11:30am: The Padres have announced the hiring of Shildt on a two-year contract.
“Mike is a proven winner as a manager at the Major League level, and he brings over two decades of experience in professional baseball to the position,” president of baseball ops A.J. Preller said in a prepared statement. “In his time here, Mike has displayed a strong baseball intellect, a passion for teaching the game, and has established relationships with players and staff at both the minor and Major League levels. We believe that Mike is the right person to lead the Padres forward in our continued pursuit of a World Series championship.”
10:48am: The Padres are set to name former Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt their new manager, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Dennis Lin of The Athletic adds that a formal announcement is expected today. Shildt has spent the past two seasons in the Padres’ player development department.
The Padres somewhat surprisingly wound up with a managerial vacancy this offseason after allowing now-former skipper Bob Melvin to interview with the Giants, who ultimately hired him and signed him to a three-year contract. He’d previously been under contract with the Padres through the 2024 season.
Shildt, 55, beat out a field of reported candidates including former Angels skipper Phil Nevin, current Padres bench coach Ryan Flaherty and Angels infield coach Benji Gil. Former Yankees bench coach, who was hired as the Mets’ manager earlier this month, also interviewed for the Padres post. San Diego had some level of interest in recently ousted Cubs skipper David Ross, though it’s not clear whether he ultimately interviewed for the position.
Shildt’s own ouster in St. Louis was something of a shocking development a couple years back. He’d been viewed as an extension candidate late in the season as the Cardinals rattled off 17 consecutive wins to surge back into postseason contention, and there’d been no public indication that Shildt’s job was in jeopardy. However, Cards president of baseball ops John Mozeliak cited “philosophical differences” for the rationale behind the move, with additional reported details filtering out in the days and weeks following the decision.
The dismissal of Shildt was particularly surprising given the Cardinals’ success under his watch. His St. Louis predecessor, Mike Matheny, was fired midseason in 2018 after a 47-46 start to the year. The Cards went 41-28 under Shildt to close out that season, and his next three years produced records of 91-71, 30-28 (during the pandemic-shortened season) and 90-72. Shildt was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2019 and finished third in 2021. Overall, he was 252-199 as the Cardinals’ skipper.
Shildt will now get a second crack at managing in the big leagues. His appointment in San Diego will somewhat incredibly make him the fourth full-time Padres manager in a span of just six years (and fifth if you include interim skipper Rod Barajas, who finished out the 2019 season after Andy Green was let go). San Diego hasn’t had a manager last more than three full seasons on the job since Bud Black helmed the club from 2007-15.
In addition to his time as the Cardinals’ manager, Shildt has a lengthy background in a baseball career that began as a scout in the early 2000s. He eventually was named a coach in the low levels of the Cardinals’ system, slowly rising through the ranks and holding a variety of coaching titles as he climbed the organizational ladder. The Cards added him to their Major League staff as Matheny’s bench coach in 2017. He’ll bring more than two decades of experience in scouting, coaching and player development to the table as the new dugout leader in San Diego.
Gwynning
Sweeeeet! Go get ‘um, Shildt!
The Saber-toothed Superfife
It’s about time!
Congratulations!
Maddog1983
Mike couldn’t manage himself out of a paper bag so enjoy him managing your team.
BaseballisLife
252-199. Seems like he can.
So why are you so b-hurt?
Deadguy
Congratulations Mike Shildt!
brodie-bruce
@brew88
No apologies needed, I kinda got defensive on how “easy” Friedman job every one thinks it is (also by no means I’m a dodgers fan I’m a die hard cards fan) I have no room to talk about how to put a team together because if I did I wouldn’t be here on mlbtr discussing on the Ineptness of every gm and twice as hard on mo (although I have some unpleasant thoughts about how he builds a team). I was more pointing out that on the surface the majority think his job is easy because he has an “unlimited” budget and just go out and get who he wants. I was just trying to make the point just because he has the “super ultra double secret black diamond platinum card” he cannot go all Willy Nilly with it and show results. Look at both ny teams right now, both are spending stupid money this last year and both ny teams we’re playing golf in oct.
VermonsterSD
Get ready for the Shildt to hit the fan!!!
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Formally renaming Petco as Schildt’s Creek
Deadguy
That’s the Great Hambino you’re talking about!
cnazimm
Nice
This one belongs to the Reds
You can’t say No Shildt anymore.
Franco27
Padres going to Padre
deepfryar
Right choice, now go throw some binders Shildt!!!
Paleobros
Yessssss! Hahaha
beersy
From what we saw from Shildt’s time in St. Louis, it looks as though he will be “harder” on the players and expect more from them. Not sure how that will go over with “today’s players”, but it will definitely be a change from the last few seasons under Melvin.
truthlemonade
Interesting. Shildt did not play in the majors, he didn’t even play in the minors.
It seems surprising to me that a manager with no professional playing experience can command a clubhouse.
deepfryar
Playing ball is an athletic skill, managing a team and game is an intellectual skill! The two are mutually exclusive…
truthlemonade
Being a manager is not just about strategy, but about leading the team. The manager needs to know how to relate to the players.
A manager who never played in the majors sometimes loses the confidence of his players. Shildt never even played in the minors.
Times may be changing though. There are more and more managers who never played in the majors or even the minors.
deepfryar
One could also say that anybody who never played pro ball shouldn’t make comments about ball or be a writer, heck may fans should have had to play to have respect. I think it grossly underestimated players to say their leaders have had to play… maybe watch ted lasso.,,
deepfryar
He threw a binder at Mosliak!
BaseballisLife
Bochy enters the chat
Pads Fans
They are not mutually exclusive. Some of the best managers recently were backup catchers or like the NL manager of the year a utility player
websoulsurfer
Also guys like Snitker that never played in the minors or in MLB.
truthlemonade
Guys with meager playing careers often make the best managers as they spent a lot of time on the bench studying the game. They actually have to think about how to be good at baseball. The great players are often impatient with normal players and are unable to explain how to succeed.
