ONLY DREAMING . . . : Bevacqua’s Premonition: He’s Traded by Padres but Returns as Free Agent

Will the Padres trade Kurt Bevacqua? Or was he only dreaming?

Bevacqua went on his morning radio show Tuesday and said: “If dreams come true, I don’t think I’ll be a San Diego Padre much longer.”

He went on to explain: “I had a premonition earlier in the year and then again last night that if the situation came about, Jack (McKeon, Padre general manager) would trade me to a contending ballclub to try to get a player or two or a young prospect. And, in return, knowing I’d play out my free agency so I could get back to San Diego, he’d sign me back.”

McKeon, asked if this dream could come true, said: “Let’s be serious. How many clubs call for Kurt Bevacqua? Let’s face it. But, every squirrel finds an acorn sometimes, so someone may be desperate. Although we haven’t had any inquiries (for Bevacqua) the last few years, who knows? He’s a good pinch-hitter.”

Bevacqua, overhearing McKeon, said: “Well, I’ve been checking around, and no one’s interested in Jack.”

Bevacqua, 37, then said: “I think it (a trade) is a good possibility, although I don’t know about it right now. I mean, it’s a good possibility from his (McKeon’s) aspect. I just don’t know what other clubs think. He said no one’s interested, but how many times have I heard that in my career?”

Yes, and how many times has McKeon traded Bevacqua? Twice. When McKeon was in Kansas City in 1974, he sold him to Milwaukee. In 1980, when McKeon first joined San Diego, he traded him to Pittsburgh.

“I’ll trade him any time,” McKeon said. “I’ve traded him twice and traded for him twice. He knows anything can happen with me and him.”