Norv's Time?

Since Norv Turner's arrival at San Diego his stay has been a roller coaster of fan support and fan hatred. One game he throws in a fake punt...fans love him. 82% of the time he runs the ball up the middle on first down...fans hate him. The 2011 season was no different. A fake punt here, a long ball on first down there and the fans are saying he can stay. A 6 game losing streak and missing playoffs for the second year in a row and the fans are chanting off with his head. So with all this speculation, who's head is really on the chopping block. Manic Monday, as is the common term for the desolate day when 16 teams decide something must change in their franchise. The Chargers aren't the only ones looking at changing management in the off-season. The Chicago Bears fired GM Jerry Angelo but kept on Head Coach Lovie Smith. The St. Louis Rams fired GM Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Miami Dolphins already have new GM Jeff Ireland in place. The only common thread between all the teams flirting with the possibility of a new head coach is who they want: Jeff Fisher. In the last week alone Fisher has been reported as talking to the Dolphins, the Rams and the Colts. Fisher coached the Tennessee Titans for a decade before being let go last January after a dismal 6-10 finish. Over those ten years he was 142-120 overall record including the franchise's only SuperBowl appearance in 1999.

What makes Fisher so appealing? He has experience. He has led a team to the coveted game in February. He was let go over a dispute of whether he could hire his son, not over a strategic dispute with the front office. The latest list of possible homes for Fisher include your very own San Diego Chargers. After an unstable quarterback situation in Vince Young, Fisher told NBC Sports that he wants to enter into a stable quarterback situation. Philip Rivers is franchised with the Chargers. With all this speculation let's look at some specific details that have put Turner in the hot seat he is in. 

The Chargers began this season 4-1. They ended 4-1. But they were plagued with a 6 game losing streak in the middle.

Turner is 3-3 in playoffs during his 5 years as head coach with the Chargers. 

In 14 seasons he is 107-113-1. 

Looking at these stats it seems that Turner may have been going through a bit of a rough patch...but not necessarily a career-ending streak. Fisher, on the other hand, is no John Wooden either. 

Under Fisher the Titans 6-10 in 2010.

Fisher is 5-6 in the postseason. 

In 12 seasons he is 120-88.

When you look at it that way...is it really time to hand over the headset? 

Padres Draft Results!

The 2011 Draft has officially closed and in addition to first round draft pick Cory Spangenberg, drafted back in the June amateur draft, the Padres have signed three more of their top four picks. Joe Ross, a right-handed pitcher from Bishop O'Dowd High in Oakland CA was signed for $2.75 million. Michael Kelly, another right-handed pitcher from West Boca Raton (Fla) High,  was signed for $718k, and catcher Austin Hedges from Junipero Serra, CA was signed for $3 million. Ross is the younger brother of Oakland A's pitcher Tyson Ross and had a fastball that reached 96 mph in the spring. Kelly was 8-1 with a 1.89 ERA this past season and a fastball at around 94 mph. "He has a delivery that works," Padres assistant manager Jason McLeod said. Hedges was called by scouts the best defensive catcher in the draft.
What potential does 2012 hold with these three new athletes officially wearing a Padres uniform? Only time will tell!

Ludwick and Adams gone, Heath stays

With Sunday's game 1:05 start being only 5 minutes after the 1:00 trade deadline the air around Petco Park was thick with anticipation. The names on the chopping block were Ludwick, Bell, and Adams. The ones that got chopped: Adams and Ludwick. Ludwick was announced in the starting lineup and Adams was traded about twenty minutes of the game's start. To say Manager Jed Hoyer and the Padres trade team was cutting close is putting it mildly. Of Mike Adams and Heath Bell, Adams was still under club control for another year and a half, Bell is a free agent at the end of the season. If Bell were to leave as a free agent, the Padres would get two draft picks as compensation. So, were another team to acquire him it would essentially only be as a rental for the next two months, but Adams will be under the Rangers control for another year and a half. In exchange for Adams the Padres picked up two minor league pitchers; Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland. Hoyer held a news conference almost immediately following the trade news and I was there for your inside scoop into the mindset of the manager.
"You hate to be in the position of the seller," Hoyer noted. "The goal is to win games but we just have not done enough of that, so we are the sellers this season. Our goal now is to create a championship organization, I don't think it's any secret that we are not going to the playoffs this year so we are going to strike deals that build talent base. With this ballpark you can never lose sight of the bullpen, that's why we went for the two young pitchers we did. We were very impressed with how polished they are."
"Our depth was tested this year, last year we were fortunate, we were more tried with injury this year. You want a core group but you also want to strengthen your farm system."
If there was one thing Hoyer was emphasizing it was the farm system and how important it is to the Padres to continue to build young talent.
Ludwick was also traded in the final moments before the deadline to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later or cash compensation. Ludwick, unlike Adams who said, "I came in this morning prepared to be the closer. I honestly thought Heath would be moved. This is a shock," was prepared for his impending trade.
"I knew I was going to get traded," Ludwick said. "Jed (Hoyer's) been honest since day one, I have nothing bad to say about the club. You can take me to my grave on that."
Ludwick, no stranger to the trading game, this will be his seventh in eleven years in the league, while sad about leaving San Diego where "everything was great, we just didn't win," is excited about the prospect of being in playoff contention.
"I'm excited to for the chance to get to the play-offs," Ludwick said. "And the central area is a place where I'n familiar."