Brew88
I try not to take that personally
JackStrawb
@truthlemonade Makes me wonder if he addresses that specifically at the beginning or the end of Spring Training—it’s surely the elephant in the room, for some players.
JackStrawb
@deepfryar You’re completely misunderstanding what truthlemonade was saying.
sdhitman19
He is exactly what the Padres need a manager who has been a winner and is not afraid to demand more from his players. His playing in the majors/minors has nothing to do with his ability to get it done as evidenced by his stint at St. Louis.
Brew’88
Opposite tact than Melvin’s sleepy hands-off approach to everything
Nico480
The right move for sure! Thank goodness, I wasn’t to high on Nevin. I hope BENJI COMES IN AS SOME SORT OF COACH AS WELL.
beersy
It will be interesting to see if Flaherty wants to stick around, Gil might be his replacement? Glad Niebla is coming back, every bit of his expertise will be needed with the pitching staff that looks to be on the horizon.
padsfan96
Curious if any Cardinals fans can shed some light as to what it was like having this guy run the show in St Louis. Still unsure whether I should be happy about this or not.
mattt-3
He was a good manager. We went from being a great team in the fundamentals under TLR to that slipping with Matheny.
Shildt took over and we were elite again, with all those gold gloves.
Then Mo fired him over “philosophical differences”
And it seems like we’ve been sliding on those things since under Marmol.
Shildt seems like more of an old school type of guy, but we were good under him! I wish we had him back!
TekoahMockingbird
Shildt didn’t magically make the team elite defensively. The roster at that time had athletic and/or strong defensive players that came from prospects coming up and aqquiring two great defenders in Arenado and Goldy. Due to multiple prospects who were bat-first, the trading away of innefective players who couldn’t stay healthy, couldnn’t hit, or were reduntant, O-neill and Carlson being on the IL a lot, and signing Willson Metrics predictably slipped. People give managers way to much credit in regards to things like this when they are more variables at play here. It isn’t as if Marmol came in and decided not to emphasize fundamentals. Roster construction is the key here, not the managers. Again, mangers don’t influence the success of teams as much as you would think. This is why managers without tactical compmetence can still have a good record if the roster construction is good.
websoulsurfer
The Cardinals went from 19th in DRS and 28th in OAA, in Matheny’s final season to 4th in DRS and 3rd in OAA in Shildt’s first season. In 2021 the Cardinals were the best defensive team in baseball.
In 2023 the Cardinals were back in the bottom half baseball in DRS (20th) and OAA (19th).
Part of that was changes in personnel. Part of that was changes in culture and coaching.
BaseballisLife
Stats? We don’t need no stinking stats.
websoulsurfer
“Stats? We ain’t got no Stats! We don’t need no Stats! I don’t have to show you any stinkin’ Stats!”
That was one of the greatest movies of all time and one of the most misquoted lines of all time too.
TekoahMockingbird
Tactically poor when it came to line-up construction and bullpen management. Overused a lot of relievers and would have a guy with a below average on-base percentage hit lead-off. Seemed fine enough at other parts of the job. But, no one really understands or sees what a manager does as most of their work is behind the scenes. So, I wouldn’t be jumping for joy but there are probably way worse options. I’d feel meh.
brodie-bruce
@tekoahmokingbird
While I’ll agree to an extent on bullpen and lineup management, but at the same time wasn’t like he had a big pool to choose from, mike took an average team and got them into the playoffs, heck I wrote the cards off every year he was a manger not because of his ability but who we had on the roster, which he has no say or control with. Yes he made some bad calls but I can also understand why he made them calls, especially when your looking at that lineup card and going my best options are a guy on fumes being held together with duct tape and hopes and dreams while running on fumes at best, or the guy that has all the talent in the world but is so volatile and unreliable my best choice is the guy who is burnt out because who else do I have.
Four4fore
You should be happy. He should have never been fired in STL.
ArchRivals
He is a really good baseball man, who is pretty stubborn with player usage. His rub in STL is that he wanted the front office out of his baseball decisions and didn’t want to be micromanaged. He holds players accountable behind closed doors and that was most evident with the locker room incident with Randy Arozarena. He is a boring sound bite, but the team should be fundamentally sound.
preauto
That ought to go really well under Preller………not
websoulsurfer
As far as I can find that claim was made in the Athletic article, not the Acee article.
Preller was on the road most of 2023. Preller and others currently on the Padres staff have said that 2023 was the season he was in the least contact with his staff. So, it certainly wasn’t micromanaging that was the problem. A general manager and a manager should be in daily communication. if the manager refuses to do so, that is a problem with the manager.
Melvin simply chose not to be involved. He said in April that he was taking a hands-off approach to managing the team. We found out later that he refused to speak to the analytics staff and that he didn’t require the players to attend practice. We also found out that the players came to Preller to complain about him in early September after a player only meeting after the team returned home from the St Louis series.
Shildt has been part of both the on field staff and the FO for 2 years now. He understands how Preller operates and obviously is good with that because he accepted the job.
TekoahMockingbird
He was good in his previous roles before coaching, I just strongly disagree with his tactical decisions. The problem with Shildt wanting to do his own thing is that the fo is his employer. If an employee refuses to listen to the boss and does his own thing they won’t be employed for very long If I had a manager who did this I would let him go. This whole narrative that he was wronged by the fo is innaccurate. Shildt didn’t agree with the fo and wanted to do his own thing which lead to a parting of ways. That said, since he left he seemed like he wanted to coach, so good on him for getting another chance..
websoulsurfer
Shildt sound bite – youtu.be/2vTLlw7R4lw?si=K2epR_TusOtT7yb8
Joel P
What Matt said. To add on he’s not really great with the media but that’s something you can improve on. Smart guy holds players accountable. Wish he was still managing my Cardinals.
Now Yu Know
Yes! Been waiting for this announcement. Let’s go SD!
