Kevin Towers Interview (MP3)

• Philly Billy is in the studio with Darren Smith again even though he was let go earlier this week?  What's going on here?  It's a Christmas miracle!
• At this point in time Jim Hendry isn't inclined to make a deal for Jake Peavy.  Towers didn't get into the details why, some of it probably had to do with the number of players and the money.  Towers doesn't anticipate the Cubs coming back after Peavy.
• Towers did talk to the Angels and they wanted Peavy and Adrian Gonzalez.  Towers shot it down quickly and said if they take both of them, they better be able to take him too.
• Yesterday Towers got a bad vibe from the Cubs.  It's going to take a lot to get Peavy, if somebody doesn't step up then the Padres will keep him.
• The Cubs signing Dempster and Fukedome last year put them in a tough position to acquire Peavy, they would have had to get rid of Marquis' contract as well.
• Towers is spent.
• Better than average odds that Peavy will be a Padre on Opening Day.  The train is back in the station.
• Alderson and Towers will talk to Peavy's agent to figure out where they go from here.
• The priority is getting a good deal for Peavy, more so than getting the payroll to $40m.  There are other ways to shrink the payroll, Towers hopes by the beginning of the season he'll be able to get it down.
• The Padres will probably end up signing a Short Stop in the next couple of weeks to give the team some depth.
• Adding depth to the rotation and bullpen now becomes the priority.
• Towers guesses there is a chance to get Hoffman back, he hasn't heard if Hoffman has gotten any offers.  The Padres need to take a deep breath and figure out where they go from here now that the Peavy deal is dead.
• Towers doesn't want to be in the position again where he didn't have leverage and the public knew Peavy's one preferred club.
• Padres are perfectly fine with Peavy staying in San Diego.  Towers will be relieved to have all the rumors stop.
• Towers breaks down the Rule V draft.