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May
28
2009
Take Jake: A Fightins Dot Com Campaign
Posted by at 8:55 am ET 29 Comments

Last week, the Chicago White Sox were within inches of trading for past and future perennial Cy Young winner, Jake Peavy. Both the Sox and the San Diego Padres signed off on the deal, but the one party who didn’t approve the trade was the man himself, Peavy, who has a full no-trade clause. Which, in layman’s terms, means that he can veto any trade to any team. In this case, Peavy didn’t want to play for the White Sox, a team that consists of aging veterans who are routinely getting beat by the Kansas City Royals. I’d say ol’ Jake made the right move.

Peavy has made it abundantly clear that he wants to stay in the National League, and thus far, his most likely suitors have been the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. However, the Padres would be wisely reticent to move Peavy to a division rival, and the Cubs’ financial problems might prove to be a stumbling block when it comes to obtaining the right-handed pitcher.

So, what does that mean? Maybe nothing, maybe everything. The Padres have been in the middle of a winning streak that puts them just a stone’s throw at 7.5 games behind the Dodgers for the National League west lead. Of course, no one expects the Padres to keep up that pace, so it’s safe to say that the Fadders are going to be looking for a suitor for Peavy before July. After all, San Diego is a financially challenged team, and Peavy is going to be owed over 17 million simoleans with a 22 million dollar option for 2013.

So if Peavy is to get traded, it’s going to be to a team that has (1) payroll flexibility, (2) a winning pedigree that Peavy could thrive in, (3) A National League team, and (4) A team of kickass bloggers who sell shirts.

1: After 2009, the Phillies can kiss goodbye the contracts of Adam Eaton and Geoff Jenkins. Brett Myers, assuming he doesn’t re-sign, is off the books as well. Not to mention the Phillies are selling tickets hand-over-fist, so it won’t be too much trouble to raise the payroll.

2. The Phillies have a core of players that is locked up for the foreseeable future. Utley, Howard and Rollins are all in their primes, and Ibanez, Werth and Victorino aren’t going anywhere until at least after 2010. This is a team that is built to win, and built to win now.

3. The Philadelphia Phillies are in the National League. Check and mate.

4. I don’t know why Peavy has a preference for a team that has a kickass team of bloggers, but I digress. TheFightins dot com brings it, and it brings it hard. Our players even talk about our shirts on television. Beat that, Pittsburgh Pirates.

But in all seriousness, the Phillies have no reason to at least not try to bring Peavy to the City of Brotherly Love. Putting him behind Hamels and in front of Myers would give the Phillies the best rotation in the National League, without question.

The Chicago White Sox offered the Padres a good package of prospects, but nothing that the Phillies couldn’t match or even exceed. There is a lot to be said about giving up the farm for one player, but Jake Peavy is a winning lottery ticket that the Phillies can cash for the next four years.

So this is to you, Ruben. Go after Peavy. Don’t take no for an answer. This team could be a dynasty that will dominate the NL east until well into the next decade. And you will be the architect of it. Ruben Amaro, Jr., the man who brought Peavy to Philly. The man who turned the 2008 champs into the 2009 champs. And the 2010 champs. And so on, and so on.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

[Writer's Note: This was written before the final game against the Marlins, and before Brett Myers left the game with a hip injury. Until the results from his MRI come back, we have to assume the worst. And that, my friends, is that our number two pitcher is going to miss some significant playing time. Which means the Phillies are going to need to get another pitcher, and they are going to need to get one pronto. And although Peavy is the White Whale (and 'Take Jake' has such a nice ring to it - Thanks Chamo), the Phils could go after any of the available pitchers. Erik Bedard. Roy Oswalt. Jason Marquis *shudder*. Brad Penny *double shudder*. The point is, there are available pitchers out there who can help the Phillies in 2009. And the front office needs to make a move.]

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  • PhillyCubano

    I know im in the minority, but Id rather not get Peavy. Im not very comfortable giving him that much money for that long of a time. Id rather wait it out either way, and try to get another Joe Blanton type pickup. Peavy could become much more desirable though depending on how things turn out as the seaso goes on.

  • BDuns

    It’s time to make a splash. We don’t do it that often; this is a big one, but the upside could be great. Hard to sell the farm, but they won’t want everyone (although they will want a lot).

    No risk, No reward.

  • http://housethatglanvillebuilt.blogspot.com Reverend Paul Revere

    I’d definitely welcome Peavy if he’d welcome us … and I would sell the farm. Our best farm players are Jason Donald, blocked by Utley/Rollins, Lou Marson, blocked by Chooch, and John Mayberry, blocked by Victorino/Werth/Ibanez, and Carrasco … who kind of stinks. This team has a 3-year window, might as well maximize it.

