Rick Sutcliffe still pitching for the Cubs; urges Jake Peavy to consider playing in Chicago

And more from jalopy enthusiast San Diego-based agent Barry Axelrod…

Axelrod said there are more than five teams to which Peavy would agree to be traded. The widely reported list of five “is not definitive, it is not all-inclusive,” he said. “There are more than five teams. And there are some teams that have pretty much taken themselves out of it. They either don’t have the need or they don’t have the financial resources or the prospects to make the deal.” Axelrod is accustomed to public posturing by baseball officials.

“At the GM meetings, there were discussions with Atlanta, there were discussions with the Dodgers and the Cubs and others that I might not be privy to. But things have sort of come down to, if not a grinding halt, at least a slow-down at this point,” he said.

“It’s like me saying, ‘Hey, I’ve got this car, I can’t afford it anymore, I need to sell it, and you’re the only guy I’m going to talk to about selling it. How much are you going to give me for it?’ By being so public [with a list of possible trade partners] … it is making things a little more difficult.

“There’s an awful lot of gamesmanship in this industry. And there’s a lot of misinformation passed around and rumors get started. People take positions and say things publicly because they know it’s going to be reported everywhere. They’re looking to plant a seed. It’s hard to take anything at face value at this point.

“People have asked me about Atlanta dropping out … well, we’ll see what happens. Or Jim Hendry might say he may have to drop out because they don’t have enough … I’m not calling anybody dishonest, it’s part of the game.”