Comments on: Moorad Sending The Wrong Message

By: Debating Towers’ Dismissal

Debating Towers’ Dismissal — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:45:41 +0000

[...] Craig on October 7, 2009 Craig and Chris were upset when Kevin Towers was dismissed last weekend, while John Conniff from [...]

By: 619Sports

619Sports — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:10:44 +0000

Thank you for a strong comment, and you raise some excellent points. There's no question that the MLB draft was the biggest weakness for Towers during his tenure with the Padres. That said, I'm sure you'd also agree that the last four years saw a philosophical change in the Padres' approach to the draft, and the results are out on the field with 12 homegrown players by the end of the season.

My biggest issue with the dismissal, as I think my column suggests, is the changing of a positive message about 2009 into a message of change.

The other thing I'd like to note for the record is that, when I started covering sports professionally in San Diego, it was the end of '95, start of '96...so I've seen Towers from start to finish. For many of those years I covered the Padres personally and on a day-to-day basis. So there's no doubt I am biased personally toward the man. But that is not based in time spent hanging out, or beers exchanged, or a personal friendship. KT and I never did any of those things. The bias is based on what I saw behind the scenes, how many times Towers was handcuffed by his owner or incompetent team president, and how many times he covered up for them and took the heat himself.

I believe in KT, so I believe he will land in a better job situation, be given a payroll to work with, and will excel. In San Diego, we all will move on, and hope for the next guy to do a good job.

FYI, later today I'll be posting a guest column from John Conniff that agrees perfectly with your point of view, so please come back to check it out!

By: davidoates

davidoates — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:50:04 +0000

Craig, with all due respect – get off Morad's back!

He was right in what he did. Towers' did a lot for the Padres – that goes without saying. However, he proved during is career that he couldn't “grow” players; but only trade for them. That doesn't work in a small market. Better drafting and player development is the key, and new management is needed. I applaud the new owner and CEO for doing just that.

You and your colleagues have all got this wrong, and time will most certainly prove it. So please move on.

By: 619sportsfan

619sportsfan — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:27:51 +0000

KT did an admirable job with the handcuffs previous ownership put on him. It's a simple case of Moorad wanting his own guy.

As far as the NL Worst goes, I don't think that's valid anymore. The Dodgers won home field and the Rockies took the wildcard with a better record than the NL Central champ Cardinals. The Giants, third place and seven games back in the West were better than the second place teams in the Central and East. The Central and East get fat on playing Pittsburgh and Washington too. The NL West was really bad, but I think the division's turned the corner.

By: The Basics Of Nutrition | Daily Fountain Health | Food Health Wisdom

The Basics Of Nutrition | Daily Fountain Health | Food Health Wisdom — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:37:39 +0000

[...] Moorad Sending The Wrong Message [...]

By: Name

Name — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:54:21 +0000

I agree with you that Towers has had a hard time with the hand he has been dealt but we need to look at the overall picture. Obviously he cannot build a chhampionship calibur team with what he is given. So he cannot do the job. The Padres have lost 10 of their last 11 post season games since winning the pennant in 98. They win the division with an 82-80 record in 05. In any other division that is as good as dead last. We were proud when the Padres won the division but look at the division they are in? Its not unknown we've be renamed from the NL West the NL Worst for some time now. Fans are tired of seeing young guys come up only to get traded when they begin to peak. I have talked to other baseball fans in other cities around the country and we are or have become known as the best farm club for the majors. I don't dislike the guy but I believe this was the best move for this organization. Its time for new blood to get in here and make changes to turn this ballclub into one with a vision to become World Champions, not just divisonal champions.