Happy Jake Peavy Day!

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Had it not been for a text message that inspired this blog post's title, I would have forgotten Jake Peavy ever existed.  He had been out since June 8, and at that time he was with the San Diego Padres.  I had dropped him from my fantasy league a week ago, citing his prolonged absence from the rotation and the fact that the White Sox are the only team falling faster than the Cubs.

But finally, Peavy made his debut Saturday night and picked up the win throwing 73 pitches, striking out five and walking two in the South Sider's 13-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals.

A healthy Peavy fortifies a strong starting rotation at 35th & Shields as he would join Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd.  It's a fearsome foursome very few rotations in baseball could match on a game-by-game basis.  And despite the team's 13-3 rout of the Royals, the team's offensive woes should still be Kenny Williams' top priority.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is the only player from the team's opening day roster to have a batting average over .300.  Carlos Quentin has struggled to find his stroke in one injury plagued season after tearing up the American League in his first go-around.  Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko are aging again, and Scott Podsednik is being squeezed out of the line-up by the presence of Alex Rios and his .159/.173/.224/.397 line.

The Sox could have a productive double-play duo if they dare move Gordon Beckham to his natural shortstop position and shift Alexei Ramirez back to second base, where he would be less of a defensive liability.  That would create a gaping hole at third base, and if Williams really wants to stick it to Cubs fans, he would sign Mark DeRosa to fill that void.

Then there's the bullpen, where Bobby Jenks has turned in his best Kevin Gregg impersonation to the tune of six blown saves.

Chicago's baseball teams have a lot of work to do in order to return to 2008 form.  And if Peavy can stay off the trainer's table, it would look as if the White Sox have a bit of a head start.

A Very Merry Birthday List

For Luis C. Medina's birthday, I would like to send Phil Rogers and Kevin Gregg to this small island-nation ... permanently

Here at TBDS, I am the NBA guy. Normally I would write something exciting about the free agency period going on, like how there is going to be a UConn reunion in Motown in a matter of hours. 

But today is even more important than the beginning of NBA free agency. It is the birthday of the founder of The Big Dead Sidebar and sports blogger extraordinaire (and by that I mean the best sports blogger I have ever read), Luis C. Medina. 

So since it is his birthday, I would like to take this time to compile a list of birthday wishes I would have made reality had I been given the chance. 

1. Bryant the Bull: When Kobe says "You might as well buy a Bulls jersey," referencing his desire to play in the Windy City, than it should be a no-brainer to do everything possible to make a move for the best player in the NBA. Unfortunately, it was a brainer for Chicago's front office. They couldn't part ways with Luol Deng and bit the bullet for it. 

Had I been general manager, Mr. Medina would be one happy basketball fan right now. I would have traded Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas with a future pick for No. 24. Bryant would have come to the Bulls where he could play alongside Derrick Rose and create chaos in the East. But instead Deng is always hurt, Gordon is leaving for nothing in return and Thomas is still searching for consistency. The end result ... Rose is forced to carry a team and Luis is a sad birthday boy. 

2. Peavy rocks the Cubbie blue: Unlike the NBA, there is no salary cap in the MLB. Why the Cubs did not push harder to get the Cy Young winner in their rotation is beyond me. Now the Cubs are 36-38 and it's no longer early in the season. Luis is frustrated and it's all cause Chicago just couldn't part ways with Carlos Marmol or top-prospects or anyone else the Padres were interested in. I would have sent Marmol or Lilly or almost whoever the Padres wanted to get Peavy. But instead, Luis is shocked to see his favorite-to-win-the-division Cubbies in fourth place and under .500.  

3. Can we flip-flop: If missing out on Peavy wasn't bad enough, the Cubs virtually traded beloved Mark DeRosa for unbeloved Aaron Miles. If I had the power to give one single gift to Mr. Medina, it would be to make a trade right now sending Miles back home to St. Louis for DeRosa. I know it wouldn't vastly improve the club, but at least it would give Cubs fans a reason to smile and something to cheer about. There is something about DeRosa that just makes a baseball fan feel good inside. 

