Here’s the latest addition to our interview series. If you would like to be the next to interviewed for the Outhere Sports Review, drop us a line!
OSR: We had a chance to sit down today with with the San Diego owner, PadresGM, who’s currently sitting at the top of the NL West with a 2.5 game lead over the Rockies. Thanks for taking the time to join us.
PadresGM: No problem, it’s my pleasure.
OSR: Tell us how you’d rate your team’s overall performance this year. Are the Padres meeting your expectations in 2020?
PadresGM: No, I feel the team has performed far below expectations. Gheorghe is having a sub-par year and Michah Balber is not performing as well as we had hoped. I believe if it wasn’t for injuries to Dave Anderson and Manuel Bernard we’d have a bigger lead.
OSR: Well, its impressive that you’re still winning the division even with your team not performing up to par. You have two important series against the Rockies in September, both on the road. Any special preparations for playing in Coors?
PadresGM: No, other than a few lineup changes or defensive changes. We will have to play very solid defensive ball against Colorado to hold our lead.
OSR: Lets talk about a few individual players. You signed Mike Vickers to a $65,000,000 contract earlier this season. Any hesitation about giving him such a large contract or was it a no brainer?
PadresGM: It was a no brainer. In my opinion one would be hard pressed to find a better second baseman then Mike Vickers. What we got him to sign for is much less then what he would have recieved in the open market. He is the cornerstone of the Padres franchise and will be a fixture in our infield for years to come.
OSR: Still, its been rumored that the Padres are in financial trouble. Does giving Vickers such a large contract mean you’ll have to cut corners at other positions? Outfielders Brian Honey and and Manuel Bernard are both up for free agency at the end of the season. Can we expect to see either return to San Diego next year?
PadresGM: Honey is a great player and has served us well. We will not be resigning him this off season. Bernard we will send to arbitration and explore our trade options. Odds are he will stay in San Diego. The Padres financial situation is not as bad as it looks. We will lose money this year but I see a huge increase in fan loyalty which will see us start making a profit while staying competitive by 2022.
OSR: You have a lot of young pitching, but before we move onto them, lets talk about one more position player who may have something to do with their success. What can you say about your catcher, Jon Egan, and his handling of your rotation? Not to mention the fact that he’s hitting .311 with 22 HRs has to be a pleasant surprise.
PadresGM: Jon Egan is a great leader and has really helped my young pitching. His hitting has been supurb. Our only concern is his health. We are hoping that he will be able to mentor our top catching prospect Eddie Timmins to be just as good of a catcher.
OSR: Let’s talk briefly about some of that young pitching. Obviously at the top of anyone’s mind has to be Aaron Emerick, who’s posted a 13-4 record with a 2.93 ERA (2nd in the NL). What can you tell us about this future ace?
PadresGM: What a surprise this kid has been. I didn’t expect him to be this good. He will be moved up in the rotation next year more than likely to the #2 slot. He could very easily get some Cy Young votes for this year.
OSR: The veteran of the staff has to be Dave Anderson, who’s been lights out since returning to the rotation after a 2 month shoulder injury. Any plans to sign him to an extension?
PadresGM: We will probably give him a 2 year deal. He is still a top notch pitcher.
OSR: Okay, last question. Where do you see yourself in five seasons? Will you still be the top dog in the West?
PadresGM: Without a doubt. We have a lot of future superstars in the minors. Holtzman, Wilson, Maathai, Collis. We will have to fight hard though to keep up with the Dodgers because they have built a very good young team.
OSR: That about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today, and good luck in your playoff race.
PadresGM: Thanks for your time and to the rest of the NL look out for the Pads in 2020!