Peavy Gets 4-Year Deal

[Chisox73]

The San Diego Padres agreed to terms with P Jake Peavy on a 4-year contract with a club option for 2009.No details of the contract have been disclosed as of yet.

The 23-year old righthander led the majors with a 2.27 ERA in 2004 while going 15-6 for the Pads.

[yagsy]

:cheer: :jump: :cheer: :jump: :cheer:

:Party: :band: :banana: :Party:

Now, I don't have to worry about the Peavster wearing no other uniform but a Pads uniform! :whew:

[Chisox73]

I knew this would make you happy yags. :banana:

They signed him to avoid arbitration.He would have signed for 1-year at $500,000 and break the bank next year at the table.But both sides got it done,and it worked out very well for you guys. :clap:

[yagsy]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20050228-9999-1s28padres.html

Padres reach 4-year agreement with Peavy to avoid arbitration


By Tom Krasovic
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 28, 2005

PEORIA, Ariz. – Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday that he and pitcher Jake Peavy's agent have agreed to terms on a four-year contract, plus a club option on Peavy's first year of free agency in 2009.

Peavy's total guarantee is worth close to $15 million. Towers said the club will announce the pact after arranging an insurance policy for the 23-year-old right-hander, who went 15-6 with a National League-best 2.27 ERA last season.

"That shouldn't be a problem at all," Towers said. "Jake hasn't had any real major injuries in the past where there would be any type of exclusion."

Peavy, who recently underwent an MRI exam and X-rays and has received full medical clearance, missed six starts last season because of inflammation near his right elbow. After Peavy returned, the Padres won his initial nine starts, and the pitcher said the ailment did not return.

The insurance policy protects the Padres should Peavy suffer a major injury. Peavy can trigger higher earnings if he reaches thresholds based on innings pitched and Cy Young Award votes. Most of those escalators apply to the option year in '09.

"It was a matter of saying, 'How can we protect each other?' " said Peavy's agent, Barry Axelrod. "It's a good deal for both sides."

Peavy had said he would test his first-time arbitration rights next offseason if the sides couldn't strike a multiyear deal. The Padres could've signed Peavy for about $500,000 this year and proceeded year by year, but Towers said he "hated the idea of going to arbitration."

In return for what Axelrod termed "lifetime" security financially, Peavy sacrificed a potentially larger salary, much as fellow pitcher Brian Lawrence did two years ago when agreeing to a four-year guarantee.


The Big Three
Towers said he'll likely wait until the regular season has started to begin negotiations with potential free agents Brian Giles, Ramon Hernandez and Trevor Hoffman. "They know it's our desire to keep this team together for a winning ballclub," Towers said.
Towers said in-season negotiations tend to fare better when the team is succeeding. "Guys are feeling good during the season," he said. "If you're winning, they're excited about the team's direction."

If the talks stall, Towers said, they will be pushed back to November. "You don't want it to be drawn out," he said.


Notes
Triple-A third baseman/outfielder Corey Smith fractured the tip of his right index finger attempting to field a ground ball. He's due to sit out games for three weeks. Smith came to the Padres for Jake Gautreau on Feb. 1 in a deal with Cleveland that swapped former first-round draft picks.
Ten Padres pitchers are to face the Seattle Mariners in a "B" game tomorrow at the Padres' main practice field. The list includes Woody Williams, who is to start the season opener on April 4. Adam Eaton is to start against the Mariners on Thursday, and Peavy is to face Seattle on Friday. Both games will be at Peoria Stadium.

Utility man Eric Young could face a special opponent next month when the Padres face the Rockies in Tucson. Young's son Eric Jr. is a second baseman in Colorado's farm system and could see time against the Padres at Hi Corbett Field. Yesterday, the senior Young, 37, showed his son around the Padres' training complex.

Donald Fehr, the head of the players union, is to speak with Padres players this morning. A few players are hoping Fehr can shed light on rumors that the IRS intends to tax players for any game tickets they leave at will call. Players are allotted six tickets per game, a potential value of well over $120 per game.

