Again, we need another #2 arm

[Kingdom]

How about an inning eater like Kip Wells to go being Peavy, Eaton and co. if the Pirates fall to pieces.

[Kingdom]

behind, not being.

[General]

If you don't like Eaton so much, we can gladly take him off your hands.

[padrefanforever]

Who doesn't like Eaton ? Please tell me where thats been said ! Eaton has finally had a season to talk about, now he needs to keep up what he's doing, and he'll be the #2 everyone in here seems to think he is......... I for one love Eaton as our #3, and would like to have someone better that him between he and Peavy.......or another arm like him to finish off our triple threat

[HollywoodLeo]

I think you're selling Eaton a little short. You keep living off the mantra that "he has to keep it up"...he is keeping it up. The guy is 9-1 and arguably the Padres' best pitcher this year. Yes, I just said that. He's most definitely been the Padres' best pitcher in the month of June. That is not to say I think Eaton is the best pitcher on the staff, i'd take Peavy over pretty much anyone in the bigs, but Eaton has been nothing but solid all season long.

Now, this is also not to say I wouldn't like to see someone better than Eaton on the staff...i'd love to see someone better than Peavy on the staff... I'm always open to more talent on the team. So the above statement makes this really a moot argument, but I stand firm on my claim that Eaton fits the bill for the suitable "#2" that you keep begging for.

Another thing that really makes this all a moot argument is that I, too, want a third guy for that 1-2-3 punch..and i'm sure that's what you're really asking for here as well.

It's all a matter of semantics and pointless debate, but if we acquired Zito today (since he seems to be the poster boy for a would-be trade for the aformentioned pitcher) i'd label Zito our #3, Eaton 2. This isn't to say I think Zito is a "#3" in regards to ranking pitchers, that's just how i'd rank them if we had them two in our rotation (behind Jake, of course)

You're nervous to accept Eaton for what he's proving to be all based off minor struggles last year. I put forth the argument that Eaton had some small control issues here and there last year, but even with that cruch, managed to put together a decent season and was pretty reliable for the most part. And has now seemed to have fixed those control issues and is proving to be a reliable top of the rotation arm. Now let's get another "#2" and finish off the 1-2-3 punch with BLaw and Woody/Stauffer to hold off the bottom of the rotation.

[padrefanforever]

Hollywood..........you said you "dislike this mindset".........well how did KT do at the Allstar break last year for us ? He did nothing to improve our team when we were in a very similar situation. This is the type of move that spawns this kind of "mindset". We were up at the top of the pack most of last year too. Then it came down to the final leg of the race, and he did NOTHING, while the Dodgers did. End result, we finish 3rd, they finished 1st and went to the post season. My fear is that he thinks we're fine as is. Give me a break, this rotation is so far from a WS rotation that is almost laughable. And aside from the Padres having the greatest May in franchise history, we're not hitting for squat. What do we have to do, wait until that 5.5 game lead we had is completely gone, and we're back in 2nd or 3rd place before a move is made.........How much more backwards in thinking can you get ?

As far as Eaton goes........I LIKE ADAM EATON........ this might be the 5th time I've had to say this.......I LIKE ADAM EATON.........but you don't get automatic respect EVER......he has never had a great full season in his entire career. This year he's pitching very well so far, and I sure hope he doesn't stop. But until you have posted a complete year of quailty starts you will NEVER be considered a #2 arm........NEVER..... When that happens......great......until then we're still searching for one. If Eaton does end the year on a high note.....we could still use a #2 arm......why is everyone so against us having good pitching........a rotation where you have a legitimate ace and two #2's is one hell of a staff........so even if Eaton grows into a #2 role.....LETS GET ANOTHER #2 arm in here........sheeshhhhhh...........triple threats give us a real chance to win Rings........

Peavy
pitcher that we need
Eaton ( if you want to get another #2 arm and place him in the 3 spot....ok)
Woody
Stauffer

Package up BLaw and Nady and get us an arm.......

[HollywoodLeo]

Hollywood..........you said you "dislike this mindset".........well how did KT do at the Allstar break last year for us ? He did nothing to improve our team when we were in a very similar situation. This is the type of move that spawns this kind of "mindset". We were up at the top of the pack most of last year too. Then it came down to the final leg of the race, and he did NOTHING, while the Dodgers did. End result, we finish 3rd, they finished 1st and went to the post season. My fear is that he thinks we're fine as is. Give me a break, this rotation is so far from a WS rotation that is almost laughable. And aside from the Padres having the greatest May in franchise history, we're not hitting for squat. What do we have to do, wait until that 5.5 game lead we had is completely gone, and we're back in 2nd or 3rd place before a move is made.........How much more backwards in thinking can you get ?

you completely misunderstood me. That wasn't the "mindset" I was talking about. I was talking about the mindset of berating the guy for "doing nothing" like as though he's kicking back in his chair not giving a damn and watching the team skate by and eventually fall apart. Just because someone fails in his endevors does not mean he's "doing nothing" Last year Towers didn't do nothing, contrary to popular belief. Last year, much like this past offseason, Towers felt that the team's main crutch was the bench, centerfield, and #5 starter. Thus, Towers went out to improve all three of these areas. Sadly he failed in his attempt to improve any, and in one case made it worse.

bench - Towers acquired Rich Aurilia and Dave Hansen. Aurilia was once a hot bat and Hansen has been a solid bat in pinch hitting roles his entire career. Sadly both failed miserably in that role last year.

