Padres seek to retain Black
By: DAN HAYES - Staff Writer | ∞
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Bud Black stepped into a potentially fragile clubhouse last spring after Bruce Bochy's departure and made it his own. Now the Padres are looking to reward their second-year manager.
General manager Kevin Towers said Monday that he and CEO Sandy Alderson would likely sit down with Black during spring training to discuss picking up his option for 2008 and contract extension beyond that.
Black signed a two-year contract last offseason after Bochy departed for San Francisco following two straight National League West division titles with the Padres. In his first season as a manger Black guided the Padres to an 89-74 finish, good for third place in the division behind the two teams that reached the league championships series.
Towers said Black's finest managerial job came during the team's one-game playoff against Colorado on Oct. 1, though he noticed Black's team-building skills almost immediately.
"He took charge, and I think the players embraced him right away," Towers said.
"He walked into a real tough situation last year. Through the interview process we were looking for someone we could grow with. ... One of the reasons we hired him was we felt he was going to be here a long time."
Greene's new partner
Tadahito Iguchi -- Khalil Greene's fourth double-play partner in as many years -- arrived a day ahead of today's deadline for position players to report. Iguchi signed a one-year deal with the Padres in December after spending last year with the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
Working with a new second baseman has become old hat for Greene, who has played alongside Mark Loretta, Josh Barfield and Marcus Giles the past three seasons.
The pattern, however, isn't limited to the Greene's years with the Padres -- it dates back to his freshman year at Key West High in Florida.
"I've never worked with the same guy for more than two years ever," Greene said. "It's not a big issue with me."
All full
Towers said he "doubts" that the Padres would bring in a free agent outfielder, such as Shannon Stewart, this spring unless there was an injury. He said the only way the Padres would add an outfielder at this point is via trade, but if nothing worked out he was fine with the roster the way it is.
"There could be a potential trade," Towers said. "We've had some discussions with a couple of clubs. If we're not able to make a trade we're comfortable with what we have."
Prilaman has a winner
Brian Prilaman is not a NASCAR fan, by any means, not even after he won the Padres' Daytona 500 pool on Sunday. Even when Prilaman's driver, Ryan Newman, led late in the race it was barely enough to garner the clubhouse manager's attention.
"I maybe watched it for 30 seconds," Prilaman said.
Bench coach Craig Colbert finished second with driver Kurt Busch, while Single-A Ft. Wayne manager Doug Dascenzo was third with Tony Stewart.
More reporting
Nearly all of the Padres' position players are here, but the rest are required to report by this morning to take physicals. The team's first full-squad workout will be on Thursday morning.
Hall of Fame inductions
Trevor Hoffman isn't headed to Cooperstown just yet, but it didn't stop him from a Hall of Fame induction this offseason. The veteran reliever and his older brother, Glenn, were the first-ever inductees into the Anaheim Savanna High hall of fame earlier this month. That follows Brian Giles' induction into Granite Hills High's hall of fame last month.
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