Re: Peavy High on Cubs Wish List

[erik316wttn]

Don't worry, guys. We can still get swept in the playoffs without him.

[BigbadB]

the cubs will probably be fine w/o peavy in '09, but their '10 rotation could have been tightened up with peavy. if harden is hurt in '09, the cubs likely won't re-sign him/count on him beyond '09. if he's healthy/effective, he may be looking for a big deal which i'm not sure the cubs will want to give him. would have been nice to have z + peavy in your pocket for the next four seasons.

 

If Harden's healthy, I'm pretty sure they'll resign him. When he's on point, Harden is one of the best pitchers on the league. He'd be worth the money.

 

one healthy season, and you want to give him 4/$48 or something? i kind of want harden for '09 and that's it.

 

Yeah, I don't see the Cubs gambling with Harden beyond this year. Unless Harden's arm issues miraculously disappear, which I don't see happening.

[BigbadB]

LAS VEGAS -- Padres star pitcher Jake Peavy is "frustrated'' by the team's inability to trade him after threatening to do so for months and "shaken'' over the Padres' latest failure to deal him to the Cubs after weeks of talks, Peavy's agent Barry Axelrod said.

 

"We tried to cooperate as best we could,'' Axelrod told SI.com in a phone interview. "Frankly, Jake is frustrated now more than ever. And I'm more frustrated than ever.''

 

Trade talks between the Padres and Cubs broke down with Cubs people complaining about the way San Diego was doing business. But if the Cubs are annoyed (and they are, as several Cubs officials expressed annoyance over the Padres continuing push for more players and the media leaks coming from somewhere that were revelatory about which Cubs were being included in potential deals), Peavy is almost as annoyed.

 

Axelrod provided Padres GM Kevin Towers, a close personal friend of Axelrod's, with a list of five teams Peavy would consider; Peavy has a blanket no-trade clause meaning he'd have to approve any trade. The Cubs were thought to be at or near the top of Peavy's five-team preferred list. So were the Braves, and talks with them broke down weeks ago.

 

Axelrod gave Towers guidance with the list of five that also included the Dodgers, Cardinala dn Astros. But he is under no obligation to provide pre-approved lists.

 

"If they come to us with a trade now, we'll consider it. But there won't be any more lists,'' Axelrod said. "No, we're done with that.''

 

After weeks of waiting, Axelrod indicated that Peavy was becoming adjusted to the idea of moving to Chicago to become a Cub, only to have that possibility pulled out from under him in the latest Padre failure.

 

"It's tough. Jake was pretty shaken by it,'' Axelrod said. "He was starting to think about what life was like to be a Chicago Cub, and now that was taken from him.''

 

All in all, Axelrod was by amazed by the utter waste of the Winter Meetings, where only the Yankees, Mets, Mariners and Indians accomplished anything of note.

 

"It's amazing to me how many people can waste time, money and resources, and get nothing done," Axelrod said. "Baseball moved lock, stock and barrel into that town, and absolutely nothing happened."

 

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/hot_stove/posts/31661-agent-peavy-frustrated-with-padres

"If they come to us with a trade now, we'll consider it. But there won't be any more lists,'' Axelrod said. "No, we're done with that.''

In other words, from now on, they're no longer going to pretend to care about what the Padres get as long as they get what they want. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Towers got a dream deal from the Angels and Peavy nixing it just to show Towers his appreciation for the fine work he did in the trade to where he wanted to go.

 

"It's amazing to me how many people can waste time, money and resources, and get nothing done," Axelrod said. "Baseball moved lock, stock and barrel into that town, and absolutely nothing happened."

I love this line as well. these are strange times in baseball. On one hand you get Johan Santana, without half the restrictions that Peavy had, traded for that so so package. Seriously, Carlos Gomez, who may become as good as Willy Tavares, was the center piece of that trade and Towers kept pushing for more for Peavy.

 

It's good to have Peavy on our side. I wonder how soon a Padre GM will get the green light to hand out an NTC again? You shouldn't hand out NTC's with contract extensions if you don't really mean it.

[kujay]

I'm late to all this, but it sure does seem like this offseason is passing the Cubs by. Perhaps Hendry has another card to play, but who else is left out there that can really help this team? I mean, guys that we could realistically get?

 

The good thing is that the division rivals aren't really doing anything either.

