San Diego Padres Josh Byrnes could be out as GM
By Joel Burdeos
San Diego, CA- There has been speculation for the past month that San Diego Padres manager Bud Black and general manager Josh Byrnes were close to being fired after the team’s disappointing and underachieving start to the season.
The speculation may be close to becoming reality… as FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal is reporting that there are strong indications the San Diego Padres may be close to firing general manager Josh Byrnes.
Sources tell Ken Rosenthal that Byrnes’ relationship with San Diego Padres ownership has deteriorated and Assistant GM A.J. Hinch likely would be the interim successor.
The death of Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn this week complicates the decision for Padres ownership to make organizational changes. With the franchise in mourning and the memorial service for Gwynn taking place next Thursday, it is understandable that Padres ownership will at the very least wait until after the memorial service to make changes to the front office.
The Padres ownership inherited Byrnes when they took over in 2012 and despite Byrnes being signed through ‘17, ownership seem ready to select their own guy to lead the franchise. Byrnes has made good trades as the Padres GM, but his free-agent signings and contract extensions have not gone well. The biggest flaw on Byrnes resume remains the Matt Latos trade. The Padres gambled by trading away their top-of-the-rotation starter to the Cincinnati Reds for Edinson Volquez, Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger. At the time the trade looked like a excellent move for the Padres, but today that trade continues to haunt to the Padres. Volquez and Boxberger are no longer with the Padres and Alonso and Grandal have failed to live up to their potential.
It was reported last week that Padres ownership has reached it’s breaking point, as they went all out to voice displeasure with their product on the field.
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San Diego Padres President Mike Dee in an interview with Darren Smith of the Mighty 1090 in San Diego last week expressed that the team’s current state is “unacceptable.”
"“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I was not looking at everything and everybody in this organization from top to bottom. We increased payroll 25 percent. We got an enormous commitment by ownership to do that, and it’s not getting done. When it’s not getting done, everybody and everything gets put under the microscope and if changes are appropriate……changes will be made.” “This is unexpected, to be 10 games under 500 and to be now at the bottom of the division is unacceptable and I’m profoundly disappointed about how things are going. Gotta get it right. We’re gonna get it right. But it is not where we thought we would be for sure.”– San Diego Padres Team President Mike Dee in an interview with Darren Smith of the Mighty 1090"
Ron Fowler the team’s executive chairman expressed in an e-mail to Fox Sports that changes could be imminent for the San Diego Padres.
"“At this time, we will not be discussing our situation with any parties outside of our senior management circle,” Fowler said. “That said, we are terribly disappointed in the team’s offense this year and staying the course (waiting for a turnaround) is becoming less appealing as the ugly losses continue.” -San Diego Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler to Fox Sports"
The San Diego Padres were viewed by many to have the potential to be a surprise team in Major League Baseball this season, but instead the San Diego Padres have the 3rd-worst record in baseball and their offense ranks last in runs, batting average, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits and are on pace to be one of the Worst Offenses in MLB History.
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For the past few seasons Bud Black and Josh Byrnes have gotten away with the teams mediocre performance due to ownership change and low expectations. This season though while not everyone agreed that the Padres would be the surprise team in baseball, there was the expectation that this team with a franchise high $90.1 million payroll would be competitive and compete for a wild-card berth. Instead this team is one of the worst in baseball and the time has come for a change in Padres management.