#5 starter - contrary to popular belief due to miserable failure of his succesors, Ismael Valdez was NOT that great last year, and was in fact pretty piss poor. I cringed everytime Ismael took the mound, despite his heavy run-support ladden win-loss record.

CF - It's public knowledge that Towers was trying with every fiber of his being to acquire Steve Finley last season. Unfortunatley, at least as per what I understand, The Diamondbacks refused to give us Finley unless we parted ways with either Aki or Linebrink. In any rate, Towers failed at acquiring the CFer he set his aims on.

the bottom line is, Towers didn't "DO NOTHING!!1!!11!11!!!1!" last year, he just failed in his attempts to fix what he saw as the problem. This tells me to be weary in regards as to what he may or may not accomplish prior to the deadline this season..but I will not accuse a Major League general manager of simply not doing his job and ignoring the state of the team.

As far as Eaton goes........I LIKE ADAM EATON........ this might be the 5th time I've had to say this.......I LIKE ADAM EATON......

and this might be the 5th time that I've said that I never said you don't like Adam Eaton...

.........but you don't get automatic respect EVER......he has never had a great full season in his entire career. This year he's pitching very well so far, and I sure hope he doesn't stop. But until you have posted a complete year of quailty starts you will NEVER be considered a #2 arm........NEVER.....

I beg to differ... one Jake Peavy got that last season. I don't recall anyone putting Peavy's effectiveness into question last season, despite never having a complete season of effectiveness prior to it. But, whatever, Eaton will continue to prove me right and make both of us happy, so i'm not too concerned.

until then we're still searching for one. If Eaton does end the year on a high note.....we could still use a #2 arm......why is everyone so against us having good pitching........a rotation where you have a legitimate ace and two #2's is one hell of a staff........so even if Eaton grows into a #2 role.....LETS GET ANOTHER #2 arm in here........sheeshhhhhh...........triple threats give us a real chance to win Rings........

who's against us having good pitching? hell, who's against your desire to get a new "#2" pitcher to begin with? Not I...in fact, I think you quoted me here in a sense.

Now let's get another "#2" and finish off the 1-2-3 punch

so even if Eaton grows into a #2 role.....LETS GET ANOTHER #2 arm in here........

sounds pretty similar to me, lol

Package up BLaw and Nady and get us an arm.......

it'll take more than that to get a solid "#2" "ace quality" pitcher.

[padrefanforever]

Towers did do NOTHING at the allstar break last year, letting Valdez go was the only positive move he made. I agree with you Valdes was a nightmare in the #5 spot, and not solving that issue last year at the allstar break was Towers major fault......He has done a wonderful job putting together a team that is in it's second year of contention......but have no illusions this team is not a WS team, and he has been quoted saying he thinks it is. I'm just worried that he will pull the same stantz and do not enough or nothing.......or make lateral moves in the hopes that he gets lucky, and someone has a career year.

Peavy didn't get the cudo's he deserved last year......come on.......he didn't even rank in the Cy Young voting race last year and he won the ERA title......He earned his respect by finishing off last season strong, and now you hear his name spoken aloud as a the true ace of the staff.......that didn't happen overnight, it took all of last year for him. Eaton will be the same way.......it will take a full year of quailty starts....

Hey if it takes more than Nady & BLaw.....ok......we have plenty to offer without destroying our future ...... I just don't want to see us stand pat with a team that is not worth of that kind of praise......We're good........that is all.......

[HollywoodLeo]

Towers didn't do nothing last season, he just didn't do anything huge. There is a difference. I agree with your worry that he won't do what needs to be done with delusions of grandjur that the current team can somehow go all the way without any real improvements...but to insinuate that he did "nothing" just because you (and I) don't agree with what he did do is a bit of a stretch. I'm all for complaining about inadaquate moves by our team's GM...but at least be real about it. Saying Towers did nothing implies that he could care less about the team or improving it, sat back in his chair with his Hawaiin shirt, kicked his feet up and smoked a cigar and just watched the games....tell me there isn't something wrong with insinuating that?

