No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the best players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. We followed that up with the team's top three managers last week, and we're concluding the series with the top three general managers.

Below is AJ Cassavell’s ranking of the top three GMs in Padres history.

• Padres' all-time team: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | Bench | RHP | LHP | Relievers | Managers

1) Kevin Towers, 1995-2008
Key fact: His 14-year tenure as Padres GM is easily the longest in franchise history, and it accounts for four of the team's five National League West titles

There's not much separating Towers and Jack McKeon atop this list, and both took on similar freewheeling personas in the lead chair of the Padres' front office. Towers -- known as "the gunslinger" -- once took center stage on the team's media guide with an Old West theme and Towers in full cowboy gear with a hand on a holstered pistol. Towers lived up to that reputation, and he helped guide the Padres to four postseason berths. His most impactful move was his trade for Kevin Brown ahead of the 1998 season, but Towers also landed Greg Vaughn, Adrián González and Heath Bell in the types of shrewd deals that came to define his tenure.

• 10 biggest trades in Padres history

2) Jack McKeon, 1980-90
Key fact: Notched six seasons at .500 or better in his 10-year tenure

McKeon was the architect of the Padres’ 1984 NL pennant. He drafted Tony Gwynn, signed Steve Garvey and Goose Gossage and landed a handful of other key contributors on the team that would deliver San Diego its first World Series berth. With a penchant for wheeling and dealing, McKeon earned the nickname “Trader Jack.” His moves weren’t always successful (see: Ozzie Smith), but he was never shy about making them. In '88, McKeon took over as manager, too, after firing Larry Bowa. His 193-164 record gives him the highest winning percentage in franchise history. McKeon was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 2017.

3) Peter Bavasi, 1973-77
Key fact: Named as the head of Minor League operations in 1969 and was the Padres' inaugural farm director

Between them, McKeon and Towers combined to build every postseason team in franchise history, so there's a notable dropoff before No. 3. But Bavasi -- son of Buzzie Bavasi, the first president of the franchise -- put together a solid list of accomplishments after taking the reins in 1973. Most notably, Bavasi drafted Dave Winfield, who would go on to become the first Padre enshrined in Cooperstown.

Honorable mention
Randy Smith laid the groundwork for the Padres' late-1990s success. He turned the team's "Fire Sale" into a handful of useful prospects, including Trevor Hoffman. Before the '95 season, Smith would also land Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley. ... Buzzie Bavasi never technically held the title of general manager, but he was active in the team's transactions and deserves mentioning for his role in sculpting the Padres' early years. ... Jed Hoyer spent three seasons as Padres GM, averaging 79 wins. … A.J. Preller constructed the best farm system in baseball, landing Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack in hugely lopsided deals. Preller's legacy will largely be determined by the results of the next few seasons.