When Ex-Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer was hired back in Oct 2009, Hoyer had walked into a situation where there was good talent in the minor leagues and a roster of good pitchers on the major league staff. The Padres organization was filled with good pitchers throughout the entire farm system and as you will see later in this post that Hoyer leveraged many of those pitchers during his era with the Padres.

So how well did Jed Hoyer do while he was here in San Diego ? Hmmm, there are a few transactions that we can judge Hoyer’s general manager performance. Keep in mind, this was Hoyer’s first gig and basically two years is a short time frame to gather a real indication. But, with the amount of transactions that occurred under his watch will give us a good barometer of his true value. Now, let’s get to the details as it’s time to critique Hoyer moves.

1. SS Jerry Hairston Jr was signed as a free agent and provided the 2010 Padres with a spark and killer-like instincts. Hairston was the most valuable player on the 2010 Padres team and this was very evident when the Padres lost Hairston in the latter part of that season. Grade A for Hoyer on this acquisition.
2. C Yorvit Torrealba was signed as a free agent and another key member of the 2010 Padres team. Yorvit started the majority of the games, handling the pitching staff to perfection. In addition, Yorvit provided a very good bat on the offensive side of the house. Grade A for Hoyer on this acquisition.
3. P Jon Garland was signed as a free agent, a key veteran whom lead the pitching staff in innings pitched and provided leadership on the staff. Grade A for Hoyer on this acquisition.
4. Trade of 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and minor league 2b prospect Eric Sogard (2nd round pick in 2007) for OF Scott Hairston and OF minor league prospect Aaron Cunningham. Both Kouzmanoff and Hairston did not perform to par in 2010 season. Both players were playing for other teams in 2011. Though, Sogard was a call up for the A’s and filled in at SS, 3b and 2B in 2011. Aaron Cunningham has not been given a fair shot at OF position with the Padres, whom have settled for lesser talented player in Denorfia. Grade F for Hoyer as the Padres could use a valuable INF like Sogard on their team in 2012.
5. OF Chad Huffman was lost due to a waiver claim by the New York Yankees. Ironically, it was former Padres’ GM Kevin Towers who was a scout for the Yankees at that time recommended the Yankees to pick up Huffman. Chad played a few games with the Yankees. Grade C for Hoyer since Huffman departure had no profound affect on the Padres. Huffman is currently playing for the Cleveland Indians AAA minor league team.
6. OF Ryan Ludwick was acquired by trade with the St. Louis Cardinals for Padres minor league players RHP Nick Greenwood (9th round pick in 2009) and LHP Cory Kluber (Compensation A pick in 2007 Draft). Historically prior to this trade, the Padres have a horrible track record trading with the Cardinals. So this trend continued as Ludwick did not produced at all during the stretch run for the 2010 Padres. Both minor league prospects are still in the Cardinals and Indians organization so Hoyer receives a grade of D for now. If one of the two pitchers pan out this grading could be lowered. At this writing Greenwood is pitching at AA level and Kluber at AAA with the Cleveland Indians.
7. SS Miguel Tejeda was acquired by trade with the Baltimore Orioles for Padres minor league prospect RHP Wynn Pelzer (9th round pick in 2007 Draft). Tejeda performed more than adequately at SS for the Padres once Jerry Hairston Jr went down with an injury. Tejeda provided invaluable leadership presence and a lethal bat in the line-up to protect Adrian Gonzalez. Grade B for Hoyer, though it can be change if Pelzer becomes a valuable cog in the major leagues. Currently Pelzer is in the AAA level for the Orioles.
8. Released LHP Steve Garrison whom the New York Yankees claimed in September 2010. It was a relatively minor move. The Yankees, surely on the recommendation of then-special adviser and former Padres GM Kevin Towers, claimed left-hander Steve Garrison off waivers from San Diego. Currently, Steve Garrison was recently claimed on waivers by the Seattle Mariners. Grade C for Hoyer, though can be lowered if Garrison does produce for the Mariners. Guess who is in charge of player personnel for the Mariners? Ex Padres Player Personnel Director Chris Gwynn.
9. OF Cameron Maybin was acquired by trade with the Florida Marlins for RHP Ryan Webb and RHP Edward Mujica. This by far was the BEST trade ever executed by Jed Hoyer as Maybin blossomed under the Padres. Webb and Mujica provided good results for the Marlins, though in the long term Maybin will provide more bang on the buck per se then Webb or Mujica can. Grade A for Hoyer.
10. SS Jason Barlett was acquired by trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Adam Russell, LHP Cesar Ramos (1st round pick in 2005), minor league prospects SS Cole Figueroa (6th round pick in 2008 draft) and Brandon Gomes (17 round pick in 2007). Bartlett underperformed in 2011 for the Padres. In 2011, he had the lowest slugging percentage of all major league ballplayers with 512 or more plate appearances, at .307. Russell was cut during the mid-season by the Rays, though Ramos and Gomes provided good middle relief for the Rays down the crucial playoff run. Figueroa is in AA and will be a force in a year or so for the Rays at 2nd base. Grade for Hoyer F and can be lowered if either Gomes or Figueroa have a profound affect long term wise for the Rays.
11. The Trade of 1b Adrian Gonzalez to Boston Red Sox for minor league prospects 1B Anthony Rizzo, RHP Casey Kelly, OF Raymond Fuentes, and journeyman OF Eric Patterson. We all know what Gonzalez did for the Red Sox, only put up MVP like numbers in Boston and the Padres did not get anything out of Patterson or mid-season call up in Rizzo. A grade F for Hoyer and can be upgraded if Rizzo, Kelly and Fuentes do actually come through.
12. Released C Mitch Canham (Compensation A draft pick in 2007). Oakland A’s signed Canham in April 2011 as Athletics special assistant to the general manager Grady Fuson originally drafted Mitch Canham when he ran the Padres’ drafts from ’05 through ’09. Grade INCOMPLETE for now, this grading will be adjusted during the 2012 season as I have a feeling this can be another David Freese in the makings.
13. Traded 1B minor league prospect Allan Dykstra (1st round pick in 2008 Draft) to New York Mets for minor league prospect P Eddie Kunz. Dykstra put up some numbers in AA and Kunz was servicable in AA as well for the Padres. For now,a grade of INCOMPLETE is given as more time is required before weighing the grade.
14. Released minor league 1b/OF prospect Mike Baxter (4th round pick in 2005 draft) in July 2011 and the New York Mets claimed Baxter immediately. Baxter was called up and played the last month of 2011 season for the Mets. Grade F for Hoyer as 1b was a problem for the Padres in 2011.
15. Traded RHP Mike Adams to Texas Rangers for minor league pitching prospects LHF Robbie Erlin and RHP Joe Wieland. Adams was a valuable cog in the Padres bullpen for 3 years and the Padres pen was never the same after the trade. Both Erlin and Wieland are just prospects for now. An INCOMPLETE grade for Hoyer at this writing as more time is warrant.
16. Traded OF Ryan Ludwick to Pittsburg Pirates for a player to be named later. Enough said about this trade, a grade F to Hoyer.

