MLB Trade Deadline Thread

[Akrasian]

I figures some might like to discuss any trades/player moves leading up to the trade deadline in a few days - you know, for those who want a very quick break from reading training caamp news all day.

Here's some of what's happened so far:

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/bo...x-agree-to-deal-sending-jake-peavy-to-giants/
Red Sox send Peavy to Giants for two minor league lefties

Peavy has sucked. Giants sent two lottery tickets, one of whom looked close to major league ready before the season began, and since has struggled.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/sea...md=20140725&content_id=86263222&vkey=news_sea
Mariners get Kendrys Morales back

Morales wouldn't sign with the Mariners for over $14 million - now he is back with them for $7.4 million. He needs to fire his agent.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...eteran-catcher-a-j--pierzynski-033353177.html
Cardinals sign Pierzynski

Hope he doesn't knee their trainer in the cup.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...dley-traded-new-york-yankees-san-diego-padres
Yankees get Chase Headley from Padres for dreck.

He's not much of a player, but better than what the Yankees have.

There's been others - and will be a LOT more.

 

[Akrasian]

A couple of minor trades.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb...md=20140728&content_id=86718304&vkey=news_mlb

Dodgers get a good fielding backup middle infielder for a player to be named later. Just a depth move, not earth shattering. Cubs had already DFAed him, so their hands were tied.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb...md=20140728&content_id=86746010&vkey=news_mlb

Jays get a decent platoon 3b to give them a right handed bat, though not one to use every day, in exchange for an aging but cheap backup catcher in Erik Kratz and a former good prospect starting pitcher who gives up too many home runs in Liam Hendriks. Valencia is arb eligible. Basically, for a little help this year the Jays take on more money and give up a lottery ticket in Hendriks. Seems fair. The Royals save a tiny bit of money and get the lottery ticket.

 

[Akrasian]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/07/cardinals-to-acquire-justin-masterson.html

Cardinals Get Justin Masterson for minor leaguer James Ramsey.

Masterson has been fighting a bad knee most of the season - it supposedly is better now. If it is, the Cardinals get a good #2 type pitcher for 2 months. James Ramsey is 24, doing well at AA in the outfield. A good return for the Indians. Not a future star, but should be a solid major leaguer for a few years anyway.

 

[Memento]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/07/cardinals-to-acquire-justin-masterson.html

Cardinals Get Justin Masterson for minor leaguer James Ramsey.

Masterson has been fighting a bad knee most of the season - it supposedly is better now. If it is, the Cardinals get a good #2 type pitcher for 2 months. James Ramsey is 24, doing well at AA in the outfield. A good return for the Indians. Not a future star, but should be a solid major leaguer for a few years anyway.

I like this trade a lot for the Cardinals. Masterson was an All-Star in 2013, and I honestly wasn't expecting much from Ramsey anyway, not with Tavares, Piscotty, Grichuk, and Charlie Tilson waiting in the wings. He would've been a fourth outfielder at best for us, and with Wacha hurt, Miller struggling, and Kelly/Martinez being inconsistent, we need pitching more than another outfielder.

 

[fearsomefour]

Not a Cardinal fan, but, the Masterson deal makes sense. St. Louis is always in it to win it and make deals that make sense. Bad news for my Dodgers and the Cardinals seem to have their number every year.
PS, for the love of all that his holy do not trade Matt Kemp for a pitcher.

 

[MerlinJones]

Hopefully a change of scenery will do Masterson some good.

 

[Akrasian]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/...r-jonny-gomes-cespedes-heading-to-boston.html

Blockbuster - A's Send Cespedes and a competitive balance pick to Boston; Red Sox send Lester and Gomes to the As.

As really seem to be going for it this year. Lester's probably the top pitcher to be traded this trade deadline period - after they picked up two other starters from the Cubs a while back. Cespedes is decent, but the A's weren't going to keep him after next year when his contract expires and per the contract they can't offer him arbitration.