[BigbadB]

I'm late to all this, but it sure does seem like this offseason is passing the Cubs by. Perhaps Hendry has another card to play, but who else is left out there that can really help this team? I mean, guys that we could realistically get?

 

The good thing is that the division rivals aren't really doing anything either.

 

Hendry seemed to have a back up plan in place before they really started being serious about Peavy. Randy Johnson to replace Marquis, Milton Bradley for RF. Marquis money used to absorb one of the contracts.

 

Someone remind me what Brad Penny's deal was last year. Was he having arm issues?

[davearm2]

I'm late to all this, but it sure does seem like this offseason is passing the Cubs by. Perhaps Hendry has another card to play, but who else is left out there that can really help this team? I mean, guys that we could realistically get?

 

The good thing is that the division rivals aren't really doing anything either.

Let's keep things in perspective here. The Cubs had the best and deepest team in the NL last year, and their only key loss has been Wood.

 

Back in October the expectation was that the Cubs were headed for a relatively quiet offseason. Re-signing Dempster and adding a RF were expected to be the extent of their impact moves. So let's not start worrying "this offseason is passing the Cubs by" when their plans were modest to begin with, and are halfway completed (Dempster) with the second half seemingly taking shape nicely with Bradley.

[nilodnayr]

This blows. God forbid the Cubs trade a slightly above average 2B and spare parts for a Cy Young Award winner.

 

especially when they had a trade in place without giving him up

Hey let's not go pretending like we know what exactly was in that offer.

 

I'm certain there's plenty of he-said she-said going on here, but what both the Cubs and especially Axelrod are putting out there now is that the Pads were being completely unreasonable.

 

I'd hate to see what completely unreasonable looks like with no DeRosa involved.

 

all i know is that derosas name popped up way late in the peavy talks

And that proves what?

 

That we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done.

[Soul]

I'm late to all this, but it sure does seem like this offseason is passing the Cubs by. Perhaps Hendry has another card to play, but who else is left out there that can really help this team? I mean, guys that we could realistically get?

 

The good thing is that the division rivals aren't really doing anything either.

Let's keep things in perspective here. The Cubs had the best and deepest team in the NL last year, and their only key loss has been Wood.

 

Back in October the expectation was that the Cubs were headed for a relatively quiet offseason. Re-signing Dempster and adding a RF were expected to be the extent of their impact moves. So let's not start worrying "this offseason is passing the Cubs by" when their plans were modest to begin with, and are halfway completed (Dempster) with the second half seemingly taking shape nicely with Bradley.

 

Yeah, but if you aren't improving, you're dying. I can't say we've improved yet, at all.

[davearm2]

This blows. God forbid the Cubs trade a slightly above average 2B and spare parts for a Cy Young Award winner.

 

especially when they had a trade in place without giving him up

Hey let's not go pretending like we know what exactly was in that offer.

 

I'm certain there's plenty of he-said she-said going on here, but what both the Cubs and especially Axelrod are putting out there now is that the Pads were being completely unreasonable.

 

I'd hate to see what completely unreasonable looks like with no DeRosa involved.

 

all i know is that derosas name popped up way late in the peavy talks

And that proves what?

 

That we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done.

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

[nilodnayr]

"If they come to us with a trade now, we'll consider it. But there won't be any more lists,'' Axelrod said. "No, we're done with that.''

In other words, from now on, they're no longer going to pretend to care about what the Padres get as long as they get what they want. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Towers got a dream deal from the Angels and Peavy nixing it just to show Towers his appreciation for the fine work he did in the trade to where he wanted to go.

 

That's what I'm thinking. I could see Angels offer a deal around Brandon Wood and Nick Adenhart among others to the Padres, and Towers is foaming at the mouth for at the deal and he goes to see if Peavy will waive his NTC, only to watch Peavy reject the trade. It wouldn't surprise me if Peavy/Axelrod tell Towers that it is either the Cubs or he'll stay with the Padres.

 

I think to a degree, the LAA talk is a bluff. They have have Santana, Saunders, and Weaver for the next 3-4 years. Right now they are working on an extention for Lackey. That leaves them with 1 open rotation spot throughout the course of Peavy's contract (and Escobar's signed through next year and I believe healthy again). Not to mention that they are a below average team offensively and have been vehemently against trading away their prospects. It doesn't really add up at all.

[UMFan83]

"If they come to us with a trade now, we'll consider it. But there won't be any more lists,'' Axelrod said. "No, we're done with that.''

