the manager said — but no call this close gets made without dissenting opinions.

Thanks to McPit.

EV Tribune: Mesa unveils plan to keep Cubs; vote Monday

Mesa’s plan was developed after months of talks with the team to prevent the Cactus League’s most popular team from accepting a bid from investors near Naples, Fla.

The $84 million plan was drafted on requests that the Cubs had to develop a Wrigleyville-themed complex, Mesa City Manager Chris Brady said. The city would own the stadium and training facilities. Mesa maintains the current training facilities, but Brady said the team wanted to take that expense and gain advertising rights at the new complex.

Keisser: Developing Story

Last month, [Chris] Gwynn was named the Padres’ new director of player personnel, the payoff for 11 years service as a scout and slowly working his way up the management ladder. While Hall of Famer Tony develops players and plays for Mountain West Conference titles and NCAA berths as head coach at San Diego State, Chris will be developing the Padres’ roster to battle for an N.L. West title.

Brother Chris Gwynn
Oh the time has come
And you know that you’re the only one
To say O.K.
Where you going
What you looking for
You know those boys

Chass: WEINER WHACKS MARLINS; PIRATES NEXT?

Kudos to Murray’s headline writer.

No other Florida-like agreements have been reached and none apparently will be sought until after April 1, the deadline for revenue-sharing recipients to report on their use of the 2009 money. But the Pirates, the Rays, the Padres and the Royals remain in the union’s sights, according to union and management representatives.

Weiner, who succeeded Donald Fehr last month as the union’s executive director, declined to discuss the matter Saturday, saying he had said all he wanted to say in a statement the union issued last week.

Rob Manfred, the chief management labor executive, declined to confirm the identity of teams that have been discussed with the union but said, “We’ve had more conversations than just about the Marlins. It’s not a Marlins-only issue.”

ESPN: Neyer: We’ll miss you, Dallas McPherson

Who shot R.N....out of a cannon?

McPherson’s 29 and he spent 2009 playing in Japan. He’s also got a .280/.360/.635 line in Triple-A. Oh, one more thing: McPherson missed all of 2007 and 2009 with back injuries. So you can understand why the A’s weren’t exactly counting on him to play 150 games at third base in 2010.

Still, let’s assume he can actually play, and that he can still hit ... You know what might be close to awesome? A McPherson/Kouzmanoff platoon (with Kouzmanoff coming in for defense when the A’s are ahead after six or seven innings). For that matter, a McPherson/Jake Fox platoon might have been interesting, too (except neither of them would have been suitable for late-innings defense).

That’s all gone now. Thanks to the dozen-man pitching staffs that we all love so much, teams resort to platoons only as a last resort. You’ve got your 12 pitchers, your nine guys in the lineup, and your extra catcher, and now you’ve got room for only three more players. You also need a utility infielder and a fourth outfielder ... and now you’re down to one roster spot.

Which is why you don’t see many platoons at all anymore. I continue to believe that 12-man pitching staffs are foolish, because the manager has to sacrifice offense at one position (at least) while benefiting very little from that last man in the bullpen.

But nobody listens to me. And I doubt if I’ll see much of Dallas McPherson (or Jake Fox) in 2010.

MLB.com - Padres deal Kouz to A’s for outfielders

Bradley/Ethier redux?

The Padres and A’s have reportedly reached agreement on a deal that would send San Diego third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and a Minor League player to Oakland for outfielders Aaron Cunningham and former Padre Scott Hairston.

San Diego general manager Jed Hoyer didn’t immediately comment on the report, but Hairston told MLB.com that he received a call Friday afternoon from Kouzmanoff saying he had been traded to the A’s.

Hairston, who played parts of two seasons for the Padres before being traded to Oakland last July, was waiting to hear official word on the deal Friday evening but was ecstatic at the thought of returning to San Diego.

“I hope I’m coming there for sure—I was hearing rumors today,” Hairston said. “I talked to my agent, and he said it’s still not finalized yet. If this is true, it would be a dream come true. It was so hard for me to leave San Diego. For me to come back, is just unbelievable.”

...

Hairston hit .236 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs with the A’s after the trade. He hit .299 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 56 games before the trade. Hairston, who can play all three outfield positions, is a career .287 hitter against left-handed pitchers.

Kouzmanoff started the past three seasons at third base for the Padres. In 2009, he hit .255 with 18 home runs and a career-high 88 RBIs and made just three errors at the hot corner, posting a .990 fielding percentage. In three seasons in San Diego, Kouzmanoff hit .263 with 59 home runs and 246 RBIs.