    Oh, and no disrespect to Cole, but, uh, you’d definitely have to put Peavy ahead of him, not behind him. Though I guess that doesn’t really matter. And Cole does have the postseason pedigree, so maybe Cole 1, Peavy 2 would be fine.

    Come on, Jake. Just say yes.

  • D. Whitmore

    drabek,carrasco,donald,mayberry/harman/savery

    im guessing savery since the dads have really no lhp in their system, but chalk me up as the one who is calling peavy’s shoulder injury within the next year and a half, and also chalk me up as the idiot than everyone can make fun of if he goes on to win the cy young with another club.

    and i also dont want to here him complain about the “bandbox” and make excuses, john smoltz style

  • http://phillieslongdrive.wordpress.com/ Tug Haines

    Taschner for Oswalt, straight-up.

  • Gaze

    All of our major league ready prospects are blocked by a starter with a long term deal and are backed up by someone who is arguably just as good as they are with the exception of maybe Jason Donald.

    Any of Carrasco, Mayberry, Savery, Marson, or Harman are easy trade bait.

  • Harry

    “Oh, and no disrespect to Cole, but, uh, you’d definitely have to put Peavy ahead of him, not behind him. ”

    yea you’re an idiot

  • AJ

    take jake sounds like a possible shirt campaign haha

  • Jordan

    harry, why not peavy in front of cole? not that it really matters whose 1 or 2 but still?

  • Harry

    @Jordan – becuase Hamels is a better pitcher than Peavy

  • Jordan

    i don’t know about that. peavy won the triple crown and cy young in 07, but i guess cole does have the world series mvp. i think peavy is the better pitcher, but thats not to say cole won’t be a better pitcher when its all said and done.

  • PhillyCubano

    @ Rev

    it would be 1a and 1b, but if you want to talk postseason experience, just about any name you want to throw out there has better stats than Peavy in his 2 starts

  • Bmel

    I must say as a met fan the phillies probably have a better shot than most teams to acquire peavy. They have the prospects to get it done, however, this article fails to mention that Peavy wants to be as close to the west coast as possible. I think for that simple reason, Peavy will not be a Met or Philly or any other east coast team

  • REALTOR HECTOR

    We are very upset in San Diego that the Owners are considering trading Peavy, and putting Kevin Towers in that uncomfortable position, but I would hate to see Peavy pitching in LA, so please Phillies, put up a superb package and enjoy him, he is a bulldog, and a class act.

  • ATLDanny

    Peavy is gonna end up somewhere other than San Diego if he is open to the idea…there is no question. San Diego should trade him and think about trading Adrian Gonzalez. With those two, they could obtain enough prospects to completely rebuild their organization. I think you make a good case as to why the Phillies should go after him. He would definitely have an offense supporting him, which he doesn’t really have in San Diego. His ERA will jump a little because of the shorter ballpark, but he will still be the Peavy of old I think. Some things you may want to consider though:

    The Phillies farm team would be stripped completely in order to come up with a better deal than the White Sox were offering (and especially for what the Braves were offering over the offseason, which they were dumb not to take frankly…and that shows now). Yes, it would give the Phillies a solid, consistent ace, which they don’t have right now since Hamels is not pitching like his normal dominant self (although I have no doubt he will pick it back up). There are other factors to creating a dynasty though. Sure, Peavy may give the Phillies an edge for this season, but what about after that with no farm team left? Just something to consider. I’m not saying it’s a reason to not try…the management will just have to keep this in consideration.

    Also, would he accept this deal? Phils are in the NL…they have a good offense to support him…but his fellow pitchers? Hamels isn’t himself (although like I said, I know he will turn it around), Myers was inconsistent at best before getting hurt, and he was a legitimate candidate to replace the Lidge that we all saw a couple years ago (who is showing his face right now), because Myers was a dominant closer who was exciting. Moyer is showing his age. Blanton is mediocre at best, and the 5th spot is not even worth mentioning at the moment. Peavy and Hamels will give you two games to win, but the Braves showed two years ago…two dominant pitchers in your rotation is not enough (Hudson, Smoltz). The other 3 have to perform. I don’t see that happening in Philadelphia. Their rotation needs serious work.

    Just some things to consider…not saying you’re right or wrong, just keep these things in mind.

