Former Arizona State coach Pat Murphy has landed on his feet. The Padres have hired Murphy as a special assistant to baseball operations. They also hired former Arizona assistant Jeff Pickler as a professional scout.

This is probably a temporary move for Murphy, who seemed to have a passion for coaching college players and figures to make his way back to the college ranks at some point in the future. But this is a good fit in the  meantime. It gives the dust from the NCAA's investigation into Murphy's ASU program and his subsequent ouster a little time to settle.