Hoyer still haunted by Kluber deal

It almost worked. But Jed Hoyer’s Padres just missed the playoffs in 2010.

Six years later, questions still linger about the process that went into general manager Hoyer’s decision to trade pitching prospect Corey Kluber in a three- team deal at the deadline.

“I’ve never come up with the magic bullet that we missed,” said Hoyer, now the Cubs’ GM, whose team will try to beat the once- debated Padres farmhand who became a Cy Young Award winner for the Indians.

“I’ve always said I felt as good if not better about that process as any process I’ve ever run or been a part of,” Hoyer said. “But you can’t help but replay that process over and over. What did we miss? Did we not do something right? Why didn’t we tinker with a two- seamer in the minor leagues with him?”

It was the two- seam fastball Kluber developed after the trade to the Indians that led to his big- league starting debut in 2012, Cy Young in 2014 and starring role in the World Series. He struck out nine in six scoreless innings in a 6- 0 victory in Game 1.

“It opened up everything for him, and he became this dominant pitcher,” Hoyer said. “You can’t help yourself but think back, like, ‘ Why didn’t we try it? Did we not try it hard enough?’

“Obviously, you look back, and it’s clearly amistake, and six years later you think, ‘ OK, how did that happen? How did this guy that we saw as a potential back- end starter but likely reliever turn into a dominant No. 1 starter?’ ”

Theremight not be an easy answer. Hoyer hasn’t necessarily changed his evaluation processes because of it. And other than the way the new pitch took off and played off Kluber’s other pitches, the Padres essentially had his skills well evaluated.

If anything, it might have helped Hoyer, and by extension the Cubs, in how they look at other pitchers. Even some who are playing significant roles in this magical season after being identified as underperforming pitchers or prospects with lessobvious tools ( see Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks).

“It’s the idea that pitching comes from everywhere,” Hoyer said. “A guy with good stuff can alter agrip or change a pitch and the next thing you know unlock everything.

“I just think with pitching, you’ve got to stick with guys and you’ve got to take risks on guys thatmaybe you liked who are struggling.”