Pads GM: 'Chance' of Peavy-Cubs deal, but not soon

Jake Peavy could be a Padre for a little longer. AP

Checked in on the Jake Peavy Watch today with Kevin Towers. The San Diego Padres GM isn't giving up hope that he can find a new home for Peavy, one of the game's best righthanded pitchers whose salary is not too big for the Padres' diminishing payroll. So I won't give up asking about it.

Towers disagreed with me that the best chance for a deal might still be the Braves. At the moment, he appears to be favoring the Cubs' chances.

"I think there's a chance of maybe putting together a deal with Chicago,'' Towers said. "At least I know he's willing to go there.''

But in the same breath, Towers added that he didn't anticipate anything happen anytime soon, and explained why.

Towers mentioned two complications. One is that the Cubs' ownership situation is unsettled (there could be a sale, though there's a lot of doubt now whether anyone interested will want to come up with the cash in this economy). The other complication is that they will probably need a third team to do a deal with the Cubs.

While Towers likes their prospects, he apparently doesn't love them. He liked pitching prospect Jose Ceda, but he was already sent to the Marlins for reliever Kevin Gregg.

Those are some very real complications with the Cubs.

But guess what? There's a complication with the Braves as well.

Towers agreed that they were once close to a deal with the Braves (he wouldn't reveal the exact trade discussed but some Braves' names bandied about included shortstop Yunel Escobar, outfield prospect Gorkys Hernandez and young pitchers Jo-Jo Reyes, Charlie Morton and Blaine Boyer) but that things broke off after Atlanta set a deadline and the sides couldn't come to terms. However, Towers now thinks the Braves' unwillingness to change Peavy's contract to extend his no-trade provision beyond 2010 would have scuttled the deal, anyway.

"The tough thing with Atlanta is that they don't have anyone with a full no-trade. For Jake, that's a must,'' Towers said. "Ultimately, even if we agreed on players, that might have been a stumbling block.''

Towers hasn't talked to the Braves in two weeks. And he hasn't talked lately to the third team said to be in the mix, the Dodgers, either. So the original list of five possible teams that Peavy would approve a trade to is looking a little thin right now (in addition to the Cubs, Braves and Dodgers, the other two are the Astros, who apparently didn't have the prospects to make a deal, and the Cardinals, who didn't feel they had the need to make such a trade).

"I'm not opposed to trading within the division,'' Towers said. But he speculated that that the Dodgers had too much going on right now to conceive of putting it all aside to make a monster trade like this. The Dodgers have two infield openings, they have the Manny free agent situation, they have the CC Sabathia question, and now they have two possible openings in the rotation after top young starter Chad Billlingsley broke his leg on a patch of ice in Pennsylvania.

Towers could see restarting talks with the Dodgers. Not now, but much later.

So in summary, the Peavy situation, which looked like it might find a resolution by now, may drag on for a while.

Comments (9) Add A Comment

November 24, 2008 07:13 PM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

CUBBIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
IF THE CUBS GET PEAVY I PREDICT 17-8 ERA 2.10 215 STRIKEOUTS

mike1196

Staten Island , NY

Total Comments (60)

Towers is being very unrealistic. The Braves offered him a quality & future star SS in Yunel, a 5 tool prospect in Gorkys, who will likely be ready by mid 2010, and some young talent SP w/ ML experience. Towers gets what he deserves by trying to gouge more from the Braves than the exceptional deal they already offered. Now he's stuck trying to make a deal work w/ the Cubs who obviously dont have the right pieces. Towers will never find as good a deal as the Braves offered him, Im certain when its all said and done, he will come crawling back to Atlanta, but hopefully Wren wont bite.

derek b

Duluth , GA

Total Comments (1)

November 24, 2008 08:08 PM ET

The Braves don't do No trade clauses. I see this deal being more of a hassle for the braves. Wren is already talking with Kenny Williams of the White Sox's. Conversations are suppose to be in regards to Vazquez and Dye. Also, the braves seem very optimistic with their initial conversations with Burnett. Unfortunately, I also think that Peavy's Agent has too close of a relationship with Towers. They both say business is never conflcted but it seems that his agent is also protecting the Padres. The braves should not start negotiations again unless Peavy is willing to waive a no trade clause. There's no reason for the braves to waste their time and resources if in the end Peavy denies the trade.

Braves and Rays

Tampa, FL

Comment #4 has been removed

November 25, 2008 12:23 AM ET

I would love to get Peavy. Imagine a lineup of Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly, and Peavy. That would be sick.

That said, I REALLY do not want to give up Vitters. And pitching right now would be a luxury, as we already have a very solid lineup. I think we should focus more on a southpaw with pop in his bat than getting Peavy.

cubs/bears

Total Comments (1265)

November 25, 2008 12:45 AM ET

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 12:22 AM ET 11.25 by shlaros228

can the Yankees get Peavy? Would Cano and Hughes be enough?Go to talkingNYsports.com to find out more!

The Padres may be dumb and desperate, but even they aren't stupid enough to take that deal.

Mondo Jay

Total Comments (7107)

November 25, 2008 12:46 AM ET

Braves made the best offer. I'm happy they didn't cave into Towers' greed when he wanted more.

November 25, 2008 10:38 AM ET

Why have yankee fans convinced themselves that somehow Robinson Cano is going to be a valuable bargaining chip?????

He's coming off of a mediocre season production wise, he was benched for not hustlng and worst of all - cashman signed him to a TERRIBLE contract - he's got 3 yrs left on a 4 yr, $30 million deal and if the club wants him beyond that, the two club option years are $14M and $15M respectively - Yankee Fans: No one wants Robinson Cano.

mike ciavolino

Monmouth Beach , NJ

Total Comments (34)

November 25, 2008 10:50 AM ET

Maybe they should give Peavy away to the Yankees for free. You NY people are unbelievable. You want to trade for the best but only give away a few crumbs.