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The Padres Sign Bud Black To A Much Deserved Contract Extension
Throughout the first half of the MLB season, the San Diego Padres remained the best team in the National League West. I looked at the standings each day expecting to see them drop from first place but they have remained a steady, winning ball club. Much of the reason for their success can be attributed to having a pitching staff that leads the majors with a 3.25 ERA, and being a very good fielding team that doesn’t beat themselves with costly errors. Prior to San Diego, Padres manager Bud Black had been the pitching coach of the Angels under manager Mike Scioscia and developed some notable pitchers such as Jered Weaver, John Lackey, and Francisco Rodriguez to name a few. He was a much needed hire and a breath of fresh air for an organization that was going in the wrong direction.
Since becoming the skipper of the ballclub back in ’07, he has gone back to the basics and placed an emphasis on the fundamentals of the game. Last year, the Padres ranked seventeenth in the majors in team fielding-percentage and thus far this season they are tied with the Twins for the MLB lead. For improving the team each season and for the team’s strong first half success, the Padres rewarded Black with a three-year contract extension. His new deal will keep him in San Diego through 2013, which is plenty of time to turn the Padres into a perennial NL West power.
Bud Black joined XX Sports Radio in San Diegoto talk about how big it was for the team to come back from the All-Star break and sweep the Diamondbacks, who he thinks is going to step in and replace Latos and Adams while they are on the DL, and how much of a relief it was to get a contract extension.
How Big It Was For The Team To Come Back From The All-star Break And Sweep The Diamondbacks:
“That was big, it really was. I think all of us as coaches and managers, we feel a little trepidation in going into the second half because you don’t know how guys are going to react, especially after four days off, which we had. I know that we thought the same thing in Anaheim just reading quotes from other managers and coaches this week, they were worried about it. You saw with the Dodgers, they went into St. Louis and lost four, they lost again last night to the Giants. You hear it all the time about how you are going to come out of it. Thursday night we worked out, everybody got back into town. We had a good workout and guys were energetic, and I have seen it the other way where guys were still talking about the break but our guys were solid. We did some fundamentals on Thursday. We did some basic principles on fundamentals, which was great. We hit, a lot of pitchers were pitching in the pen so I felt good going into Friday night, we swept the D-Backs and we saw what the D-Backs did last night…”
On The Notion That The All-star Break Did Kevin Correia’s Confidence:
“I think so. I know that. How could it not weigh on you what happened to Kevin? I can only imagine. I don’t know how he felt initially, but hopefully in time this will ease for him but there is no way that it couldn’t have affected him. He was going through his work but I am sure the mind would waiver I am sure during the course of the game and get back to his brother. As you guys know at the highest level of competition you have to be focused and aware and I am sure that slipped from moment to moment with Kevin.”
Who He Thinks Is Going To Step In And Replace Latos And Adams While They Are On The Dl:
“Well we saw a little bit over the weekend, Ryan Webb is going to take little bit more of a role in our bullpen when he have a lead or the game is close. Joe Thatcher you are probably going to see in a little bit more tighter spots deeper in the game. Ernesto Frieri and Mujica, you could see those guys as well. Heath will still be at the back end. Gregerson had a couple of good outings of the weekend. He looks good so we got to fill in and that has been really impressive, is that if we needed somebody whether it is Denorfia or Cunningham, a couple of the pitchers, everybody has come through. So we have guys that are capable, we have talent so I think we will be able to get it done until those guys are back.”
How Long The Padres Have Been Trying To Extend His Contract:
“Jed and I started talking a couple of weeks ago about the possibility of an extension. I think our relationship right from the start going back to November when Jed was hired and working through the winter and working through spring training. I think the relationship was formed while he felt initially comfortable with what was going on the field and it the clubhouse. From his evaluation moving through the first part of the season he felt inclined to open up some talks and I was excited about the possibility of a long-term situation. So the last two weeks there has been some dialogue and it came to fruition just a couple of days ago.”
How Much Of A Relief It Was To Get A Contract Extension:
“Well the thing about is I want to be here, I love what is going on with the Padres, this is what I want to do and where I want to be so to have ownership and Jed all in the same page as far as being retained, extremely honored. I know what all of this means, I know the responsibility. So I am excited about the challenge moving forward for all of us.”
Bud Black on XX Sports Radio in SD with Scott and BR on his new 3-year extension
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