Scream_name
He looks great in pink and mint green!
Gwynning
It’s his favorite uni! Coach Kentera mentioned it today and Shildty reminded him on air, too! Haha
Buzzz Killington
Cardinals were STUPID for firing him. Great hire.
TekoahMockingbird
Why, would you care to elaborate?
O’s dude
Flaherty can come back to Orioles! We would take him immediately
misterb71
For what?
dvmin98
Trade him to you for Jackson Holliday…done
Monsox
Good for him. Cards shouldn’t have canned him in the first place.
The Natural
Terrific decision. Shildt is a real good manager and an even better human being. Never understood why the Cardinals let him go.
BlueSkies_LA
Because front offices don’t fire themselves, so whatever goes wrong with a team, the manager is the fall guy.
Brew’88
In some ways this decision that was made by actions that have already taken place.
Shildt was really rocked by being fired in StL and the Padres (AJ Preller) reached out and invited him in when no other team did. Many were thinking he wouldn’t accept the low-level position with Pads, but he accepted and really fit in with other coaches and players. There’s inherent respect all around. This hire is a reward to Shildt and Padres org for believing in each other, which is pretty cool. Hope he has success!.
JoeBrady
Looks like a good choice, imvho.
VonPurpleHayes
Never should have been fired
VonPurpleHayes
I think for a retooling team with a lot of younger players, an inexperienced manager makes sense. Mets could surprise people. The veteran managers are better fit for win-now teams.
sfes
Von is right. They’re rebuilding/retooling. It would be foolish to go all out on a manager now.
Hired Gun 23
David Ross was never considered. Phil Nevin would’ve been a huge mistake. Flaherty I hope stays on. And Bengi Gil shouldn’t have been a bad choice. Now on with filling out this roster…
misterb71
This might be a case where Flaherty becomes Shildt’s right-hand man in the dugout and Flaherty learns things from a well-respected baseball guy in preparation for his first job as manager a few years from now.
getrealgone2
Why did the Cardinals fire him?
Four4fore
They butted heads over analytics. Plus the Arozorena thing embarrassed management so they dumped them both eventually.
TekoahMockingbird
There was a disgreement on analytics and baseball decisions so they let him go. If Shildt wasn’t going to do what his employer wanted him to do, he wasn’t gonna keep a job
websoulsurfer
Same goes for Melvin. If Melvin wasn’t going to do what his employer wanted like at least require practices and talk to the analytics staff, he wasn’t going to keep a job.
unpaidobserver
Melvin dumped SD not the other way around.
websoulsurfer
He didn’t keep his job. The Padres felt so little need to keep him that they allowed to him to interview for a lateral position and didn’t ask for compensation. The 2nd team in 2 years to allow him to leave without compensation. That combined with the players going to the GM to complain about him says all an intelligent person needs to know about Melvin.
unpaidobserver
Oakland couldnt match the Pads offer; plus they werent going to be competitive.
I agree Melvin has limitations but the market does not agree.
SportsFan0000
The A’s let Melvin interview for other jobs since they had been ordered to do another fire sale by MLB’s worst , most incompetent Owner, John Fischer, who was, again, stripping the A’s down to the studs to make the books
look better for MLB and lenders.
The better the balance sheet, the more likely John Fischer could qualify for a loan to finance his share of a new stadium for the A’s.
Fischer got turned down for loans and financing for the A’s deal @ Howard Terminal on SF Bay because it was a 12 billion dollar deal and because
Fischer is “All Hat and No Cattle”.
Beane and the A’s Front Office had been long time friends with Melvin.
The gave their blessings for Melvin to go with another team that had a chance at making the World Series. and that would pay Melvin at a higher level than the A’s.
With a team full of prospects, the A’s hired a first time Manager to replace Melvin in Oakland.
Melvin is a quality MLB Manager who clashed with AJ Preller.
The players were fine with Melvin when the Padres made the playoffs in his 1st year.
The Padres team full of high paid primma donna players made Melvin the scapegoat for their own laziness and failure to produce and make the playoffs.
Where was the team meeting by the players and Padres players holding each other accountable for lack of performance during the season?!
The players whine and complain and make Melvin the scapegoat for their poor season?!
It also reflects very poorly on AJ Preller for poor team construction, poor chemistry.
That is what you get when you rely too much on stats
and when you leave the human element out of your decision-making processes.
SportsFan0000
Melvin’s Managerial Awards:
2007 NL Manager of the Year (1st)
2012 AL Manager of the Year (1st)
2018 AL Manager of the Year (1s)
BaseballisLife
Oakland allowed Melvin to interview with teams with 1 or 2 years left on his contract and didn’t ask for compensation.
Melvin had a year left on his contract with the Padres and they allowed him to interview and didn’t ask for compensation.
The optics for Melvin are not very good.
The Giants won’t be competitive next season. You have to wonder if the Giants will allow him to leave after 2025.
SportsFan0000
I respectfully disagree.
Everyone knows what a dumpster fire John Fischer has created with the Oakland A’s.
Billy Beane and David Forst, out of respect for Melvin, let him pursue other opportunities.
And. A’s were allowed to save money on the Manager’s job by hiring a 1st time MLB Manager.
Baseball insiders see this as the A’s showing Melvin RESPECT.
Baseball insiders also know how AJ Preller operates and that he is very difficult to work with.
Bruce Bochy did not return to the Padres for that very reason.
So, Baseball Insiders would also understand if a veteran Award Winning Manager would not want to work with Preller,
Preller has hired what?! 5+ Managers in 10 years?!
That is on Preller and the Padres and has nothing to do with Melvin.
BaseballisLife
2 teams in 2 years let him walk while under contract with no compensation. The optics for Melvin are bad.
Melvin took one of the most talented teams in baseball and missed the playoffs. The optics for Melvin are bad.
The Padres players went to the GM and complained about Melvin then suddenly went on a huge run once the GM stepped in. The optics for Melvin are bad.
