IN BRIEF : No Deal: 3 Padres for Dale Murphy

Any chance Braves slugger Dale Murphy would be traded to San Diego has been killed by Atlanta General Manager Bobby Cox, who decided the available Padres players are “not what we’re looking for.” Cox made the decision after reviewing a report by Braves scout Wes Westrum, who spent the past week evaluating Padres talent at San Diego’s spring training camp in Yuma. Although Cox declined to be specific, the report apparently singled out catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., pitcher Greg Harris and outfielder John Kruk as the top three Padres trade prospects. But Cox decided they weren’t enough to pry Murphy loose from Atlanta.

Padres Manager Jack McKeon said his optimism about the potential deal waned as the talks that began in December bogged down in recent weeks. He downplayed the significance of the breakdown in discussions.