Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
Padres Press Clips Friday, October 30, 2015
Article Source Author Page Green begins with win as Padres’ new manager UT San Diego Acee 2 Padres introduce Andy Green as manager UT San Diego Lin 5 Surprise! Preller stays outside box with hire UT San Diego Sanders 7 Padres name D-backs’ Green manager MLB.com Brock 9 Green recalls interview moments with Hoffman MLB.com Brock 12 J. Upton named Gold Glove Award finalist MLB.com Miller 14 Hoffman takes humble approach to Hall of Fame chances MLB.com Newman 16 Padres hire D-backs coach Andy Green as manager Associated Press AP 18 San Diego Padres hire Andy Green as next manager USA Today Nightengale 20
The Padres solution: Mr. Green, wrench & library NBCSanDiego.com Rosehart 21
San Diego Padres hire Andy Green as new manager SI.com Maiman 23 Padres offseason preview: Keep stars, hope for better FoxSports.com Pace 24 Breaking down hires of Mattingly, Black and Green for manager roles SI.com Jaffe 26 Padres name D-Backs third base coach Andy Green as new manager CBSSports.com Perry 31 Hedges playing catch-up in winter ball UT San Diego Sanders 32
2
Green begins with win as Padres’ new manager By Kevin Acee | 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29, 2015 | Updated, 7:43 p.m.
If Andy Green was selling vacuums Thursday, I would have walked away from Petco
Park with three of them.
I don’t need a vacuum. I have no idea how the carpets in my home get cleaned. But I
was buying what this guy was selling.
The 38-year-old Green is still 0-0 as a major league manager. His Padres team will
start the 2016 season probably just about as awful as we think they will.
But Green won his introductory press conference. Led from start to finish. He grabbed
the room, embraced it, and when walking away gave it a pat on the backside.
That doesn’t change the fact that Padres General Manager A.J. Preller has a whole
winter and spring full of challenges just to give Green a fighter’s chance to succeed.
But even to those of us resigned to the reality that the Padres are presently worse than
they were a year ago, it was impossible to not melt a little and think that maybe Green
is the right man to steer this wreck back toward the long-departed land of
respectability.
You hear a lot of clichés at these gatherings, but there wasn’t one from Green on
Thursday. You hear a lot of gratitude expressed to new bosses, but none like the
anecdotal, passionate praise from Green. You hear a lot of vows, but few more
believable than when Green threw his entire being into them.
He spoke of his “heartbeat” and his “passion,” and the assembled cynics didn’t roll
their eyes.
When talking about his leadership style, Green said this as if his life were built around
the tenet: “It’s all about relationships. … Everyone wants to be part of something
bigger than themselves.”
3
If anyone can make that true of Matt Kemp, it might be Green. He might even inspire
Andrew Cashner to overcome adversity, James Shields to actually be a leader.
One of the Padres’ goals was to hire a new manager with a little fervor, a guy who
could win over and rile up a clubhouse that needs to be shaken (if not as much as it
needs better players).
Phil Nevin was my pick. He has not only the experience and knowledge but the fire
and the clout to command a major league clubhouse. He could have done some good
here.
But it is easy to sense similar attributes in Green.
We’ll learn about Green’s strategies and tendencies and the way he manipulates a
pitching staff. There can be no doubt he is a good man with a good heart who his
players will know cares. That’s really what these young, fragile egomaniacs want.
Green also played in the big leagues. Players like that, too.
Green was described to the Padres by those who recommended him as intelligent,
prepared, detailed, someone with a “feel for the game,” a leader.
One member of the Padres brass described Green as “comfortable in his own skin.” I
love that phrase. It means he doesn’t care if you like him, but he knows you will.
Another person who sat in on Green’s second interview recounted: “After 15 minutes,
I said, ‘He’s an evangelist.’ Three hours later, I said, ‘This is who he is.’”
Genuineness. It’s the central characteristic of a leader.
All that said, it is reasonably certain Green can’t walk on water (though his three
daughters’ middle names are Grace, Hope and Faith). Too bad, because this team will
need a miracle to finish better than third in the NL West next season.
When asked about the holey roster and feeble farm system, Green paused. Possibly, a
vision danced in his head of Jedd Gyorko playing shortstop.
4
“I think it’s wise … to get to know these guys before I start talking about what
perceptions are out in the industry,” Green said.
For an instant, it seemed he was copping out. Then he continued, rapidly and
earnestly, seamlessly weaving together disjointed thoughts.
“Last year was what it was,” he said. “No one was excited about the end result. … What
begins in anticipation and expectation in the general public doesn’t always end up
(happening). Look at some of the teams in the playoffs this year. No one expected the
Astros to be special. No one expected the Cubs to be special.
“I think when you hand over ownership of a team, it takes a lot of confidence to give it
over to them. I’m betting there is a tremendous amount of integrity in here, even if the
world doesn’t necessarily think it right now — great people that want this team to be
the absolute best it can be. And I want to hear guys voice their vision for this club, and
that’s what I want to be a part of.”
We all should at least be eager to see what he can do.
5
Padres introduce Andy Green as manager Former D-backs coach meets with media at Petco Park
By Dennis Lin | 10:01 a.m. Oct. 29, 2015 | Updated, 8:07 p.m.
In what has become the norm under General Manager A.J. Preller, the Padres
surprised much of baseball on Thursday, hiring an up-and-comer as their new field
leader. Andy Green, 38, was introduced in a news conference at Petco Park, officially
moving from third-base coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks to the second-youngest
manager in the majors.
While Green’s status as a frontrunner for the job had been kept under wraps until
shortly before the reveal, it soon became clear what attracted Preller and his baseball-
operations group. Green, who rose quickly through the coaching ranks in the D-backs’
farm system, conveyed a palpable sense of energy and poise belying his relative
inexperience.
“I’m not a territorial guy,” said Green, the majors' latest rookie manager. “I want ideas
from everywhere. I welcome them from inside and outside the coaching staff.
Whatever we can do to be the absolute best we can be, that’s what we’re going to be
committed to doing as an organization.
“We need to really believe that our tomorrow is brighter than our today.”
At the moment, the Padres are coming off a season in which they fired longtime
manager Bud Black and after which they decided not to retain interim manager Pat
Murphy. Despite a club-record payroll, they finished 74-88, fourth in the National
League behind the younger D-backs (79-83). And while questions abound about
roster construction, Preller believes he has found the right man at the top.
“There have been big-league managers that have been successful from all different
paths,” Preller said. “We were open-minded to really any of those paths and finding
the right person who had presence, energy, was intelligent on the baseball side, was
very prepared. He checked all those boxes. He’s a guy who we feel can connect with
our organization and players and take us to a different level.”
6
The Padres picked Green over one other finalist, former longtime Minnesota manager
Ron Gardenhire. A source indicated Green received a three-year deal. There was an
initial introduction in early October, a second, lengthier interview and finally a formal
offer Wednesday night. In all, Green estimated, he spent roughly 20 hours meeting
with Preller and his staff.
