Padres GM Kevin Towers: "I've always been a big Jay Payton fan, going back to my scouting days," Towers said. "I turned him in higher than Nomar Garciaparra when they were at Georgia Tech. He was a better hitter then."

Maybe that's why the Padres stink.

Payton had 28 home runs. Would have easily been the Mets best power threat. As much as I was not a fan, I hated trading him for whatever crap we got in return.