Why the Brewers and Jake Peavy are the Perfect Match

Even though the winter meetings have began, I have heard almost nothing regarding the Jake Peavy talks except for a potential trade to the Chicago Cubs. To me, that trade is nothing more than a pipe dream because the Cubs do not have much to offer the Padres for Peavy. The inclusion of a possible third team keeps this potential deal on life support, but I don't see it happening.

The Padres are struggling to find a suitor for their former CY Young award winner. There is no doubt that they are in quite the pickle. Owner John Moores impending divorce means that the Padres need to cut more payroll beginning with Peavy. And as we have discussed before, Peavy's no trade clause complicates matters greatly. GM Kevin Towers is in a bind, and everyone is baseball knows it.

But I still think there is a team that makes a whole lot of sense for Peavy and the Padres.

The Brewers.

Yes the Brew Crew, who are coming off an improbable playoff birth over my beloved New York Mets would be a perfect fit. Let's go down the list:

1. Peavy wants to be traded to an NL team:
-the Brewers obviously fit the bill

2. The Brewers will probably need two pitchers to replace Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia, both of whom will probably leave via free agency. Most importantly, they will need to find an ace:
-Peavy obviously fills this potentially glaring hole for the Brewers.

3. The Brewers have salary constraints:
-Have no fear! Peavy is signed to a very reasonable contract that runs through 2012 with a club option for 2013. If the Brewers are going to get an ace at an affordable rate, Peavy's their guy.

4. The Padres want young players are prospects in return:
-A potential deal with the Braves hit a major snag when the Braves refused to part with some of their better prospects, but I don't think the Padres would encounter the same problem here.

For starters, the Brewers have a pretty good farm system led by Mat Gamel, Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress, Cole Gillespie, Taylor Greene, Lorenzo Cain, and Angel Salome. The Padres could definitely get one, probably even two of those guys in any deal for Peavy (NOT Gamel though).

Also, the Padres would have a pretty good selection of young players to look at from the Brewers major league club: OF Tony Gwynn Jr, SS JJ Hardy, P Manny Parra, and P Carlos Villanueva. These guys are young, talented and cheap; which is exactly what the Padres are looking for. There are countless scenarios in which the Brewers could come up with a package that would satisfy the Padres asking price.

And finally, I think the Brewers would be more willing to trade their prospects because Sabathia and Sheets are type A free agents, meaning that since the Brewers offered each guy arbitration, the team will receive two high draft picks as compensation. Their farm system will be quickly replenished with talent and their major league club would have an ace.

So let Sabathia and Sheets go Doug Melvin...and bring Peavy to town. This move works in both the short term and long term. Make it happen.

And as for you Mr. Peavy, I can understand not wanting to go to Milwaukee, but it's going to be mighty awkward returning to San Diego...don't cha think? Waiving your no trade clause to pitch for Brewers offers you stability and most importantly, a place where your wanted. Can't put a price on that, can ya?
(Photo: CNN)