Â
- A fine mess in Philadelphia - Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe (10/19/08)
The Braves are pushing hard to land San Diego ace Jake Peavy (Atlanta shortstop Yunel Escobar would have to be included in a deal), but if you’re looking for a sleeper for Peavy, a few people are keeping their eye on Milwaukee, which will likely lose CC Sabathia, and possibly the oft-injured Ben Sheets.Milwaukee makes sense, considering the Padres want a shortstop and the Brewers would move J.J. Hardy in the right situation.
Â
- Contract may force Padres to deal Peavy - Tim Sullivan, San Diego Union-Tribune (10/19/08)
Both Jim Callis, the erudite executive editor ofBaseball America, andHardball Times essayist Victor Wang think the National League team best positioned to move on Peavy might be the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers, alas, are not high on Peavy’s list.
Â
Brewers. Their fear would be that Peavy could turn into another Ben Sheets, suffering frequent injuries while earning $48 million from 2010 to ‘12. A Rickie Weeks-J.J. Hardy offer would snap the Padres to attention — look ma, a new middle infield! — but the Brewers are not going to part with their best young pitchers, righty Yovani Gallardo and lefty Manny Parra.
Â
The Padres are seeking at least two young pitchers in return, along with someone who can become the team’s everyday center fielder sometime in the immediate to near future.
Â
- On the Block: One Ace? - Dave Cameron, FanGraphs (10/15/08)
The Padres seem to believe that now is the time to sell high. If 2008 Peavy was a sign of things to come, they’re probably right, and potential suitors for Peavy might want to consider alternative options before giving up a ton of prospects for a guy with some real question marks.
Â
- In right scenario, Peavy could go — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union Tribune (10/15/08)
Among the cities Axelrod mentioned were Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and St. Louis.
Â
- MLB Trade Rumors: Jake Peavy - Raygu, Fake Teams (10/15/08)
Another team that I think could get into the mix would be the Brewers, who will lose CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets to free agency. The Brewers also have a nice farm system to deal from, and they have the money to take on Peavy’s reasonable contract.
Â
And unless the Padres are knocked off their feet by an offer — think similar to the six prospects the Arizona Diamondbacks sent to Oakland in exchange for ace pitcher Dan Haren — they don’t have to move Peavy, who is 86-62 with a 3.25 ERA in 199 career starts.
Â
- Peavy Trade Talks Begin - Tim Dierkes, MLB Trade Rumors (10/13/08)
MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan wrote today that Peavy said he will only waive his no-trade clause for a National League team. However, Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod said Friday that three teams in the American League could entice his client. The Yankees could be one; we discussed the possibility here. A possible Peavy trade will be one of the biggest stories at the Winter Meetings in December.
Â
- Braves May Consider Peavy - Tim Dierkes, MLB Trade Rumors (10/7/08)
The White Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, Brewers, Astros and Dodgers are other teams that will be searching for pitching this winter. Many top prospects and young players are deemed “untouchable,” but an ace like Peavy may cause teams to reconsider.