4. See you later: I would like to buy two tickets to Vanuatu (it's a small island-nation in the south Pacific). And I didn't buy them for Luis to take a vacation either. The tickets would be for my greatest gift of all. I would round up Phil Rogers and Kevin Gregg and send them on their merry way. With Phil Rogers gone, Luis could take his rightful place at the Chicago Tribune and with Kevin Gregg gone ... well that just makes everyone a little more sane. 

5. Make it rain: I am currently trying to track down Pacman Jones so he can make it rain on Hollywood. Someone needs to put up the money to make "Moneyball" a reality. I for one am not that excited for the movie, but it seems important to Luis and the only way I could see the movie being even better is to see Adam "Pacman" Jones name appear as the producer for the movie during the opening credits. 

6. The Bears get a QB: What's that? You say the Bears signed Jay Cutler? You mean the Pro Bowl quarterback right? Hmm .... Well then that wish has become a reality! It looks like while the other five failed to happen, this is true! With Matt Forte, a new defensive coordinator and a healthy offensive line ... well ...

It looks like you might have a happy birthday after all (though you will have to wait until September).

Defending Jake Peavy

Get your popcorn ready and your Facebook status updated, Stat Boy is here to defend Jake Peavy.

Yesterday, the 2007 NL Cy Young award winner did like any normal 28-year-old with a family in mind, he made the rational decision of choosing to live in beautiful San Diego rather than the South Side of Chicago.

I would probably make that same decision too, unless the White Sox threw in a lifetime supply of chicken from Harold's Chicken Shack.

However, Stat Boy feels as if Harold's Chicken did not play a part in Peavy's decision to dismiss the White Sox. But the following three things might have.

1. "I like the NL" really means "I like Petco Park." Can you blame Jake Peavy for not wanting to leave The Spacious Confines? I mean, he is nearly unhittable as he owns a 1.08 WHIP and batters only hit .219 while slugging at a .334 clip. You've gotta be some sort of clinically insane pitcher to want to leave Petco for The Cell when you're putting up Nintendo numbers.

2. West is best for his pitching style. But it's not just Petco Park that keeps Peavy's pimp hand strong. Playing in the NL West not only means facing weak sister line-ups, but it means doing so in pitcher's paradise parks such as Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park. He is 40-29 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.202 WHIP and 559 strikeouts.

3. The White Sox aren't that good. Going from a 19-22 team to a 17-23 team really isn't a stepping into the heat of a pennant race. The ChiSox are inept defensively without a center fielder that can overcome the deficiencies of Carlos Quentin and an aging Jermaine Dye. The Sox are only 10-9 at home, while the Pads are 14-6 at confines that seem to be truly friendly to Peavy.

The diminishing returns factor might be the biggest hurdle the San Diego Padres must clear in trading Jake Peavy. They balked at the best offer on the table from the Braves, then they walked away from an equally solid offer from the Cubs.

If this goes any further, you might be able to get a former Cy Young winner for a bucket of balls and some pine tar.

Pending Peavy's approval, of course.

North Siders Rejoice: Jake Peavy Isn't Coming To Chicago

Photo Credit: Deadspin

Yeah, we bitched about Jake Peavy not coming to the Cubs all winter long. Now White Sox fans can share in our misery of not having an ace pitcher while watching our respective teams lose to our most bitter rivals.

Speaking of which, off to see the Cubs limp sticks try to get up against "Jesus" Wainwright.

In the meantime, I'll have what Jake's having.

Sources: Jake Peavy Rejects Trade To White Sox [Chicago Sun-Times]

Jake Peavy To The White Sox? Pardon Me While I Scream In Rage

San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy was the Brian Roberts of the 2008-09 offseason for the Chicago Cubs and their fans.

He was the carrot dangled in front of a fandom that had just seen its team bow out of the NLDS without a fight for the second straight season. Peavy was rumored to be singing "Go Cubs Go" and packing his bags for a trip to Chicago and North Side vendors were tailoring No. 44 jerseys with Cubbie blue pinstripes ... not shirts that mentioned a St. Louis lawn care expert.

And Peavy still might be headed to Chicago ... but instead he might be heading to the South Side.

Grumblings last night turned into confirmed reports that the Padres and White Sox had agreed to a deal for the 2007 NL Cy Young award winner.