There you go, a mouth full for the two years Jed Hoyer was GM for the Padres. In your review, one thing that was most consistent with Hoyer was that Jed leveraged the pitching surplus in the Padres farm system that Alderson and Fuson had drafted. Trading many of them for players who were not impact types at all. What truly stands out is that Hoyer really overpaid for SS Jason Bartlett in giving away the house (Russell, Ramos, Gomes and Figueroa). Compare to that with Adrian Gonzalez trade where the Padres received prospects who haven’t produced at the major league level in 2011. In a nutshell, the Padres got ripped off in the Adrian Gonzalez trade. There is no way SS Bartlett is worth 4 players, 3 of whom has enormous upside potential whereas future hall of famer in Gonzalez can’t even gives us on major league ready prospect.

Here are the results:

• 4 grades of A
• 1 grade of B
• 2 grades of C
• 1 grade of D
• 5 grades of F
• 3 INCOMPLETE grades

Thus, if you have the grades weighed with A’s = 4 pts, B’s = 3 pts, C’s = 2 pts, D’s = 1 pt and F’s = 0 pts. Hoyer receives 24 pts / 13 transactions gives Hoyer a rating of 1.82. In layman’s terms a D+ so far with 3 incompletes that could worsen or better Hoyer’s performance. Don’t be so alarmed yet, because in truth Hoyer/McLeod draft’s (2010/2011) could make their grades even better overall. Only time will tell and so far the most successful Padres Baseball Operations team has been that of Alderson and Fuson who have produced an incredible amount of major league players 24 since 2005, a full major league roster in terms of numbers.

Phew ! Two posts in one day and I felt it was needed, so that Padres Fan’s around the globe can have something to read in their spare time. As I always do, you all know my ways and Blues musician Grady Champion song titled “Scratch My Back” is the closer. All that Josh Byrnes must do is scratch the back of Alderson/Fuson and accomplished what they set forth with the Padres organization back in 2005. Let’s see if Byrnes can make a profound impact and build upon from here on out. The bar has been set high already, we don’t need another Turner in San Diego.