Its revealed after the season and before he was allowed to interview elsewhere that Melvin refused to talk to analytics staff,
to take the GM’s calls, and was so hands off with the team that he didn’t even have mandatory practices. Shades of the White Sox dysfunction. The optics for Melvin are bad.
Days after all that is revealed Melvin requests to interview with the Giants and the Padres say in essence, “don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya on the way out” and didn’t even ask for compensation. The optics for Melvin are bad.
Then Melvin goes to a team that has little talent on it and even if it spends big in FA has little chance of overtaking the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres in the NL West. Unlike the Padres, it’s another no expectations, no pressure job like the A’s. The optics for Melvin are bad.
Did I miss any of the ways the optics for Melvin are bad.
VegasSDfan
Let’s celebrate when he turns this team around.
aroid95
Great choice I think. But all the comments saying he never should’ve been fired from St. Louis are out of line. There are really only about 30 people who will ever know what went down, what the clubhouse was like, how he meshed with front office, etc and if it was the right choice or not. Just saying. Let’s not overstep as fans.
Pads Fans
Several Cardinals players expressed surprise at his firing and expressed support for Shildt including Molina and Waino. Most of the team leaders did.
brodie-bruce
As a cards fan you guys got a great manger that I think will right the ship in sd, mike only got fired because he wasn’t going to be mo’s yes man as we see now with the cards and how awesome they have been doing and all those rings we have gotten with manger of the year marmol, err I mean mo. Imo mo should stick with what he is good at and that’s being a gm and let the manger handle the on field bb and not hand him a script and say follow or be fired.
Deleted Userr
What took them so long to decide this? And don’t say “their owner just died.” They were dragging their feet about picking a manager BEFORE that happened.
Hired Gun 23
Someone had to sign off on it to make it official. So yeah, it had alot to do with Mr. Seidler’s passing…
Deleted Userr
There were 3 whole weeks in between Melvin defecting to SF and Seidler’s passing. They could have done that at any point during those 3 weeks.
Hired Gun 23
And we don’t know if the deal to make him the manager wasn’t completed during that time but it sure doesn’t happen at a press conference…
johnrealtime
Perhaps he was dying during those few weeks?
Deleted Userr
Shildt wad the obvious choice following Melvin’s departure. I get a sense that the other people they interviewed were simply formalities.
Brew’88
Word is Seidler just didn’t just all the sudden die. He became critically ill for a couple of weeks right after Melvin’s departure. And when a beloved owner is on his death bed, best to lay low with the celebratory manager hire?
Braves Butt-Head
Shouldn’t have lost his job in STL to start with I bet the cards wish they had a do over on that one
SportsFan0000
Shildt did a great job with the Cardinals.
Apparently, there were some “” problems and philosophical differences between
Mozeliak (Cards Front Officer leader) and Shildt..
When Boss and a Manager reporting to that boss do not see eye to eye on many important issues
in any organization. then it is only a matter time before one or both are gone.
benhen77
“a manager with experience that is highly respected” You mean Bob Melvin? That didn’t go well.
TuckSD
I mean he brought us to an NLCS year one and still finished with a winning record 1 game oht of playoffs year 2. Not bad
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Mike Shildt is a pretty good choice, I wish him well!!
Also, I guess Showlater is Shildt out of luck for managing next season!?!
Slider_withcheese
San Diego deserves better.
VegasSDfan
It would be insensitive to name a manager right after our owner passed away. Why rush a decision with an internal candidate
gwynngwyn
Pretty sure that’s the reason why they waited a week to announce.
mostlytoasty
Seeing as how this is actually a very important time of the year, it’s pretty imperative that all these vacancies get filled up as quickly as they can. I’m sure Seidler would have been happy to have the team get the manager’s spot filled quickly so they can get all their FO in alignment on potential FA acquisitions, trades, roster construction, etc.
Deleted Userr
They were dragging their feet about choosing a new manager for WEEKS before Daddy Pete died.
Brew’88
@ harambe death beds aren’t great fodder for conspiracy theorists
Friarguy19
A little respect, slick! “Daddy Pete” was a better man than either of us. Shildt has been the manager for a week or more. Just the formal announcement was delayed. Out of respect. Look up that word.
Pads Fans
I think the decision was already made when Seidler passed away. They waited a week to make the announcement out of respect.
RunDMC
Tatis live-streaming a pre-game speech just to test him — incoming.
espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27809815/locker-room-video…
websoulsurfer
Great choice. Now who will be on his staff other than Niebla?
aroid95
They would be wise to keep Flaherty on board, if he’ll stay…
websoulsurfer
Looks like Gil and Nevin will be joining his staff. Don’t know about Flaherty yet but hoping he stays.
dclivejazz
Good hire. The Cardinals did him wrong.
TekoahMockingbird
In what way? Shildt didn’t want to do what his emplyer wanted and wanted to do his own thing. If you don’t want to do what your employer wants you to do, you will get canned. Seems like it was better for both sides to part company.
brodie-bruce
@tkmb
While your right in most aspects of employment and on the fact if you don’t do what your employer tells you your not keeping your job, but there are exceptions and one of them being a results bearing industry, that said if I was the owner of a business and had an employee not doing things “my way” but is getting the results I want and making me money I’m keeping that guy until he isn’t. As much as I hate saying this because I want to wear the rose glasses and think this is just a slump, facts are facts the cards have been avg at best and mike got them to play above there level and he did it with his bb iq not what some computer said was the best outcome. The reason mike was fired when he shouldn’t of been is because he wasn’t going to follow a script handed to him on how to mange because you can’t mange sports by a script, random things happen during a game that you can’t put into an algorithm just like life and mangers need the freedom to go off script and be able to adjust on the fly. At the end of the day the only thing that matters are results and mike got those results, did he make some bad calls during the playoffs? Yes he did. Was I pissed at the outcome of said decision? You bet your butt I was, but after the wave of emotions after getting bounced subsided and took emotions out of the equation I see why he made the calls he did, while I still disagree with some of them. That is also the reason I’m here discussing things like this on a mlb rumors site and not the current manager of the cards. Although how things are going I’m willing to sell my soul to be an overpaid yes man to run a lineup up card to the ump and be on the phone 24/7 waiting for the 386 pc upstairs to make my next move, I can also throw a ball with no accuracy left handed hard enough to cross the plate, so mo give me a call I’m the ace your looking for and I’ll give a hometown discount of just 18m a year.
