by Tom KrasovicFiled under: Athletics, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Padres, Rockies, Yankees, NL West
The Padres were a sports car needing mostly a tuneup years ago when they hired as their general manager Kevin Towers, who now takes over a bad Diamondbacks team.When Towers replaced Randy Smith in late 1995, the rookie GM inherited the future all-time saves leader in Trevor Hoffman and a future Hall of Famer in Tony Gwynn, who would bat an NL-best .353 and .372 in the next two years. Other holdovers were a future unaminous MVP, Ken Caminiti, and a Gold Glove center fielder whose power was emerging, Steve Finley, both affordably signed to multi-year deals; and frontline starting pitchers Andy Ashby and Joey Hamilton cheaply controlled; and a future All-Star catcher in Brad Ausmus.
Prospect Derrek Lee enabled Towers to smartly trade for ace Kevin Brown two offseasons later. What's more, because Padres ownership lusted for voter approval for a new ballpark, the payroll was doubled from 1995-98.
Towers was the right guy, but it was also the right time and place.
o. The contract between Towers and the Diamondbacks calls to mind swimmers sticking their toes in a chilly pool.
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