In other words, from now on, they're no longer going to pretend to care about what the Padres get as long as they get what they want. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Towers got a dream deal from the Angels and Peavy nixing it just to show Towers his appreciation for the fine work he did in the trade to where he wanted to go.

 

That's what I'm thinking. I could see Angels offer a deal around Brandon Wood and Nick Adenhart among others to the Padres, and Towers is foaming at the mouth for at the deal and he goes to see if Peavy will waive his NTC, only to watch Peavy reject the trade. It wouldn't surprise me if Peavy/Axelrod tell Towers that it is either the Cubs or he'll stay with the Padres.

 

I think to a degree, the LAA talk is a bluff. They have have Santana, Saunders, and Weaver for the next 3-4 years. Right now they are working on an extention for Lackey. That leaves them with 1 open rotation spot throughout the course of Peavy's contract (and Escobar's signed through next year and I believe healthy again). Not to mention that they are a below average team offensively and have been vehemently against trading away their prospects. It doesn't really add up at all.

 

And they'd most likely be losing Tiex and a lot of the money they would have available to sign a potent bat if they traded for him. I'm not sure the talk is a bluff, but I don't think they as serious as the media is making them out to be. But who knows?

[Guest]

This doesn't really add much, but I can't help myself...

 

"Whoo, hoo, hoo - look who knows so much. It turns out your deal is only mostly dead...."

[Tracer Bullet]

This doesn't really add much, but I can't help myself...

 

"Whoo, hoo, hoo - look who knows so much. It turns out your deal is only mostly dead...."

 

There's almost never a time when a Princess Bride quote isn't appropriate.

[CUBZ99]

This doesn't really add much, but I can't help myself...

 

"Whoo, hoo, hoo - look who knows so much. It turns out your deal is only mostly dead...."

 

haha, finally a funny comment after 137 pgs.

[AZCub]

Hendry has made the right move here. He holds ALL the bargaining power, and Towers has none. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

 

Towers comes out of this looking like a fool…he was too public with his information, his deadlines, his demands, his mandate to move payroll, etc…and it cost him. Hendry knows it. He knows the asking price was too high, and refused to sacrifice the depth of this team for this move. Towers now has an extremely disappointed player in Peavy who will want nothing to do with SD, to the point that he might not waive his NTC for ANYBODY except the Cubs.

 

Towers just handed Peavy and Hendry complete control in this situation. I’m awaiting the tail between the legs conversations between Towers and Hendry in the next few weeks.

[nilodnayr]

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

 

what was that package?

[davearm2]

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

 

what was that package?

I'm talking about the package you referenced when you said "especially when they had a trade in place without giving him (DeRosa) up," and later "we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done."

 

Those quotes clearly imply Hendry should've taken the offer, so I figured you'd know what was in it.

 

The only thing I know about it is that it's been described by the agent as unreasonable, and by the Cubs as a Herschel Walker-type deal.

[kujay]

I'm late to all this, but it sure does seem like this offseason is passing the Cubs by. Perhaps Hendry has another card to play, but who else is left out there that can really help this team? I mean, guys that we could realistically get?

 

The good thing is that the division rivals aren't really doing anything either.

Let's keep things in perspective here. The Cubs had the best and deepest team in the NL last year, and their only key loss has been Wood.

 

Back in October the expectation was that the Cubs were headed for a relatively quiet offseason. Re-signing Dempster and adding a RF were expected to be the extent of their impact moves. So let's not start worrying "this offseason is passing the Cubs by" when their plans were modest to begin with, and are halfway completed (Dempster) with the second half seemingly taking shape nicely with Bradley.

 

Yeah, but if you aren't improving, you're dying. I can't say we've improved yet, at all.

 

That's my point. Basically, with this team as constituted presently (and even adding Bradley), they make the playoffs again. But are they equipped to win it all? I don't think so.

 

But, perhaps by the trade deadline the ownership situation will be settled and they can make additions then.

[nilodnayr]

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

 

what was that package?

I'm talking about the package you referenced when you said "especially when they had a trade in place without giving him (DeRosa) up," and later "we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done."

 

Those quotes clearly imply Hendry should've taken the offer, so I figured you'd know what was in it.

 

The only thing I know about it is that it's been described by the agent as unreasonable, and by the Cubs as a Herschel Walker-type deal.