The Natural
Preller the best GM in baseball? Naaaaaah.
NewYorkSoxFan
Lol but really who do you guys think is the best GM or POBO in baseball? I gotta go Friedman despite the lack of a full season World Series win.
benhen77
Anthopulos for me. Identified a core of players, locked them up on team friendly deals. Working within stricter budget confines than Friedman. Thought AA was damn good in Toronto as well.
mlb fan
Hands down Friedman and it’s not that close. Honorable mention to Atlanta’s AA as 1st runner-up and Baltimore’s GM as 2nd runner-up.
JoeBrady
Neander
Brew’88
Friedman gets the credit, but it’s easier to be successful given LA’s payroll and massive $ committed to scouting and minors development. Erik Neander has a better track record for wins per $ spent and somehow competes (or outcompetes) in a big market division. I also agree Mike Elias has done a great job of late, executing a plan. Hard to argue against Alex Anthopolous, and Chris Antonetti should get a high-five
cwsOverhaul
Kenny Williams……no club has come up with the $ yet to make it worth his while.
avenger65
Hazen
websoulsurfer
Helps when you get to spend more than $1 billion more than the other teams in your division over the last decade. Friedman is no doubt a good POBO, but he is far from the best. That would be Neander.
mlb fan
Several teams spend just as much as the Dodgers and don’t get the same consistent results. You don’t see the Dodgers misfire near as often as other high spending teams like the Yankees. Just coming close is nice but winning is the goal. By your measure the Brewers would be a top 5 run team.
Brew’88
@ mlb fan. if recent winning is the only measure, then my Giants Brian Sabean holds the most rings over the past 13 years, but he’s not the GM now..
BaseballisLife
No one has spent as much as the Dodgers since Guggenheim bought them. They have spent $400 million more than the Yankees who are in 2nd place in spending over that time frame. Don’t know about them spending $1 billion more than the Giants since 2013, but it’s something you can look up.
vpsd
Not saying they’re not well run, but If you look at the last 10 years, no one really touches the dodgers in spending..
brodie-bruce
@brew’88
While I agree with damn near everything you said but just because Friedman is in la and has a budget of a small country doesn’t necessarily equal guaranteed success, although I will concede it does help. With that being said it’s not easy being the top guy of a large market team because fans expect a big name to be signed every year in those markets regardless if they can help or not. Where I think Friedman has succeeded in la and a lot of other gm’s fail in large markets is the pressure of signing the big name and keep winning because we’re (insert large market team) and we can afford a trillion dollar payroll because mlb the show allows it and gd it you should too. If you look at how the dodgers are spending there money and acquiring players is actually pretty smart within there ability to acquire talent. Last few years lad has been linked to every top tier fa and hasn’t gone after any of it, iirc there last big purchase was re-signing mookie. I will agree that his job is a lot easier than it was in Tampa because he has a better budget to work from but let’s also recognize that he is one of the best fo guys in baseball, he has not only kept a winning team in la but has also replaced key guys/gals within the organization that most of us wouldn’t care about until there the next manger of team x, but are important to keep a winning team going. You also can just as easily argue just because you have an “unlimited” budget doesn’t mean your gonna win, just look at nyy, sd, nym, and laa to name a few, they spent money but last few years have had piss poor results
Brew88
No disrespect intended at all Brodie. I hear ya. Friedman deserves the accolades paid him. But there are other great GMs as well. I mentioned a few others. That’s all
unpaidobserver
Anthopolous should get the award for improving at every stop. Some execs plateau and coast.
websoulsurfer
No one has spent even close to as much as the Dodgers. Not even the Yankees come close since 2013.
SportsFan0000
Best Pres of Baseball Ops and Future 1st Ballot Hall of Famer
is Dave Dombrowski:
Penny pinching Expos built with Draft. Farm & Trades: World Series bound team (best record in MLB) loaded with Dombrowski’s players derailed by Baseball strike (a few years after he left for Miami to build the Expansion Marlins into Champions.
Built Expansion Marlins Team into World Series Champions in Record time
After World Series Parade, Ownership said “tear it down”.
Players acquired in trades from teardown, draft picks and trades
won the Marlins 2nd World Series Championship a few years after Dombrowki moved to Detroit.
Detroit: handed a cellar dwelling Tigers team that was terrible for `15 years.
And 3 or 4 years later that Dombrowski team took off like a moonshot and landed in the World Series for the 1st time in 22 years as AL Champions.
Tigers won 2 AL Championships and multiple Division Titles under Dombrowski
In Boston, Dombrowski built team won record amount of games in Red Sox history, won a World Series Championship and won several Division Titles against the Beasts of the East.
In Philadelphia, Dombrowski TURNED DOWN OFFERS FROM THE PHILLIES FOR 22 MONTHS TO TAKE OVER THE PHILLIES FRONT OFFICE. Finally, after personal pleas from Phillie Owner John Middleton,
Dombrowski agrees to take the Phillies job
About a year or so later, Dombrowski, after taking over a Phillies team that most baseball experts and local Phillies sports press and fans considered a “failed rebuild”, had his 4th different MLB team in the World Series.
NO MLB Executive in MLB history has accomplished that.
Dave Dombrowski JUST WINTS WHEREEVER HE GOES
.
IT IS DOMBROWSKI’S SKILL, NOT LUCK, NOT ACCIDENT ETC..
