San Diego, CA (My Sportsbook) - The San Diego Padres fired pitching coach Greg Booker prior to Saturday's game against the Atlanta Braves, effective immediately.

"In making this move, by no means am I placing the entire team's performance on Greg Booker," Padres GM Kevin Towers said.

Darren Balsley, who was currently serving as the pitching coach for Double-A Mobile, will take over the same position for the big league club. Balsley will not join the team until Monday in Milwaukee and bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds will handle the pitchers for the remainder of the weekend.

"This guy has had tremendous success at the minor-league level," Towers said of Balsley. "The young pitchers that have had him praise him very highly. He's intelligent, he's good with mechanics, he's great with preparation -- more than anything this is a guy who can deal with the young kids on confidence, which is pretty low right now."

The team's hope is that Balsley will help accelerate the Padres' young pitching staff's growth. He has had some past success with two of San Diego's 21-year-old pitchers, Oliver Perez and Jake Peavy, who both blossomed under the tutelage of Balsley at the Double-A level.

"He kind of jump-started their careers," Towers explained. "I'm hoping he can instill some confidence in these young pitchers and get them back on the right track."

Booker took over as pitching coach during the 2001 season, replacing Dave Smith mid season. Prior to becoming the club's pitching coach, Booker was the Padres' bullpen coach for four years.