  • ATLDanny

    And yeah…Peavy deserves to be ahead of Hamels in the rotation…

  • SBennis

    PETCO park is like pre-humidor COORS on steroids for pitchers. Peavy is NOT as good as Hamels. He is not a legitimate ace. Check out his career home/road splits. We do have good prospects not mentioned here yet; notably Donald Brown, Michael Taylor and Jason Knapp (#’s 1/6/10 on Baseball America’s top 10 Phils propsects), which is part of the reason the system vaulted to #12 on BA’s talent rankings. The question isn’t whether we have enough to deal for him without leveling the system, rather it’s a combination of just how good Peavy will be outside PETCO and whether the Pads are picking up any of his contract. The less they pay the less we give, it’s as simple as that. Getting Peavy would put us in the drivers seat for the division title this year so if it can be done at a reasonable cost then by all means go for it. If we have to pick up the tab and give up three of our 5 best prospects, well the history of trades is against these kinds working out well for the receiving team.

  • Dax

    Cole Hamels is significantly better than Jake Peavy.

    1. The NL East has much better hitters than the NL West.
    2. CBP is a hitter-friendly park; PETCO is the most pitcher friendly park in MLB.
    3. Peavy has a Cy Young. Barry Zito has a Cy Young.

    I’m not saying

  • Jordan

    “He is not a legitimate ace.”

    Are you fucking high? He would be the ace on almost any team in the national league. There is a reason the phillies would have to give up a lot of good prospects for this guy. Maybe people just don’t realize it because he plays in San Diego, but Peavy is a REALLY good pitcher. I think he’s better than Hamels, but he’s definately not worse, and if Hamels is better it is only by a little bit.

  • http://www.michaeldunbar.mw-ins.com Mike

    Peavy is the only thing keeping the Pads from dwelling with the Nats. When he is on, he is the most unhittable picture in the MLB. More importantly, he brings a loyalty and intensity that is unrivaled in the modern game. He is the rare ballplayer that makes his teammates better. Over 162 games, attitude and intensity matter. Attitude, or lack thereof, is why the Yanks have become bombs, not bombers the past few years. If the Phils can see the future, they will trade potential for reality. Peavy would allow Hamels to become a dominant #2. The future would be so bright we even be wearing shades at night games!

  • D-Hater

    I have to agree with SBennis to an extent. There has to be a reason he has a no trade clause. It’s not because the Padres are so good and battling for the post season every year-it’s because PETCO is a pitcher’s park. However, Peavy is a legitimate ace. If he is willing to come to Philly we could use him now that Myers is hurt. Ruben does need to get this deal done at whatever cost. I don’t want to see them use Mayberry as trade bait, but that seems to be what they’re doing. Why else is he up here show casing his skills. There just isn’t room on the roster for him once Romero comes back. I would like to see Ruben keep Mayberry and trade Werth. More upside in the future.

  • Harry

    @Jordan

    No offense, but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Did you factor in the division Peavy pitches? Did you account for park values? I’m pretty sure you didn’t. Also consider that Peavy is a fly ball pitcher, which wouldn’t be good for someone pitching in CBP. Everyone who actually understands how to value pitchers will all tell you Hamels is better. Take a look at Peavy’s road splits, they aren’t that impressive. This article does a good job of explaining why Peavy is overrated. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/peavy-to-the-white-sox

    I’m not saying he is not a good pitcher, he just isn’t as good as Hamels.

  • Harry

    Also would like to add that if the Phillies do trade for Peavy then they will almost certainly be giving up way too much for someone of his value. Combine that with the money owed to him and you have yourself a pretty bad trade. I don’t even know why we’re discussing this, there is a 0% chance Peavy will want to come to Philly.

  • Michael

    pretty amazing how little people know when it comes to evaluating players in the MLB. Peavy better than Hamels!?!?! WTF. Its like they look up a pitchers stats and assume someone is better because they have a lower ERA.

  • will.H

    “and the 5th spot is not even worth mentioning at the moment”

    ATLDanny, do you mean J.A Happ whos 3-0 with an ERA hovering around 3? His two starts werent too shabby, what do you mean by not worth mentioning?

  • Mike

    Even Hamel’s parents know Peavy is better! It just goes to prove that you doubters arent allowed to stay up late enough to actually watch west coast games.

  • http://phillieslongdrive.wordpress.com/ Tug Haines

    Too many dicks on the dancefloor.

  • Harry

    “Even Hamel’s parents know Peavy is better! It just goes to prove that you doubters arent allowed to stay up late enough to actually watch west coast games.”

    no.

    “ATLDanny, do you mean J.A Happ whos 3-0 with an ERA hovering around 3? His two starts werent too shabby, what do you mean by not worth mentioning?”

    no he’s referring to that bum jamie moyer. haap is the phillies 2nd best starter right now

  • Philly Extreme

    I agree to do just about anything to get Peavy because the staff is what is holding us back. Soon, Romero comes back and helps the pen so the focus should be the starters. Unfortunately, I believe it will be our gorgeous ballpark that keeps Peavy from coming here. I hope it happens but am not getting hopes to high. Go Phils!!!

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R.I.P Harry Kalas