Dombrowski is “hands down” the best Front Office Exec in MLB.
AND, NO IT IS NOT ABOUT JUST WRITING BIG CHECKS
He has done it with penny pinching teams like the Expos and the Marlins.
He has done it with bigger spending teams like the Tigers, Red Sox and the Phillies.
SportsFan0000
usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nighte…
JackStrawb
@mlb fan Yes, the Dodgers seemed to have solved some of the algorithm problems plaguing the Yankees, Mets, and Padres.
JackStrawb
@unpaidobserver I doubt any coast, but if you’re good AND you get lucky (and winning a WS takes a great deal of that, usually), then anything afterwords is likely to look on the surface like underperformance or jogging in place.
JackStrawb
@SportsFan0000 You make a compelling case–seriously. Cheers,
TrillionaireTeamOperator
I wonder if the Padres will wind up pulling a Red Sox/Mets/Miami thing of blowing up this roster if 2024 doesn’t go well- try to trade as many of their big ticket players as possible and start from scratch again.
kripes-brewers
U better pass the pipe, or put it down.
DodgerOK
Smart move!
Reynaldo
Thank god it’s not Nevin or Flaherty, but it should have been Gil.
JerseyShoreScore
Such a proven winner that he warranted a two-year commitment….
JoeBrady
I was wondering about that myself. It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Bounty Hunters IA
Good for him. He gets a chance with a decent franchise and not a cesspool joke like the one in east Missouri.
Vince Coleman'sTarpMachine
Funny considering Iowa has nothing but corn and radar o Reilly
Citizen1
Padres to fire Shildt after missing 2024 playoffs.
Rickey O'Sunnyvale
Padres are Shildt out of luck..
This one belongs to the Reds
What’s the over/ under on the first time he benches or has a run in with Tatis?
Hired Gun 23
How many times was he be benched last season? And what would the reason he’d be benched in 2024, just wondering…elaborate please.
Gumby82
NL West now that Pads have Shildt:
Padres
Dodgers
Dbacks
Giants
Rockies
SportsFan0000
Not unless the Padres fill all the gaping holes in their team:
#3 #4 #5 Starters
Closer
More Bullpen help
CF who can hit above the Mendoza line.,
Bench players
1B
DH
Depth and more
Brew’88
We’ll see. Melvin tabbed Tatis the hardest working player on the team. Hopefully that sits well with Shildt too
Gwynning
Shildt and Tatis seem pretty close. Tatis has noted Shildt was instrumental to his psyche and game while hurt/suspended. The first player Shildt praised in Kentera’s interview today was Tati. Generally and anecdotally speaking, those 2 seem to get along great. Reds is just reachin’… but I can dig it. They hate us cuz they ain’t us.
Brew88
A lot to praise, Jr was rock solid all year long, even when struggling through a few slumps.
Dogs
The Rangers won their first World Series this year. Next year it will be the Padres turn.
SupremeZeus
This is gunna get the mizzou-rah cardinals fans dander up.
Chicks dig bunting
A German they need a tough no nonsense manager
CardsFan57
I’m on the fence with this hire. I will be happy to see what he can do with this team. Good luck holding people with long term 9 figure contracts accountable. Inspiration is your only hope there.
Tom the ray fan
2 year contract? Lol. How many coaches has Preller gone through now 5 or 6? Guy is beyond an overrated GM. Brings his team to one NLCS and is crowned the king by Padres fans. Bloom also went to an ALCS but red Sox cut bait. Padres will be another disappointment next year. Preller is to egotistical.
Gwynning
Stick to your Rays, bro bro. Maybe Shildt only wanted 2 years? Calmate güey
Tom the ray fan
Give the rays the Padres budget and we would have multiple titles. You guys have gone to one championship series with a farm system most teams dream of putting together. Too bad your savior blew it all up. How many managers have you gone through since Preller took over?
Brew’88
hey Ray, you mad, why?
Tom the ray fan
Just calling it like I see it brew
Brew’88
you see in rant?
Hired Gun 23
Meh…the Rays have a formula for success that seems to play well in the regular season but doesn’t seem to get them any further than but a few more games in the post-season. Only one team succeeded in 2023 and it was neither of ours.
Tom the ray fan
I criticize my Rays as much as anyone when it’s deserved, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. The point is Preller sucks…
Hired Gun 23
Opinion…give me fact.
CleaverGreene
He sucks at GM FA signings. He could be my farm director any day.
Hired Gun 23
Cleaver your point is a bit more valid…hahaha
Gumby82
Padres just got better today. Great hire.
Fallguy820
Wish we had A J Preller in St Louis along with Shildt. Padres made a great choice.
Hemlock
> Aj Preller is the best GM in baseball and
> always makes the right moves
> that makes you feel good
AJ Travolta
Padres Night Fever
Brew’88
lol, the image of AJ doing disco
BaseballisLife
In a white suit.
Pads Fans
imdb.com/title/tt0076666/mediaviewer/rm4215872768/…
websoulsurfer
Can someone do a photoshop of Preller’s face onto Travolta in that pic? That would be funny.
SportsFan0000
SARCASM RIGHT?!
Fallguy820
He will get the most out of the players. Just him being manager is worth 10 wins by itself. He does a great job managing the game.
Blue Baron
Oh Shildt!
websoulsurfer
Can you imagine melbatoast Melvin making this speech?
youtu.be/2vTLlw7R4lw?si=K2epR_TusOtT7yb8
Melvin couldn’t even get his team to go to practice let alone give a fiery speech like that.
foppert1
Grudges are bad. It didn’t work out. Let the man be.
BaseballisLife
They are going to see him 17 times a year. Don’t think that grudge is die soon.
foppert1
Probably. Long term, reasonably successful, well respected guy that didn’t go out being all critical and vocal. Not sure too much nastiness is in order.
