NewsPeavy's agent: Nothing against White Sox
Veto of trade by Padres ace wasn't referendum on team
By Bobbie Dittmeier / MLB.com
06/02/09 7:49 AM ET
Jake Peavy's decision last month to exercise his no-trade clause and veto a potential deal that would have sent him to the White Sox did not reflect a negative view of the organization, his agent told the Chicago Tribune on Monday."It was not that Jake didn't want to come to the White Sox," agent Barry Alexrod said. "He felt very uncomfortable being put in the position to have to publicly render his verdict on whether to go or stay. We would rather these things stay private. But that is hard to do these days with blogging and texting and people in the clubhouse. These things always come out. And it did.
"That being said, he didn't say he didn't want to be on the White Sox. What he said was, 'Right now, all things considered, it is better for me and my family to stay in San Diego than it is to accept a deal to the White Sox.' "
The Padres and White Sox agreed on May 21 to a potential 4-for-1 deal that reportedly included Chicago's top pitching prospects in Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard, but Peavy blocked it.
San Diego has been seeking since last offseason to trade Peavy, who after this season will have three years and $48 million, with a $22 million team option for 2013, remaining on his contract.
The 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner has said that he wants to remain in the NL. The Padres and Cubs held discussions during the offseason, and speculation remains that a trade could be made once the sale of the team is completed.
The Cubs' owner, Tribune Co., has a potential buyer in investment banker Tom Ricketts, but he has yet to finalize his financing for the team, Wrigley Field and a share of Comcast SportsNet.
Even though he cited family reasons for declining a trade to the White Sox, would Peavy accept a trade to the crosstown Cubs?
"I have no idea," Axelrod told the Tribune. "I know there's frustration in [Chicago] about how long it is taking to accomplish the [sale] transaction. I have always said that this is a hard deal to make because the team that seeks to acquire Jake Peavy is going to take on a significant financial responsibility in terms of his future contract. And also, according to the reports, they are going to have to give up some decent young players in exchange.
"Among the factors that are important to Jake are that he go to a competitive team that is going to remain competitive, or at least have a chance to remain competitive. He has a strong preference that it would be a National League team, and we have stated that from the beginning."
Bobbie Dittmeier is an editor/producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
