Peavy and Gwynn Updates

Thurday May 21, 2009

With all the news today about trades and possible trades an update is in order.

1st, Jake Peavy exercised his no trade clause and will not be going to the Chicago White Sox at this point?

YAY!!!! I get to see Jake Peavy pitch in Petco at least one more time and to me, that is pretty special. He is one of the best pitchers I have ever had the privilege of watching play in a Padres uniform and I appreciate each and every opportunity I have to watch him work his magic.

Why did Peavy decline to accept the trade? The PC answer is that he wants to keep his family in San Diego and play in the NL. The real answer is probably more complicated than that and may include the fact that the White Sox are playing worse than the Padres and that the White Sox may or may not have been willing to guarantee Peavy's $22 million option year.

Will Peavy still be traded this season? The answer is probably. To whom? My guess would be, to the Chicago CUBS once the sale of the franchise to the Ricketts family is finalized. According to several sources, the team may finalize the sale as soon as this coming week.

In other trade news, Tony Gwynn Jr. WILL join the Padres and wear number 18. Tony light? pum dum pum.

Many media outlets reported that Gwynn, who has struggled to hit major league pitching in parts of 3 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, would join the Padres AAA farm club in Portland.

Bringing in the good fielding but light hitting Gwynn in exchange for the good fielding and power hitting Gerut appears to be a salary dump and a feeble attempt at good PR on the cheap. If the Padres had thought highly enough of Gwynn Jr to keep him in the major leagues, they could have had him for the price of a waiver claim in mid April when the Brewers designated him for assignment.

Gwynn will never be his father and likely will never be even as good as the 4th outfielder options the Padres have in Macias and Venable.

I would expect that when Cliff Floyd is ready to come off the DL, Gwynn will be sent down to AAA.

To recap, I am happy to say we will have at least one more chance to see Peavy pitch at Petco after he declined to waive his no trade clause and Tony Jr. will be in a Padres jersey tonight.