Other candidates to interview for the job included ESPN analyst Alex Cora, former
big-league pitcher Tom Gordon, Padres hitting coach Mark Kotsay, D-backs Triple-A
manager Phil Nevin, new Mariners skipper Scott Servais and Pittsburgh third-base
coach Rick Sofield. Despite his age, Green actually was in the minority in terms of
possessing significant coaching experience.
Green, who spent parts of four seasons as infielder with the D-backs and the New
York Mets, began his managerial career in the Arizona League in 2011. He managed
rookie-level Missoula in 2012 before becoming a two-time Southern League Manager
of the Year with Double-A Mobile from 2013-14. The D-backs brought him onto their
major league staff this season. A proponent of analytics, Green oversaw infield
instruction and directed the D-backs’ shifting.
While Arizona currently has no hiring freeze in place, Green said he would consider
keeping some of the Padres’ coaches; the staff’s contracts expire Saturday.
“I think there’s tremendous attributes here that you want in a coaching staff,” Green
said. “I think the process is also putting the ball in their court. ‘Do you want to be a
part of what we’re doing going forward?”
A former star player at the University of Kentucky, Green indicated his efforts will be
highly inclusive. He will seek an abundance of ideas and information, not unlike his
new GM.
“We feel like we have a club that has some talent on the field, maybe some guys who
didn’t play as well as they have in the past,” Preller said. “It’s going to be an
organizational effort to figure out how and why and how we turn that around. And on
the field, it’s going to be led by Andy.”
7
Surprise! Preller stays outside box with hire The green Andy Green is choice over experience Ron Gardenhire
By Jeff Sanders | 11:15 a.m. Oct. 29, 2015 | Updated, 11:35 a.m.
We thought we had the next Padres manager whittled down to one of two finalists.
We’ve learned nothing from last year.
Surprised that A.J. Preller surprised us with Andy Green as his new hire?
We shouldn’t be.
Preller blitzed us last offseason at every corner. He started early this year with hiring
Green some 18 hours after reports had the Padres choosing between the experienced
Ron Gardenhire and the peppy Rick Sofield of the Pirates’ blossoming coaching tree.
Instead, Preller is going with the Diamondbacks’ 38-year-old third base coach, a first-
timer on the big league staff in 2015 after garnering back-to-back Double-A Southern
League manager of the year nods.
Surprise.
In choosing Green, Preller is passing over Gardenhire and his extensive resume as a
major league manager in the AL Central, the only known candidate with previous
experience managing in the majors.
Which should tell us something about Preller’s thinking all along.
He was going outside the box. Way outside the box.
A 24th-round draft pick in 2000 out of the University of Kentucky, where he was a
Hall-of-Famer, Green debuted in the majors in 2004 and spent parts of three seasons
with the Diamondbacks. He spent part of 2007 with Nippon in Japan, part of 2008
with the Reds and then bounced around the Mets’ system the final three years of his
playing career, which included one more cup of coffee in the majors in 2009.
8
He hit .200/.282/.265 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 265 plate appearances over
140 games. As a minor league third baseman, Green turned in his best season in 2005
in Tucson, batting .343/.422/.587 with 19 homers and 80 RBIs.
The Padres briefly considered him for a role in player development before the
Diamondbacks brought him in.
The Lexington, Ken., native is said to have been an overachiever as a player with and a
student of the game. He’s young but old-school in nature and, according to one
observer from his minor league career, has a bit of a sarcastic flavor to him.
Another baseball source familiar with Green elaborated a bit on his promotion: "Good
hire. Really interesting baseball mind with a lot of passion and energy. Should be an
easy guy to root for."
Here he is in 2012 displaying plenty of energy while arguing with an umpire as the
manager of the Advance Rookie Missoula Osprey, which he led to the Pioneer League
championship that season.
9
Padres name D-backs' Green manager Former third-base coach had success as skipper in Minor Leagues By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | October 29th, 2015
SAN DIEGO -- When Andy Green phoned D-backs manager Chip Hale to tell him he had accepted the
Padres' offer to become their next manager, Hale could not help but beam with pride.
"I was really proud. He's worked hard for this," Hale said.
But then Hale stopped to consider that the D-backs play the Padres 19 times in 2016 -- and suddenly his
mood shifted from euphoric to, well, restless.
"He's an aggressive manager and I know now that when we play San Diego, they are going to be well
prepared," Hale said. "One of the things he's really good at is exposing other teams' weaknesses."
In what qualified as a surprising move, the Padres circled back to one of the first candidates they sat
down with, tabbing the 38-year-old Green as their manager.
Green, fresh off his first season on the D-backs coaching staff, was introduced on Thursday at Petco
Park. A source put Green's deal with the Padres at three years.
"Obviously, I am beyond thrilled to be sitting in this seat right now. To have the opportunity to manage
the San Diego Padres, to working with this staff, to lead this organization to get to a place we all want to
be at: celebrating at the end of the year. That's what my heartbeat is, that's what my passion is," Green
said.
General manager A.J. Preller said that Green was the second candidate the Padres interviewed for the
job. Some of the others that came after had more experience, some less. But the way Green spoke with
conviction, how he handled himself, resonated fast with Preller and his staff.
If there's anyone who is going to help guide the Padres back to the postseason -- the team hasn't
advanced to the playoffs since 2006 -- it's Green, Preller believes.
"As we went through the process and started checking the boxes … he checked a lot of the boxes that
we liked and he brought a lot of the characteristics we were looking for to the table," Preller said.
10
"He's a guy we feel could connect with our guys and take our organization to a different level."
Was this a surprising move? Yes, even for Preller, who pulled off a few stunning moves last winter when
he essentially rebuilt the roster. But prior to Thursday, Preller had never hired a manager before.
In all, a source said the Padres interviewed "seven or eight" candidates with three of them -- Green,
former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and Pirates third base coach Rick Sofield -- getting second
interviews. They were the finalists, which left Preller with some tough choices.
"It was my first time going through this, and I kind of anticipated that there'd be two or three guys that,
right off the bat, wouldn't be a fit for us. Really, you got done with the process and it was a strong group,
so that made it hard," Preller said. "But in some ways that made it good because you knew you would
end up with a quality person at the end of the day."
That's what the Padres feel they got in Green, who has spent the last 12 seasons with the D-backs. This
past season was his first on the D-backs' coaching staff, but he spent four seasons in their system as a
Minor League manager.
Green, regarded by his peers as well-spoken, intelligent and confident, is also adept at advanced
metrics. He worked with the team's infielders and, specifically, handled all the team's shifting efforts.
"I'm very excited for him -- and even a little jealous. It's a great opportunity, and it is one I think everyone
knew was going to happen at some point, maybe not this fast, but at some point. But it's deserved. He's
prepared for this," said D-backs hitting coach Turner Ward.
"The Padres are getting a guy who is very passionate about what he does and who cares about the
development of his players, as players and as people."
