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Kevin Towers

Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Lowell, Mariners

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Links for Saturday…

  • Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe thinks the Red Sox made a big mistake by letting Alex Gonzalez go to Toronto. I can't say I'd be too upset if my team let a guy with a 78 career OPS+ go, no matter how good his defense was.
  • ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes writes that even if the Red Sox eat a big chunk of Mike Lowell's contract, they'll still have trouble trading him because of all the third base options on the free agent market.
  • Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times wrote about all of the flexibility Mariners' GM Jack Zduriencik has going into the winter meetings.
  • Meanwhile, Larry Stone at The Seattle Times wouldn't be surprised to see Kevin Towers end up with the Mariners because of his relationship with Zduriencik.
  • Lynn Henning of The Detroit News guesses that the Tigers will offer arbitration to Placido Polanco, Fernando Rodney, and Brandon Lyon before Tuesday's midnight deadline. Polanco is a Type-A free agent, Rodney and Lyon are both Type-B's.
  • The sale is complete and the Ricketts family has assumed control of the Cubs, according to David Roeder of The Chicago Sun Times.
  • The deadline for the sale of another team, the Rangers, passed more than a week ago, but owner Tom Hicks hasn't indicated what happened, or how many groups actually made a pitch, according to Barry Shlachter of The Star Telegram.
  • Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along the news that Jose Contreras has one less suitor in Japan.  Meanwhile, Ryo Shinkawa writes that Hiroshima is looking into signing Giancarlo Alvarado, who pitched with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate last season, posting a 3.49 ERA.
  • The best bet for the Red Sox to fill their need at shortstop might be to make a trade, says Tyler Hissey of MVN.com.  Hissey suggests that Reid Brignac, Stephen Drew, and Yunel Escobar could be had via trade, but would cost the BoSox a pretty penny.
  • Steve Melewski of MASN Sports says that the Orioles can find their next closer in-house.  Recently, we learned that the O's are one of eight teams interested in free agent Billy Wagner.

Odds & Ends: Towers, Randy Johnson, Arroyo

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Links for Monday…

Jed Hoyer Notes

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Jed Hoyer was introduced as the new GM of the Padres yesterday at a press conference.  Notes from the day:

  • Hoyer signed a four-year contract with a club option for 2014, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • Tim Sullivan of the U-T quotes Hoyer saying, "I want to build from within."  He does not want to rely on trades and free agent signings.  Talking to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Hoyer also expressed a desire to tailor the Padres to win at Petco.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America says the Padres' farm system "still lacks high-ceiling players" despite a solid 2009 draft.
  • VP of scouting and player development Grady Fuson was fired, according to Center.  CEO Jeff Moorad said he anticipates "more movement on the baseball side."  Tom Krasovic heard that scouting director Bill Gayton will not return.
  • Hoyer told Cafardo long-term contract discussions for Adrian Gonzalez are "definitely on the docket."  The new Padres GM also gave Cafardo his thoughts on dealing with Theo Epstein in the future.
  • The Red Sox will "spread out [Hoyer's] duties among top members of the front office," according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.  Also, Silverman feels that former Padres GM Kevin Towers could be open to a West Coast scouting job for the Red Sox but would be unlikely to move to the East Coast for a non-GM position.

Hoyer “Closer” To Becoming Padres GM

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THURSDAY, 9:09am: Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune describes the Hoyer hiring as "imminent," but says no announcement is scheduled for today.

WEDNESDAY, 2:25pm: Both MLB.com's Corey Brock and ESPN's Buster Olney are reporting that San Diego is moving closer to naming Boston Assistant General Manager Jed Hoyer as their next General Manager.

Hoyer and Los Angeles Assistant GM Kim Ng have both been interviewed. It is unclear if anyone else has been interviewed, with San Diego staying quiet about the search.

Padres' CEO Jeff Moorad has said he'd like to name a GM prior to the World Series, so it is reasonable to expect an announcement sooner than later.

