Maybe Moores Should Move On
Here's a minor break in FF's offseason silence: maybe John Moores should move on from the Padres. We wouldn't be the first to note that Moores has been very generous to the San Diego community. For this, he should be commended. We've even heard that he's a generally nice, well meaning guy that genuinely cares about those with which he works. While this and additional accolades may be true, maybe it would be best for him and his wife to put the club behind them. Simply put, many people and caught up in this alleged divorce fight over the club. Friar fans - check. Trevor Hoffman - check. Jake Peavy - check. The 2009 club - check. If this isn't enough, hearing that Kevin Towers must have all player moves approved by Sandy Alderson assistant Paul DePodesta surely adds to insanity (maybe this is old news, but it is the first we've heard of it... we are so disgruntled with the team at the moment, that we aren't keeping close tabs). We'd like to see one of two actions:
- Have each half of the divorcing couple fund half of the team at last year's level (no salary inflation) and put "ownership" in the hands of their daughter. This has long been rumored as eventual direction for the team - make it happen now.
- Put the team on the block.
Labels: JohnMoores, KevinTowers, PaulDePodesta, SandyAlderson
posted by ryan at
3:43 PM
3 Comments:
Ryan,
Couple quick questions (and one comment)
1) What dollar value (years and money) are reasonable to give Hoffman?
1A) Would you please separate the dollar value into 3 components: i) how much you're paying him for '09/beyond, ii) how much you're paying him for previous years, and iii) how much you're paying him for "community effects", i.e. his standing in the community, how much fans like him, Trevor time, etc.
For a team that is going to not contend in 2009 pretty much any way you slice it, I think that the Padres can only afford to pay Trevor for 1A-i. Every predictive statistic (really only K, BB, HR allowed) has gotten way worse for trevor over the past 4 years.
I'd be super excited to see Trevor in a player-coach role. He'd be contributing with more than his arm. But what's that worth? Not much, actually -- the highest paid managers usually don't top $1 mil/ yr.
Any decision where the Padres pay Hoffman more than $3-4 million average annual value is preposterous. It looks ugly (and it is), but we need to look to the future -- and Trevor's future is in coaching shoes.
I'm also sick of the "Moores having nasty divorce; Peavy on the trading block" headlines. That doesn't mean it's not the smart move.
As for Towers running decisions through DePo: DePo is the team's talent accountant, really -- would you object to a cost-benefit analysis in a business community? The Pads are trying to save money for when they're better -- so they have accountants sign off on any deals that involve money (which is all of them).
PS - I've met DePo a few times. He, KT, and Alderson have a genuinely forward looking plan in place. DePo outlined this in his blog, and frankly admitted that the Padres are not very good at making all-start MLB players. But they are pretty good in the lower leagues, and are focusing on improving their MLB process for 2010 and beyond.
Cheers!
Travis
November 25, 2008 4:31 PM
1.) FF didn't want Hoffman back. In fact, we didn't want him back last year either. That said, I donn't think the Padres treated him right on the way out. I know this is trite, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.
2.) I don't buy the "talent accountant" argument. An Ed McGuire-type person handling the money is something I can get behind. But a GM that has to get his moves approved from a "talent accountant" seems to subvert the concept of a GM. If DePodesta is a better judge of talent, perhaps he take over as GM. Then again, maybe this is a bad report - perhaps they have some kind of triumvirate that works.
3.) Trading Peavy only makes the team better at the moment due to the pending payroll reduction. If the front office didn't feel that he was a/the cornerstone of the team, they wouldn't have inked him to a deal that included a no-trade clause. Things changes. That's what this post was about - I'm also sick of the divorce story line. But the reality is that it is a major driver of the situation in which the club currently finds itself. So why not treat the root cause, rather than the symptoms?
November 25, 2008 5:33 PM
Travis, I have to commend you on getting me to read a second Padre story on a single day for the first time in months.
I presume that the plan you spoke of was Paul DePodesta's "The Plan" blog post. If not, disregard the following :)
The plan makes sense. Again, this is frustration I was tying to get across in my post. Peavy is a legitimate "Stage Four"-type player. But the team realistically can't afford many (any?) of these folks at the moment. Let's hope all the money issues are worked out before A-Gone's contract starts running low.
BTW - this reminds me that you sent me an email a week or so ago. Sorry for the delay - I'll get to it now.
November 25, 2008 6:11 PM
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