Before settling on Green, the Padres interviewed a wide range of candidates for the job, candidates who
had never spent a day managing at any level -- ESPN analyst Alex Cora and former Angels assistant
general manager Scott Servais, who last week was named manager of the Mariners.
There was Gardenhire, who managed more than 2,100 games with the Twins. Just last week, Preller
was linked to former big league pitcher Tom "Flash" Gordon, who hasn't done any coaching
professionally.
11
"There have been big league managers who've been successful from all different paths," Preller said.
"So we were open-minded to any of those paths and finding the right guy … the guy who had presence,
who had energy, who was intelligent on the baseball side and prepared."
It's still not known if Green will attempt to bring any coaches from Arizona to San Diego. There's nothing
to say that he can't. He could have his pick of a handful of current coaches, who are still under contract
through Saturday.
"I can't wait to connect with people on the staff. I have heard tremendous things about so many people
that are on our staff right now," said Green, who plans to reach out to members of the coaching staff. "I
want to get to know them. I want to see if they share the same vision."
The team would like to retain highly-regarded pitching coach Darren Balsley, who has been with the
team since 2003. It's unclear what Green's hire will do for the team's hitting coach, Mark Kotsay, who
interviewed for the job, or bench coach Dave Roberts, who interviewed for the Mariners' head job.
Green inherits a team that went 74-88 and finished fourth in the NL West, 18 games back of the Dodgers
-- far below the meteoric expectations heaped on a team that revamped its roster last winter with a series
of dizzying moves, adding Matt Kemp ,Justin Upton , Wil Myers and James Shields , among others.
But the Padres struggled early and it cost manager Bud Black his job in June. The interim manager, Pat
Murphy, proved not to be a good fit and the team lost 21 of its final 31 games. Murphy was dismissed an
hour after the season ended.
Green didn't want to address the 2015 Padres or specific players in great detail before he has a chance
to talk to each player. He already has a message that he plans to share with each and every one of
them.
"We're going to work as a staff. We're going to work as players. Our tomorrow is brighter than our today.
We've got good things coming our way if we commit ourselves to the process and stay committed to that
process," Green said.
12
Green recalls interview moments with Hoffman By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | October 29th, 2015
SAN DIEGO -- When Andy Green sat down for his first interview for the managerial opening with the
Padres earlier this month, he did not quite know what to expect.
But it is safe to say Green, who was introduced Thursday as the Padres manager, sure wasn't expecting
to see a (likely) future Hall of Famer sitting across from him in Padres special assistant and former closer
Trevor Hoffman.
"When you have an opportunity to sit down and talk to legends like that … and become part of the
organization, it's a dream come true with me," Green said.
Hoffman and another former Padre, Mark Loretta, are both special assistants with the team and were part
of the baseball operations staff that sat in on and tossed questions to candidates like Green during the
managerial search.
To be sure, general manager A.J. Preller headed the effort, but he wasn't the lone person in the room
peppering candidates with questions.
"When the process started two and half weeks ago, it was a get-to-know-you. I was immediately
impressed with the process, because A.J. brought in everyone from baseball ops to talk to us," Green said.
Green, who played parts of three seasons with the D-backs (2004-2006) and then part of 2009 with the
Mets, recalled two personal memories involving Hoffman.
"As a rookie in 2004, I was just in the big leagues, we were playing here in Petco, the inaugural season,
and I had a veteran tap me on the shoulder in the top of the ninth inning and say to me, 'You've got to
stand up and see this,'" Green said. "I watched the bullpen door swing open and hear 'Hells Bells' play and
I saw that man [Hoffman] come out of the bullpen and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It
absolutely blew me away."
Another memory Green had was watching Hoffman do his early work when the Padres were at Chase
Field in Arizona to face the D-backs.
13
"I go out for early work at 2 o'clock and ... it's 120 degree weather and I'm watching Trevor run foul
poles," Green said. "[He's] staying true to his routine, passionately doing what he feels he needs to do to
get ready to play."
In all, Green said that he was blown away after talking baseball and the Padres job with Preller and his
staff, and also by the discussion he had during his second interview with executive chairman Ron Fowler,
team president Mike Dee and investor Peter Seidler.
"A lot of people aren't privileged enough to have the opportunity to meet men like that, whose passion
literally drips from their lips as they talk about having this city experience their first-ever world
championship," Green said.
"They are fully committed to giving this organization everything it can possibly do to overcome the
obstacles that stand in the way."
14
J. Upton named Gold Glove Award finalist Royals and Giants each garner four nominees
By Doug Miller / MLB.com | October 29th, 2015
The Kansas City Royals are back in the World Series, and they are halfway to the four wins they'll need for their
first title since 1985. One of the big reasons for their recent run of success is their defense, and that excellence has
been acknowledged for the second consecutive year.
The 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists were announced on Thursday morning, and the Royals led the
American League with four nominees.
Kansas City, which leads the New York Mets, 2-0, in the best-of-seven Fall Classic that resumes play Friday at Citi
Field (7:30 p.m. ET airtime on FOX, game time 8 p.m.), features first baseman Eric Hosmer, left fielder Alex
Gordon and catcherSalvador Perez, who are all defending Gold Glove Award winners, along with
shortstop Alcides Escobar, in the list of finalists.
The National League-champion Mets are currently starting two Gold Glove Award finalists, although one -- left
fielder Yoenis Cespedes -- earned his 2015 nod for the Tigers, with whom he spent most of the season before being
traded to New York. Right fielder Curtis Granderson is New York's other finalist.
Last year's World Series champion, the San Francisco Giants, led the NL with four finalists this year: first
baseman Brandon Belt, shortstop Brandon Crawford, third baseman Matt Duffy and catcher Buster Posey.
Major League managers and coaches, voting only within their league and unable to vote for players on their own
teams, account for 75 percent of the selection process. The other 25 percent goes to the sabermetrics community.
The winners will be revealed Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
In addition to Perez, Hosmer and Gordon, Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel is a defending Gold Glove Award winner
who has also made the cut as a finalist in 2015.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager, Baltimore shortstop J.J. Hardy and
center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Nick Markakis, who was with the Orioles in 2014 and is now with
Atlanta, are defending Gold Glove Award winners who are not AL finalists this year.
The NL finalists are full of defending Gold Glove Award winners.
Pitcher Zack Greinke of the Dodgers, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who has won this honor for seven
consecutive seasons, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Colorado second baseman DJ LeMahieu and third
baseman Nolan Arenado are finalists once again, as are Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, Marlins left
15
fielder Christian Yelich and Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward, who won this award last year while with the
Braves. Center fielder Juan Lagares of the Mets is the only 2014 NL winner who is not a finalist this year.
In the AL, the resurgence of the Blue Jays was reflected with three Gold Glove finalists: pitcher Mark Buehrle,
catcher Russell Martin and first-time finalist Kevin Pillar, who earned the nod for his stellar work in center field.
The team that finished second to the Blue Jays in the AL East also had three finalists. Yankees first baseman Mark
Teixeira, shortstop Didi Gregorius and left fielder Brett Gardnermade the cut for 2015.
