The Padres announced that they have relieved manager Bud Black of his duties. The team will begin a formal search for an interim manager to play out the remainder of the 2015 season immediately, per a Padres press release. Until that search is concluded, bench coach Dave Roberts will serve as the club’s manager.
Black’s nine years as manager of the Padres have helped to make him one of baseball’s most respected skippers. The move has been speculated upon in the past, but it still comes as somewhat of a shock to see it actually executed. In 1362 career games as a manager, all with San Diego, Black has totaled a record of 649-713 despite routinely having to work with one of baseball’s lowest payrolls. A pitching coach prior to his work as a manager, he’s drawn praise for his work with many of the Padres’ young arms over the course of his career in the dugout.
The 32-33 Padres have yet to fully live up to expectations, although it’s tough to pin those struggles on Black. San Diego entered the season with the combination of Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes to handle the team’s shortstop woes, and the outfield defense was questioned from the moment that it was announced the team would field an outfield of Justin Upton, Wil Myers and Matt Kemp. The team also possesses few quality left-handed bats, leaving it somewhat vulnerable to strong right-handed pitching.
It’s not he’s fault that some players have a high ego. He should replace donnie baseball lol.
You mean that guy who’s a FA after the season and will follow his brother with another atrocious contract?
Nope a former dodger & former tampa bay. Upton backs up his words he almost won two games for the padres.
Ouch. They still owe that Ex Dodger a decent chunk of change, even with LA chipping in some. Am aghast you didn’t mention that K machine former Red Sox player!
Everytime it’s been mentioned that Bud Black could be let go I hear so many people say that he is well respected in the industry. I wonder how fast it will be before a team picks him up for a different position or if he will wait for another managerial job to open before joining a new club. Good luck to Buddy Black!
I wouldn’t mind Atlanta firing Fredi and hiring Bud.
He’s out there with Ron Gardenhire now.
From what I understand, unless he takes a managerial job, the Padres still have to pay him. He could be double dipping on salary this year. I believe that Black will have a managerial job before the season is over, the beginning of next season at the latest. Like Bochy did, Black will move on to a better organization and bring them winning teams.
The only logical replacement is their GM!
Agreed.
Last off-seasons acquisitions were crowd pleasers, but the players did not compliment one another nor was the roster built in a way to win that park. Building a team to play in the AL with home games in Arlington where the humid air carries the ball out; does not fit with the style of play in the NL and the heavy air of San Diego with a park right by the ocean.
When the next manager fails then it will be obvious.
Amen brother.
(upvote)
Not surprised.
I have to say I’m pretty surprised, I don’t feel like this was deserved, but its a new GM so perhaps he wants to A. bring in his own guy, and also B. shock the players into performing.
It wasn’t deserved. The new GM got a huge payroll boost and traded away significant parts of his farm system to receive middling results, so somebody has to go.
Big mistake by the Padres imho and a hasty one at that.
On the same day last year the Padres were 10 games below .500 and today they are only one. Admittedly this past weekend’s series was there for Padres to sweep and they blew a couple of big chances with the bullpen and that must have been the breaking point for ownership.
How often does a pro sports team fire its manager in the first 1/3 of the season and go on to prosper the rest of the way? I can’t think of an example.
Sad to see Bud go, I think he deserved the job for at least the entire season.
Different sport and not quite a parallel situation but in 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins fired Michel Therrien at the halfway point and went on to win the Stanley Cup with new coach Dan Bylsma.
That being said, I’m sure that’s the exception and not the rule. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a strike against the new manager/coach either; often times teams that fire a manager mid-season just aren’t that good to begin with
2003 Florida Marlins. Won world series. Not saying this will happen for the Padres, But being a Padre fan it was time for him to go.
The Rockies got a world series after switching I think.
I agree. Big mistake.
The Padres just lost a good man today. Who could fit in Bud Black’s San Diego shoes. A team 1 game out of .500. The batters of SD are to blame. The pitching is pretty good, very little needs to be done there. Getting a manager that is hitting oriented would be the utmost concern. Possibly a former 3rd base coach or 1st base coach could do the trick, but only time will tell. The winner in this decision: NOBODY!
Fun fact, Matt Kemp hasn’t hit a homer at Petco since 2012.
Petco Park and Yellowstone Park are tied for now.
Wonder if the Red Sox are next?
White Sox are overdue.
Good luck with that.
Who would replace Farrell though? I honestly don’t know what this team needs. They needs a new GM and Manager, and to re-evaluate everything from top to bottom
Cherington has to go. Only decent trade he has made in 3 years was Miller for Rodriguez (I don’t count the “salary dump” deal with L.A., since he gave up too quickly on de la Rosa and Webster). Black would be a decent replacement for Farrell. New hitting coach (what are Dwight Evans and Cecil Cooper doing these days?), new 3B coach. The list goes on.
I don’t see Black being unemployed for long. I think he would be an excellent replacement for Bryan Price in Cincinnati should the ax fall there. If not the Reds, then perhaps Seattle or the White Sox.
Ron Gardenhire is still available as well.
There was a post on a baseball prospectus analysis last season analytically evaluating managers.
Bud Black was the best according to the mathematics.
It won’t take him long to find a new home.
Black has overachieved every season he has been with the Padres. Changing managers will not change the Padres fate this season. Only a new shortstop, a new 3B, a new game caller behind the plate and Kemp deciding to actually play baseball will do that.
Big mistake of San Diego’s part. It not Bud Black’s fault he was given a rosters with a terrible defensive outfield and very few quality infielders.
You are absolutely correct.
ace ventura is next …i wish
Rick Renteria?
I don’t think it’s a big mistake at all. Mediocrity isn’t gonna cut it with this roster. I don’t see what’s wrong with Dave Roberts as manager, I like the sound of it. Bud Black is a pitching coach, I really think he doesn’t handle the offensive/defensive side very well. Darren Balsley is already a great pitching coach on staff (although he needs to fix Kimbrel, Cashner, and those middle relievers).
We will take him in a heart beat here in Seattle… SD terrible move wrong guy to send down the road … He’s a class act !
Don’t think Black is the one to blame here but such is baseball life. If the next manager fails, then your front office is going to look very different. You can’t mortgage the future and get no results.
Black had no shot at producing to the extent expected with a heavily right hand laden, tremendously defensively challenged team with no solid players at short, second base or third base to start the season.
When Kemp faltered, as must be expected with 30 year old players, and the pitching staff responded poorly to Norris’ game calling shortcomings, he had no chance of retaining his job. Nor does Pat Murphy, a good baseball guy, have any chance of improving the Padres lot this season.
You really cannot put any of the blame on Black for the team Preller put on the field. Preller needs to look in the mirror and say clearly that he is the one responsible for the worst defensive OF in 50 years, an infield that is hitting .230 other than Alonso, a rapidly declining Kemp and a catcher that a fantastic pitching staff is simply not responding to positively.
To make matters worse for Padres fans, the Padres are stuck with Melvin Upton, Kemp, Kimbrel and the $155 million they are owed through 2017 and an under-performing Gyorko and his $35 million in salary through 2019. With no real help coming through a heavily depleted farm system any time soon, Justin Upton leaving either in July in trade or at the end of the season as a free agent, and $75 million on the books for “BJ”, Kemp, Kimbrel and Gyorko next season, Padres fans really dont have a whole lot to look forward to.
I wish Pat Murphy all the best. He is a great guy and a good baseball coach. He simply has no chance to win in San Diego this season.
Who will the Padres coach be next season?