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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 22:55:43 GMT -5
I figured since there's bound to be plenty of action on the trade front in the next few days, it'd be tidier to just combine them all into one thread. (Unless, of course, EY disagrees.)
The Royals have acquired starter Johnny Cueto from the Reds for three prospects. Kansas City now looks like the team to beat in the AL.
The price may have been high for a two-month rental, but the Royals have shown that they're all in to win right now. Cueto can go deep into games, which can help keep their bullpen fresh. It remains to be seen how this trade will ultimately work out for the Reds, although none of the players they received were considered to be among the Royals' elite prospects. (Kinda weird that they got three lefty pitchers, but whatever.) There is lingering concern about Cueto's elbow, so that may diminished his return somewhat.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 27, 2015 10:53:33 GMT -5
Good idea. I've pinned this for now.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 27, 2015 10:54:27 GMT -5
All three prospects they dealt for Cueto were LHPs. Usually teams like to hang onto those. As you say, they're probably not top of the line prospects. Still, it must be nice to have a farm system that wealthy.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 23:11:08 GMT -5
The Angels have acquired the oft-injured Shane Victorino for some minor leaguer I've never heard of. Oakland has traded closer Tyler Clippard to the Mets in a swap of pitchers. The A's received minor league pitcher Casey Meisner.
Not exactly a Manic Monday to start Deadline Week. Still, I think it'll be interesting to see where players such as David Price and Justin Upton ultimately wind up (anywhere but the Bronx, hopefully). I'd expect to see their names tied to virtually every contending club in the coming days. Cincinnati still has Aroldis Chapman and Jay Bruce available, so I don't think they're finished dealing.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 0:21:13 GMT -5
Per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Troy Tulowitzki has been traded to Toronto in a deal that reportedly will send Jose Reyes and prospects back to the Rockies. LaTroy Hawkins is also said to be headed north of the border.
If true, this is a shocker, and frankly, it doesn't make much sense for the Blue Jays. Scoring isn't their problem, pitching is. They currently rank 23rd in the league in team ERA. Tulowitzki obviously isn't going to improve them along those lines. Maybe they figure they'll just outscore everybody.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 28, 2015 18:38:06 GMT -5
Evidently Kansas City is cleaning out their farm system. It seems to be infested with prospects but they are working on that: they've acquired Zobrist from the Athletics for a pair of pitchers. Article
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 23:33:21 GMT -5
Evidently Kansas City is cleaning out their farm system. It seems to be infested with prospects but they are working on that: they've acquired Zobrist from the Athletics for a pair of pitchers. ArticleThat seems like a lot to give up for Zobrist. That's five pitchers Kansas City has traded in two days.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 23:52:43 GMT -5
In yet another trade which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, the Nationals have acquired closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies for a 22-year old Double A righthander named Nick Pivetta.
Terrific, except that the Nationals already have a solid closer in Drew Storen, who has 29 saves (with two BS), a 1.73 ERA, and a 4.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His postseason ERA, however, is over 8.00, which may explain Washington's motive for acquiring Papelbon. Still, I see this as a potential disruption of their bullpen rather than a strengthening. Storen is almost certain to lose the closer role, and who knows how well he'll respond to what is, in fact, a demotion?
Papelbon has largely been a very good closer throughout his career, but he also has the not-undeserved reputation of being a first-class jerk. If he isn't closing full-time, he's bound to become a clubhouse cancer, which is something no team needs as it prepares for the stretch drive. There was an article today in The Sun about how the Nats figured to stand pat as the deadline approached. I think in this case, at least, their best trade would have been the one they didn't make.
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Post by mmmbeer on Jul 29, 2015 7:02:12 GMT -5
In yet another trade which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, the Nationals have acquired closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies for a 22-year old Double A righthander named Nick Pivetta.
Terrific, except that the Nationals already have a solid closer in Drew Storen, who has 29 saves (with two BS), a 1.73 ERA, and a 4.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His postseason ERA, however, is over 8.00, which may explain Washington's motive for acquiring Papelbon. Still, I see this as a potential disruption of their bullpen rather than a strengthening. Storen is almost certain to lose the closer role, and who knows how well he'll respond to what is, in fact, a demotion?
Papelbon has largely been a very good closer throughout his career, but he also has the not-undeserved reputation of being a first-class jerk. If he isn't closing full-time, he's bound to become a clubhouse cancer, which is something no team needs as it prepares for the stretch drive. There was an article today in The Sun about how the Nats figured to stand pat as the deadline approached. I think in this case, at least, their best trade would have been the one they didn't make.