BaseballisLife
He wasn’t well respected by Padres players apparently. Can’t think of one that has come out in praise of the managerial job he did in San Diego. Can you?
The news that it was the players complaining to the FO about him towards the end of the season and then him bailing when the season was over would point to a grudge being held.
That’s just me. Maybe some Padres player or coach will come out with praise of Melvin. I just don’t see it happening. Those players are going to be in FU mode every time they play the Giants.
Brew88
@Baseballislife I think they reduced # intradivisional games from 17 to 13, unless you’re counting ST or the sweep in the NL pennant playoffs
BaseballisLife
Wasnt sure about how many games in division were going to be played in the new balanced schedule. Knew it was less than the 19 they used to play and guessed.
Padres might be playing the Dbacks or Dodgers in the playoffs.
foppert1
No I can’t. Not that I listen. The interesting thing to me about the players complaining was that it was led by Soto. The new guy. Why wasn’t it Captain Manny ? That has me curious. Possible that the big name career Padres wanted hands off, and Soto led the less established in thinking that doesn’t suit everyone ?
Irrespective, Bob gets a clean slate. Kapler was fired for being hands off so Zaidi must think he has some flexibility in his game. That wouldn’t surprise considering the career he has had.
Pads Fans
It was a group of 7 players including Machado, Soto, Bogaerts, Darvish, and Musgrove that went to Preller to voice their displeasure with Melvin. All the team leaders basically.
Melvin gets to go to a team that is not that talented so the pressure is off. They are not expected to win even if they make a couple of big splashes in FA.
websoulsurfer
Padres and Giants are rivals. Melbatoast abandoned his players. Not just by refusing to be a manager while he was there, but by leaving for a division rival. The grudge will continue.
wallabeechamp
Shildty won’t last the two years on his contract. At some point soon, someone who doesn’t love AJ like a son will be running things. That person will see that AJ has only blown money & prospect capital for pomp & bluster. AJ will be out & Shildty gets to share an Uber with him.
Hired Gun 23
What if they somehow manage to win in 2024, wouldn’t the ownership by lauded for showing patience during this time of transition?
wallabeechamp
LOL! How are they going to do that? Look at the roster. Look at the unstable financial outlook. Look at how far away all the kids in the ‘revamped minor league system’ are. Snap out of Candyland, Kids.
Not happening
Hired Gun 23
So we are both speculating and offering our opinions. The off-seasonis underway, not a single pitch has been thrown or has a single roster been settled. Players don’t fret or tv contracts and you do not know the financial prospects of a solid ownership nor do I. But I’m not sweating things just yet…let things play out and don’t award any team the championship in December.
wallabeechamp
I don’t know specifics. But anyone who pays attention to the sport knows that the Pobres were taking a huge risk in going for it like they have. Credit to Peter Seidler for that. But, all the reporting is that the chickens are coming home roost. Peter, sadly, is no longer here to accept that risk. It’s not likely the next point person is as passionate and committed as Pete was. And while you’re correct to say we have to wait to see how rosters turn & who they eventual champs are, we are all also completely safe & sane to say the Tigers, Rockies, A’s, Pirates, Angels AND PADRES will not be there.
Hired Gun 23
Completely safe, nah. Too much plays into a season to put a lid on it before we even play game 1. The financials are fine, and a TV deal will only strengthen that. But I do think that the guys on the field do have alot to prove and that this team currently sit closer to a wild card team than a division champion team…
Javia135
@wallabeechamp
Padres current top 100 prospects:
#9-Merrill(ss)-eta 2024
#93-Zavala(cf)-eta 2025
#5-Salas(c)-eta 2026
#60-Snelling-eta 2026
#63-Lesko-eta 2027
wallabeechamp
So, one guy(another shortstop) is a possible contributor to next year’s squad, huh? Thanks for teaching us nothing more than you’re an AJ apologist
wallabeechamp
When is that TV deal coming to save the day? All AJ has done is recklessly spend ownership’s resources, with minimal return, and those resources are dwindling. How do you expect them to compete in a division where the two teams above them have been clearly superior in every way for years now? And the Giants are coming too?!!? Not happening.
Soto WILL be traded
AJ will poop the bed in that trade and the Pobres will get fleeced(AGAIN)
Tatis will embarrass himself & the franchise during the offseason (AGAIN)
Bob Melvin’s team will outperform Shildty’s(AGAIN)
Hired Gun 23
Melvin will do well in San Francisco, I wish him well. Tatis will continue to perform and be ridiculed regardless of what he does. When the TV deal gets done, it will strengthen their finances, they are not dwindling. And I never said they’re saving the day, you did. And what has LA done with its superior win-loss record? Gone home early twice. The Dbacks are good and getting better…that I will admit. And AJ better step up or yes, he’ll be shown the door. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the prospects the Nationals got aren’t exactly tearing it up numbers wise…
BaseballisLife
Its 120 days to opening day. Padres have some time to fill out their roster. It’s not like they have many holes except at back of rotation and in the bullpen.
Hired Gun 23
According to wallabee, everything that can go wrong will. And that the Giabts without an aging and underwhelming rooted will become a force to reckoned with and that they, not the Padres will be in the mix when all is said and done.
Hired Gun 23
Wow..that had some typos from me trying to post this so fast. Now I know what it feels like to write for this site. Hahahaha. That said, Melvin won’t fail miserably but won’t fare much better with SF. As for the Friars, they better succeed or else AJ will be packing his bags.
BaseballisLife
Why would the Padres want to sign a deal with an RSN? They signed deals directly with all the carriers in their market. They are one of two teams that get to sell packages on MLB.tv just for their team. Maury Brown said that they will make more money from TV in 2024 than Ballys would have paid them. I could be wrong but all indications are that they don’t want an RSN deal going forward.
The Padres went to the playoffs in two of the last 4 seasons and they had record attendance and revenue last season. Most teams would consider that a win. Not sure why you don’t? Preller sleep with your spouse?
