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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by Craig on October 3, 2009
There’s an old saying that was repeated recently by Don Draper on the amazing show “Mad Men”. Talking about a controversial bid to tear down Penn Station and replace it with Madison Square Garden, Draper told his client: “If you don’t like what people are saying about you, change the conversation.”
Hearing that Padres’ CEO Jeff Moorad will fire general manager Kevin Towers later today, I wonder if Moorad has been listening to the conversation surrounding his team at all lately. 36-24 since late July. Great trades swung by Towers to turn around a season that looked like it was headed for 95+ losses at the All-Star break. A farm system that looked bankrupt now providing the core for a future contender. Cheaper ticket prices and higher expectations coming soon.
The message going to out to season ticket holders and prospective purchasers for 2010 was an easy one to write: your patience has paid off. The Padres are playing fun baseball now, at affordable prices, with young players you can get excited about and grow with. Join us, things are heading in the right direction.
What’s the message now, after you turn over the front office like a shovel turns dirt? How does sending the longest-tenured GM in baseball-and make no mistake, one of the very best-out the door make you a better franchise or a more compelling sell to your fans? Continue Reading →
