Will Mets Go After Jake Peavy?

I just read an article by Dayn Perry of Fox Sports who lists a few baseball trades that he says need to happen right now.

This one got my attention…

Jake Peavy to the Mets

The Padres, despite their ongoing hot steak, have precious little chance of making the postseason (CoolStandings.com gives them less than a 10% chance of making it). As well, they’ve been actively shopping Peavy for months. The Mets, meanwhile, badly need help in the rotation. Johan Santana is the best pitcher in baseball, but behind him it’s a veritable superfund site: remove Santana’s sterling numbers from the calculus and the Mets’ rotation runs-per-nine rises to 5.50. In particular, Livan Hernandez and Tim Redding have been awful, and there’s little hope for improvement (and that’s to say nothing of the unfolding disaster that is Oliver Perez in 2009).

Peavy, obviously, gives the Mets a second ace. He’s benefited from pitching his home games in Petco Park – the most run-suppressing environment in baseball – so he’s not going to be quite as dominant elsewhere. However, Citi Field, unlike, say, U.S. Cellular Park (home of the White Sox, where Peavy was almost traded last week), plays as a neutral park in the non-DH league. That means the change in run-scoring environment won’t be quite so drastic.

Peavy, of course, must be persuaded to waive his no-trade provision. If staying in the NL (his stated preference) isn’t enough, then the Mets can agree to pick up his $22-million option for 2013. That, plus the lure of a pennant race, should be enough for Peavy. As for what the Padres can expect in return, a straight-up deal for the Mets’ top prospect, outfielder Fernando Martinez, is better than what the White Sox were offering.

I disagree with Perry who calls both Redding and Hernandez awful. Livan Hernandez is pitching better than expected as our number five starter and has had a solid May. Redding has had just two starts, one good and one bad, and he’ll be in the bullpen once Oliver Perez is activated anyway.

That said, if the Mets could get Peavy straight up for an untested Fernando Martinez, I wouldn’t even think twice about it. Bye F-Mart, we hardly knew ye…