PHOENIX -- Brewers general manager Doug Melvin called the newly churning Jake Peavy rumor "disruptive" to his club's preparations for the 2009 season.

It appears the "Brewers interested in Peavy!!!" rumor started with a casual mention in an ESPN.com Sunday notebook by Peter Gammons -- "[Bill] Hall believes the Brewers will be in on Jake Peavy, when and if he goes on the market," Gammons wrote. That prompted the San Diego Union-Tribune to write nebulously on Monday that "the Milwaukee Brewers, who have plenty of offense and prospects but are short on pitching, are now said to be interested in Peavy."

Barry Axelrod, Peavy's agent, would have to be consulted about a deal because Peavy's no-trade clause blocks a deal to Milwaukee but said he had never been asked about the Brewers. Axelrod only "heard there was some interest before that didn't come to fruition," according to the Union-Tribune.

If there was any interest, it's not there now, Melvin said Wednesday during the Brewers-Dodgers game at Maryvale Baseball Park.

"Last week it was Mike Cameron," Melvin said, referring to the resuscitation of rumors that Milwaukee was looking to move its center fielder. "You can look at any player on any team and come up with a rumor. That doesn't make it true. It's all very disruptive."

Of the Padres and Peavy, Melvin said plainly, "I haven't talked to them."

Melvin said he's happy with the makeup of his roster, including his starting rotation, which will count on improvements from youngsters Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra to augment steady if not spectacular veterans Dave Bush, Braden Looper and Jeff Suppan.

Yet Peavy's name keeps popping up, perhaps because Melvin showed last year that he was willing to -- borrowing his own words here -- "go for it." In acquiring CC Sabathia from the Indians, Melvin added payroll (Sabathia earned a little more than $5 million during his three months with the Brewers) and parted with blue-chip prospects, including outfielders Michael Brantley and Matt LaPorta.

But adding Peavy would be "totally different," Melvin said Wednesday, both in terms of total dollars (Peavy is owed $63 million over the next four years) and in terms of prospects. The Padres would be looking for a lot more in exchange for Peavy, who could be had for the next three years, than the Indians accepted for Sabathia, who was available for three months before hitting the free-agent market.

That means the Brewers would almost certainly have to part with one of their top two prospects -- shortstop Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel -- to get Peavy, and the Padres would probably also discuss top pitching prospect Jeremy Jeffress.

Melvin wouldn't say whether his stance on Peavy might change if the Brewers find themselves in a situation similar to last June, in the hunt and in need of an arm.

"I'll wait until that time happens," Melvin said.