COVERITLIVE.COM

11:00

Tim Sullivan - Good morning. I'm here for the next hour or so to respond to questions, comments, recipes, rumors and G-rated jokes, such as:

Grasshopper walks into a bar.
Bartender says, "Hey, we've got a drink named after you."
Grasshopper looks puzzled. "You've got a drink named Steve?"

11:00

[Comment From steven H.]
The REAL culprit in Padreland is Kevin Towers. But with the kind coverage he gets because of some very ,very productive trades he has made. However, his record as GM in developing a farm system has been as bad as any club. And that's where foundations are built especially with low to medium payrolls that they've had.Maybe a few guys ownership would not let them sign but there just has been soooo few good signings.

11:02

Tim Sullivan - I think Kevin Towers gets cut some slack because his hands are tied to a great extent on spending and because people like him so much. He's a lot of fun to be around.
That said, the Padres' record of drafting and development has been dismal and that falls at Towers' feet. If Jeff Moorad decides to clean house after he's been in charge for a while, I don't think anyone should be shocked.

11:03

[Comment From steven H.]
Didn't Moorad once want Towers as GM?

11:04

Tim Sullivan - Moorad interviewed Towers for the GM job in Arizona, but didn't hire him. It's possible that he just wanted to pick his brain. When you have an opening like that, it's often useful to interview several candidates simply to find out what they think of your organization and what you can learn about theirs.

11:04

[Comment From Will]
Shocked that Towers is booted?

11:04

Tim Sullivan - I wouldn't be shocked if Moorad brings in his own baseball people at some point, but probably not before some of the Padres' front office contracts expire.

11:04

[Comment From Tom]
Our farm system is in bad shape. Pitchability and OBP and looking at computers over stuff and athlectic ability and scouting has hurt the system?

11:06

Tim Sullivan - I think it's simplistic to say that the Padres' emphasis on statistical analysis is wrong. It's a matter of emphasis, I think. You have to be flexible enough to recognize the holes in your formulae. Look at the Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis are not the kind of players who excite scouts. Evan Longoria of Tampa Bay was not even drafted out of high school. Statistics can help you narrow the field, but you still have to look at individuals as individuals.

11:06

[Comment From Will]
I always hear that San Diego is not a large market team. Does that mean the Pads are doomed to never build a winner or a quality organization because as the saying goes "you get what you pay for"?

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