Filed under: Astros, Angels, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Orioles, Rockies, White Sox

Now that five ace pitchers have been traded in the last 13 months, one of the early trades, the stunner that sent Jake Peavy to the White Sox last summer, somehow is even more incredible.

Comparisons between the price paid for Peavy and the prices paid for Cliff Lee (dealt three times in that span), Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, or Roy Oswalt are a waste of time, because there’s no comparison. The White Sox swallowed all of the $56 million guaranteed Peavy at a time when no other club was calling for the right-hander, who had full no-trade powers, a bum ankle that likely will require surgery and a violent delivery to go with a history of DL-level shoulder and elbow ailments.

Willing to eat money and accept a case of Old Style beer from Chicago in lieu of actual talent, the Padres instead moved all of the contract and obtained four pitchers led by left-hander Clayton Richard (9-5 with a 3.60 ERA for $424,000 this year).

Aside from freeing up San Diego’s payrolls in 2011 and 2012, the salary relief helped the Padres to sign three above-slot draftees and later starting pitcher Jon Garland (who saw that San Diego’s ballpark is best for him), and retain stars Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell for this year when Peavy’s $15 million salary would’ve put the club well over budget.

o. Speaking of the $38-million Padres, they are exploiting the “Winning Is Secondary” market inefficiency.

“Winning is the only thing that matters to every guy in this clubhouse,” said David Eckstein, a second baseman whose two World Series championship rings reinforce the message.

Don’t tell the Little Leaguers, but winning is secondary to a lot of big leaguers.

“You know why the Cardinals have such a good clubhouse?” Eckstein told FanHouse. “Because winning is all that matters to the best player on that team (Albert Pujols).”

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