They were the Three Musketeers of the Padres' pitching staff, three young guns who always imagined themselves firing bullets in San Diego for the rest of their baseball careers.

Jake Peavy, Adam Eaton and Brian Lawrence all joined the Padres' starting rotation between 2000 and 2002, and the trio quickly grew inseparable while carving out a place in the club's future.

Three was whittled to two early last month when the Padres traded Lawrence, a once-valuable innings-eater who had lost effectiveness, to the Washington Nationals for third baseman Vinny Castilla. By the end of next season, if not much sooner, Peavy could be left standing alone.

The Padres resolved most of their pressing matters leading up to, during and after the winter meetings. But still hanging in the balance is the fate of Eaton, who would probably be the team's No. 2 starter behind Peavy if the season began today.

Of course, the possibility remains that Eaton will be in another city come Opening Day. After exploring trade options for the 28-year-old right-hander for much of the past six weeks (the Texas Rangers were the most ardent suitor), the Padres are no longer shopping Eaton. They are, however, still listening to offers, which come frequently for a pitcher of Eaton's dynamic —— if not always harnessed —— stuff.

With pitching in short supply throughout baseball, why is such a talent on the market to begin with? Eaton, after all, was 9-1 and headed for his first All-Star Game before he injured his finger during a June 15 outing at Detroit, causing him to miss six weeks. He finished 11-5 with a 4.27 ERA.

As with so many things in the sport, it's about money. Eaton completed a two-year contract for $5.25 million, and now he's eligible for salary arbitration for the last time. His camp would prefer to avoid that often messy process, and free agency next year, by way of a long-term deal that would keep him with Peavy and the Padres for the next three seasons.

For their part, the Padres are hesitant to break the bank for a pitcher who's 47-41 with a 4.34 ERA over a six-year career, not to mention one with a history of injuries. Discussions on a multiyear contract with Eaton's agent, Jim Lindell, have gone nowhere, a club source said.

And that has left Eaton unhappy about the current state of affairs.

"It's frustrating to be dealt with like I have been. I'm really in limbo," Eaton said Saturday. "I'd like to be a Padre, but I don't feel like I'm wanted at what I feel like is fair market value. I'm at the place I want to be in the big leagues, but I'm not going to sell myself and my family short at this stage in my career. I don't want to be taken advantage of."

Eaton said he and the Padres are $6 to $8 million apart on the terms of a three-year deal. With those negotiations "nonexistent," according to Eaton, the team will tender him a contract by the deadline Tuesday and then try to reach a one-year pact in the range of $5 million, outside of arbitration. That would grease the skids for Eaton to be traded next season or leave as a free agent after 2006.

"If I sign a one-year deal, I doubt that I will be back in 2007," he said. "I think that the writing would be on the wall that they don't want me.

"I think the offseason has shown that there are plenty of teams out there that want me and value me. If the Padres say I'm a No. 2 (starter), then treat me like a No. 2. I saw how they treated (Brian) Giles and (Trevor) Hoffman in negotiations, and it was disgusting. It doesn't speak very well of them."

As Eaton has learned, baseball is a business —— sometimes an ugly one. And so the Three Musketeers could ultimately turn into the Lone Ranger.

Catching upgrade?

Unsatisfied with their catching situation even after acquiring Doug Mirabelli from the Boston Red Sox for Mark Loretta, the Padres are considering bringing in another backstop to compete with Mirabelli, Miguel Olivo and David Ross.

Former Angel Bengie Molina is the most attractive free agent left on the market, but his price tag is too high. Instead the Padres have targeted veteran backup Todd Greene, 34, who batted .254 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 126 at-bats for the Colorado Rockies last season.

Brian Hiro covers the Padres for the North County Times. He can be reached at b_hiro@hotmail.com.