MLB: Nevin has until Tuesday night to confirm or reject trade

Phil Nevin, the first baseman whom the Padres are attempting to deal to the Orioles for pitcher Sidney Ponson, is deciding whether or not to waive his no-trade clause and accept the trade. He has a 72-hour window to make a decision, which ends Tuesday night at 9 Eastern.

His agent has been telling anyone who will listen that Nevin wants to stay in San Diego because his family is there and he has a home being built there and he likes the West coast, but Nevin is taking his time to talk to his family and consider the deal. (He quickly rejected a deal that would have sent him to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr. in 2002.)

On ESPN the night of the deal being made, the Baseball Tonight crew seemed convinced that Nevin would accept the deal because it is clear that the Padres don't want him and that they are trying to move Xavier Nady to first base from third now that they traded for 3B Joe Randa from Cincinnati.

Nevin's comments in ESPN's article indicate that he will take until tomorrow night to decide. "I have a certain amount of time to make a decision and I'm going to use that time," he said.

The Washington Post's article indicates that Nevin will probably accept the deal, citing an executive from one of the teams involved. The Post reported that Nevin talked O's manager Lee Mazzilli, who assured him that he'd be an everyday player and would be batting in the middle of the lineup.

The (Baltimore) Sun reported that Nevin also talked to Orioles utility infielder Chris Gomez, who played with Nevin in Detroit and San Diego and assured him that it was a good place to play with a good group of guys. Also, there were rumors that he would be traded again, but Orioles co-General Manager Jim Beattie told his agent that it wouldn't happen.

According to The Sun, Nevin's agent said that Nevin would like to contact Rafael Palmeiro to get Raffy's feelings about the trade because they would be splitting time at first base.

Meanwhile, the Orioles still search for another starting pitcher, and while reports have stated that the A.J. Burnett talks are dead, the Baseball Tonight crew was not convinced of that. They said that attaching Mike Lowell in any deal would be almost impossible because teams do not want to pay his salary, so the Marlins will eventually have to soften their stance on that. Once that occurs, the BBTN analysts said, the Orioles still have the most attractive package to offer because the Marlins want a Major League-ready closer and Jorge Julio is the only player from an interested team that fits that description.