Peavy adds Yankees, Angels to trade list

DANA POINT, Calif. -- Although five National League teams still top star Padres pitcher JakePeavy's pre-approved list for trades, general manager Kevin Towers revealed Monday evening that the Angels and Yankees have recently been added to the list of desired teams, bringing the list to seven and giving the American League some representation.

Towers said that the five NL teams -- the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals and Astros -- remain Peavy's preferred destinations, but Towers said Peavy also expressed a willingness to consider the Angels and Yankees should it be impossible for Towers to find an equitable deal with one of the NL clubs he likes.

Peavy's agent, Barry Axelrod, said in a recent interview with SI.com that his client has some good feelings about the Yankees. "What kid doesn't grow up dreaming of wearing the pinstripes?'' Axelrod said. Yet, for geographic reasons the Yankees remain below the five NL teams on Peavy's list, and perhaps also the Angels, who have a distinct advantage in that they are the nearest team to Peavy's new home in San Diego.

According to Towers, Peavy has put the teams in some sort of order. But the GM declined to reveal that order.

Towers has done a lot of talking to the Braves, but without a deal in sight, is beginning to talk to the other NL teams now, and doesn't rule out the Dodgers based on their intra-division rivalry. "The Dodgers are high on his list, so I plan on talking to them,'' Towers said.

The price tag will be high, no matter who's inquiring, Towers said. "Whoever we talk to is going to have to pay a lot,'' Towers said.

The Padres are embarking on a rebuilding program, and Peavy was surprised to learn his team wants to explore trade possibilities for its ace less than a year after signing him to a three-year, $53 million extension. Peavy's no-trade clause for this year and next protects him but complicates the trade talks. Axelrod said in the recent interview that they will request a new no-trade clause in exchange for approving a trade, and might also request financial considerations, depending upon the acquiring team and the geography involved.

Towers also said the Padres probably will exercise outfielder Brian Giles' $9 million option by Saturday's deadline and are trying to work out an agreement to keep closer Trevor Hoffman.