Hot links for Saturday, Oct. 24

The hiring of Jed Hoyer as the new Padres general manager is near completion. ...

Additional coverage comes from the Associated Press, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the North County Times, the Boston Globe and SI.com . ...

RHP Heath Bell has been named the National League winner of the Hilton Smith Award, presented by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to the top reliever in each league. ...

It's official: Padres batting coach Randy Ready did not make the list of finalists for the job managing the Houston Astros. ...

Questions to Padres beat writer Corey Brock on padres.com include whether speedy OF Luis Durango might break camp with the Big League club next spring. ...

OF Cedric Hunter had a hit and an RBI as the Peoria Saguaros won a wild Arizona Fall League game Friday, 11-10 over Mesa. ...

Former Padres OF Terrmel Sledge is having quite a postseason in Japan. First, he had a walk-off grand slam. Now, he has a five-RBI game in the Pacific League title clincher for the Nippon Ham Fighters.

FJ