If every blogger for every MLB team other than the White Sox isn't playing this game this morning, they should hang up their keyboard and retire.
In case you missed it, yesterday Jake Peavy vetoed a trade that would have sent him from the Padres to the White Sox. Apparently, he has no interest in playing in the south side of Chicago. Rumor has it that he would prefer to be traded to an NL team. Know any that could use some starting pitching?
I do. The Philadelphia Phillies.
So here's the game. What would you give up for Jake Peavy? Keep in mind that he's owed $63M over the next four years (including this year and through 2012). He also has a $22M club option in 2013 (or a $4M buyout).
On performance, there are few better in baseball over the past several years. In four of the last five years, Peavy's ERA has been under 3.00. In three of the last four years, he's struck out 215 or more batters. Other than his rookie year, he's started 27 games or more each year. The plaudits can go on and on. Check out his full stats here.
Of course, there's a bit of a rub. He currently pitches in an extreme pitchers' park, and, as we all know, Citizens Bank Park is far from that. Peavy is a flyball pitcher, and there's no way his stats would be as good as a Phillie. But, there's also no way he'd have a 7.62 ERA, or 7.11, or 6.88.
And one last piece to the puzzle before the game starts. The reported deal the Padres agreed to involved all pitching prospects coming over from the White Sox.
So which Phillies would you trade for Peavy?