Kevin Towers on his way out with Padres?

Sunday could be the final game day for Kevin Towers as general manager of the San Diego Padres. John Moores bought the Padres in 1994 and installed Towers as his general manager the next year, but Jeff Moorad took over the team this season.

Moorad has extended the contract of Manager Bud Black but has promised nothing to Towers. One club insider said he thought the chances of Moorad retaining Towers were no better than 50-50.

Moorad, who previously ran the Diamondbacks, could consider importing one of two highly regarded Arizona assistants, Jerry DiPoto or Peter Woodfork.

The two longest-tenured general managers are Towers and Brian Sabean, hired by the San Francisco Giants in 1996. Sabean, who also worked under new management this season, is expected to return.

The Giants finally emerged from beneath the wreckage of the “Win One for Barry Bonds” era, posting their first winning season in five years behind the homegrown arms of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, both first-round draft picks. Pitcher Madison Bumgarner and catcher Buster Posey, top picks in 2007 and ’08 and stars in waiting, arrived in San Francisco in September.

Angels, Dodgers in battle for Padres closer Heath Bell

The Angels and Dodgers are engaged in trade talks this morning for Heath Bell, the San Diego Padres' All-Star closer.

The Florida Marlins are among the other teams to have pursued Bell, but a source familiar with the talks said the Padres have narrowed the field to the Angels and Dodgers.

Both the Angels and Dodgers have made relief help a priority in trade talks. Bell would set up for Brian Fuentes with the Angels and could join George Sherrill and Jonathan Broxton in a late-inning mix with the Dodgers.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell reacts after closing out the game against the Dodgers on July 4. Credit: Denis Poroy / Associated Press

Padres' Jake Peavy says no to White Sox trade

San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy has rejected a trade to the Chicago White Sox, The Times confirmed this afternoon.

Why the veto? Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports does a great job explaining what Peavy must have considered here.

The Padres might want to think twice about granting no-trade clauses. In general, the words "no-trade clause" tend to translate to "pay me more in case of trade."

But this would be the second time in nine months a Padres player exercised his no-trade clause to, well, say no to a trade. Outfielder Brian Giles rejected a trade to the Boston Red Sox last August.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy is still San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy. Credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

Padres: We're trading Jake Peavy, but we got Tony Gwynn!

It's been a rough few months for Padres fans. The Padres lost 99 games last season, and they're already 10 games out of first place this season.

The Padres yanked an offer from franchise icon Trevor Hoffman over the winter, shoving him into free agency, and today they agreed to trade ace Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox, pending Peavy's approval.

But, hey, fans, look here: The Padres are bringing back Tony Gwynn!

Oh. Not the father, the one with 3,141 career hits. This would be the son, the one with 60 career hits.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Tony Gwynn, Act II. Now available in 100% more Padre. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Padres agree to trade Dodger-killer Jake Peavy to White Sox, but it's up to Peavy

If you can't beat him, play so well that you don't have to worry about beating him. That's what the Dodgers did, and now the Padres have agreed to trade ace Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox for four young pitchers. Peavy has been asked to waive his no-trade clause to complete the deal, although the San Diego Union-Tribune called it "unlikely" that Peavy would agree.

At the start of the season, Padres General Manager Kevin Towers told the Union-Tribune he hoped to retain Peavy. "My hope is that we're contending and playing well in June and July and we need him to get us where we want to go," Towers said then, "and that's back to postseason play."

Here it is the third week of May, and Peavy could be all but gone. And little wonder: The Dodgers boast the best record in the major leagues, and they're already 10 games up on the Padres.

Peavy is 13-2 with a 2.39 earned-run average against the Dodgers, although they beat him on opening day.

The Dodgers might not be done with Peavy just yet. The Dodgers' interleague schedule includes three games against the White Sox June 23-25.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy reacts after closing out the game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Credit: Denis Poroy / Associated Press

Padres closer Heath Bell sick of ESPN's East Coast bias

It's not just West Coast baseball fans who complain about ESPN's tiresome focus on the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets. Padres closer Heath Bell spoke out to the San Diego Union-Tribune after his team beat the Mets in the inaugural game at Citi Field.

