from ESPN, which does list the astros on the short list of contenders: The Padres are seeking at least two young pitchers in return, along with someone who can become the team's everyday center fielder sometime in the immediate to near future. so i would guess pence (or, if they prefer, bourn) at least gets us in the door - as long as the "two young pitchers" don't have to be any good........ i think we've got a shot.
There's other news...deal could already be in the works with SD & ATL... I just don't think we have the pieces to make a deal. What young pitching do the Astros have that they would they want?
Here is a deal the Padres might actually do ... So you want Jake Peavy, eh? It's going to take either a one-sided 5- or 6-for-1 deal or a major, multi-player deal a la 1994. Despite the viewpoint of some, the Astros do indeed have the goods to compete in the Peavy sweepstakes. But a Wiggy-Wandy-Pence-like deal won't get it done. You probably can't even add a Bud Norris to that deal and beat out the other suitors. No, the Astros well may need to go the blockbuster trail to get Peavy. So, what will it take? Which player will be the keystone in a Peavy trade? You'll probably shout me down quickly here and it is bit of a departure from conventional thinking. The cornerstone of the Astros' side of the trade for Jake Peavy? Jose Valverde. ... So while the Padres apparently plan to re-up Hoffman, they could rack up on prospects if they flip Valverde to a team like the Mets or Tigers. Here are some of the pieces of a possible trade: Peavy, Brian Giles, Chase Headley and minor pieces for Valverde, Pence, Wigginton, Norris (or Brad James) and spare parts. (The Astros may have to include Wandy instead of Wiggy or Norris, depending on the Padres' needs.) The Padres then send Valverde to one of the aforementioned teams in a 5-for-1 deal that loads up the Padres.
