Padres Promote Swanson to Media Director

Jerry Kapstein, wasting no time in making changes in the Padre front office, Saturday promoted Mike Swanson to director of media relations.

It’s Kapstein’s first move since he was named Thursday by Padre owner Joan Kroc to oversee the daily operations of the franchise.

Sources have said Kapstein will continue making employee evaluations upon his return to town Tuesday.

Those expected to be most closely evaluated are President Dick Freeman; Bill Adams, executive director of ticket sales and operations; Jim Winters, director of broadcasting; Andy Strasberg, director of marketing, and Chuck Gelman, vice president of communications. The five executives earn a total of more than $700,000, sources said.

Swanson, 35, assistant director of media relations since 1984, fills the vacancy left by Bill Beck in January when Beck became administrative assistant to Jack McKeon, manager and vice president/baseball operations.

“He’s in the top of his field,” Beck said of Swanson. “There’s certainly no better stat man I’ve ever been around.”

Swanson, who attended the University of Kansas, previously worked for the Kansas City Royals, ABC and NBC.

He was the statistician for a CBS radio crew, including Padre broadcaster Jerry Coleman, that covered the 1984 All-Star game in San Francisco. Coleman returned to San Diego raving about his new acquaintance, and a month later, Beck requested Swanson’s assistance in preparing the post-season media guide.

“Once the World Series was over, Bill asked me if I’d stay,” Swanson said. “Even though I loved by job with CBS working mostly football and basketball, I knew all along baseball was my first love, and what better place than this?”