“I saw ESPN's promo for tonight's game. They mention the Mets are opening Citi Field, they mentioned the starting time, but nowhere did they mention the Padres. . . .

“I truly believe ESPN only cares about promoting the Red Sox and Yankees and Mets – and nobody else,” said the closer, a former Met. “That's why I like the MLB Network, because they promote everybody. I'm really turned off by ESPN and 'Baseball Tonight.' When Jake Peavy threw 8 1/3 innings on Saturday, they showed one pitch in the third inning and that was it. It's all about the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets.”

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: San Diego's Heath Bell pitches against the New York Mets on Monday. Credit: Nick Laham / Getty Images

Now pitching for the Angels: No. 14

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who has worn No. 14 since his playing days with the Dodgers, just came out to make a pitching change. He waved in the new pitcher, who wore ... No. 14.

You'd think the Angels could find another number to give to the kid, promoted from minor league camp for the day. For the record, the kid is right-hander Jeremy Thorne, 23, the Angels' 42nd-round draft pick last year. Thorne pitched in rookie ball last year, and he wouldn't have pitched at all today had Brian Fuentes done his job.

Fuentes, the Angels' closer, gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning, apparently exhausting his pitch count. Thorne finished the inning, giving up three consecutive singles before getting a ground out.

-- Bill Shaikin

Padres: Jeff Moorad in, Sandy Alderson out

Jeff Moorad said this afternoon he would replace Sandy Alderson as the Padres' chief executive officer when the partnership headed by Moorad completes its purchase of the club from outgoing owner John Moores.

The Padres announced today that a purchase agreement has been reached. The deal is expected to close and the sale to become official by opening day. Moorad, who got his start in baseball as a powerful player agent, formerly served as the chief executive of the Diamondbacks.

Moorad said he had not spoken with General Manager Kevin Towers or assistant Paul DePodesta, the former Dodgers general manager recruited to the Padres by Alderson. He said those executives would remain in place through at least the 2009 season.

"I want to come in with an open mind," Moorad said. "As I have viewed the front office from afar, there are a lot of very capable people. ... I think we will use the '09 season as an opportunity to assess and evaluate."

Moorad said he did not anticipate that the Padres could generate the level of revenue needed to become major players in free agency.

"Kevin Towers has done a fabulous job of building the club over the last 10 or 12 years by staying out of free agency," Moorad said.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Jeff Moorad, 2006 file photo. Credit: Will Powers / Associated Press

Trevor Hoffman to decide on Thursday between Dodgers and Brewers

The Dodgers will learn Thursday whether Trevor Hoffman will be their closer this year.

Rick Thurman, the agent for Hoffman, said via text message this afternoon that the pitcher "will be making [his] decision tomorrow."

Hoffman, baseball’s all-time saves leader, has what Thurman called "similar" offers from the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers. Thurman declined to elaborate, but both clubs are believed to have offered one guaranteed year and one option year, at an annual salary above the $4 million offered last fall by the San Diego Padres.

The Padres withdrew that offer in November. Hoffman, 41, earned all but two of his 554 career saves for San Diego.

He grew up in Orange County, the kid brother of former major league infielder and interim Dodgers manager Glenn Hoffman. He lives in northern San Diego County.

-- Bill Shaikin

Dodgers' PR alums moving on up

When Frank and Jamie McCourt bought the Dodgers in 2004, they asked Derrick Hall to remain as the club spokesman. Hall declined, went to work for KB Homes, then got back into baseball in 2005, joining the Diamondbacks as senior vice president of communications.

Hall was promoted to chief executive today when Jeff Moorad resigned to pursue ownership of the Padres. John Moores, the current owner of the Padres, is exploring the sale of all or part of the club amid his divorce proceedings.

Hall had served as the Diamondbacks' president since 2006.

Camille Johnston, who was the Dodgers' spokeswoman from 2005 to '07, recently was named special assistant to President-elect Barack Obama and director of communications for the incoming first lady, Michelle Obama.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Arizona Diamondbacks' Derrick Hall. Credit: Shaun Rachau / Arizona Diamondbacks