[Baseball Guru]

Great, great signing by the Pads:thumbsup:

Gotta keep the youngins under contract....

[yagsy]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20050301-9999-1s1padnotes.html

Peavy cashes in on elders' advice

By Chris Jenkins
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 1, 2005

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/images/050301jake_peavy.jpg
Union-Tribune
Jake Peavy warms up at spring training camp.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Trevor Hoffman couldn't remember if it were on a bus or a plane, or where it was headed. He just recalls being a rookie, keeping his mouth shut and his ears wide, wide open.

"I was sitting behind Tony Gwynn and Ricky Gutierrez," Hoffman said yesterday. "I was listening to every word Tony said. He was telling Ricky about how important it was to get guaranteed money and the security that comes with it for your family. That really stuck with me."

And now it has stuck with Jake Peavy, the 23-year-old pitching whiz with a new Padres contract that includes four years guaranteed, plus an option on a fifth year. The deal, worth close to $15 million, is awaiting only an insurance policy with a premium costing as much as $1.5 million over the five years.

Padres reach 4-year agreement with Peavy to avoid arbitration

"Trevor and I talked about what means the most to us in this world," said Peavy, noting that he also sought the counsel of veteran starting pitcher Woody Williams. "That's security for your family and loyalty to your organization. This organization took a chance on a 15th-rounder (in 1999) and gave me a shot at the major leagues at the age of 20."

Peavy responded by winning the NL ERA title (at 2.27) in his second full season – wresting it from no less than Randy Johnson – and posting a 15-6 record.

"We both knew we were too close to having a deal to let it go any longer," Peavy said. "Both sides left a little on the table, so both sides are a little unhappy, and that's the sign of a good deal."

Peavy was relieved to get the contract behind him before the season, and was especially happy to be able to keep the matter out of arbitration, even though his numbers might have enabled him to make even more money.

"That's the big thing," Peavy said. "We were very prepared to take that step, but we wanted to avoid it by all means possible."


Fehr's talk
As is an annual custom, the Padres yesterday were briefed behind closed doors by Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Fehr, who makes the rounds of every spring-training camp, declined to discuss the content of the meeting. He did say lawyers were finalizing details on a more stringent steroid-testing program to be instituted "very quickly and very early in spring training."

"The meeting wasn't very different from years past," said Padres second baseman Mark Loretta, who is an executive board member of the MLBPA. "We talked about how the market is and how the system is working and how we got to be what we are."


Who knew?
With the controversy swirling around camp over the assertion by General Manager Kevin Towers that he ignored what he believed was steroid use by Ken Caminiti during the latter's MVP season of 1996 and the World Series campaign of '98, Fehr was asked if he or any player agents were ever aware of steroid use by any union members.
"I don't know about agents, but I know we were not," Fehr said. "I can't speak for anyone else, but I would hope not."

One agent in camp, Barry Axelrod, who represents Peavy, also is a board member of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

"I never had a client I was overly suspicious of," Axelrod said. "Whether right or wrong, I didn't ask. I don't get into that subject matter. If they wanted to share that with me, they would.

"If I thought someone was overly abusive, if I saw dramatic changes or a health problem, whether because of drugs, alcohol or steroids, as a friend I would feel I should do something."

[yagsy]

Hmmmm, lessseeee, first it was Mr Padre who refused to take more money and instead by loyal to his team, then it was Hoffy who currently MAKES LESS THAN 3 MILLION A YEAR! And now Peavy is loyal as well.

I just hope they get their reward of a World Championship NOW! This organization deserves it, the players deserve it and the fans deserve it too! We've all put up with ALOT of criticism, being the butt of so many jokes around the league. It's time, my fine Padre friends, IT'S TIME!

:cheer: :jump: :Party:

[Timberwolf]

SWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTT TTT

Nice job by John Moores and Kevin Towers.

This is one guy you can't afford to lose. Nice to see the Twins sign Johan, Padres signing Jake, and the Braves signing Hudson. Yankees and Red Sox can't get their hands on them.