The bottom line is he just failed at improving the weaknesses of the team. He ascertained the weaknesses to be the #5 starter, the bench, and centerfield. You're not going to find any spectacular moves fixing the first two (at least not when you try to replace a "#5" starter with what you feel is a better "#5" starter...not a tactic you or I agree with...but the point is he was still doing something...) and in the centerfield area he chose to stand pat once he failed to acquire Steve Finley.

my point is...and a lot of this stems from overeaction on the "other board" whenever the subject of Kevin Towers and what he's done and not done comes up, so forgive me if I seem a bit harsh over trivial things...but the point is Towers didn't "DO NOTHING" he just failed at what he was doing.

You're right in regards to Peavy as a whole...I was more reffering to other Padre fans' viewpoint of Peavy, considering it was a Padre fan's viewpoint of Eaton that I was questioning.

and I agree with the last remark, I'll gladly give more to get another frontline pitcher, I was just pointing out that it would take more than BLaw and X

[padrefanforever]

Towers didn't do nothing last season, he just didn't do anything huge.
......but the point is Towers didn't "DO NOTHING" he just failed at what he was doing.

Here is where I think we differ in opinion.......the above are cut and pasted, and I didn't intend on taking what you said out of context......having said that..........above you say Towers didn't do "anything huge, and failed"........I say that's NOTHING.......if you try and fail, you've done nothing........if you make latteral moves, you've done nothing.......when I say that Towers has done "nothing" that's short for, and by most understood, to mean he's "done nothing to improve the team". He can get up and do a table dance, but unless it improves the team in some way, he's still done nothing. If you take a look at the condition the Padres were in when Towers got to San Diego, compared to now, I think we'll both agree that he's done a remarkable job overall.........but until we have a ring he's not done..........and last year, Towers did NOTHING after the allstar break to improve our team. That is the simple truth to what's being debated here........he did NOTHING to improve the team........failures don't count as something, latteral moves don't count as something..........only improvements count as something.......everything else is NOTHING.........

[HollywoodLeo]

I get what you mean, but just so you know Towers isn't exactly being dormant...

a blurb from a Peter Gammons article.

" Padres GM Kevin Towers has been attempting to acquire a veteran infielder and tried to talk the Red Sox into helping their bullpen by giving up Bill Mueller (but not for Otsuka). However, as much as they are convinced Kevin Youkilis can play, the Sox know the importance of Mueller, not only as a performer, but as a clubhouse guy. Towers might look in Tony Graffanino's direction, and apparently he has little interest in Womack."

of course, that doesn't neccesarily answer the pitching concern...

i'll come back with a link if I find one, I got that from another message board

[padrefanforever]

I know Towers isn't sitting on his thumb, nor did I say he was. What I said is that he's not getting the job done with regards to finding the pieces we need to fill in the puzzle, and it started last year after the Allstar break. Again....he can spin his wheels, talk to everyone on the planet, gossip to the moon, but unless he gets the needed pieces here, signed, he's done nothing to help the team, when the team needed his skills most. Offseason he did a great job, but his job doesn't end there.

I can talk about making a million dollars, but until I do, it's all talk. I have a shirt that has a quote on the back that read...... " Winners do what losers didn't " ........ last year we weren't winners, other than our overall record, which means squat in the scheme of things if you finish 3rd. That means we were losers and didn't do what was needed to get the job done.

This team in on the bubble, ready to be a very very good team for quite some time, and challenge for the pennant........ the longer they wait to finish the puzzle the more likely it will be that we lose a piece to age, FA,etc.....IMO

[riverdunesrat]

This team in on the bubble, ready to be a very very good team for quite some time, and challenge for the pennant........ the longer they wait to finish the puzzle the more likely it will be that we lose a piece to age, FA,etc.....IMO

They can get a good start on that with this four game series with the Dogs and make a long over-due statement......

[padrefanforever]

I couldn't agree more with ya.........LETS GO PADRES!!!!!!!!!!!

[HollywoodLeo]

I know Towers isn't sitting on his thumb, nor did I say he was. What I said is that he's not getting the job done with regards to finding the pieces we need to fill in the puzzle, and it started last year after the Allstar break. Again....he can spin his wheels, talk to everyone on the planet, gossip to the moon, but unless he gets the needed pieces here, signed, he's done nothing to help the team, when the team needed his skills most. Offseason he did a great job, but his job doesn't end there.

I can talk about making a million dollars, but until I do, it's all talk. I have a shirt that has a quote on the back that read...... " Winners do what losers didn't " ........ last year we weren't winners, other than our overall record, which means squat in the scheme of things if you finish 3rd. That means we were losers and didn't do what was needed to get the job done.

This team in on the bubble, ready to be a very very good team for quite some time, and challenge for the pennant........ the longer they wait to finish the puzzle the more likely it will be that we lose a piece to age, FA,etc.....IMO

this post was completely unneccesary. I said I already undesrstood what you meant, I merely made that last post to point out that Towers was doing that, not to "prove he is 'doing something' "