Well Jason Hammel is having a terrible time in Oakland. Skippy.
2014 MLB Season: How Many Pitchers Will Die For Our Sins?
- Thread starter tomalak301
- Start date
- Status
I admit I was pleased to see the Phillies crushed last night. Jif.
I wonder if Billy Beane has called the Cubs yet, only for Hoyer to say, "No backsies," then immediately hang up.
The A's traded Cespedes? 
Planters.
Planters.
I really wish one team had the balls to do nothing for Jeter when he plays for the last time in their stadium. Like just totally ignore the fact he's retiring. I like Jeter but I'm so over this retirement tour.
OMFG.
OMFG!!!!!!!!!
I have to process this.
My first reaction is sorrow. I love La Potencia, and I hate to see him go. He is amazing, and he will be a fixture for the Sox for many years to come. I cannot believe that he was even on the table. Dammit Billy Beane, must you be SO methodical and heartless? Screw you.
My second reaction is joy. Lester is a fantastic, proven pitcher and the A's rotation is now
1) Shark
2) Grey
3) Kazmir
4) Lester
5) Chavez or Hammel (here's hoping it's Chavez)
Who wouldn't want that kind of rotation?
The A's could not have afforded to pay Yoenis Cespesdes his market value in 2015, and in all fairness, he is a flawed player who has flashes of brilliance followed by periods of ineptitude. He can crush home runs but he swings at everything. He makes mistakes in the outfield but the spectacular recoveries he makes is what gets the attention.
Sigh.... I have to say this is a good trade. The A's can't have it all (great bats and great pitching) and pitching along with solid defense wins championships. In addition Jonny Gomes was loved in Oakland, and we tried to resign him. He is a good fit in the Melvin Platoon squad, and has good clubhouse chemistry.
Cespedes was a special player, but this trade makes Oakland a force in the postseason, well at least this year.
The A's traded Cespedes?
Oakland had to do something after Hammel shit the bed upon returning to the AL, and Beane is pretty clearly going all-in. They have a goofy run differential (seriously, +162 is some video game bullshit) so shoring up their pitching was a necessity. They were never going to be able to re-sign Cespedes anyway (free agent after next year, no arbitration), so it makes sense to trade him for a three-month rental of Lester. Gomes isn't a huge downgrade and he absolutely mashes lefties.
I said this around the All-Star Game, but I really hate Chipper Jones for starting the retirement tour bullshit. Last year with Rivera, I could get behind that, because he was still the best reliever in the game when he retired. Jeter hasn't been good in years.
I am looking forward to seeing Jonny Gomes in an A's uniform again. He is well loved in Oakland.
What the FUCK!!!???
That's a great trade for the Oakland Satans...
Angels as a team having a fuck-all OPS of .679 against Lester...
What the FUCK!!!???
That's a great trade for the Oakland Satans...
Angels as a team having a fuck-all OPS of .679 against Lester...
I was reacting in real time.
Sitting back now, watching Red Sox fans yammer on about how they got the better end of the trade and how Lester will be crawling back to them and blah, blah, I say we got a fantastic trade.
This is a Series or bust team, and I for one am super excited.
Like I said, Billy Beane got a great deal for his soul.
Well, as I said earlier, I'm going to miss Jon Lester. But I have to admit that I'm very interested to see what the Red Sox do with Cespedes. By acquiring him that makes me think they'll be more willing to extend him to a long-term deal due to his relative youth (because apparently according to the Boston FO, all baseball players fall completely apart once they hit age 30). His power will absolutely help the lineup, and I'm sure David Ortiz will appreciate the extra help. And while Cespedes' numbers may have dipped some this year and last, I think moving from the pitcher-friendly O.co Coliseum to the hitter-friendly Fenway Park might help alleviate some of that.
As for the Lackey deal...I dunno. Allen Craig's had a lot of injury issues, but when he's healthy he's pretty decent, offensively. Joe Kelly can be a decent back-end starter, but I think he's had health issues this year, too.
Andrew Miller is another one I'm going to miss, and it annoys me that the Red Sox sent him to a division rival in the Orioles, but apparently the prospect they got for him (LHP Eduardo Rodriguez) has a pretty high upside, so we'll see.
And just a few minutes ago I found out that the Red Sox also sent Stephen Drew packing. To the Yankees.
As for the Lackey deal...I dunno. Allen Craig's had a lot of injury issues, but when he's healthy he's pretty decent, offensively. Joe Kelly can be a decent back-end starter, but I think he's had health issues this year, too.
Andrew Miller is another one I'm going to miss, and it annoys me that the Red Sox sent him to a division rival in the Orioles, but apparently the prospect they got for him (LHP Eduardo Rodriguez) has a pretty high upside, so we'll see.
And just a few minutes ago I found out that the Red Sox also sent Stephen Drew packing. To the Yankees.
David Price to Detroit
Damn it.
I was hoping the Pirates would get Lester.
I was hoping the Yankees could grab one of the 2.
We just get a good fielder and sucky bat.
I've seen some really bad overturn calls with replay this year. However I think I just watched the worst of them all in the Marlins vs Reds game from tonight.
You honestly thought the Yankees had a shot at Lester or Price? Within the division? In this fantasy, what prospects were you imagining that the Yankees would be giving up that would have touched either one of the actual deals?
Yankees' strength is in overpaying free agents. They've nuked the farm system, there's really nothing of value there, and not many good players on decent contracts on the major league roster to include in a deal, so trades are pretty much a non-starter. Not the sort of thing that nets you an ace.
On the plus side, Lester's a FA at the end of the year, and Price next year, so you've got a decent chance at blowing everyone out of the water THEN for them...
Yeah, I know.
One can hope though.
I'm glad they didn't empty out what we do have, because I'm not sure eaither alone would have been enough to get us to the promise land anyway.
At least we get a really good glove to throw at second base, Roberts was killing me with all those errors.... what is it, 13 or somthing?
I'm still amazed, with 4/5th's of our starters on the DL we are still over .500
The Yankees weren't waiting around for their moves. I like Headley, and McCarthy has been a great find.
The move that really surprised me was Price to the Tigers... as if they didn't already have enough Cy young winners in that rotation.
And somehow, the announcers on the MLB channel say the Red Sox are winners in all of this. (scratches my head). Lester and Lackey gone, Buckholts is a head case.... I guess they got a good power guy, but "winners"?
- Status