The other two AL teams with three finalists apiece were the Tigers, with Cespedes, second baseman Ian
Kinsler and right fielder J.D. Martinez, and the Astros, with Keuchel, second baseman Jose Altuve and
catcher Jason Castro.
In the NL, the Marlins, Reds and Pirates checked in with three finalists apiece. Yelich was a finalist once again in
left, as was shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria for the second straight year. Second baseman Dee Gordon was named
a finalist after his first season with the Marlins.
Cincinnati finalists were former Gold Glove Award winner Brandon Phillips at second base, along with center
fielder Billy Hamilton and third baseman Todd Frazier. The Pirates' trio of finalists is comprised of center
fielder Andrew McCutchen, pitcher Gerrit Cole and left fielder Starling Marte.
Molina is the leader among this season's finalists with seven Gold Gloves, tied for third in history among catchers
with Bob Boone behind Ivan Rodriguez (13) and Johnny Bench (10).
Here is the complete list of finalists: American League Pitcher: Mark Buehrle (Blue Jays), Sonny Gray (A's), Dallas Keuchel (Astros) Catcher: Jason Castro (Astros), Russell Martin (Blue Jays), Salvador Perez (Royals) First base: Eric Hosmer (Royals), Mike Napoli (Rangers), Mark Teixeira (Yankees) Second base: Jose Altuve (Astros), Brian Dozier (Twins), Ian Kinsler (Tigers) Third base: Adrian Beltre (Rangers), Evan Longoria (Rays), Manny Machado(Orioles) Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Alcides Escobar (Royals), Didi Gregorius (Yankees) Left field: Yoenis Cespedes (formerly Tigers), Brett Gardner (Yankees), Alex Gordon (Royals) Center field: Kevin Kiermaier (Rays), Kevin Pillar (Blue Jays), Mike Trout (Angels) Right field: Kole Calhoun (Angels), J.D. Martinez (Tigers), Josh Reddick (A's) National League Pitcher: Jake Arrieta (Cubs), Gerrit Cole (Pirates), Zack Greinke (Dodgers) Catcher: Yadier Molina (Cardinals), Buster Posey (Giants), Wilson Ramos(Nationals) First base: Brandon Belt (Giants), Paul Goldschmidt (D-backs), Adrian Gonzalez (Dodgers) Second base: Dee Gordon (Marlins), DJ LeMahieu (Rockies), Brandon Phillips (Reds) Third base: Nolan Arenado (Rockies), Matt Duffy (Giants), Todd Frazier (Reds) Shortstop: Brandon Crawford (Giants), Adeiny Hechavarria (Marlins), Andrelton Simmons (Braves) Left field: Starling Marte (Pirates), Justin Upton (Padres), Christian Yelich (Marlins) Center field: Billy Hamilton (Reds), Andrew McCutchen (Pirates), A.J. Pollock (D-backs) Right field: Curtis Granderson (Mets), Bryce Harper (Nationals), Jason Heyward (Cardinals)
16
Hoffman takes humble approach to Hall of Fame chances Former Padres closer to appear on ballot for first time
KANSAS CITY -- Trevor Hoffman's name will appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot that arrives in
the mail of voters in the next couple of weeks, and 601 saves over an 18-year career is a pretty strong
argument for him to join likely first-ballot inductee Ken Griffey Jr. in 2016.
But the Padres' legendary closer is taking a purposely chill and cautionary approach right now,
remembering a conversation he had with late Hall of Famer and longtime teammate Tony Gwynn around
this time in 2006 -- in the days before Gwynn's first-ballot election.
"Five years went by pretty quick," Hoffman said on Wednesday before Game 2 of the World Series,
where he and Mariano Rivera presented the Reliever of the Year Award presented by The Hartford,
named after each of them in their respective leagues. "I'm optimistically hopeful that I'll have the
opportunity to go to Cooperstown. I didn't play with that in mind. I don't think you can. Ultimately, being
a team player, that's not what it's about. But deep down you know if you have a decent career going, and
some of the numbers might stack up.
"Being in that role, where it's kind of evolved as much as it can, you look at how it's laid out pretty clearly
what a decent career in that role is. So we'll see. It would be a tremendous honor, icing-on-the-cake,
package-it-all-together type of thing, but it's kind of out of my hands."
So, where would he rate his chances on a scale from one to 10?
"I say that honestly, because T-Gwynn, in his induction year, was frettin' it," Hoffman said. "Nervous as
all get out. I was like, 'Are you kidding me, T? Eight batting titles, 3,000 hits, Gold Gloves ...' He said,
'Hoffy, there's no guarantees. You never know.'
"So sitting in that situation now, I get where he was coming from. You never want to put the cart before
the horse, and you just hope that what you did was good enough."
17
Hoffman racked up a Major League-high 53 saves and finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting in
1998 for the NL champion Padres. That was just part of a stretch of eight seasons of 30 or more saves,
including four straight with 40 or more.
"I'd like to let you guys in on my first greatest save today," he joked during the Reliever of the Year
ceremony, "and that was having Kansas City barbecue and not getting it on my white shirt."
But seriously. Hoffman wound up with 14 seasons of 30-plus saves, nine with 40-plus. He finished his
career by spending two seasons with the Brewers, running his career saves total to what was then an all-
time high of 601 -- or 123 more than the previous record of 478 set by Lee Smith. Hoffman, who finished
with a 2.87 ERA in 1,035 career appearances, held the all-time saves mark from 2006 until Rivera
surpassed him in 2011, en route to 652.
That's the same Rivera who sat alongside him at the dais here at the World Series, two bullpen immortals
who combined for a ridiculous 1,253 saves. They both led a panel of elite relievers who decided
that Mark Melancon of the Pirates and Andrew Miller of the Yankees were deserving of the respective
Reliever of the Year Awards.
Afterwards, Rivera was asked whether he thinks Hoffman will be a first-time electee.
"He has my vote, I will put it like that," Rivera said. "He has my vote. I don't have one, but he has my
vote.
"He deserves it. He broke the record before I did, so he did a tremendous job. He did it with class. He was
always trying to do it for his team. So he's No. 1 there, definitely."
18
Padres hire D-backs coach Andy Green as manager Associated Press
SAN DIEGO -- When his Arizona Diamondbacks played a series in San Diego in mid-April, Andy Green saw how excited the fans were about the new-look Padres. "It was hopping. We lost two of three. The energy was palpable," Green said.
"It didn't turn out that way."
Not even close.
Hired Thursday as the Padres' new manager, it's Green's job to figure out how to get a talented roster to compete instead of collapse.
Green, who had been third-base coach of the NL West rival Diamondbacks, takes over a team that underachieved despite general manager A.J. Preller's aggressive offseason roster makeover. The Padres finished 74-88 and fourth in the NL West, 18 games behind the division champion Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego has had five straight losing seasons and has missed the playoffs for nine straight years.
The high expectations going into the season quickly disappeared.
