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.

Beat LA Part Two

Wednesday September 30, 2009

OUTSTANDING!

Can you think of anything better than watching the Padres keep the Dodgers from clinching the division for a night?

How about TWO nights in a row?

The Padres win tonight 5-0 and sweep the Dodgers in this short 2 game series.

I absolutely love it!

Clayton Richard threw 7 shutout innings giving up just 1 hit and 3 BB.

How did the Padres batters do?
Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a laser of a 3 run home run in the 3rd off Garland.
Nick Hundley went 3 for 4 to raise his average to .246 on the season.
Chase Headley went 2 for 4, drove in a run and scored a run.

And Loretta put a figure 4 leg lock on Everth Cabrera as he tried to get back to 3b in a 4th inning rundown and was called for obstruction. Cabrera scores!

The Padres have played very good baseball the 2nd half of this season and I am excited about their chances of contending in 2010.

Now lets see if the Rockies can go into Chavez Ravine, take 3 games from them in LA and complete the Dodgers humiliating end of the season.