Front Row Seat: Shildt's attitude was a problem for Padres coaches
We're getting an avalanche of behind the scene stories that paint Shildt as difficult to work with.
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Darren Smith
Darren Smith
San Diego Padres
Mike Shildt left Padres, ‘made a decision to go home’ in part due to ‘inability to please everyone’ - San Diego Union-Tribune
Throughout this season, people in the organization said, tensions rose as Shildt became more demanding and seemingly entrenched in his beliefs about how the team should be run.
As the Padres continued to win, sources said, those below and above Shildt were reluctant to push for his ouster or even complain too vociferously. However, it remained a persistent topic among many of them even as they also sought to remain focused on their jobs.
Some coaches also resigned themselves to simply surviving because there is not an abundance of major league opportunities. Multiple coaches said they wanted to win and felt the Padres afforded that chance and they wanted to be part of the realization of a goal. They also said their love for the players kept them around.
The Padres enlisted people internally to work with Shildt regarding his penchant to snap at colleagues and even superiors who he perceived were questioning him, according to multiple sources. The plan for the offseason was for there to be more discussions and work done regarding his interactions with staff and media.
Mike Shildt’s exit, the GM’s future and the offense: Takeaways from A.J. Preller’s presser - The Athletic
One reason some managerial candidates might hesitate: Preller has not yet received an extension. He could enter 2026 in the final year of a contract that was awarded to him by the late Peter Seidler. Under current chairman John Seidler, the Padres have spent more modestly and said much less publicly, at least at the ownership level.
So, Preller was asked if he expected to be with the Padres next year and beyond. He did not provide a definitive answer.
Harold James Preller
A.J. Preller says managing the Padres is a plum job. But is that just an illusion? - The Athletic
Never mind that none of those three managers lasted more than two years on the job, and pay no attention to the age of those position players — or the length of their contracts — and keep looking at that mighty bullpen, because there isn’t much to see in the Padres’ rotation.
Oh, and don’t worry at all about the unsettled ownership situation — nothing to see there.
Tom Krasovic: Padres looking for stability, longevity from next manager - San Diego Union-Tribune
He said he desires a lengthy run from Shildt’s replacement, someone who can ride the tiger for a decade.
“There’s a lot of value in that,” he added. “So, I understand that, I understand the value that comes with that. That’s the goal here, when we make this next hire, to have somebody that’s here for the long haul, like a lot of people in the organization.”
Heading the search will be an 11th-year Padres general manager in Preller, a rookie chairman in John Seidler and a fifth-year Padres CEO in Erik Greupner.
Padres star Manny Machado, who’s under contract through 2033, figures to be kept in the loop.
