The offseason is always full of so much gossip that no one knows when to believe a possible trade or not. Well folks I’m here to tell you that no matter how big of a pipe dream or fantasy trade it seems, the reality of Jake Peavy joining the Cubs rotation is real. Of the three teams involved, Braves, Dodgers, Cubs (Astros and Yanks if you believe some), the Cubs have put forth the best and most comprehended offer. The Pads GM Kevin Towers and Cubs GM Jim Hendry have hooked up in the past on several deals and the two are very good friends outside of their business relationship. So what are the Cubs are offering? Is it a good deal? Why are the Padres looking to trade their star player? All those questions and more will be answered if you keep on reading…

The availability of the 27 year old superstar starter Jake Peavy has many fans scratching their heads. Why would the Padres openly shop their best player and what do they know that the rest of baseball doesn’t? The truth behind the Padres shopping Jake around is two tiered. The Pads are going through a huge rebuilding phase now, so they want to cut payroll costs for the next few seasons (Moores the SD owner is selling 49% of his club due to a divorce) while stocking up the farm system. There is no better way to do that then trade an ace starting pitcher at the peak of his value. Of course the Padres want his salary off the books for the next few years as Peavy is due 8M in 09, 15M in 10, 16M in 11, 17M in12 and a club option of 22M in 13 or a 4M buyout. In this mess as well is the fact that Peavy holds a complete no-trade clause and has only earmarked a few teams that he’s willing to play for (all my reports have him accepting a deal to 5 NL teams). Plus Peavy knows that his team is looking to take on water the next couple of seasons before they start making progress at bailing, so he wants off a sinking ship. As for the Padres knowing something about Peavy’s arm that the rest of don’t, I highly doubt it, he had a “strained elbow” and missed time due to his new child being born, if he was in the middle of a playoff hunt I doubt he’d miss much if any time.

So what are the Cubs offering the Padres for the primetime ace starter? From what I’ve heard the deal has a possible three different centerpieces as well as a common ground of additional players. Right now the hot name is RHP Jeff Samardzija as the key piece the Padres are looking at, yet Jeff has an MLB contract as well as a full no trade clause. At his best, the Shark is a shutdown closer/reliever, as a starter he doesn’t have the stuff nor the ability to be dominant starter now. The other centerpiece that I’ve heard is 3B Josh Vitters, the Cubs 2007 first round pick out of high school. Scouts love Vitters and see him as a very fast riser through the minors, mainly for his amazing bat as there are some concerns that he won’t stick as a third baseman further down the road. I’m not opposed to dealing Josh at all especially if the return is Peavy. The third name as the centerpiece I find very interesting as Rich Harden’s name has come up. Harden could take over for the Padres as their ace and at a reduced rate of 7M in 2009. So why would the Padres want the 27 year old injury plagued Harden? Rich had an amazing season in both the NL and AL, and he’s lights out when he’s healthy. Put him in PETCO for half his starts and he’s even more effective and could put up eyepopping stats. With 2009 being Harden’s last year on his contract, the odds are even greater that he’ll have a career year. Towers could then deal Harden at midseason for young top prospects or go another route. In that keeping a top producing Harden for an entire season could/would definitely be out of the Padres price range but he’d be a Type A free agent and could garner two top draft picks.

Other than the Cubs’ centerpiece, Hendry would also have to give up several other young MLB ready prospects that could start right now for San Diego. Without question, Felix Pie will be in this deal as the Padres are low on MLB OF and he fits their need of a speedy CF who can cover the expansive grounds of PETCO. Pie is out of options and he doesn’t fit into Piniella’s plans, dealing him is for the best. Another prospect thats likely involved is SS Ronny Cedeno as the Padres are attempting to deal their own SS Khalil Greene because he’s due 6.25M next season. Cedeno is blocked in Chicago by Lou favorites Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot and Ronny has shown he’s ready for a starting job, like Pie dealing Cedeno is for the best. The other prospect(s) involved are likely to be pitcher(s) probably a hardthrower like Veal or Ceda or rubber arms like Chad Gaudin or Sean Marshall.

Usually I’m not a fan of giving up young talent but this circumstance is different from the past ones. The Cubs have a chance to acquire a bonafide young ace starter who’s locked up for years to come at a very good rate. Trading away Vitters, Pie, Cedeno, and Marshall doesn’t hurt the team in it’s current playoff mode run. It might bite us down the road as we have no in-house options to fill up the depth chart that dealing Pie, Cedeno and Marshall take up. Still acquiring a pitcher like Peavy is worth it and look likes a real possibility.  Of course, you cannot rule out the Braves, whom have reportedly centered a deal around Gorkys Hernandez, which would fill the SD void at CF but the Padres want RHP Tommy Hanson or Jair Jurrjens as the centerpiece with Gorkys additionally and including an infielder such as Escobar or Johnson.  Braves GM Wren wants a deal done soon or else he’s threatening to pull out soon as he feels his current offer of CF Hernandez, SS Lillenbridge, and a top pitching prospect not named Hanson is good enough.