Padres won’t confirm job status of GM Kevin Towers

Kevin Towers (AP photo)

“He is under contract through the 2010 season.”
“We continue to evaluate our baseball operations side.”

As the San Diego Padres finish the 2009 season, those are the only words coming spoken by the organization about the 2010 season. “We” signifies the new ownership. “He” makes reference to the team’s longtime general manager.

With the San Francisco Giants in town for the final weekend series of the season, the conversation in and around Petco Park is not about the games or the flashy finish to the season, but rather the uncertain status of general manager Kevin Towers.

Rumors are flying around baseball circles that owner Jeff Moorad and COO Tom Garfinkel are seriously considering a change at the top in the leadership ranks of the National League team — a move that could lead to the buyout of Towers’ final year of his contract.

Related: Padres new ownership hitting home runs | Kevin Towers XX 1090 interview:

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Both Towers and team ownership were ambiguous in answering questions about the status of the key leaders who have overseen the rebuilding of the small market team.

Moorad assumed day-to-day control of the team in early May, just prior to a mid-season plunge that saw the team lose 20-of-24 games. In that span, attendance fell drastically, and the team lost its top two pitchers — Jake Peavy and Chris Young — to injuries.

The incoming owner, who oversaw the reconstruction of the money-troubled Arizona Diamondbacks just four years ago, would only say at that point he was evaluating the teams business and baseball operations.

In August, some 13 employees on the business side were let go. With just days left in the season, Moorad has yet to move any of the baseball people out, but their generic statements about Towers fuels speculation that a new broom sweeps clean, and that the general manager and some of his aids might be bought out.

Towers told XX-1090 Sports Radio only that he had one year left on his deal. He did not answer questions about whether there had been any discussions about a contract extension, and indicated only he wished to remain in San Diego.

Garfinkel, in an e-mail reply, would only say Towers had a contract that runs through the end of the 2010 season.

Towers and his staff, in a span of 60 days, have turned a woebegone last-place team, into a competitive young team. Heading into the Giants series, the Padres have gone 14-6 against pennant contenders over the last month. The team compiled a 36-23 record since the late July collapse, the second best mark in the National League, only to the streaking Colorado Rockies, who have gone 71-36 since the hiring of new Manager Jim Tracy in midseason..

The trade of Jake Peavy to the White Sox brought San Diego four young pitchers, led by lefthanded ace Clayton Richard. It brought to seven the number of young power arms Towers had acquired during the course of the season. That coupled with the emergence of young players like Will Venable, Kyle Blanks, Everth Cabrera and Mat Latos has given hopes of optimism heading to the offseason.

“I have spent the last 25 years in some form or fashion with this organization,” Towers said to XX-1090. “I’d like to stay here. Jeff has not given me any indication of his decision.”

Towers was hired to the general manager position by former CEO Larry Lucchino, and helped build a World Series team and forge four first-place finishes over a 14-year span.

Towers however was hamstrung by outgoing owner John Moores, who mandated the payroll be paired from last year’s $75 million figure. By this weekend, the Padres payroll will sit at around $40 million with trades and expiring contracts.

Neither Moorad nor Garfinkel would directly address the rumors of an impending shakeup. History however does not favor Towers’ situation. Moorad ousted the original general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Joe Garagiola, Jr., upon taking over the club and virtually cleaned out the entire baseball operations and business side of the team within his first year of leadership.

Towers and the staff left behind by former CEO Sandy Alderson rebuilt the barren farm system in just a three-year span. Three of their top four farm clubs made the playoffs, and the Ft. Wayne Tincups in the Midwest League finished an astounding 50 games over .500.

Baseball sources say if there is a job opening in San Diego, Moorad might dip back into the Arizona Diamondbacks ranks again, and look at Peter Woodfork, an Assistant GM, or Jerry DiPoto, who runs Arizona’a farm system. Both were hired during the Moorad leadership run.

Moorad’s status grew in popularity in late summer when the club spent $9.1 million to sign all their top draft picks; he extended the contract of popular Manager Bud Black; and he and Garfinkel last week announced a cut in season ticket prices, in hopes of stopping the attendance slide, which will likely dip to 1.8 million fans this year, down from last year’s 2.4 million total.

Axing Towers would come as a surprise considering the franchise turnaround he has helped orchestrate since July. The season ends Sunday. Next season could begin Monday morning, but possibly with a new baseball leader.

Lee Hamilton hosts a talk show on XX 1090, National Baseball Talkshows on XM-175-Home Plate Channel and writes columns for SDNN.

Tags: Clayton Richard, Jeffrey Moorad, John Moores, kevin towers, Larry Lucchino, SDNN, Tom Garfinkel

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