I'll just start by saying last night turned out fantastic for Padre fans---we keep Jake Peavy a little longer, we lose Jody Gerut (sorry to see you go, Jody!) but Tony Gwynn Jr. makes a key contribution with the game on the line (and a standing ovation at Petco).  And Hairston with a walk-off hit---how does he do that?--to keep a win streak going.

I was debating the merits of a Peavy trade with a friend of mine (he's a Mets fan, so you'll see why his examples are Mets-heavy).  I don't want to see Peavy go, at all, but I guess I'm resigned to it at this point---Becky and John need the money to fight over in court, I guess. 

Anyway, we started digging up a history of trades for pitcher's of roughly Peavy's caliber--meaning Cy Young award winners, pitchers otherwise thought to be at the top of the heap.  I know history is no predictor of what might happen for the Padres should Peavy get dealt.....but I'm really, really not encouraged by what kind of return teams have often gotten.  Talk up prospects all you want, it's a risky business.

There are a couple good deals in here for the team dealing the pitcher.....but there are more often a whole bunch of names, all of whom I'm sure scouts rated very highly at the time, of people you've never heard from again. 

Check it out and see what you think:

 

Randy Johnson - July 31, 1998: Traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Houston Astros for Freddy Garcia and Carlos Guillen. The Houston Astros sent John Halama (October 1, 1998) to the Seattle Mariners to complete the trade.

Tom Seaver - June 15, 1977: Traded by the New York Mets to the Cincinnati Reds for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman and Pat Zachry

Bret Saberhagen - December 11, 1991: Traded by the Kansas City Royals with Bill Pecota to the New York Mets for Gregg Jefferies, Kevin McReynolds and Keith Miller.

July 31, 1995: Traded by the New York Mets with a player to be named later to the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later, Arnold Gooch (minors) and Juan Acevedo. TheNew York Mets sent David Swanson (minors) (August 4, 1995) to the Colorado Rockies to complete the trade.

Roger Clemens - February 18, 1999: Traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Yankees for Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd and David Wells.

Bartolo Colon - June 27, 2002: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Tim Drew to the Montreal Expos for Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens.

January 15, 2003: Traded by the Montreal Expos with Jorge Nunez (minors) to the Chicago White Sox for Rocky Biddle, Orlando Hernandez, Jeff Liefer and cash.

 

Jack Mcdowell - December 14, 1994: Traded by the Chicago White Sox to the New York Yankees for Keith Heberling (minors). The New York Yankees sent Lyle Mouton (April 22, 1995) to theChicago White Sox to complete the trade.

 

Frank Viola - July 31, 1989: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Mets for Rick Aguilera, Tim Drummond, Kevin Tapani and David West. The New York Mets sent Jack Savage (October 16, 1989) to the Minnesota Twins to complete the trade.

 

David Cone - March 27, 1987: Traded by the Kansas City Royals with Chris Jelic to the New York Mets for Rick Anderson, Mauro Gozzo and Ed Hearn.

August 27, 1992: Traded by the New York Mets to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Kent. The Toronto Blue Jays sent Ryan Thompson (September 1, 1992) to the New York Mets to complete the trade.

April 6, 1995: Traded by the Kansas City Royals to the Toronto Blue Jays for David Sinnes (minors), Tony Medrano (minors) and Chris Stynes.

July 28, 1995: Traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Yankees for Jason Jarvis (minors), Mike Gordon (minors) and Marty Janzen.

Johan Santana:  February 2, 2008: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Mets for Deolis Guerra (minors), Kevin Mulvey (minors), Carlos Gomez and Philip Humber.

 

With the Santana trade, it's definitely still too early to tell how that turned out for the Twins.  But overall, I'm not particularly pleased with most of the return for a top of the rotation guy.  There's exactly ONE deal, here, the Colon deal that gets you Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips, that is the dream return.  I know this is what we're hoping for if Peavy (sadly) has to go.....but it's pretty rare.

Feels sort of familiar, doesn't it, down here? It's been awhile.  It's dark.  I can't really feel anything.  Hard to say how long we've been down here.  What year is it? 2002? 2001? Lost track.