Cunningham, a 23-year-old right-handed hitter, batted .302 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs for Triple-A Sacramento last season and .151 in 53 at-bats with the A’s.

Tony Gwynn’s daughter Anisha’s baseball themed wedding will be on TV

Since Anisha comes from a baseball family and is marrying a baseball player the wedding is baseball themed.

* “In a nod to the baseball diamond, she exclusively wears diamond jewelry $1.35 million dollars worth!”
* “Throughout the ceremony and reception will be dozens of dramatic, large, pav yellow rose balls, evoking the image of baseballs.”
* “The cocktail hour ball game food is given a touch of glam like Kobe beef sliders and petite French fries made with truffle oil.”
* “The groom’s cake fits the theme to a T, looking so much like an actual baseball glove that it’s almost a shame to eat it.”

Somehow, I suspect that Tony will overcome his reluctance to eat the cake.

Belated congratulations to Kennard and Anisha.

Hoyer on hunt for big bargain - SignOnSanDiego.com

Aren’t we all?

DodgerSims: 2010 NL West WAR

It’s that time of the year again. The time when I pull out my WAR projections (that will be initially rolled out in a Beta version) for all five NL West teams. These are rough estimates, but I feel they are pretty accurate for the most part. The WAR projections are a combination of Fangraphs and my estimates. Some teams still will be signing free agents and or making trades, so there will likely be more than a few adjustments. Feel free to point out any roster errors, any values you feel are way off, or anything else that stands out.

Data in the link.

EV Tribune: Mesa puts Cubs batting cages on hold

Mesa is refusing to upgrade a ballpark used by the Chicago Cubs unless the team enters more serious negotiations to keep spring training here.

The city was about to sign off on roughly $684,000 for semi-enclosed batting cages but on Thursday decided to hold off until top Mesa officials meet the Cubs in Chicago on Friday.

The city had expected the Cubs would welcome improvements that the team requested, Mayor Scott Smith said. But he noted that when a Chicago sports columnist asked Cubs manager (sic - he’s team president) Crane Kenney about the batting cages, no comment was given.

“The silence that came out of Chicago and the Cubs was deafening,” Smith said.

FOX Sports: Rosenthal: Red Sox take aim at Adrian Gonzalez

Breaking News!...FOX changes face.

The team, set to announce the signings of free-agent right-hander John Lackey and center fielder Mike Cameron, is working hard to obtain Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, according to major-league sources.

A deal is not close, and might not happen at all, sources said. Jed Hoyer, the Padres’ new general manager—and Red Sox’s former assistant GM—wants a high price for Gonzalez, whose contract is one of the biggest bargains in baseball.

“Jed has been asking for a ton,” one source said.

...The Padres would be tempted to move Gonzalez if they could get Buchholz and Ellsbury in the same deal, sources say. However, the Red Sox would be very reluctant to include both, according to another source.

Minor-league outfielder Ryan Westmoreland is another potential Padres target. Minor-league pitcher Casey Kelly is believed to be untouchable.

MLB.com: Padres GM could be ready to deal

No, not the first baseman.

The Padres are expected to tender contract offers to three of their four arbitration-eligible players—pitchers Heath Bell and Mike Adams and third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Another pitcher, Kevin Correia, who led the team in several pitching categories in 2009, isn’t expected to be tendered an offer for next season. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Padres are more likely to trade Correia if they can’t reach a deal with him before the deadline.
...
Last season, Correia, who led the team with 12 victories, had a 3.91 ERA and threw 198 innings, made $1.1 million last season, though the bulk of that ($750,000) came when the San Diego native signed a Minor League deal… Correia could be looking at a raise that would see him make between $3 million and $4 million, based on recent comparable cases.

Juices flow again for ex-Padres GM Towers - SignOnSanDiego.com

A lot of interesting tidbits in this article. It’s clear Towers did not like DePodesta.

Long-term, Towers does not want to walk into a situation where he’s perceived as a threat to the guy in charge. (See Mets, New York.) He is sensitive to that stuff — to appearances and relationships and comfort levels — and he is still smarting from a series of protocol issues preceding (and possibly contributing to) his unemployment.

Though Towers said he “fully enjoyed every bit” of his 25 years with the Padres, the last 14 years as GM, he says he was blindsided by Sandy Alderson’s hiring of Paul DePodesta as a special assistant who reported directly to the CEO.