"Expectations were extraordinarily high here last year, right?" Green said. "The city was brimming with optimism it was going to get what it waited for a long time, a chance to be back in the playoffs and to compete for a World Series. That expectation didn't do anything to raise the performance level. I think we have to cultivate a culture of expectation that this day we get the most out of what we can do. We get better today. We commit to a process rather than, `Hey, we're going to end up in the World Series at the end of the season.'
"I'm all for goals, but printing out a T-shirt that says `World Series or bust' doesn't necessarily get a team to the World Series."
Green completed his first season on Arizona's big league staff in 2015, and his 12th season in the Diamondbacks' organization. He was 219-189 in four seasons as a manager in Arizona's farm system.
He was named the Southern League Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2014. He guided Missoula to a Pioneer League championship in 2012.
The hiring of Green gives Preller the chance to continue to remake the team. Preller, hired in August 2014, fired manager Bud Black on June 15, when the team was 32-33. He replaced Black with Triple-A manager Pat Murphy, who had no big league experience.
19
The Padres were 42-54 under Murphy and he was fired the day after the season ended.
The Padres were a disappointment. Despite the addition of stars such asMatt Kemp, Justin Upton and James Shields and a bump in payroll past the $100 million mark for the first time, the Padres had their worst finish in four years. After firing Murphy, Preller said he was looking for "a better fit going forward."
Preller said Green was impressive from the first interview.
"It was impressive in terms of his knowledge, his attention to detail, how prepared he was," Preller said. "I think you got a sense from him being on the field across from us, he was part of giving his team an advantage when we played against them.
"We feel like we have a club that there's some talent on the field, there's some guys that maybe didn't play as well as they've played in the past, and I think it's going to be an organization effort to try to figure out why and how and how do we turn that around. And on the field, it's going to be led by Andy."
20
San Diego Padres hire Andy Green as next manager Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports8:39 p.m. EDT October 29, 2015
The San Diego Padres named Arizona Diamondbacks third base coach Andy Green as their new manager.
“Andy has the combination of intelligence and feel for the game that we are looking for to lead this team,” GM
A.J. Preller said in a statement. “As a player, he displayed a strong work ethic and even stronger passion,
earning everything he achieved. That passion has carried over into his managerial and Major League
coaching career.”
Green, 38, played parts of four seasons in the majors from 2004-06 and in 2009. He started his coaching
career in 2011.
He takes over a team that was expected to contend for a playoff spot after general manager A.J. Preller made
several big-name acquisitions last offseason. Bu the Padres finished 74-88 and in fourth place in the NL
West.
Bud Black was fired 65 games into the season after eight-plus seasons with the Marlins. He was replaced on
an interim basis by Pat Murphy.
21
The Padres Solution: Mr. Green, Wrench & Library AJ Preller aims to solve Padres puzzle with Andy Green By Ben Rosehart The board game “Clue” has always been one of my favorites. When searching for the right answers to win the game, you must identify the right person, weapon and place in order to solve the puzzle. The Padres are trying to figure out the right formula to build a winning team at Petco Park. They’ve had guesses over the years and tried different approaches but it’s been awhile since they found sustained success on the baseball field. Let’s take a closer look at why the Padres believe former Diamondbacks 3rd base coach Andy Green is part of the winning solution. Mr. Green In one of the easiest puns you will ever find, you could say the Padres new manager is a little green. The former Diamondbacks and Mets player has managed for four seasons in the minors, but this is his first time as a MLB manager. Green is only 38 and the 2nd-youngest manager in the big leagues by just a few months. Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash turns 38 in December while Green already celebrated his birthday this past July. The early reaction to the hire from fans on social media Thursday was that of disappointment. But age is just a number. Everyone at some point in their career started somewhere. Green actually owns a winning record in the minor leagues. He compiled a 219-189 mark and helped the Missoula Ospreys win the Pioneer League in 2012. He also was named Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2014 when he spent time in Double-A in Mobile, Alabama. Here’s some more fun facts on the new Padres manager: -He was valedictorian of his high school class and holds a college degree from the University of Kentucky. -He currently ranks as the Wildcats’ career record holder in hits, at-bats, runs scored and games played. And he confessed that he does “bleed blue” as a loyal UK basketball fan. - His birthday is July 7th, 1977. That’s 7/7/77 for those playing along at home. - He also interviewed for the Washington Nationals opening – which ironically will be filled by former Padres manager Bud Black. - He is married to his wife, Jessica, and they have three daughters, Anna, Emily and Lainey. “When the phone rang and the permission came to be interviewed by the Padres, I got a fist-pump from my wife,” admitted Green. “It doesn't take long to know what this city is. It's amazing and I couldn't be more happy. Hey, pick 1 of the 30 (MLB teams) and what a great place to be." General Manager AJ Preller could have gone in many different directions. Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and Pirates 3rd base coach Rick Sofield were also in the mix. But the Padres believe they found their man – regardless of age or MLB managerial experience.
22
“We were really open-minded to any of those paths, finding the right person that had presence, had energy, was intelligent on the baseball side, was prepared and Andy checked all those boxes,” explained Preller. The Wrench Green is going to have to break out his toolbox and do some tinkering with the Padres. As Preller tries to find the right roster parts and Green writes out lineup cards, he will need to know when to tighten the screws or keep things loose in the clubhouse. Green made it clear he does not plan on being a dictator in the dugout. He wants the veterans to feel like they have ownership of the team. That mentality should build trust with his older players and is vital to having a clubhouse with good chemistry. And of course the players that are entrusted with those roles need to be good leaders. “I'm not a territorial guy,” said Green. “I want ideas from everywhere. I welcome them from outside the coaching staff and inside the coaching staff. Whatever we can do to be the absolute best we can be - that's what we're going to be committed to doing as the Padres organization.” Green made a point in his introductory press conference to credit mentors like Tony La Russa and Arizona manager Chip Hale for helping prepare him for this opportunity. The Library Like Preller, Green says he embraces analytics. But he also doesn’t want to throw so many statistics at his players that it makes their heads spin like fans in a dizzy bat race. “I was immediately impressed with the (interview) process because AJ brought in everybody from Baseball Ops (Operations) to talk to us,” said Green, “and I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Loretta and Trevor Hoffman and talk to them about what they thought was important.” As a division rival with the Diamondbacks, Green spent this past season looking for holes in the Padres lineup and trying to attack any weakness to help Arizona win. That experience probably helped him in his interviews with the Padres because if you know a player’s deficiencies you also know what areas need improvement. The Guessing Game The atmosphere can be exhilarating in San Diego when the local baseball team is winning. The Padres are banking on this being the winning solution that gets the team back in the postseason. The Padres haven’t made the playoffs since 2006. We shall see if Mr. Green with the wrench in the library winds up being a good guess.
23
San Diego Padres hire Andy Green as new manager
The San Diego Padres announced on Thursday that Andy Green will be their new
manager.
“Andy has the combination of intelligence and feel for the game that we are looking for to
lead this team,” said general manager A.J. Preller.
