We're down on his list, but....

If there's nothing much better brewing for Padres GM Kevin Towers, he might approach my boy Jake about re-considering donning the pinstripes:

While the Yankees aren't in Peavy's preferred National League, the idea isn't completely wacky.

"Playing with (Derek) Jeter, playing for the pinstripes,'' Towers said, the idea rumbling around to give him a New York state of mind. "It's down the list; he wants to stay in the National League."

But if that doesn't work out, we maybe go back to them and ask them if they would consider New York.''

The Yankees possess two things that the Padres seek: money and prospects. If the Steinbrenners give Peavy some green, and send some green players to San Diego, who knows?

"It's probably the only American League team Jake would consider. He talks with Derek Jeter all the time,'' the Encinitas-based Axelrod said. "He said to me at one point, 'Gosh, every kid growing up dreams about the pinstripes.' "

And I jokingly noted a week or two back that the Yanks should send country-raised guys like Moose to chat with Peavy (yes, it'd be tampering) to let him know the city ain't always big and bad. Turns out maybe Jeter's been doing that all along.

While it was meant to cause some bile-rumbling for the normally placid San Diegans, it sounded quite nice to me:

The crowd settles into the seats at the new Yankee Stadium, as legendary public address announcer Bob Sheppard clears his golden throat.

"Your attention, please, ladies and gentleman,'' booms Sheppard's deep voice, filling the South Bronx air. "Pitching for the Yankees, Jake Peavy.''

Quite nice, indeed.