 

Original deals seemed to center on us trading Pie for Olson and flipping him with Marshall, Vitters, Cedeno, et al to SD. That seemed like a more reasonable price to pay.

 

The only time I saw "unreasonable" attributed to Axelrod was yesterday, after all the DeRosa hullabaloo.

 

It seemed like as the winter meetings started and continued reports insinuated that the amount of value we were going to have to trade away to get Peavy grew and grew...and thats what I think Axelrod was refering to as unreasonable.

[David]

That's my point. Basically, with this team as constituted presently (and even adding Bradley), they make the playoffs again. But are they equipped to win it all? I don't think so.

 

But, perhaps by the trade deadline the ownership situation will be settled and they can make additions then.

 

If you're in the playoffs, you're equipped to win it all.

 

I'm not whatsoever arguing that the Cubs shouldn't be trying to improve. But I'm tired of seeing this argument made. The Cubs were the best team in the NL (and one of the 2 or 3 best in baseball) and got swept out of the first round. If you're in it, you can win it all. How good you actually are doesn't even matter that much.

 

Again, allow me to stress that I'm not arguing that the Cubs shouldn't be improving. They should always look to improve and being the best team in the playoffs certainly gives you the best chance, albeit not by all that much.

[SouthSideRyan]

Some stuff

 

I can't decide

 

A. which part of this was the greatest. I mean I read one sentence and loved it, and then the one right after it managed to out do it. Just epic.

 

B. If this is the best post in the thread, or if deucebaseman still holds the crown.

[davearm2]

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

 

what was that package?

I'm talking about the package you referenced when you said "especially when they had a trade in place without giving him (DeRosa) up," and later "we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done."

 

Those quotes clearly imply Hendry should've taken the offer, so I figured you'd know what was in it.

 

The only thing I know about it is that it's been described by the agent as unreasonable, and by the Cubs as a Herschel Walker-type deal.

 

Original deals seemed to center on us trading Pie for Olson and flipping him with Marshall, Vitters, Cedeno, et al to SD. That seemed like a more reasonable price to pay.

 

The only time I saw "unreasonable" attributed to Axelrod was yesterday, after all the DeRosa hullabaloo.

 

It seemed like as the winter meetings started and continued reports insinuated that the amount of value we were going to have to trade away to get Peavy grew and grew...and thats what I think Axelrod was refering to as unreasonable.

I don't buy for a second that Towers started off at a reasonable position, but then upped his demands as the week went along. That makes no logical sense whatsoever.

 

Much more likely is that Towers started high, but was being unreasonable by being unwilling to come down on his initial demands to find a mutually-agreeable compromise. Under that interpretation, both the with- and without-DeRosa packages were exorbitant.

[Jehrico]

I don't think anyone ever disputed that.

 

All Hendry had to do was accept a completely unreasonable offer, and both Peavy and DeRosa would be ours.

 

Is that what you're suggesting should've happened?

 

what was that package?

I'm talking about the package you referenced when you said "especially when they had a trade in place without giving him (DeRosa) up," and later "we didn't/don't need to get rid of DeRosa to get this deal done."

 

Those quotes clearly imply Hendry should've taken the offer, so I figured you'd know what was in it.

 

The only thing I know about it is that it's been described by the agent as unreasonable, and by the Cubs as a Herschel Walker-type deal.

If anyone isn't familiar with the Herschel Walker deal, it was a trade between the Cowboys and Vikings in 1989. The Cowboys came away with something like 4-5 role players and 6 draft picks that they kept (two or three others they traded). It was basically one superstar for a whole bunch of stuff. It's generally regarded as the worst trade ever (or best, depending on your viewpoint) in sports history, and is largely responsible for setting up the dynasty that Dallas had in the 90s. This trade crippled Minnesota for a good decade. If Towers really was looking for a Walker type of package, I'm glad as hell that Hendry backed out.

[TheDude]

I need to get a phone number for Towers. I need that cat in my weekly poker game.

[Little Slide Rooter]

He says Kevin Towers kept putting Sean Marshall on the table, but the Cubs never agreed to it. I received the same info in talking to a source yesterday (see the 5:02pm update).

 

 

Please tell me that Sean Marshall wasnt one of the main obstacles in this deal? While I can see Hendry not wanting let let DeRosa go, I would give up Marshall for Peavy in a heartbeat.