Green worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for five seasons, spending
last year as their third base coach. He spent most of his playing career with Arizona as
well, playing in 140 games over four seasons between 2004 and 2009 with the
Diamondbacks and New York Mets.
Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was reportedly another finalist for the job.
San Diego fired former manager Bud Black in June, and Pat Murphy, who managed the
their Triple A affiliate, took over the managerial duties. The Padres announced at the
conclusion of the 2015 season that Murphy would not returnas manager in 2016.
The Padres (74–88) finished in fourth place in the NL West this season, with their fifth
consecutive losing record. The team has not made the playoffs since 2006.
- Beth Maiman
24
Padres offseason preview: Keep stars, hope for better outcome San Diego must choose which direction to head next.
By Robert Pace Oct 29, 2015 at 5:12p ET
(We will preview one team's offseason each day leading up to the start of free agency. Now up: the San Diego Padres.)
After a failed attempt to resurrect the franchise by acquiring a handful of star talent, the Padres have plenty of decisions to make this offseason.
The route they take -- to stick with their pricey stars or part ways with them for prospects -- will be pivotal in the quest to return to the postseason after a nine-year layoff.
The process began Thursday with the reported hiring of Diamondbacks third-base coach Andy Green as their new manager. And it will continue through the fall and into the winter as the Padres front office, led by general manager A.J. Preller, tries to construct a sustainable model for success for the underachieving franchise.
Three things San Diego must address this offseason:
1. Keep the rotation intact -- if winning is the goal. As tempted as the Padres are to jettison James Shields and his hefty $21-million annual contract, he is a key cog in their rotation. Nonetheless, if the Padres are more focused on rebuilding and restocking themselves with prospects, then Shields should be the first to go.
San Diego has a budding ace in Tyson Ross, but there is plenty of uncertainty behind him. Andrew Cashner had just a mediocre season after two consecutive solid seasons;Odrisamer Despaigne struggled as a spot starter; and impending free agent Ian Kennedy compiled a career-high 15 losses.
With a new manager in place -- and hopefully some stability and continuity -- 2016 could be a completely different year for the Padres rotation, which ranked eighth in the NL in ERA (4.13), fourth in strikeouts (890), ninth in WHIP (1.33), and eighth in opponent average (.258).
Beyond promising rookie Colin Rea, who held a 4.26 ERA in his first six major-league starts in 2015, the Padres don't have any major-league-ready prospects who could make an impact on their rotation. Thus, they'll have to turn to free agency or trades if they want to take a shot at improving their rotation -- and that could be risky and costly.
Again, it all depends on the Padres' approach toward the future and how anxious they are to win. However, the best move for now is to stick with the talented rotation they currently have and hope they get it together in 2016.
2. Split up the Uptons. Although Justin Upton had a solid year (26 homers, 81 RBI) for the Padres, San Diego won't be able to take on the hefty contract that he's due for in free agency this offseason, especially if the Padres hold on to Shields and closer Craig Kimbrel, who are owed a collective $32 million in 2016.
2. Split up the Uptons. Although Justin Upton had a solid year (26 homers, 81 RBI) for the Padres, San Diego won't be able to take on the hefty contract that he's due for in free agency
25
this offseason, especially if the Padres hold on to Shields and closer Craig Kimbrel, who are owed a collective $32 million in 2016.
With Wil Myers hopefully returning at full strength in 2016 after dealing with a nagging wrist injury this past season and new addition Matt Kemp having a comeback 100-RBI season, the Padres have a solid starting outfield in place (at least offensively speaking).
The defensively challenged Myers, who can also play first base, can take over in left field, Kemp can remain in right, and Melvin Upton Jr., who shed himself of the despair he suffered with the Braves, can be placed in center.
In his first season with the Padres, after hitting .198/.279/.314 in two seasons in Atlanta, Melvin hit .259/.327/.429 with nine stolen bases. If given a shot at being an everyday player again, Upton still is capable of being the type of catalyst in the batting order that can hit for power and steal bases.
Because the 31-year-old is due $15.45 million in 2016, the Padres would have to eat a portion of his salary if they wanted to offload him because of his contract, so they are better off keeping him and giving him a chance to shine.
3. Build around Kimbrel in the 'pen. The Padres are still up in the air as to whether they want to keep Kimbrel and his $11-million contract for next season, but if they decide to do so, they could assemble a dominant bullpen.
Kimbrel has been one of the best closers in baseball over the past five seasons, and while he had the worst statistical season (2.58 ERA, 39 for 43 in save chances) of his career in his first year with the Padres in 2015, even his worst still ranked high. He finished sixth in the majors in saves and 12th in ERA out of the 21 closers who converted 30 or more saves last season.
Although San Diego has many serviceable relievers, from veteran Joaquin Benoit to young righty Brandon Maurer, its bullpen as a unit didn't perform well this past season. With 495 innings of relief in 2015, the Padres' 'pen ranked 13th in the NL in ERA (4.02), 11th in opponent OPS (.705), and was tied for 13th in holds (63).
If San Diego decides to keep Kimbrel --and it certainly should if it wants to win -- then it needs to maximize his worth to the team by building a stronger bullpen around him. After all, there's little use in having one of the best closers in baseball if the middle relievers can't get him the ball.
26
Breaking down hires of Mattingly, Black and Green for manager roles BY JAY JAFFE
The departure of Alex Anthopoulos wasn't the only major news to slip out in the past 24
hours despite Major League Baseball's attempt to tamp down on hiring and firing
announcements during the World Series. Three of the four managerial openings—in San
Diego officially and in Washington and Miami reportedly—have been filled. Here's a quick
roundup.
Mattingly moves to Miami
Less than a week after his odd departure from the Dodgers on the heels of three
straight division titles—an unprecedented run in franchise history—Mattingly has agreed
to a four-year deal to manage the Marlins. It's not a surprise: Not only has Mattingly
been a favorite of owner Jeffrey Loria since his days as theYankees' first baseman,
but rumors of Loria's interest in hiring Mattingly away from Los Angeles also came to
light in early September. While nothing untoward may have happened with regards to
communication between the two parties, that well-known interest probably figured into the
mental calculus of the 54-year-old manager as he sat down with the Dodgers' brass to
discuss 2016 and beyond once the Dodgers were eliminated from the postseason by
the Mets last week.
Mattingly guided the Dodgers to a 92–70 record and an NL West title this year and to a .551 winning percentage (446–363) in his five seasons. The Dodgers finished above .500 each time and improved their win total over the previous year in the first four of his seasons. Yet with payroll having reached record levels in each of the past two years—up to $300 million by the middle of this year—as the Dodgers transitioned from the bankruptcy of the Frank McCourt era to the lavish spending of the Guggenheim Group, the pressure to win only increased. Mattingly's Dodgers advanced past the Division Series only in 2013, and the franchise hasn't been to the World Series, let alone won one, since 1988. While he was under contract for 2016 and the possibility of a further contract extension was apparently discussed with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi, the two sides ultimately agreed to a mutual parting of the ways.