I'm glad this happened.  Okay, not glad.  But it's like reading a Beckett novel--it's claustrophobic and awful, but you're so far down, you're pretty certain the awfulness counts for something.  Its healthy every once and awhile.  It clears out all feelings of being entitled to success.

This is a down-payment, our suffering.  In life, it can always get worse.  In baseball, it doesn't matter if you're last by 1 game or 10---last is the floor.  No lower to go.  That's sort of cheery, right?

We only played one game in October this year...which is too bad.  But I have to say upfront that I was always iffy about our chances against that Phillies team.

I was pleased to find today that I was noticeably less upset than yesterday.  True, I had a horrifying dream where Peavy gave up a Glavine-Jason Jennings like 10 runs in the 1st inning of a game.  But I digress...

I think I'll try to enjoy some baseball just as baseball for the next couple weeks.  And I'll enjoy not feeling like I'm going to throw up the entire game, and being able to go to bed content no matter what happens.

What do we do, as Padre fans?

First: We root for Arizona to get swept. Let the Cubs win a series for once.  I can't really stand either team, but at this point I hate Arizona more because their fans, broadcasters, and Eric Byrnes are just really smug.

Second: We root for the Rockies to win, I think.  As much as it hurts to lose to Cinderella...you at least have to hope Cinderella gets to the ball. Otherwise you look bad. Or turn into a pumpkin. I forget the story. Anyway, Rockies over Phillies.

Third: I don't really care about the American League. But I'll watch.

Last, we all continue to show up and post at GLB. That means you, whoever you are.

I was watching just now for some highlights of today's game and Tony's induction--the way July has gone, I really need to watch every win more than once.  Anyway, Sportscenter did this picture-in-picture thing where they had Tony at each step of his induction, and the Padres as they played the first inning.

It was sort of like playing Dark Side of the Moon while watching Wizard of Oz.  Basically, when something important is happening to Tony, then the Padres are pounding baseballs with superhuman ability.

This leads me to believe we need wall-to-wall media coverage of Gwynn at all times.  Lindsay Lohan level. If this Wheaties thing gets Tony a Nicole Richie like figure, the resulting media coverage might get us a 50 game winning streak.

Scott, you've hurt me bad.  Yesterday the whole family was together, having a nice time. Playing the new Milton Bradley game called 'Monster Home Run' (TM).  Little Kouz was running around (these kids grow up so fast) and he was saying 'home run, home run.'  It started getting late and everything was going so well that Bud called and invited you over.  He said it would be different this time, not to worry, he wouldn't let you hurt me.  I trusted him, like I trusted you.  I could tell something wasn't right.  You came in and you up and hit the first person you saw! Such violence!  After that, you were just wild, throwing things everywhere, destroying our new Milton Bradley game, stealing from our friend Maddux (he's so old already, why steal from an old man?).  I can't go on like this, with you destroying what the rest of us are trying to build.  From now on, I don't want to see you unless it's before 8.  Bud's too nice a guy, but I've told him to drag you out, by force, if you start pulling this kind of crap around me again.  Anyway, I've met someone else.  He hasn't been around long, but things are going really well so far.  Heath is good to me. He takes care of me.  Sure, he's not the shapeliest guy, maybe a little too fond of the cookies, but I can lean on him when things are tough.  And, Scott, that hasn't been the case with us in years.  I know, I know, you'll say that this is just like the fling I had with that Meredith kid last year, where he was all I could talk about.  Maybe it is.  But I'm taking my chances.

I wish it didn't have to end like this. But Goodbye Scott.  Good luck wherever you end up.

www.debbieclemens.com

"Welcome to DebbieClemens.com! I hope that you find my site to be an innovative and refreshing perspective on family, health, life and relationships. The mission of DebbieClemens.com is to empower mothers from a common sense and balanced lifestyle approach. The laws of life and fitness, as I call them, are to plan ahead, be practical and use common sense. Eat healthy; be dedicated to workout, recognizing life's necessities that serve you well."
- Debbie Clemens

love the music, debbie. very heaven's gate.

suddenly, blum's letter in the sd union seems as normal as a giles sandwich.