As for Kevin Towers, whom Hoyer would be succeeding, his destination remains unclear. Olney wrote last week that "it figures that Towers will take a job with the Yankees as a special assistant in the months ahead."

But Brock reports that Towers could "conceivably take a spot in the Red Sox front office — possibly as a special assistant or in the scouting department — if Hoyer is indeed hired by the Padres."

Odds & Ends: Sano, Towers, D’Backs, Fehr

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Links for Wednesday…

  • Kevin Towers has a standing offer from the Red Sox, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  For now, Towers plans on taking a few months off.  In contrast, a week ago ESPN's Buster Olney wrote that "there would appear to be excellent odds that Towers will land with the Yankees as a special assistant sometime in the months ahead." 
  • The Cubs' contract with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is official.
  • Miguel Angel Sano received his U.S. work visa, according to SI's Melissa Segura.
  • The new Rays hitting coach is Derek Shelton, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic crafts an offseason plan for the Diamondbacks, who have a decent amount of money to work with.  We did our Offseason Outlook for the team back in September.
  • J.C. Bradbury of Sabernomics says tendering a contract to arbitration-eligible right fielder Jeff Francoeur is probably worthwhile for the Mets.  I don't sense that non-tendering him is a serious consideration.
  • Donald Fehr will receive an $11MM parting gift when he steps down from his MLBPA position, says ESPN's Amy K. Nelson.  The players were mostly in favor of the decision, according to Curtis Granderson.
  • The Rangers met with Jim Crane's group Tuesday, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.  Two more potential investing groups are scheduled.
  • Backup catcher Mike Redmond told MLB.com's Kelly Thesier he plans on playing next year, whether or not it's with the Twins.
  • 41-year-old righty Keiichi Yabu also hopes to play in 2010, says NPB Tracker's Ryo Shinkawa.
  • Reliever George Sherrill has no hard feelings about the Orioles trading him to the Dodgers, says Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
  • MLB.com's Dick Kaegel talked to Zack Greinke, who was characteristically blunt.
  • In a Saturday post, Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts said he'd like to see how GM Ned Colletti handles the decreased payroll flexibility once his young players reach arbitration.  Weisman is even-handed in his assessment of Colletti, but here's a funny quote: "I don't laud him for retaining the young core of the team: Kershaw, Kemp, Billingsley, Broxton, Martin, et al. Knowing not to dump those guys is like knowing not to show up to work in your underwear."

Padres Rumors: GM, Cameron, Correia

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FRIDAY, 5:53pm: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes that the Padres and Diamondbacks could work out a compensation package for Arizona VP of player personnel Jerry DiPoto.  San Diego CEO Jeff Moorad has what he characterized as a "gentleman's agreement" not to raid his former club for candidates, but Morosi says that the stipulation could be waived for the right price.  Moorad is said to have a "very high opinion" of DiPoto.

In addition to labeling Red Sox assistant GM Jed Hoyer as a "strong candidate" (per industry sources), Morosi writes that some in the industry expect Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng to be considered.  Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine has drawn the interest of the Padres, but the team has yet to seek permission to interview him.

WEDNESDAY, 2:02pm: MLB.com's Corey Brock, via Twitter, says Forst has not been interviewed and the Gillick rumor below is untrue.  Furthermore, the A's emailed the AP to say the Padres have not asked permission to interview Forst.  SI's Jon Heyman's sources believe Hoyer is the favorite.

WEDNESDAY, 8:37am: Center says the Padres have two more GM interviews in addition to the three they've already conducted.  He says Hoyer, David Forst, and Pat Gillick "have surfaced in connection with the Padres vacancy."  Meanwhile, Newsday's Ken Davidoff says via Twitter that the Padres have not contacted the Yankees for permission to speak with Eppler.

TUESDAY: Let's discuss the latest buzz around the Padres.

