If you're wondering whether the Padres would consider trading Jake Peavy, you're not alone. An executive from another major league club recently had the same thought.
“I did have one particular club ask me about Jake,” General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday.
Towers said he told the inquirer that he's not interested in discussing Peavy – not now, not in the offseason.
SEAN M. HAFFEY / Union-Tribune
Jake Peavy, who has a Petco Park ERA of 1.45, delivers against Atlanta, which he held to four hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts.
|
“To be competitive presently and in the future, you have to have an ace,” Towers said. “Well, A) They're very difficult to develop; B) They're very difficult to acquire or sign as a free agent. We have one of the best pitchers in the National League here signed long term. It makes no sense to move him.”
Towers instead is focused on adding to and learning more about the talent surrounding Peavy. To that end, the Padres hope last night's 4-0 dismissal of the Braves was a preview of sorts.
Supporting Peavy (7-5) as he tossed seven innings at Petco Park, where he's compiled an ERA of 1.45, Scott Hairston, Chase Headley and Jody Gerut powered up the offense.
Hairston, one of the hotter hitters in the majors, tripled and scored in the first inning and doubled and scored in the third.
Headley tripled to lead off the second. The Padres failed to bring him home – one victorious night didn't cure a season's ills – but it was Headley's ninth extra-base hit in 22 games since his recall from Triple-A.
“I think Chase is going to be a great major league player and help this franchise,” Peavy said.
Raising the lead to 4-0 in the sixth, the Padres scored twice when Gerut, improving to 4-for-10 as a pinch hitter, lined an RBI single and the ball got past Braves left fielder Gregor Blanco.
Peavy praised his catcher, rookie Luke Carlin, who has become his batterymate since Josh Bard was injured on May 21. Unable to stop one of Peavy's wicked sliders, Carlin allowed Blanco to reach base in the first. But he then threw him out attempting to steal.
“I can't speak highly enough of Luke Carlin,” Peavy said.
When the Padres score early, Peavy said, it eases his burden, and for the second game in a row, he cruised after Hairston staked him to a 2-0 lead.
Peavy, meantime, drew praise from manager Bud Black by breaking out his fourth-best pitch, a curveball, which Black said “planted seeds” in the minds of Braves hitters.
Peavy allowed four hits and a walk. He welcomed not only the outcome but the quick pace, because he had backstage passes for a concert last night in Chula Vista by country singer Toby Keith.
“I've got a limo waiting,” Peavy said before rushing out.
As for the idea of ever trading Peavy, it was discussed by the Padres' front office last offseason, when Peavy was coming off a Cy Young Award-winning season in 2007 and the salaries of other front-line pitchers such as Johan Santana were soaring to about $20 million per year.
The Padres would trumpet an extension they brokered with Peavy in December – but early in the process, it was far from a fait accompli. Towers, in fact, told an industry source in November that when the GM canvassed other Padres evaluators, the majority was split between advocating a trade and going forward without an extension.
In the end, the scenario that received the fewest votes is what played out – the Padres added three guaranteed years and $52 million to the contract, plus full no-trade powers through 2010.
“Me signing that big contract, I realize I need to be that guy every fifth day who, we're going to have a chance to win,” Peavy said last night, without prompting.
Said Black: “When he's pitching anywhere, there's just a little different feeling. He sets a tone on his day. You know that from the time he goes out there, he's pitching with a lot of emotion. Our guys feed off that.”
Tom Krasovic: (619) 293-2207; tom.krasovic@uniontrib.com