Mattingly, whose ability to handle the disparate personalities of the Dodgers' clubhouse
drew higher marks than his tactical acumen, may feel more wanted in Miami than he was
in Los Angeles, and in Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez, he'll oversee two of the
game's top young talents. But beyond that and a likely increase in pay, it's not clear what
he's gained here. The Marlins haven't finished above .500 since 2009 and haven't been
to the postseason since '03, when they won their second World Series. They've changed
27
managers seven times since that championship, with Fredi Gonzalez (2007 to mid-2010)
the only manger to last more than three full seasons.
The last big-name skipper to take the Marlins job after leaving another post—Ozzie Guillen, who was traded from the White Sox to the Marlins in exchange for prospects in September 2011—lasted just one year on the job, overseeing a roster that had been built up in advance of the team's move into brand-new Marlins Park. By the middle of that dismal 69-win season, the team was in fire sale mode, and the makeover continued into the winter. Guillen's successor, first-time manager Mike Redmond, oversaw teams that won 62 and 77 games in his two full seasons, but was on the hot seat when this year's reconfigured club lost 11 of its first 14 games and was fired in mid-May when they were 16–22. General manager Dan Jennings, who'd never coached above high school or played professionally beyond one minor-league spring training, took over in an unorthodox move, but Miami finished just 71–91 this year, good for third place in a division ahead of two other rebuilding teams but less impressive than the team's last third-place finish, an 80–82 season in 2010.
The Marlins were reported to have interviewed Manny Acta, Larry Bowa, Alex Cora, Phil
Nevin and Bo Porter and to have "engaged in discussions" with Dusty Baker as well.
Meanwhile, Jennings has been dismissed with $4.5 million due in salary; he’s said to
have clashed with Loria by playing Ozuna, going against the owner’s wishes. President of
baseball operations Michael Hill reportedly will handle GM-type duties, with assistant GM
Mike Berger helping out as well.
Beyond their general penchant for organizational upheaval, the Marlins simply haven't
maintained any commitment to spending money. Via Cot's Contracts, their last four
Opening Day payrolls—including their $101.6 million one in 2012 as well as this past
year's $69 million—total less than the Dodgers' $271.6 million Opening Day mark from
this year. The team does have a promising nucleus of young players (Stanton,
Fernandez, Henderson Alvarez, Christian Yelich,Marcell Ozuna, J.T. Realmuto and
ex-Dodger Dee Gordon), but the trend toward trading such players as they grow more
expensive is likely to continue so long as Loria owns the team.
In short, watching any new manager accept the job in Miami is like watching a puppy chase a stick of dynamite into a minefield. Mattingly deserved better in Los Angeles or wherever he wound up, but for whatever optimism with which he may greet his new job, there isn't likely to be a happy ending for him in Miami. Nationals go Black, Padres go Green
Just as Mattingly was hired, one candidate to replace him in Los Angeles—former Padres
manager Bud Black—was reported to have been chosen to succeed Matt Williams in
28
Washington. The 58-year-old Black spent 8 1/2 seasons in San Diego, his first
managerial job, compiling a .477 winning percentage (649–713). He never made the
playoffs in San Diego and finished above .500 only in 2007, his first year, and '10, when
the Padres were eliminated on the final day of the season.
That said, Black was often hamstrung by very low payrolls—the team ranked among the bottom four every year from 2009 to '12, including dead last in '10—not to mention turmoil at the ownership and executive levels. He was hired by general manager Kevin Towers, who was fired at the end of the 2009 season, then worked under Jed Hoyer, Josh Byrnes and A.J. Preller. Hired last August, Preller undertook a radical but incomplete remake of the roster this past winter, one that left the team with an overcrowded outfield that lacked a true centerfielder as well as a mess on the left side of the infield. Sooner or later, he was expected to want to name his own manager, but when he fired Black on June 15, the Padres were hardly a disgrace at 32–33, six games out of first place. Under replacement Pat Murphy, who was promoted to the interim job from the team's Triple A El Paso affiliate, the team went a dismal 42–54 and finished 18 games behind the Dodgers; Murphy was let go at the end of the year and was named the Brewers' bench coach earlier this week.
In Washington, Black takes over for Williams, who had never managed at any level prior
to taking over for Davey Johnson following the 2013 season. Williams won NL Manager
of the Year honors in 2014 after guiding the Nationals to 96 wins and an NL East title, but
the team slumped to 83–79 this year despite being heavily favored not only in the division
race but also for the pennant. Bryce Harperturned in an MVP-caliber season, but injuries
to key players such as Doug Fister, Anthony Rendon, Denard Span, Stephen
Strasburg, Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman played significant roles in the
Nationals' underperformance. Williams exacerbated his team's woes with his overly rigid
handling of the bullpen both in the 2014 postseason and throughout '15, not to mention
his difficulties in communicating with veteran players. Via the Washington Post's Barry
Svluga, in late August, Werth confronted the manager, asking him in front of other
players, "When exactly do you think you lost this team?”
Further demonstration of just how little control Williams had over the team came when
closer Jonathan Papelbon physically attacked Harper in the dugout the day after the
Nationals were mathematically eliminated from contention. In the immediate aftermath of
the altercation, Williams couldn't even come up with plausible explanations as to why
Papelbon remained in the game but Harper did not, or whether he was even aware of the
confrontation given that two of his coaches had broken it up. He was fired the day after
the regular season ended.
29
By contrast, Black has a depth of experience, is respected throughout the game and is known for his ability to communicate with players and for his handling of pitching staffs. He spent seven seasons (2000–06) as the Angels' pitching coach under manager Mike Scioscia, a span during which Los Angeles made three postseason appearances and won the 2002 World Series. In Anaheim, he oversaw 2005 Al Cy Young winnerBartolo Colon; in San Diego,Jake Peavy won the NL Cy Young in '07, Black's first year at the helm. Via theWashington Post's Chelsea Janes, in Black's 15 years as pitching coach or manager, his teams have finished in the league's top five in ERA seven times, a stat that owes something, but not everything, to their pitcher-friendly parks.
Black beat out Baker for the job, with the Nationals also known to have interviewed Cora,
Ron Gardenhire, Andy Green (who got the Padres job), Nevin and Ron Wotus. At this
writing, there's been no word as to the length of his contract, but he may be covered
longer than general manager Mike Rizzo. The team's GM since late 2009, Rizzo is under
contract through '16 with a club option for '17—in other words, he's on the hot seat. That
goes double given that Rizzo's late-July trade for Papelbon and subsequent demotion of
Storen from ninth-inning duties played a significant part in destabilizing the team, and
perhaps triple given that Black is the fourth manager he's hired, following Jim Riggleman,
Johnson and Williams.
With Ian Desmond, Fister and Span among the team's pending free agents, and with
Strasburg, Papelbon and deposed closer Drew Storen all with just one year of club
control remaining, the Nationals could look very different by the time spring training rolls
around. With the coaching staff having all been dismissed along with Williams, Black will
have a new group of coaches surrounding him; he’s expected to pursue ex-
Cubs manager and ex-Padres bench coach Rick Renteria as his bench coach.
As for the Padres, Green rates as a surprising choice given that both Gardenhire and Sofield, thePirates' third base coach, were reportedly the two finalists for the job, each having interviewed twice. Cora, former major league reliever Tom Gordon, bench coach Dave Roberts and new Marinersmanager Scott Servais are also known to have interviewed. The 38-year-old Green played 140 games in the majors over parts of four seasons from 2004 to '09 and spent four seasons ('11–14) managing in the Diamondbacks' organization, the last two with Double A Mobile, where he earned back-to-back manager of the year honors. Nonetheless, as the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Dennis Lin notes, he’s the fifth consecutive full-time manager San Diego has hired with no previous big-league experience, following Greg Riddoch (1990–92), Riggleman ('93–94), Bruce Bochy ('95–2006) and Black.
Green spent 2015 as the Diamondbacks' third base coach under manager Chip Hale this
past year. Via MLB.com's Corey Brock, Hale praised his hiring: "He's an aggressive
manager, and I know now that when we play San Diego, they are going to be well-
30
prepared.… One of the things he's really good at is exposing other teams' weaknesses."
Via Brock, Green is "regarded by his peers as well-spoken, intelligent and confident, is
also adept at advanced metrics. He worked with the team's infielders and, specifically,
handled all the team's shifting efforts."
Green is said to have received a three-year deal, which means that both he and Preller
are under contract through 2018. It's not known whether Roberts, pitching coach Darren
Balsley or other members of the Padres' coaching staff will be retained. Green can
expect Preller to give the roster another significant overhaul this winter, with Justin
Upton and Ian Kennedy as San Diego's top free agents and with shortstop and
centerfield as key items on the shopping list. The good news is that the Padres’ payroll is
significantly above what it was during most of Black’s tenure: The team entered the
season with a franchise record $108.4 million payroll and has $71.9 million committed to
six players for 2016.
One distressing aspect of this wave of hiring is its all-white cast, particularly at a time
when the Braves’ Fredi Gonzalez is the only person of color among major league
managers. Several of the candidates for the three openings are black or Hispanic, but all
have come up empty, some of them multiple times. One has to feel for Cora, who has
been passed over several times. Earlier on Thursday, hetweeted, “Back with @BBTN
[ESPN's Baseball Tonight] next year, the process continues.”
Some of the aforementioned candidates may be in play for the Dodgers’ opening, the
only current vacancy, but in the bigger picture, the industry has moved backwards in
this area over the past several years. If there’s good news, it’s that things can’t help but
improve at some point. Until it does, this is something for which MLB and the individual
teams can rightly be criticized, and one hopes that commissioner Rob Manfred can find
ways to reinforce the industry’s commitment to a more diverse workforce.
31
Padres name D-Backs third base coach Andy Green as new manager By Dayn Perry | Baseball Writer October 29, 2015 1:07 pm ET
The Padres on Thursday named Diamondbacks third base coach Andy Green as their new
manager. CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman confirmed the initial report of Bleacher Report's Scott Miller about the hire, and the team made the announcement Thursday night.
The Padres' search also included candidates such as former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, former MLBer and current analyst Alex Cora, and Pirates coach Rick Sofield.
Green, 38, brings with him four years of managing experience at the minor-league level,
including twice being named Southern League Manager of the Year. Starting in 2004, Green spents part of four big-league seasons as an infielder for the Diamondbacks and Mets.
"Andy has the combination of intelligence and feel for the game that we are looking for to lead
this team," said Padres general manager A.J. Preller. "As a player, he displayed a strong work
ethic and even stronger passion, earning everything he achieved. That passion has carried over
into his managerial and major-league coaching career. We are excited to welcome him to the Padres family and look forward to the success he will help bring to San Diego."
This past season, the Padres fired longtime manager Bud Black after a 32-33 start to the year --
a start that disappointed Preller after his a flurry of winter trades and signings. Interim Pat Murphy, in place of Black, led the Padres to a 42-54 finish.
32
Hedges playing catch-up in winter ball Padres' 23-year-old catcher has two homers in first eight games in Dominican
By Jeff Sanders | 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 2015
The need to spell Derek Norris – at least occasionally – cost Austin Hedges valuable
developmental at-bats this summer. A winter in the Dominican is helping the 23-year-
old catcher play catch-up.
Hedges mashed his second homer with Escogido on Wednesday. In eight games, the
defensive minded catcher is hitting .267/.290/.500 with three RBIs, four runs scored,
a walk and five strikeouts over 30 at-bats in a stint the Padres hope will advance his
game at the plate.
After struggling in 2014 at Double-A San Antonio, Hedges appeared to be making
strides early in the year at Triple-A El Paso, where he was hitting .324/.392/.521 with
a pair of homers and 15 RBIs in his first 21 games of the season. The plan to let him
season there, however, was scrapped when the Padres released Wil Nieves in May and
fast-tracked Hedges to the majors as Norris' backup.
Used sparingly under both Bud Black and interim manager Pat Murphy, Hedges hit
.168/.215/.248 with three homers and 11 RBIs over 137 at-bats.
Though Hedges insisted his time in the majors advanced his baseball IQ (pitchers
raved about his defensive skills, from framing to game-planning to the running game),
the former second-round pick totaled just 208 at-bats in 2015, less than half of what
he amassed a year earlier.
VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE
C Jason Hagerty (Triple-A) is off to a strong start with Magallanes, mashing a
homer, a triple and two doubles in his first 10 games. He is hitting
.273/.385/.485 with four RBIs, four walks and 10 strikeouts in his first 10
games. Hagerty hit seven homers in 87 games split between the Texas and
Pacific Coast leagues in 2015.
Also with Magllanes, 1B Luis Domoromo (Double-A) has a homer and a
double in his first eight games for Magallanes. He is hitting .227/.346/.409 with
33
three RBIs, six strikeouts and two steals. OF Alberth Martinez (Double-A) is
off to a 6-for-33 start (.182) in his first 17 games for Magallanes. He has two
RBIs, three walks and seven strikeouts.
RHP Tayron Guerrero (Triple-A) has allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings with
Aragua, striking out three and scattering three hits and a walk.
DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE
OF Rymer Liriano (Triple-A) has homered twice in his first seven games for
Licey. He is hitting .250/.308/.542 with six RBIs, two walks and six strikeouts
in 24 at-bats.
RHP Bryan Rodriguez (Triple-A) has allowed two runs (one earned) on four
hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings in his lone appearances for Cibao. He struck out
one.
LHP Frank Garces (Triple-A) has allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings for Este.
ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE
RHP Ryan Butler (Double-A) improved to 2-0 with three shutout innings in
his latest start for Peoria. In six innings thus far, Butler has allowed one run on
four hits and three walks while striking out two.
OF Nick Torres (High-A) is hitting .273/.273/.394 with a homer, two RBIs
and six strikeouts in his first eight games.
