Padres News: Recent Hire Continues Narrative of Front Office Members Lacking Trust in GM AJ Preller
Padres GM AJ Preller hasn't been the most popular man in San Diego after another disappointing season in 2023.
Many reports around the team point the finger at Preller's mismanagement during his tenure and circumstances around one of his front-office hires only continue that trend.
The Athletic explained a specific situation in which Preller made an unusual hire in Don Tricker. Here's the full context and the link to the full story.
Soon after the 2017 season ended, Preller made an unusual hire. Don Tricker, the Padres’ new director of player health and performance, had come to San Diego from the other side of the world. …Still, almost six years after his hiring, many current and former Padres players, coaches and other employees continue to express consternation about Tricker’s responsibilities. Tricker, especially early on, frequented the clubhouse and sat in on player and staff meetings, quietly taking notes. Some believe he is effectively a spy for the front office. (The Padres do not allow front office employees to speak to the media without permission.)“I don’t know what Don does, honestly,” one former front office staffer said. “All he was doing was judging,” the ex-coach said. “He never provided any feedback to any coach or player. ”Not everyone had a poor experience with Tricker. One former staffer said Tricker, as an outsider to the sport, regularly posed thought-provoking questions — why, for example, did the Padres take batting practice that did not replicate the intensity of in-game pitching?
Cronyism and hiring friends don't seem to be a good strategy for a functional front office despite Preller's big spending over his tenure.
The Friars only claim two postseason trips in the Preller era including just one over a full season back in 2022.
The 2023 season should have been the encore to a terrific NLCS run the prior season but the Friars now await an important offseason from their couches thanks to a disappointing season.
And even though Preller will be returning next season, things still don't seem to be fully great in San Diego's front office.
Again, you can read the full story by The Athletic on the turmoil in the front office by clicking here.