I looked at Padres trades the last 5 seasons and only found two bad ones. Nola and Clevinger. Maybe you know of others?
The Giants are an aging and really bad team. Unless they spend recklessly they have no way to put together a team with the number of good players the Padres have. So other than your rant, what evidence is there that they will outperform the Padres.
No one on the Padres have said they are cutting payroll and their GM said the top priority is extending Soto. With those two things in mind you are claiming he absolutely will be traded? That doesn’t seem like a smart conclusion to come to based on the facts we have.
Rant on my friend. Rant on.
Hired Gun 23
Great points. I have not begun to RANT! HAHAHA
BaseballisLife
I took a look at the Padres top 30 prospects. 12 of their top 15 ended the 2023 season at AA or higher.
Is there another team that has more top prospects that high in the minors?
Why the hate for the Padres?
BaseballisLife
I was talking to wannabeechamp. But please do rant. They are funny to read.
Brew88
I think Snelling is ready by 2025. Iriarte, Merrill and Pauley 2024.
Hired Gun 23
Cuz they spent money and it didn’t pan out. So all those who said it wouldn’t feel a sense of empowerment. Let them have it, I’ll never dispute facts, we laid a big fat egg this past season. But we cannot change what’s happened so let’s just let them yap and hope 2024 is more like what we envisioned from this team…
Brew88
Why would anyone need to apologize for the 7th ranked minors system?
BaseballisLife
I watched some of the AFL games and was impressed with Marsee.
Brew88
My Giants have much more work to do this offseason to build a playoff contender than do the Pads.
wallabeechamp
The organization put out a cash call to minority owners, which was denied(Fact)
The organization took out a $50MM loan to cover for payroll. (Fact)
The organization is in violation of MLB’s debt service policy.(Fact)
The benevolent benefactor is gone(Sad Fact)
The roster has gaping holes in the rotation (3,4&5) bullpen and bench.
How do they address their shortcomings? By dealing the generational talent that they can’t afford anymore.
But hey, AJ says…
Brew88
Yeah Marsee will be looked at closely in SP. could be making that leap as a hitter.
BaseballisLife
I have read all the articles and none of them say that they issued a cash call to minority partners. Also minority partners cannot deny cash calls or they would lose their partnership shares.
The Padres took out a loan after payroll was already paid. So it was obviously not for payroll. Maybe its to buy the land for the $1.5 billion development they are about to begin construction on in 2024?
MLB said that the Padres were one of about 2 dozen teams that were in violation after 2020 but that they presented a plan prior to 2023 and were no longer in violation. If they were in violation, MLB would not have allowed them to take out a loan.
While their owner passed away, his family trust and his instructions still are in control of the team’s actions. Today’s press conference and the statements by Kutsenda confirmed that the team would continue the same path for the long term.
Any other non-facts you want refuted? Preller must be your unrequited love for you to be so hateful and determined to spread hateful comments.
CleaverGreene
Shildt should be good. Your take on Preller and the Mets is lol bad.
Sid Bream Speed Demon
AJ Preller is most certainly NOT the best GM in baseball. Just because the LOLMets puke on their shows every year doesn’t mean that Preller is best.
GSWfanklay
Marco lucriano for Soto
Gwynning
No thanks!
Giant Willy
Why not? Soto is an established MLB star. Luciano is a prospect, most of which become nothing
Hired Gun 23
They put out a cash call to minority owners? Please show me confirmation of that, much appreciated. They took a shot with Soto but that doesn’t mean they aren’t allowed to trade him and get back multiple pieces…why is that a bad thing?
Cam
AJ Preller best GM in baseball? Wow, imagine how highly he’d be rated if his moves actually produced something!
Zk83
You realize the NL manager of the year is actually younger than Mendoza? Age ain’t nothing but a number baby. Leave to a Mets fan to leave such a dumb comment.
Jiggs
Padres just became legitimate contender.
Gumby82
Agree. And my pathetic Giants take your leftovers and will continue to come in 4th place for the next decade
Giant Willy
Actually Farhan is all about castaways from our most hated rival
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
This guy was good for the Cardinals even though they cut him. And look where the Cardinals were after he was gone…
Pads Fans
Just watched the press conference. Preller got choked up talking about Seidler. That was cool to see. audacy.com/973thefansd/sports/san-diego-padres/wat…
Brew88
He also confirmed that ownership, the Seidler family, was dedicated to pursuing a WS longterm. We all knew that, but the naysayers need to heed that.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
The Tigers should have hired That Girl, instead.of.whats his face.
Marlo.is a true Detroiter and knows.more.about.the game…..
Lanidrac
Say that again about Preller in three to four years after Soto leaves and the roster and payroll are hamstrung by a bunch of hugely expensive declining veterans.
SportsFan0000
Soto could be traded this year.
JackStrawb
@Lanidrac Probably so. Extending Machado and Darvish were singularly weird moves for a team that was going to cut payroll.
SportsFan0000
Shildt was going to be the Padres hire all along.
Shildt was basically hired by the Padres to be the “Manager in Waiting”
when Melvin was to have left after the ’24 season.
Obviously, the time table got moved up.
Preller needed to hire a Manager who he could work with
and who would put up with is very odd managing tactics and work habits.
Bruce Bochy turned down the job.
Preller is running out of excuses and options.
If he does not produce a World Series Champion in the next few years,
then I can see Preller as the next guy to “walk the plank” in San Diego.
It is put up or shut up time for AJ Preller in San Diego.
Preller has been there 10 years and still has not built a team that won an NL pennant, a World Series or even an NL West Division Title.
The only person in Preller’s corner was former Owner Peter Siedler who has recently passed away.
I don’t think others in the Padres Ownership Group are going to be as patient with
AJ Preller.
It will become more of a business proposition: Win a Championship
or the New Persons in Charge will make business decisions to get
a New Front Office Leader who can produce a Championship in San Diego.
Giant Willy
The Padres. LOL!