If Peavy waves his no-trade clause, it will say one thing about both of Chicago's general managers.

It would bring major props to White Sox GM Kenny Williams, who was much maligned this offseason for failing to get a lead-off man, centerfielder while also failing to get rid of the team's old, slow softball sloth-like players.

As for Jim Hendry, it would confirm what I've written here many times: A major disappointment. After getting an extension this offseason, he allowed popular players that actually were part of the team's 97-win core walk. Bye-bye Henry Blanco and Kerry Wood in exchange for absolutely nothing but frustration. Hendry would go on to trade the oh-so-versatile Mark DeRosa for minor elague pitchers that were once rumored to head to San Diego for Peavy but now are toiling in the minor leagues without much fan fare.

In exchange for three of its most popular and most productive players, Hendry brought in Paul Bako, Kevin Gregg and Aaron Miles. Bako is no longer with the team, while Gregg and Miles make their case on a daily basis to join Bako in the unemployment line.

If this trade does go through, expect a good chunk of Cubs fans to leap off various tall buildings while there will be celebrations in the projects. I'll also expect a letter of resignation on the desk of Tom Ricketts, Sam Zell or whoever is running that joint.

So, Jake ... for the love of Cubdom ... Just Say No!

STFU Jake Peavy

I hate to do this to a guy that I love, adore, respect and hope to God that someday (soon) finds himself wearing those familiar Cubbie blue pinstripes.

But Jake Peavy, you've been awarded today's STFU award.

Just please, stop teasing Cubdom with the idea of the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner mowing down Cardinals, Astros, Mets and Dodgers. Please.

"Obviously, Chicago was a team that I did have an interest in playing for, and I respect [general manager] Jim Hendry and the organization," he said. "I respect a lot of the players they have and feel like they have a good bunch, and obviously [it's] a great city. [Those] were reasons I identified the Cubs as a team I wanted to be a part of if I had to move on from San Diego."

Thanks, Jake. I understand you want to be in Chicago. I do, too. But I have to wait 'til next Sunday after the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis.

I could be really, really witty right here. Instead, I'll recycle that one line I used in yesterday's post that really just sums up this whole saga.

"At this point, Peavy's the girl you want to date and kind of wants to date you, but she's got a boyfriend and you're addicted to Internet porn."

Yep. Sounds about right.

Jake Peavy remains interested in joining Cubs [Chicago Tribune]

The Jake Peavy Saga Continues

Billionaire Cubs fan Tom Ricketts is inching closer to officially becoming the owner of his childhood favorite team.

So with a new owner seemingly in tow, is it time for me to install a Jake Peavy countdown app to put on the sidebar under Twitter?

According to this mlb.com story, yes, and it is more likely to happen now than ever before.

But since I don't want to I won't. He hasn't earned it yet.

See, I refuse to totally give in to the rumor monster who somehow, someway linked the Cubs as a potential suitor for the 2007 NL Cy Young winner to the point where GM Jim Hendry inquired about his availability. Then had the nerve to get so close to a deal, it bothered Cubs fans when it fell through.

It was like the Brian Roberts Situation, but instead of being secluded, he reportedly sang "Go Cubs Go" and signed "Go Cubs" on an autographed baseball.

That's where this crazy plotline is interesting. It is almost as if the Peavster is as hell bent on joining the Cubs as their fans are on having him.

I've heard of requests for Peavy replica Cubs jerseys to be made. I've seen profile pics with Peavy photoshopped with a Cubs hat and Cubbie blue pinstripes.

And for the millionth time, I am sick and tired of writing blogposts about nothing in particular.

Rumors. Whispers. Hearsay. All of it has dominated this blog when it relates to Jake Peavy.

And I'm tired of it.

Look, I want him on the Cubs. Cubs fans want him on the Cubs. He wants to be on the Cubs. Jim Hendry apparently wants him on the Cubs. And Kevin Towers wants to oblige and send him to the Cubs.

And if all it takes is a handful of prospects ... it's time to pull the trigger.

Our long national nightmare must end soon.

Our long national nightmare is born again

The words "pitchers and catchers report today" could not be uttered by local sportscasters soon enough.