So let me ask you, with all these last minute deals...first of all, what do you think about trading Adams over Bell, and secondly, what do you think about the emphasis on young players as opposed to veterans who know the game?

In the Blink of A Trade

With the deadline fast approaching, trade talks seem to be the only talks in the dugout. Heath Bell, Ryan Ludwick, and Mike Adams are all candidates for a last minute trade, but no one is exempt. Bud Black discussed what would happen in the event of even today's starter Aaron Harang being traded within the next hour.
"In that hypothetical situation," Black stated." Anthony Bass would be the starting pitcher."
You just never know when that call could come, or who it could come for. Buddy himself was subject to just such a surprise trade. He was warming up during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays when his coach got the call that he no longer needed to warm up...he had been traded to the Blue Jays. From dugout to dugout in a matter of minutes. The intricacies of baseball pale in comparison to the unpredictability of baseball.

Speaking of unpredictability, Nick Hundley was out taking BP this afternoon. He showed up before the first group batted and ran the bases as well as threw to second a few times, with his throws appearing to be normal, if not just a hair lower than they normally are. He batted with the last group during BP and Buddy said he may very well be in a rehab assignment by early next week.

Bell's Question is No Longer "If" But "Who"?

Heath Bell is almost certainly getting traded from the Padres. After months and months of discussion the question is no longer "if" he will be traded, it is "who" will pick him up? Several teams are in the conversation, especially the Rangers and the Cardinals. But all you needed to do to get that information was turn on SportsCenter or go on MLB.com. It's no longer a secret. But how exactly does the Heater feel about all these rumors and no action? Or about leaving San Diego in general?
"I don't want all the money," Heath said. "I want to create a legacy, you know like Trevor Hoffman did? I want that, I don't care about the money at all."
Manager Bud Black, as opposed to discussing the actual placement or possibility of a trade, looked at the way Bell is handling the situation.
"I'd say he's handling it different than most," Black said. "Most players are guarded when they talk to the media, Heath is very open, it's in his nature and he's open publicly with his feelings."
While it is Jed Hoyer who is making all the phone calls and exploring all the options, Black is kept informed as far as who Hoyer is looking at acquiring or giving away.
And at this point the situation has come to feel like a Band-Aid that has been on too long. It just needs to be ripped off so Heath can adjust both himself and his family to the move as quickly and painlessly as possible. The only question now is, will the scar be in the shape of Texas or a Cardinal? Deadline's Sunday, the wait will be over soon!

Richard down...possibly out?

Clayton Richard went in for shoulder surgery today at around 2:30 pm, manager Bud Black casually mentioned at the end of his news conference before today's game between the Padres and the Rockies. Thus far, all Buddy knows is that it was an exploratory surgery and promised more details following tonight's game. However, the recovery time at best is 6-8 weeks...I'm no math major but even I know that 8 weeks is two months and that's the end of the season folks. No word as to what could happen in the off-season but it looks like, at least for 2011, Richard's shoulder has finished him off.

The Australian Cavalry

Left-handed pitcher Josh Spence has been called up from San Antonio to try and even out the Padres bullpen a bit. With Spence the Padres now have eleven right-handed pitchers at their disposal, including starters, and three left-handed pitchers. In an interview with Channel 4’s Jenny Cavner Spence said he was going to take vegemite out to the bullpen with him, and Buddy joked that he liked his accent. “He has a good head on his shoulders,” Black said. “He knows the game well, he has en efficient change-up, a good pick-off, he’s pitched well in Double A and we have a need for a left-handed pitcher.”

Before being called up to the Big Leagues Spence was 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in 35 games (47.1 innings).

Spence was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 25^th round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft, the ANA in the 3^rd round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft and the San Diego Padres in the 9^th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Spence is not scheduled for any starts this homestand and is not listed as a reliever but is an active player on the 40-man roster.