Reports: Padres GM Kevin Towers Fired

The longest tenured general manager in baseball is about to be out of a job. According to multiple reports, the Padres are planning to fire general manager Kevin Towers, who is coming to the end of his 14th season. The Padres said that CEO Jeff Moorad would address the media in a press conference Saturday, although the subject was not specified.

Moorad released a statement:

"We're continuing our evaluation and assessment of multiple parts of the organization, baseball included. At this point, Kevin is our general manager, and is under contract through the 2010 season."

The move certainly sent shock waves around the baseball world. Towers, 48, is one of the most well-respected executives in the game, and he had the Padres playing much better as the season progressed. Since June 28, the Padres were 36-23, third-best record in the National League. They had already won 11 more games than last year heading into Friday's game.

"The organization is indebted to Kevin for not only the 14 years he served as general manager, but for the fact that the club is well-positioned to go forward into the future," Moorad told the Union-Tribune Friday. "I think we need to build a better baseball operations department, better skilled at the areas we're committed to going forward.

"I admire (Towers') skills very much and respect his relationships that exist around the game. But I think over the next period of time, our focus is on more of a strategic approach to drafting and development that has a chance to compete in the division year-in and year-out."

Towers led the Padres to the postseason four times, including winning a National League pennant in 1998. They contended as recently as 2007, when they lost to the Rockies in a one-game playoff for the wild card. Moorad, who took over the club earlier this season, had expressed enough confidence in the club's management to give manager Bud Black an extension. Apparently, that didn't extend to Towers.

Towers ought to have no problem finding another job in baseball, considering his experience and track record. At the moment there are no other GM openings, but Toronto's GM spot might be open if the Blue Jays decide to fire J.P. Ricciardi. The Padres do have at least one other member of the front office with GM experience. Former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta works as an assistant under Towers.

"I've enjoyed working with Kevin over the last six months immensely," Moorad said. "I have great respect for him. This is not someone getting shoved out the door, but rather this is about a decision for the organization for the long-term ...

"He's been told that he can office here, he can stay here for as long as he's comfortable being around. This is a person I care about, I've enjoyed working with, and I understand that there's a strong likelihood that he'll end up being a general manager elsewhere."