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Major League

2813

Guest Column: Wrong Perceptions, Right Move

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by admin on October 5, 2009

John Conniff from MadFriars.com has a different take on the Kevin Towers firing.  He will join us later to discuss the story:

The firing of popular Padres General Manager Kevin Towers produced an outcry from the local and national media with the consensus that new owner Jeff Moorad erred in firing the long time general manager in favor of installing his  “own guy”.

However, after the knee-jerk responses fade, Moorad, who made a fortune running a sports agency, may have more valid reasons for the change than ego.

In the process of taking control of the team from John Moores, he is not a Daddy Warbucks style owner in the same vein of Detroit’s Mike Illitch, but the leader of a consortium with a finite budget that is expected provide a return on investment.

Towers was not evaluated as a general manager, but rather as the head of baseball operations, Sandy Alderson’s old job, which these days is considerably more than the running a team, but involves, which has been the popular buzzword the past few days, a “strategic vision.”

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2813

Peaved! An Era Comes To An End

by Chris Ello on August 1, 2009

Do you remember where you were the last time the San Diego Padres played a significant baseball game?

From His First Start, Peavy Was Something Special

From The Moment Of His First Start, Peavy Was Special

I know where Jake Peavy was — right there on the mound with the ball in his hand. It was Oct. 1, 2007 (only 22 months ago, though now it seems like at least five years), and the Padres were playing the Colorado Rockies in a one-game playoff to determine the National League’s final postseason participant.

Peavy didn’t have his best stuff that night. He departed in the 7th-inning with his side trailing, 6-5, but at least he hung in there long enough to give his team a chance to win.

The same can not be said about his departure this time.

Think about what the Friars were before Jake Peavy arrived on the scene. Padres? Hardly. They weren’t even good enough to be considered altar boys.

So, well on their way to a fourth-consecutive losing season and the franchise’s 14th last-place finish in 34 years of existence, the Padres Continue Reading →

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240

Barry Axelrod on Strasburg

July 23, 2009

ShareBarry Axelrod is a major league agent, but has decided not to represent amateur players for several years.  In this 619 Sports interview, Barry gives us the players’ viewpoint on amateur signing bonuses, the brinksmanship of the major league draft, and more.  Is it right for a Cuban defector to have the chance to make [...]

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241

Update: John Conniff on Brian Matusz

July 23, 2009
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Brian Matusz helped lead the Toreros to back-to-back regional appearances before being selected as the 4th overall pick in the 2008 draft by Baltimore. In this 619 Sports interview, Baseball America and MadFriars.com reporter John Conniff gives us his scouting report on Matusz after watching him recently in person. How close is Matusz to major-league ready?

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281146

Donald Fehr Steps Down

June 22, 2009
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Never a favorite of most baseball fans, Fehr has nonetheless been a major player in most of baseball’s biggest stories for three decades. In this podcast, Chris and Craig recognize Fehr’s impact but note that much of it was bad for the game itself.

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146

More Stadium Talk For The Bolts

May 28, 2009
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Another week, another couple of stadium proposals which are raised up and shot down seconds later. Is there really any chance that the Chargers leave town? Where could they go? Or is this whole affair brinksmanship and bluffing? Craig and Chris give their thoughts and feelings in this Chargers podcast
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3146

Major League 4: The 2009 Padres

May 26, 2009

ShareThe Padres have won an amazing 10 games in a row.  How are they doing it?  Could it possibly continue?  And is the team playing in spite of its front office, or TO spite the front office?  Did the blocked trade by Jake Peavy help the team circle the wagon?  619 Sports’ Craig Elsten and [...]

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3

Road To Nowhere

May 14, 2009

ShareThere’s good news for the Padres Thursday in Chicago, just in time for the series finale against the Cubs: it might keep raining and wash the game away.  (Update: no rain, no good news, the Padres got smashed 11-3 to cap an 0-6 road trip.)
If they do play, the Padres will plug away and earnestly [...]

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