Padres Hire Bud Black
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:07 am
Josh Barfield was traded to Cleveland for two AAA players. These two seem like pretty good prospects, but who's going to play 2b next year? Barfield was one of the more consistent players on the team in '06.
The Padres have hired Bud Black as their new manager.
Black, 49, a former San Diego State pitcher who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, replaces Bruce Bochy, who had been the club's manager since October 1994 before accepting a three-year contract with the Giants last month.
Black spent the last seven years as the pitching coach for Angels manager Mike Scioscia, and his 2002 staff helped the Angels win their first World Series title.
The left-hander also pitched for 15 years in the major leagues, with a 121-116 record and a 3.84 ERA in 398 games. He was a member of the Royals' 1985 World Series team.
Of the six candidates interviewed by Padres, Alderson also interviewed Trey Hillman, the manager of the Japan Series-champion Nippon-Ham Fighters; and Dusty Baker, who most recently managed the Cubs from 2003-2006.
In addition to the hire, the Padres have traded second baseman Josh Barfield to the Indians for Triple-A third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and Triple-A pitcher Andrew Brown.
Barfield, 23, batted .280 with 32 doubles, 13 home runs, 72 runs scored and 21 stolen bases in 26 attempts in 2006.
In 244 at-bats in Double-A last season, Kouzmanoff batted .389 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI. In Triple-A Kouzmanoff hit .353 with nine doubles and seven home runs in 102 at-bats for Buffalo.
Brown was 5-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 62 innings. He had 53 strikeouts and 36 walks