On this Saturday morning 1 Aug 2009, one day after Padres GM Kevin Towers had pulled the trigger not ONCE but TWICE in his attempts to rebuild his mess that has occurred under his watch. Let’s really analyze what took place on Friday 31 July:

• GM Towers sent Padres Staff Ace and Homegrown talent Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox for 4 pitchers, Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter, and Aaron Russell. Hmmm, okay that is fine and in a span of two weeks the Padres have acquired 7 pitchers. But the real problem has yet to be addressed –Offense–.  As I continue on with the analysis, quoting Towers directly “Maybe there’s a Jake Peavy in the bunch” Well if there is one, it is highly probable that in a couple of years the Padres will once again trade great talent for prospects. Even Sox GM Kenny Williams said after the trade “To get a number 1, you have to pay the price. Clayton Richard, we believe, especially going to the National League and in San Diego’s ballpark,” Sox GM Williams told him.  “You are about to be a very successful and rich man. You are going to do well over there.” See article posted on Padres.com. As I alluded before, I surely hope the Padres do attempt to keep the players they acquired from this trade for a good time frame like 4-5 years. This franchise needs stability and consistency from the coaching staff to the players.   I am not against that at all, but what seems to be a consistent behavior pattern here is the Padres have no real plan. Hello ! it’s the offense that needs some major league talent, and you can have the best pitching staff while still losing close games. Speaking of the Offense, my second vital point is about to be made.
• Padres’ GM Kevin Towers once again fails to admit failure in his inability to grab the best qualified hitting coach and fires coach Jim Lefebvre. This is the FOURTH batting coach change in the last FIVE years, once again a consistent pattern. In the current software business, companies who acknowledge they have failed, are the ones in the long run who will become successful. Simply, because they shown they care and take the accountability for their own actions. Having fired FOUR coaches in FIVE years simply tells me, the person in charge of hiring is unsuccessful and a failure at trying distinguish good coaching abilities from the crop of wealth that remains in the leagues.

So, the real question is when will the other two triggers will be pulled. I am specifically referring to either Gonzalez or Bell trade and the firing of Towers. Before the public (fan base) can learn to trust the Padres’ Baseball Operations, the Baseball Operations must learn to trust the public’s knowledge of the game. What really is the point here is, the truth about truth is itself counter-intuitive. Corrections do not diminish creditability. Corrections enhance creditability. Standing up and admitting your errors makes you more believable, it gives your audience (fan base) faith that you will right your future wrongs.  Being willing to be wrong is a key to innovation and for all successful organizations. The ball is in the Padres’ Front Office and Baseball Operations court now, the clock is ticking.

As for the team, the Padres have been on a winning streak and showing signs of life which is very entertaining.To wrap up this post, I have a song by Aerosmith, titled “Train Kept on Rollin”. This is a cool video by some young man playing his guitar to the song.