DiPoto to be new Padres GM?

Friday October 2, 2009

Sources within the Padres are now saying that Jerry DiPoto, VP of Player Personnel for the Diamondbacks, is to take Kevin Towers place as GM of the San Diego Padres.

As of Friday morning the Padres had not been given permission by the Diamondbacks to talk to DiPoto, who is still under contract, about the job , but several people within the Padres organization have said that it is just a formality.

Dipoto, 41, a former major league relief pitcher with the Indians, Mets and Rockies, was a scout with the Boston Red Sox in 2003 & 2004 and became the head of scouting for the Colorado Rockies in 2006. When Josh Byrnes was hired as the GM of the Diamondbacks in 2007, he brought long time friend Dipoto along with him as the Director of Scouting and Player Personnel.

Dipoto will take over a farm system and major league team stocked well with young talent by outgoing GM Kevin Towers and Director of Player Personnel Grady Fuson.

Kevin Towers Fired

Friday October 2, 2009

The Padres have called a press conference for tomorrow to announce the firing of General Manager Kevin Towers.

According to Corey Brock on Twitter,

@ FollowThePadres The #Padres will have a press conference on Saturday with CEO Jeff Moorad. No reference to Towers in the press advisory. Still not official

and earlier Brock said on Twitter,

@ FollowThePadres No official announcement from the team yet, but #Padres GM Kevin Towers is out. He was the longest tenured GM in the Major Leagues. #MLB

After spending 14 seasons with the Padres, Towers was the longest tenured front office person in baseball. He presided over the winningest stretch in Padres franchise history.

During Towers tenure with the team, the Padres won four NL West titles and reached the 1998 World Series.

Not many GM's that can say they have four division titles and a World Series appearance on a low - mid revenue team. KT will be missed.

I am certain that he will not be unemployed long.