That hiring, which Towers says he learned of as an already done deal, was designed in part to add structure and systematic analysis to a baseball operation that had been plagued by drafting and development problems, notably 2004’s disastrous No. 1 overall selection, Matt Bush.

Because DePodesta had previously been GM of the Dodgers, many in the industry assumed he had been brought in to push Towers out.

“If (DePodesta) were me, I would have said, ‘Sandy, can we go have lunch, you and I and KT? I want to make sure he’s comfortable.’ ” Towers said. “You know how far that would have gone?”

Though colleagues say DePodesta went out of his way to show Towers he was not after his job — his responsibilities have gradually shifted more toward the business end of the operation — the stylistic differences between the two men were stark.

The affable Towers, whom Moorad has characterized as a “gunslinger,” was long known among his staff as SOYP, an affectionate acronym for “Seat-Of-Your-Pants.”

DePodesta, a more analytical and solitary figure, communicated so often by e-mail that Towers complained that he didn’t type fast enough to keep up his end of the correspondence. And though DePodesta’s analysis was largely responsible for identifying the hidden value in future closer Heath Bell, front office colleagues say Towers eventually grew to distrust him, and that the strain in their relationship became more pronounced after Moorad replaced Alderson.

...

Like every seasoned baseball executive, Towers understands that a general manager’s job is temporary and tenuous, and that new ownership typically means a new management team. Though Moorad redrew the Padres’ organizational chart to have DePodesta report to Towers, and authorized Towers to negotiate a contract extension with manager Bud Black, the GM grew uneasy about his future as he sensed club President Tom Garfinkel bonding with DePodesta.

“When I got let go, Moorad said he wanted a department head,” Towers said. “They hired Jed (Hoyer), and he had never run a department. He’s been in Theo’s shadow (with the Red Sox) for about five years. Wherever Theo went, he went. He wasn’t managing people or overseeing the draft. I don’t think he has a very extensive network.”

Gaslamp Ball: XX Sports Radio: Jed Hoyer Interview

Has he stolen Scutaro yet!?

-- “I like information.  If that comes in the form of scouting, that’s fantastic.  If it comes in the form of quantitative analysis, that’s great too.  Medical information, information on players personalities, I think every piece of the puzzle is so valuable.  I see my job and my staffs job as putting those pieces together to make a decision.”

-- Hoyer let the cat out of the bag to the Boston Globe that he hired McLeod.  McLeod has run 5 fantastic drafts for the Red Sox.

-- Hoyer likes a diverse group of people that disagree with him.  He doesn’t want yes men.

-- Hoyer knows what his payroll will be next year, it will start with a 4.

-- “We’re not going to be out there shopping for the elite free agents.” They do have flexibility to get guys in targeted areas.

-- Petco Park plays a role in every decision.  “You have to be able to win close games.” “It’s not as simple as adding fast guys.”

-- The center fielder for 2010 quite possibly could already be on the team. “Certainly Tony Gwynn Jr. he played well for the team last year, he showed really good on-base skills and is certainly very capable.”

MLB: Enberg hired as Padres TV voice

Oh my my, It’s guaranteed to keep you alive!

“Oh my!” The Padres have landed a legend for their television broadcast team—Dick Enberg, who is considered not only one of the most versatile broadcasters in sports, but also one of the most recognized.

A source with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday that an official announcement will come Thursday and a press conference will be held at PETCO Park.

It’s believed that Enberg, who currently works for CBS Sports, will call about 120 games next season as part of the Padres television team.

Enberg, who will turn 75 on Jan. 9, lives in nearby La Jolla.

BDD/Creps: Assessing the Adrian Gonzalez trade market

Let’s get a little HSS (Hot Stove Speculation) going here:

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have had a hole at first base since the departure of Mark Teixiera and somehow Martin Prado does not seem like the answer.  It will be Bobby Cox’s last season, so Atlanta may be looking to make a deal that will allow Cox one final division title before riding off in the sunset.  The only hang-up in this deal may be the Padres’ desire of über prospect Jason Heyward.  Heyward, a power-hitting right fielder, appears ready to explode into the majors and might just be the man to make San Diegans forget about Gonzalez.

