Don't Trade Peavy

Just last season, the Padres signed stud SP Jake Peavy to a reasonable 3 year/$52 million dollar extension after Peavy unanimously won the NL CY Young award. However, just a year later, the Padres are now apparently trying their best to trade Peavy in an effort to maximize his value. Gm Kevin Towers apparently saw the Orioles bounty for Erik Bedard last season and is trying to move fast in order to upgrade the Padres horrific offense. To me, trading Peavy would be a mistake, unless they received a A++++++ stud position player in return. While the temptation to move Peavy will be high, Towers has to understand that Peavy is not Johan Santana or Erik Bedard. Peavy is a wonderful person and teammate who wants to stay in San Diego. He has reiterated that over and over again.

Towers can try to justify moving Peavy by saying that the Padres, who lost 99 games this season, cannot afford to keep Peavy because they want to rebuild, but I say thats a load of bull. Before 2008, the Padres made the playoffs for two consecutive seasons and seemed to be a team on the rise entering this season. This team still has the makings of a contender and to top it all off, they play in a ballpark that is very pitcher friendly. Behind Peavy and SP Chris Young, the Padres should have a great 1-2 punch, especially at PETCO park.

Jake Peavy is a flat out dominant ace. He doesn't just produce quality starts, he produces seasons with an ERA under three like its clockwork. Guys like that are few and far between. Furthermore, the contract Peavy signed is very team friendly! Given the fact that Peavy could/should have signed a mega deal like Johan Santana, the Padres should be grateful that Peavy re-upped with them at such a great price. I also understand that his contract could be a major selling point because the contract is so good. The Padres could make a killing on Peavy. Towers is probably looking at 3 premium level players (2 major league ready) in addition to whatever else he wants. That kind of deal doesn't come around that often either.

But please Mr. Towers, the Padres had one bad season. The problem here is not the pitching, the problem is instead about your inability to spend some money developing quality hitters or signing big bats. Move on from Trevor Hoffman. Move on from Brian Giles. That's $16.5 mil right there to spend. Take a chance on a free agent bat this season (Furcal? Hudson?) and start spending some money in the draft on quality bats. That's the problem here. And you know what, the Padres have a legitimate chance to compete next season...with Peavy. I would take my chances with Peavy and Young in a short playoff series...wouldn't you? Trading Peavy would be a sign to the fan base that a long, unnecessary rebuilding effort is underway, which would be tragic.