According to reports Jake Peavy is mulling over a trade that will send him to the Atlanta Braves:
Jake Peavy may soon be on his way to Atlanta, according to an online report.
CBSSports.com reported Wednesday night that the San Diego Padres will ask their ace to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal with the Atlanta Braves, one of seven clubs to which Peavy has agreed to be traded.
The website reported that the Braves would receive shortstop Yunel Escobar, minor league outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, a starting pitcher — either Charlie Morton or Jo-Jo Reyes — and a relief pitcher — Blaine Boyer, minor leaguer Jeff Locke or another, unnamed minor leaguer.
I give Jim Hendry alot of credit for staying in this thing as long as he did when the Cubs just don’t have the minor leaguers to pull off a deal of this nature.
Towers has said Peavy most likely will be traded this offseason. The Chicago Cubs, another team on Peavy’s list, are also heavily involved in trade talks, but their package reportedly is seen as inferior to what the Braves are offering. That is why the Cubs apparently are trying to get a third team involved to sweeten their offer.
If the Peavy approves the deal, it steps up the importance for the Cubs to add a free agent pitcher. Either re-sign Ryan Dempster or go after AJ Burnett or Derek Lowe.
Not sure I agree Hendry should get credit here. Why are a lot of his primary pursuits so public. Williams on the South Side has shown they don’t have to be. Why tease your fans and expose yourself up for failure in your prime pursuits in the national spotlight (Roberts, Furcal etc) What about his judgement in thinking he had a competitive package? What about the fact that there is only limited interest and Peavy may have health issues? Why aren’t more team in this race? (Towers claims they rested Peavy because they were not competitive but isn’t that counter intuitive if you were going to shop him? If you are reducing payroll why sign Giles for 9mm?) Hendry has been lucky on some deals in the past. This non-deal may also be lucky for him but his actions speak louder than words about his abilities as GM.
jw, you make a real valid point about this trade being so public. probably not the best tactic for jh and the cubs. but the media smelled this for a long time and coming. the reason less teams were involved in this deal is because Peavy has a full no-trade and the Padres are over a barrel as far as salary dumps are concerned. Peavy is a pitcher that has a real demand, the trouble is he can dictate where he wants to play.
jw, you can’t control what becomes news. The Cubs are much more newsworthy than the White Sox. Kenny Williams doesn’t have a gift for keeping things out of the news. It’s just that unless it’s big enough, people don’t care what the White Sox are doing.