  • MLB.com's Corey Brock says the team's baseball operations department will be run by manager Bud Black, executive VP Paul DePodesta and assistant GM Fred Uhlman Jr. until CEO Jeff Moorad finds Kevin Towers' replacement at GM. 
  • Moorad has interviewed three candidates for GM, with more to come.  He hopes to make the hire within a few weeks.  Red Sox assistant GM Jed Hoyer and Yankees director of pro scouting Billy Eppler have been rumored.
  • Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes about the Padres' offseason needs (they have roughly $10MM to spend).  Center says the team needs a right-handed hitting center fielder, and Mike Cameron's name surfaced.
  • Center suggests that to save money the Padres might have to shop Kevin Kouzmanoff, Heath Bell, or both.  He even wonders if they'd non-tender Kevin Correia and attempt to sign him more cheaply (presumably using his desire to play near home as leverage).
  • On his blog, DePodesta writes about the difficult realities of working within baseball.
  • Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues suggests the Yankees should add Towers to their front office.

Kevin Towers’ Plans

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MLB.com's Fred Claire spoke to Kevin Towers about the future.  The former Padres GM has already received a dozen inquiries.  Towers' money quotes:

"I know I don't want to be in an office if I'm not a general manager. And I'm not looking for a job where I feel the GM might be in jeopardy, that's not me."

That might rule out a position under Mets GM Omar Minaya.  Towers also said he would be willing to work for another GM if his job consisted of scouting rather than spending time in an actual office.

Odds & Ends: Mauer, Towers, Joba

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Some links to peruse in between innings of the Cards/Dodgers game….

  • Barry M. Bloom at MLB.com writes that Twins catcher Joe Mauer is concerned with "winning, not fame." Mauer's willingness to fly under the radar might be good news for Minnesota fans worried that the batting champ will eventually leave town for a larger market. Of course, I'm sure knocking off the Yankees would help too.
  • No one thinks former Padres' GM Kevin Towers will be out of work for long. Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that Towers should be the first choice for any team seeking a general manager. The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch adds that he expects Towers to join the Mets' front office, since Omar Minaya's tenuous grasp on his job could result in an eventual promotion for Towers.
  • Joel Pineiro tells MLB.com's Tom Singer that developing a sinker was the key to his 2009 success. Singer points out that Pineiro leads all free agent starters in a handful of categories this year, including baserunners allowed. The 31-year-old righty will get a chance to prove his effectiveness on a bigger stage this weekend against the Dodgers.
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe speculates on Joba Chamberlain's 2010 role, wondering if "the pitcher Red Sox fans love to hate may be no better than a set-up man after all."
  • Baseball America's Aaron Fitt views the settlement between the NCAA and Andy Oliver as a "return to status quo" for the draft's "no agent" rule, but doesn't anticipate it lasting long.
  • We've heard some rumblings that Oakland's David Forst might be in the mix for the Padres' vacant GM spot. ESPN.com's Rob Neyer wonders, if it's true, why the Padres wouldn't just hire the ex-A's assistant GM they already have: Paul DePodesta.

Odds & Ends: Fredi Gonzalez, Giants, Beane

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Links for Tuesday…

Minaya Interested In Hiring Towers, Ricciardi

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Mets GM Omar Minaya has interest in hiring two of his former counterparts, Kevin Towers and J.P. Ricciardi.  Joel Sherman of the New York Postsays Minaya contacted the ousted GMs "to express his support…and also to lay the groundwork to speak to both soon about possible jobs in the Mets' organization."

Sherman notes that Minaya is on thin ice, and bringing in his potential replacement is a double-edged sword.  Plus, Minaya would have to deal with Towers ribbing him about the Heath Bell trade.

In other Mets news, Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse reported on Twitterthis morning that Minaya fired coaches Sandy Alomar Sr. and Luis Alicea while retaining Howard Johnson and Dan Warthen.  Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News has a few more details.

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