================

“PADRES–NEW LEADER–NEW PROBLEMS”
================

It was an impressive press conference, the Padres introduction of veteran baseball man Mike Schildt, as the new manager of the Padres.  He becomes the 23rd guy to step into the dugout.

He inherits talent, he inherits problems, but an in depth look at those storylines is for another day.

The man who created the vision for Padres baseball, Pete Seidler, has left us and San Diego should never forget who he was, how he acted, what his desire was.

But there is alot left behind for leadership to change, fix, solve, add too.

You know, AJ Preller’s history of interference.  The analytics input.  A clubhouse chemistry that seemed poisoned as the season fell apart.  A depleted pitching staff because of off season defections-decisions.  And the Juan Soto-Scott Boras contract issue.

Mike Schildt might be old school, a baseball lifer with the Cardinals and Orioles.  A successful minor league manager, and an even better major league manager in St Louis.

You don’t go win 255-games in 3-years, get voted Manager of the Year, unless you know baseball, know how to manage games, and how to run a clubhouse.  Schildt also now knows how the new era of baseball metrics works, and might be better for the experiences he learned that ended so badly in St Louis.

It was a wide array of comment from both the GM and the incoming Manager we listened too at Petco Park.

AJ PRELLER:

In memory of Peter Seidler-this is a phenomenal family
We have a long term vision thanks to him
Clearly we have pitching needs
We will target starters and relievers
Juan Soto will be in our plans
We will continue talks with Scott Boras on the next contract
Keeping that bat in the lineup is important
We have a team of talented position players-now we rebuild pitching

I talked to Mike two years about the job
We worked together for two years here
He is a baseball expert
He knows the game, knows how to run a clubhouse, gives great chalk-talks
He is a prepared-detail guy
He is a communicator
Mike is a mentor

He is an organizational person
He knows our staff-our philosophy-our organization
Has done a ton of winning
2-championship seasons
17-wins in a row
Playoff wins in St Louis

——————
MIKE SCHILDT:

I have an excellent partner in AJ
I am excited about my chance at a 2nd act as manager
I was not ready to manage two years ago-I had alot of things in my head
I am familiar with this talent
I want to win as an organization

2023-our team will learn from its past
We came up short
There was clear disappointment in that clubhouse
This group will be together
We will restart and button things up

I love Manny’s smile…Joe’s passion..Tatis’ energy
I want swagger and substance
Type this in CAPS…LOVE BASEBALL

I am a baseball rat-so is AJ
We talk baseball-games-people-stories
18-years in St Louis..I know what I am coming into

Our coaching staff is fluid right now
I expect to be a better version of myself this time
I have changed-I am not the same manager
Becoming an advisor really helped me
I want our team to be hungry-be ready

Our North Star is to win the division..then get to the World Series
Peter Seidler met with me once a month to talk all things baseball
It was not a 10-minute meeting-we would go 90-minutes
What a beautiful soul…what pure goodness
Want to carry his vision
Win-continue his legacy
I am familiar with everything he wanted

I want the players to be themselves
Give players a structure to achieve-survive-be accountable
Good baseball is old school plus new ideas
I buy into analytics
AJ leaves no stones unturned to find talent
I will blend it all together
More than anything I will communicate

George Kissell spent 66-years in St Louis
I learned so much baseball from him
He found Jim Leyland-Joe Torre-Tony LaRussa
He taught us the Cardinal Way-play and develop
He indoctrinated me into the right way of baseball
Baseball is about truth-knowledge-no alibis

==============================

Please follow and like us: