The Peavy Sweepstakes Vol. 4: The Los Angeles Dodgers

There is a mega pitcher on the trade market this winter by the name of Jake Peavy, the former Cy Young winner who is currently a San Diego Padre. Peavy has allegedly named five teams for whom he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause: the Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, L.A. Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs.

In this fourth of a five-part series, I will look at whom the Dodgers have in place, whom they are losing to free agency, and what pieces they have that might entice the Padres to move Peavy up the road to Los Angeles.

Who's Staying

Manny? Talk about a team that's in flux. Manager Joe Torre will be back, but he'll be dragging some dead weight on the payroll with him into 2009. Andruw Jones will make $15 million, with the potential of not having a roster spot available for him. Likewise, Jason Schmidt will make $12 million without having qualified his big-money contract from a couple winters back.

Also breaking the $10 million mark for potentially limited playing time will be Juan Pierre. 

Not everything in Torre's cupboard will be spoiled, though. The Dodgers made a run into the postseason behind young talent like Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, James Loney, Russell Martin, Matt Kemp, and Jonathan Broxton. Intrigue will follow imported Hiroki Kuroda, whom Torre showed some reluctance to use past the fourth or fifth inning much of the season.

Who's Going

Manny? The potentially $200 million question is whether or not the Dodgers pay to play this winter, trying to keep the man that is being given personal credit for the momentum swing the Dodgers enjoyed in August an September. The exodus accompanying Ramirez into free agency from the Dodgers' roster reads like a 2001 All Star team: Rafael Furcal, Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Jeff Kent, Nomar Garciaparra, Brad Penny, and Casey Blake. This opens a lot of money for the deep L.A. pockets to "reinvest" in the Dodgers before they open their new Spring Training home in March.

Who's Available

Right in line after whether or not they keep Ramirez is who would be available if the Padres were willing to deal their ace inside their division. Billingsley would seem to be untouchable, but is Kershaw? With money so heavily invested in outfielders without positions like Pierre and Jones, would adding Peavy's $17 million salary necessitate moving a young outfielder like Kemp? Do the Dodgers bring back Casey Blake at third and move Blake DeWitt as part of a package? The history of bold moves in L.A. leads one to believe that the answer to the question of availability would include anyone but Torre himself.

The Verdict

The Dodgers have a ton of money coming off their books this winter but are just as obligated in dead-weight contracts for the likes of Pierre and Jones. They also have the potential for big paydays for all of the young studs that carried them through the first round of the National League Playoffs.

However, is there a better move that could be made than to not only add an annual Cy Young candidate to your rotation, but to take that same talent off a division rival? It is hard to think the Padres would move Peavy not only inside their division, but within a one (or five, depending on traffic) hour drive of their stadium without a substantial payout. This potential marriage has uber-blockbuster written all over it, with the likes of a Hershel Walker-to-Vikings deal written all over it.

Odds of a Peavy trade: 20 Percent