SAN DIEGO -- A front-office shakeup had no impact on the San Diego Padres performance. [url=http://www.metsbaseballauthentic.com/nolan-ryan-mets-jersey/]Nolan Ryan Mets Jersey[/url] . After the team announced general manager Josh Byrnes was fired minutes before the first pitch with the Los Angeles Dod

SAN DIEGO -- A front-office shakeup had no impact on the San Diego Padres performance. Nolan Ryan Mets Jersey . After the team announced general manager Josh Byrnes was fired minutes before the first pitch with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, the Padres put up another punchless performance in a 2-1 loss against Hyun-Jin Ryu. Although Padres President and CEO Mike Dee said there were a number of factors that figured into the firing, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler made it clear that the ownership group was not happy with the product on the field. "When you invest 50 per cent more money over the last two years, in terms of payroll, you expect better performance," Fowler said. "We gave baseball ops a clean slate as far as who did they want, what did they want to do. For my perspective, we are standing here as a consequence of that not working." Byrnes off-season moves included free agent signings of starting pitcher Josh Johnson, who has yet to pitch for San Diego since straining his right forearm in spring training, reliever Joaquin Benoit and outfielder Seth Smith. "We were led to believe, and I think its fair to say we believed, based upon the investment that we made, the additions we made in the off-season, the addition of certain players during the off-season, that would put us over the top," Dee said. "We felt confident that we would be in a position to compete for post-season baseball." Dee added that manager Bud Black has been told that his job is safe at least through the end of the season. Until the club hires a new general manager, senior vice-president for baseball operations Omar Minaya and assistant general managers A.J. Hinch and Fred Uhlman, Jr. will assume the GM duties. Minaya was the general manager of the New York Mets from 2005-10. Byrnes was hired by the Padres as their senior vice-president for baseball operations in December 2010 after he was let go as general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he was in the middle of an eight-year deal. He was promoted 10 months later to GM and was given a five-year contract. Under Byrnes, the Padres payroll increased nearly $40 million to $89,881,696 on opening this season -- 23rd overall -- but the team has made little progress. After finishing with 76-86 records in his first two seasons, the Padres are 32-43 and 12 1/2 games back in the NL West during an injury-plagued season. Byrnes was touted by the Padres as excelling at scouting and player development, but his biggest moves came through trades. He sent first base prospect Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs for top-line starter Andrew Cashner, and he dealt starting pitcher Mat Latos for infielder Yasmani Grandal, catcher Yonder Alonso, and right-handers Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger. Byrnes also acquired starter Tyson Ross, closer Huston Street, outfielder Carlos Quentin and right-hander Ian Kennedy. Ryu (9-3) had few problems against the light-hitting Padres, as he won for the sixth time in seven starts since missing more than three weeks with shoulder inflammation. The left-handed Ryu gave up one runs and four hits in six innings, and he did not allow San Diego to get its first hit until the fourth inning. The Dodgers, winners of 10 of 14, took two of three games in the series and have either won or split their last 11 series in San Diego. The last time they lost a series in San Diego was a three-game sweep in September 2010. Adrian Gonzalez and Dee Gordon drove in runs against Eric Stults (2-10). J.P. Howell pitched 1 1-3 perfect innings and Brian Wilson got two outs before Kenley Jansen finished off the four-hitter by pitching the ninth for his 22nd save in 25 chances. NOTES: Dodgers LF Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 10 games, while Ramirez increased his to nine games. ... San Diego has scored 23 runs in Stults 16 starts. ... Padres 3B Chase Headley (back) missed his fourth straight game. ... Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (9-3, 2.57 ERA) faces Royals RP Jeremy Guthrie (4-6, 3.86) Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Kansas City. The Padres travel to San Francisco on Monday with RHP Andrew Cashner (2-6, 2.36) squaring off against Matt Cain (1-3, 3.66). Custom New York Mets Jerseys .Y. - The New York Yankees made it official Saturday, announcing the completion of a seven-year deal with free-agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and a one-year contract for returning starter Hiroki Kuroda. Nolan Ryan Jersey . Ribery, who won UEFAs best player in Europe award for the 2012-13 season, helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League and Bundesliga and German Cup titles. Messi, winner of the last four Ballon dOr awards in voting by coaches, team captains and media, was injured late in the season and could not prevent Barcelona from being beaten by Bayern in the Champions League semifinals. http://www.metsbaseballauthentic.com/keon-broxton-mets-jersey/ .Simon will work with head coach Gord Dineen and associate coach Derek King behind the bench of the Toronto Maple Leafs American Hockey League affiliate for the 2014-15 season.OKLAHOMA CITY -- Not much about Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook goes unnoticed. In the past week, while much of the NBA has focused on Kevin Durants run at a possible first MVP award, Westbrook quietly has been the Thunders most productive and efficient offensive player. Westbrook turned in another gem on Friday, finishing with 24 points and seven assists in just 28 minutes to help Oklahoma City beat the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 116-94 on Friday night. Oklahoma City won its third straight and clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Westbrook has been sitting in one game of back-to-backs, so he has played in just four of Oklahoma Citys past six games. In those four games, he is averaging 28.5 points, 6.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 51 per cent from the field. "Hes well rested and hes taking advantage of a lot of matchups," Durant, who led the Thunder with 27 points against New Orleans, said. "Thats what we need from him. Hes playing extremely well. Hes picking and choosing his spots well. Hes playing with a lot of intensity for us." Westbrook said moving in and out of the lineup hasnt slowed him down. "My job is to always stay confident, regardless of if Im playing or if Im missing games," he said. "Just come out with a positive mindset and try to keep going." Serge Ibaka added 16 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high eight blocks for the Thunder. "It seemed like he had 10 or 11 blocks," Durant said. "He was protecting the paint. He was there on pick and rolls. He was there all night." The Thunder shot 54 from the field, made 23 of 27 free throws and committed just 11 turnovers. Oklahoma City led by 25 points at the end of the third quarter, so Durant and Westbrook rested in the fourth. Oklahoma City outscored New Orleans 28-0 in fast-break points. "They were able to steal a lot of buckets in transition," New Orleans guard Austin Rivers said. "I felt like every time we made one mistake, I felt like they capitalized on it, where when we got one, we werent able to." Darius Miller scored a career-high 18 points and Rivers had 18 points and eighht rebounds for the Pelicans. Keith Hernandez Mets Jersey. New Orleans was without injured starters Anthony Davis (back) and Eric Gordon (left knee tendinitis). "Our guys, they just scrapped and clawed and tried to do what they can to help their teammates," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "Its a tough situation playing against a good team." The Thunder took advantage of New Orleans depleted lineup by taking a 30-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. Oklahoma Citys reserves helped the Thunder push the lead to 44-27. New Orleans went on an 11-0 run before Derek Fisher scored for the Thunder. On Oklahoma Citys next possession, Durant sent a nice pass to a running Ibaka, who dunked to put the Thunder up by 10. Durants jumper with three seconds left in the first half put the Thunder up 60-47 at the break. Westbrook scored 16 points in the first half on just 10 shots, while Durant and Ibaka added 12 points apiece. Midway through the third quarter, Rivers got ahead of the pack for what looked like an easy basket. Ibaka caught up with him and pinned his shot on the glass, then Durant dunked on the other end to give the Thunder a 75-56 lead. "Hes fast enough to keep up with guards," Rivers said of Ibaka. "When you have a 7-foot guy who can jump, running on a fast break on defence, its hard to get to the basket. Their defence is all on him. Without Ibaka, this is a whole different team." NOTES: Oklahoma City started its preferred lineup of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha for just the 22nd time this season. Oklahoma City has played nine starting lineups. ... Durant was presented the Western Conference Player of the Month award for March before the game. He has won four out of five months. ... Rivers got his first start of the season, and New Orleans rookie F Jeff Withey got his second. ... New Orleans G Brian Roberts left the game with a left ankle injury and did not return. ... New Orleans G Tyreke Evans left the game with a right knee bone bruise and did not return. ... Perkins, Durant and Westbrook were issued technical fouls in the third quarter. Durant picked up his 15th of the season. ' ' '