Padres GM asking too much for Peavy

08:15 AM ET 12.14 | If you were wondering why the Braves would be willing to shell out $80 million for A.J. Burnett over five years rather than just trade for the Padres' Jake Peavy, who has $63 million remaining on his contract, that question was answered when the Cubs finally pulled out of their trade talks for San Diego's righthanded ace. In short, Padres GM Kevin Towers was grossly over-reaching in what he wanted back for Peavy. In the Cubs' case, it was their two best young pitchers, Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman, and their top prospect, 19-year old third baseman Josh Vitters. Cubs manager Lou Piniella has been especially loathe to deal Marshall, the 26-year-old 6-7 lefty because of the delicate nature of his titular No. 1 starter, Rich Harden. he Braves were alive for Peavy in November and offered a substantial package - potential All-Star shortstop Yunel Escobar, either of their top center field prospects, Jordan Schafer or Gorkys Hernandez and one of their top pitching prospects, Charlie Morton. But Towers kept insisting on the Braves' top pitching prospect, Tommy Hanson, who, in the absence of Burnett, now projects to go right into the Braves' '09 rotation.

New York Daily News