The Padres yesterday announced the departure of President & CEO Mike Dee in what was described "not as a firing but as a parting of ways, though officials throughout baseball question why Dee would voluntarily step down from the position he held" as he "wielded authority over both the Padres’ business and baseball-operations departments," according to a front-page piece by Dennis Lin of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The move ends Dee's tenure "after more than three years," and "no specific reason was given" by the club for the move. Sources said that Dee’s exit is "not related to the 30-day suspension" MLB imposed on Padres Exec VP & GM A.J. Preller last month. Rival officials "suggested Dee’s departure may have resulted from the accumulation of internal issues, with the league-dealt discipline of Preller, who reported to Dee, perhaps being the tipping point." However, other sources said that the move was "unrelated while declining to elaborate." Lin notes it "remains to be seen if Dee’s replacement will oversee both business and baseball operations." Dee's tenure was "marked by controversy and, at times, sharp criticism." A "number of off-the-field decisions and incidents -- including the naming of the 'Selig Hall of Fame Plaza,' the drafting of Johnny Manziel and a national-anthem snafu involving the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus -- resulted in widespread public backlash" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/13). Padres co-Owner Peter Seidler yesterday "offered little insight into Dee's departure." He "denied Dee was fired, but wouldn't say whether Dee resigned or if it was a mutual decision." Seidler said that Dee's contract "wasn't set to expire until" August '18 (AP, 10/12).
CHANGE TO START OVER: In San Diego, Bryce Miller notes all signs point to Dee's departure being due to the "business side of things, as opposed to the bat-and-ball aisle." Yet revenue "related to the non-baseball uses for Petco Park" -- including a Billy Joel concert, the Links at Petco Park and the Holiday Wonderland, among other events -- "translated to an appreciable uptick in business." That "indicates something unexpected surfaced." Regardless, Dee's departure represents a "chance for the Padres to restructure in a way that separates business from baseball." The Padres "should hire a president who deals solely with the corners of Petco that stretch beyond payroll and personnel." That would "allow Preller to report directly to owners, who would be more plugged into what he does and how he does it" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/13).
ANOTHER DEPARTURE: The UNION-TRIBUNE's Lin reports Padres Senior Advisor for Baseball Operations and former GM Randy Smith has "been let go." After three separates stints with the Padres that total up to 25 years, Smith "held virtually every position in baseball operations." After Preller was hired in '14, Smith was "moved from farm director to an advisory role with a focus on scouting." He "served in that capacity" in '15 and again this season. Smith's firing was "unrelated" to Dee's departure (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/13).