The chances of Heyward for Gonzalez happening are about the same as Sam Hutcheson praising Bill Hohn’s umpiring talents.

let’s talk about everth cabrera

stats are as follows, and the link goes through to B-ref
“>

as of 2008, everth cabrera was a slick fielding 21 year old second baseman playing for the colorado rockies’ low A affiliate.  in december of 2008, he was selected by the padres in the rule 5 draft, and by june he had taken over as san diego’s everyday SS. 

first, let’s talk about defense.  most prominently,there’s the errors.  as i said, he played 2B in 2008, so i guess it’s to be expected, but a .951 fielding % has got to be improved upon for him to stick as an everyday player.  the only other fielding metric that i like (RZR on the hardball times stat page) says that cabrera was average at best with regards to range.  the elevated OOZ count probably indicates that he’s got some upside to his range, but he just didn’t make enough plays to be anything more than mediocre. 

as for his bat, well, he can run. 

and to be fair, he can take a walk.  and if he can adjust to the major league level, he may be able to hit .300.  so, if he can do that last thing, a reasonable line for him might be .300/.375/.390.  so, basically a 2009 marco scutaro, or if he can add some pop, a poor man’s derek jeter.  yeah, i just said that. 

however, unlike scutaro, cabrera can run.  he led all of affiliated baseball in SBs in 2008, with 73, and in 438 plate appearances for SD in 2009, he stole 25 bases at a 76% clip.  and this was having not taken a single at bat above A+ prior to this season.  and he only had 20 or so above low A.

so, i want to start the discussion by focusing on two areas:

1) will he improve enough defensively to stick at SS?
2) how good will his bat be?  B-ref has his 2009 at a 98 OPS+, and again, before this season, he hadn’t taken an at bat in even the upper minors.

Sullivan: Oh, My! Padres and Dick Enberg in courting stage

But...but..Enberg hasn’t worked full time with a baseball team since Henrich, DiMaggio, and Lefty Gomez!

San Diego’s most accomplished sportscaster has a hankering to return to baseball broadcasting and his hometown Padres appear to be tuned to the same frequency.

Consider this column a friendly nudge toward turning this flirtation into a full-fledged marriage.

Fifteen weeks have elapsed since Enberg’s Aug. 6 breakfast meeting with Padres President Tom Garfinkel at Harry’s Coffee Shop in La Jolla, and while the interest is mutual and the dialogue ongoing, the movement has been glacial.

“If they’re interested, I’m interested,” Enberg said yesterday.

Dick Enberg will be 75 years old in January, but he remains as fresh and crisp and smooth and prepared as anybody in his business. His presence on a Padres telecast would add cachet and credibility to a franchise that has been losing customers like a restaurant with rodent issues.

To say nothing of Enberg’s charm, grace, style and skill.

Cafardo: Epstein’s stable has another winner

From Epstein to Eckstein...Hoyer digs his “great situation.”

Jed Hoyer, the new general manager of the San Diego Padres, said all the right things during his introductory news conference yesterday, but he fell short of saying what Red Sox fans wanted to hear - that he would trade superstar Adrian Gonzalez to Boston.

...Hoyer always has been a fan of Gonzalez and has noted that he would be a great fit for Fenway Park because he hits the ball the other way with power.

Wearing the other hat yesterday, Hoyer emphasized that he wants to build a team that’s best-suited for spacious Petco Park, which means building pitching and defense. Does Gonzalez fit what Hoyer would be trying to do?

“What is there not to be thrilled about [with Gonzalez]?’’ Hoyer said. “This guy is one of the best run producers in baseball. It’s a wonderful situation to be in. He’s such a great player. He’s got a great contract, but there are some decisions that we need to make in the coming weeks. It’s [a possible long-term deal for Gonzalez] definitely on the docket.’’

As far as trying to make a deal with Epstein, Hoyer said, “I think it would be fun. Whether we make a deal or not, I don’t know. I’ve been in the room on countless negotiations with him so I think we have a pretty good idea of how each other operates. But there are 29 teams to work out deals with. Whether it’s immediate or down the road, I’m sure we’ll find each other on the phone together. It will be an interesting experience. I think we know each other’s tricks a little bit.’’

SI: Padres to hire Hoyer as GM

The San Diego Padres will name Jed Hoyer as their new general manager later today, a front office source tells SI.com.

Hoyer, 35, most recently served as the Boston Red Sox’s senior vice president and assistant general manager. He joined the Red Sox front office at age 28, where he has helped to build Boston’s rosters, assisted in contract negotiations and offered sabermetric analysis. He served as Red Sox co-general manger for 44 days in 2005 while Theo Epstein took hiatus from the team.

Dayton Moore is a Big Fat Idiot (AG#1F) Posted: October 23, 2009 at 04:47 PM | 27 comment(s) | Bookmark
  Related News: Boston, San Diego

Sledge hits grand slam in Japanese playoffs

Terrmel Sledge Hammer.