Just when you thought the Jake Peavy drama was over, recent moves by the Chicago Cubs have brought back whispers of a potential deal to the forefront. The Cubs recently dumped the salaries of pitcher Jason Marquis and second baseman Mark DeRosa, while adding three quality young arms that could be used to sweeten the pot for San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers.

Ugh. Remember when the deal was said to have been dead? Well, I wish it was like that again. Either that or get something done.

MLBTradeRumors will no longer hold me hostage as I await breaking news that the 2007 National League Cy Young winner will or will not be joining the Cubs starting rotation. I will stay away from Eli's MLB Rumors page not only because I am jealous of the publicity some high school blogger is getting, but also because I do not want Peavy rumors to run my life. As for Hot Stove Cubbies, I will avoid that site too not only to avoid the eventual Jockin' of Jay-P, but also for the poor grammar and spelling that site offers.

But if someone hears something, tell me.

Kevin (Towers) gets kinky as pursuit of Peavy heats up

Here are a pair of mini-stories in the non-story that 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy is still a member of the San Diego Padres.

According to Yahoo! Sports baseball writer Tim Brown, Padres GM Kevin Towers might have done something that usually takes a few drinks and whispers of sweet nothings: found a third member to fulfill his dreams.

And "intending to speak" to Jim Hendry after the Thanksgiving holiday is begging for a reference in which Towers will be willing to talk to Hendry as soon as he steps away from the dinner table. I can neither confirm nor deny whether or not Hendry has indeed been able to step away from a plate of deep fried turkey, mashed potatos and gravy.

As for the third team that will help "facillitate" the trade. Could it be the Baltimore Orioles? Well, maybe.

I'm back in Carbondale, but I can only imaging Chicago sports talk radio lighting up with the idea that the Cubs could somehow land Peavy and O's second sacker Brian Roberts while somehow being able to trade whipping boys Jason Marquis and Kosuke Fukudome.

Could the man who helped hold the Cubs back for the better part of a decade (Andrew B. MacFailure) help the Cubs more as the head of another franchise. That sounds about right.

More news (hopefully) when news actually happens.

Jake Peavy overload

You might as well put some lipstick and a skirt on the Chicago Cubs, because they're such a tease.

The Hot Stove League is only in its primary stages, yet I am already sick of this Brian Roberts ... er ... Jake Peavy situation.

He's going to be traded, I get it. He is one of the National League's elite pitchers who wants no part of the San Diego Padres' rebuilding plans. I get it.

So the Cubs, Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers are the three remaining teams in the Great Peavy Race. But why do the Cubs have a shot?

I'm still not sure.

Since the beginning of time, the Dodgers have always had myriad top prospects and more often than not they pan out. But L.A. doesn't want to rebuild one of its main rivals' fledgling farm system.

The Braves have also been known for developing talent, but maybe S.D. GM Kevin Towers is wary of Atlanta's trade history in which it trades "prospects" that generally don't pan out while keeping its best prospects for itself.

The Cubs, well, they don't have elite prospects. Their package centers around the fading star of Felix Pie, above average left-handed starter Sean Marshall and 10-year-old middle infielder Ronnie Cedeno.

Yet, somehow the Cubs are the frontrunners.

But it doesn't matter until a deal gets done.

Someone get it done already!

I'm tired of "updates" that tell you that there is no new news. What's the point of said update, then? It's frustrating, it makes me want to not read anything baseball related until April.

It's not like there's nothing else to watch.

College football is as interesting as ever as the best of the BCS schools try to separate themselves and get to the top. FCS schools are putting forth some interesting football too as those teams are vying for a playoff spot.

We're at the 8 game mark in the NFL and things are really heating up as the weather is cooling down.

The NBA is off and running and there are no shortage of storylines in the Association this season, whether it's the No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose, the best player in the world Kobe Bryant, the monster that is LeBron James or the repeat attempt of the Boston Celtics.

Even college basketball, which is in exhibition season, is worth taking notice as teams and players try to establish themselves with a few early wins.

With all that said, for some reason, I'm hitting the rumor mill early and often hoping something goes down.

I think I'll finally take a hint: Nothing is happening.

Photo Credit: Associated Press