Link maybe the Nats see this as an 8th and 9th inning thing for the post-season & hope the guys will play nicely together temporarily if they think they can get to the Series.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 29, 2015 8:57:00 GMT -5
Each day that passes without an Orioles trade makes me happy. They don't have much in the farm system (really only Harvey and men below the top 100) and I'm afraid their four game winning streak is going to make them think they've got enough to try for another post season run. I'd love them to make that run, but not at the cost of the future. And I no longer trust Duquette to do what's best for the team because even the possibility of a conflict of interest concerns me.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2015 0:19:57 GMT -5
The Phillies have traded pitcher Cole Hamels to the Rangers for a passel of prospects. The Rangers and Yankees were reportedly the only AL teams not on Hamels' partial no-trade list.
Philly is reportedly getting Jorge Alfaro, a catcher, outfielder Nick Williams, and pitchers Jake Thompson, Alec Asher and Jerad Eikoff in the deal. For what it's worth, only Alfaro, at No. 67, was listed in Baseball America's Top 100 prospects for 2015. But according to MLB.com, Thompson, Williams and Alfaro are ranked as the third, fourth and fifth-best prospects in the Rangers' system. There is also an undisclosed amount of cash going to the Rangers, which I assume will help pay some of the freight on the $73.5 million Hamels is owed for the next three seasons.
I'm a bit surprised that Texas was in the middle of a big deadline deal since they don't figure to be serious contenders. I guess their thinking is that they can pair Hamels with Yu Darvish next season when (if?) he returns from Tommy John surgery. This almost like a mid-season free agent signing for them. But I'd think that almost $25 million per annum would have landed just about any free agent pitcher this offseason, and the Rangers wouldn't have had to dip heavily into their farm system to do so.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 30, 2015 15:49:51 GMT -5
The Rangers once did dumb deals (think ARod), but that supposedly changed when the ownership did.
Chant is the Blue Jays have rented David Price for two months for three prospects (how likely is it that he'll stay there when he's a free agent?) Detroit didn't hold on to Price for very long. I wonder if he's a clubhouse problem. I've never heard that about him.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2015 23:17:04 GMT -5
The Rangers once did dumb deals (think ARod), but that supposedly changed when the ownership did. Chant is the Blue Jays have rented David Price for two months for three prospects (how likely is it that he'll stay there when he's a free agent?) Detroit didn't hold on to Price for very long. I wonder if he's a clubhouse problem. I've never heard that about him. It's a done deal. Price to the Blue Jays. The team that habitually wins the winter but loses the summer seems determined to break that trend.
Pretty stiff price for a two-month rental, most notably 22-year-old Daniel Norris, who was ranked as high as No. 17 overall by some preseason publications. I think it's pretty clear why Toronto GM Alex Anthopolous went all-in for this season. Like many of the players who change teams at this time of the year, he's playing for a contract for next season. If the Blue Jays don't make the postseason this year, there's a very good chance Anthopolous will be unemployed.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Jul 31, 2015 15:07:34 GMT -5
Parra coming here for Zack Davies (#3 rated prospect). Hunter to Cubs for a prospect. Cespedes to Mets (Cubs sought Gausman for him, which was fortunately a non-starter).
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2015 22:36:33 GMT -5
I like the Parra deal, even though I think he's one of those guys in the midst of a career year. Davies projected to be a No. 3 or No. 4 starter at best, and we have plenty of those.
What surprised me, though, was how quiet it was on the Bronx front. Other than acquiring a spare part in Dustin Ackley, the Yankees were conspicuously silent. I thought for sure they'd be in the mix for one of the big-name pitchers, particularly David Price, who has (and proved he can) pitch in the AL East. I guess they figure their top five guys in the batting order can continue to carry them and all their starting pitching has to do is get the game to their bullpen. Or, they've finally come around to the fact that it's not good to be payroll-heavy and prospect light.
I also didn't understand San Diego, which held on to all of its free-agents-to-be as well as all of their tradable assets. Not moving Justin Upton was a serious enough gaffe, but why did they hold on to Craig Kimbrel? Closers on losing teams have little intrinsic value. This past winter, their worst moves were the ones they did make; now in the middle of summer, the Padres' worst moves were the ones they didn't make.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Aug 1, 2015 8:02:51 GMT -5
I do not understand what's going on up there in the Bronx, especially with ARod. If I were more cynical (ha!) I'd say he, and perhaps some of his teammates, have discovered a PED that current testing cannot detect. Because if he's this good at this age, why did he ever involve himself with those drugs in the first place? The MLBPA's long-term objection to testing notwithstanding, he had to understand that most players, fans, and managers regarded the use of such chemical help as unsportsmanlike. If he didn't need it, why?
The Padres have for years struck me as a poorly run club. They make a lot of odd decisions there.
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