Padres Fire Romenesko, Hire Barr

The Padres’ housecleaning continued Friday with the firing of Tom Romenesko, the director of player development.

The Padres essentially replaced Romenesko, who had been with the Padre organization for nine years, with John Barr.

Padre general manager Joe McIlvaine hired Barr, 33, as an assistant vice president and general manager, but much of his duties will include overseeing the Padres’ minor league and scouting departments.

Barr had been the Baltimore Orioles’ scouting director for the past two years, where he was instrumental in selecting Ben McDonald as the top pick in the nation in the 1989 June free-agent draft.

McIlvaine and Barr previously worked together for the New York Mets from 1984 to 1987. Barr worked as an administrative assistant in scouting while McIlvaine was an executive for the Mets.

In 1988, Barr worked for the Minnesota Twins as an East Coast scouting supervisor.

Since Padre general manager Jack McKeon’s firing, 16 Padre employees have been let go.

Bill Beck, who was McKeon’s assistant, remains with the club, but his future is in doubt. Part of Beck’s job was filled with the hiring of Barr.

Beck on Friday did not return phone calls by The Times.

Scouting director Randy Smith confirmed Friday that nine members of the scouting staff have been fired in recent days.

Two people have been hired as major league scouts, Ken Bracey and Carmen Fusco, Smith said.

He said assignments of other scouts have been reshuffled and he expects to announce more hirings by early next week.