San Diego Padres: Questions about a team in ownership limbo

January 5, 11:12 AMMLB ExaminerTony DeMarco

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The only things we know about the San Diego Padres ownership situation are:

1) Jeff Moorad and his group of investors have exclusive negotiating rights to buy the club.

2) Lawyers for John and Becky Moores are going to clean up after all the details are ironed out in the highly-publicized divorce case that just so happens to include San Diego County's own Padres, valued by Forbes at $385 million last year. 

The deal is expected to take up to three months to complete -- a prospect that raises far more questions than it answers. Namely, what happens in the meantime? And what other faces will change once Moorad and Co. take over?

1. This off-season: Will Moorad have any immediate input at all into an effort to improve a team that lost 99 games in 2008? After all, camps open in six weeks. The answer for the most part apparently is no, judging by Moorad's quotes in this Tim Sullivan column.

We've just lived through 'there can only be one president at a time' in this country, and look where that's gotten us. Looks like Padres fans have to endure the same fate for at least a little while.

2. Jake Peavy: A couple of things here -- Will they still need to trade him? Or will the ownership change make the $63 million left on his deal over the next four years something that an expanded payroll can handle? After all the discussions with the Braves, Cubs and others this winter, maybe Peavy can stay put.

Or, maybe Moorad -- who is fully versed in dealing with a small-to-mid-market situation in Arizona -- will agree with the idea that Peavy's salary is too high for a team in the $60-70-million payroll range, and instruct GM Kevin Towers to continue efforts to move the All-Star right-hander.

3. Trevor Hoffman: One of the things that irked Hoffman and led to the current bitter feelings in this disagreement is that he didn't get a sit-down with ownership, as he desired. Maybe that can happen now.

What should happen is an agreement be reached that keeps Hoffman in San Diego for the rest of his Hall of Fame career, and there be a graceful transition in the closer role to Heath Bell or another successor. The Padres are in for another long season, and really could use the positive vibe created by one of their franchise icons. Who doesn't want another year of Hoffman entrances to 'Hells Bells' at Petco Park? 

3. Sandy Alderson/Kevin Towers/Bud Black: Alderson and Black are in the final years of their contracts. Towers signed an extension last year that runs through 2010. So if Moorad desires, changing the front office isn't going to cost him much.

Alderson and Towers have distinguished resumes, but that doesn't always matter in these situations. What Moorad apparently won't be doing is bringing his Arizona front office with him, as has just been reported, CEO Derrick Hall and GM Josh Byrnes have ownership stakes in the D-Backs.

Black's future could hinge on the GM situation. Last year's collapse wasn't all his fault, but neither has he met the standard set by his mentor just up I-5, Mike Scioscia..

The Padres may not be much to watch on the field, but off the field, it will be fascinating to see how things unfold in 2009.