Price is still available - but I doubt he gets traded. And the Phillies are apparently asking for an insane amount for their tradeable pitching.

 

[TommerK]

Cardinals trade Allen Craig and Joe Kelly for John Lackey.

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/ne...md=20140731&content_id=87232200&vkey=news_stl

 

[ChrisW]

Cardinals trade Allen Craig and Joe Kelly for John Lackey.

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/ne...md=20140731&content_id=87232200&vkey=news_stl

Awesome. Now Oscar won't waste away on the bench. Joe wasn't going to do much this year, anyway. And we have plenty of young arms in the minors.

 

[brokeu91]

I live in NE, Lackey was a very bad move. Per reports he's another cancer in the locker room, the fans did not want him in Boston

 

[Memento]

I live in NE, Lackey was a very bad move. Per reports he's another cancer in the locker room, the fans did not want him in Boston

Agreed. Would have much rather added Martinez to Kelly and Craig and gotten Price from the Rays. We need a dominant lefty starter, not a whiny clubhouse cancer. Him and Pierzynski in the same clubhouse is bad news.

 

[Memento]

Oh my God, the Tigers just got Price for nothing except Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly, and a prospect. This fucking blows. We gave up more for Lackey than the fucking Tigers gave up for fucking Price. MOTHERFUCKER!

 

[Akrasian]

I'd say the Tigers gave up more than the Cards. Smyly is a solid young pitcher. Adames though is playing well at SS in the Midwest League and he's only 18. Not a sure thing - no prospect is - but I'd expect him to be starting in the majors in 2017 or 2018. And you know the Rays would much rather have young promising cheap players.

 

[Memento]

I'd say the Tigers gave up more than the Cards. Smyly is a solid young pitcher. Adames though is playing well at SS in the Midwest League and he's only 18. Not a sure thing - no prospect is - but I'd expect him to be starting in the majors in 2017 or 2018. And you know the Rays would much rather have young promising cheap players.

I view Smyly and Kelly the same way: both of them are bottom of the rotation starters who struggle with consistency. Martinez has potential as a #2 starter or a top closer. Craig has been arguably the most clutch player over the past three years. They're all under contract for a relatively inexpensive price. And we couldn't have added someone else to get the second-best lefty starter behind only Kershaw? Instead, we get thirty-something year old Lackey, who is a known clubhouse cancer? I'm sorry, but the Rays gave up Price for nothing. You can't tell me that Mozeliak couldn't have made a better deal.

 

[Akrasian]

I view Smyly and Kelly the same way: both of them are bottom of the rotation starters who struggle with consistency. Martinez has potential as a #2 starter or a top closer. Craig has been arguably the most clutch player over the past three years. They're all under contract for a relatively inexpensive price. And we couldn't have added someone else to get the second-best lefty starter behind only Kershaw? Instead, we get thirty-something year old Lackey, who is a known clubhouse cancer? I'm sorry, but the Rays gave up Price for nothing. You can't tell me that Mozeliak couldn't have made a better deal.

I would take Smyly over Kelly any day - and it wouldn't be close. Smyly has far more potential to be a mid rotation guy to maybe a #2, and is younger. He's bottom of the Tigers' rotation maybe, but he's already a mid rotation guy for many teams. Martinez might have some potential, but I'd still go with Adames, who is showing a bit of power for a MI who is only 18. Craig has been good, but not this year certainly. And he'd be expensive for the Rays to take a flier on that they could get a 30 year old struggling player back on track. Basically, the package the Cards gave up just wasn't the sort of package that the Rays would have been interested in, unless the Cards threw in a lot of cash to pay for Craig.

Meanwhile, don't forget that Lackey is under contract next season for only $500,000 - major league minimum. That raises his trade value considerably. Price will get $17 million or so more next season. That's a lot of money to spend on other players.

 

[Memento]

I would take Smyly over Kelly any day - and it wouldn't be close. Smyly has far more potential to be a mid rotation guy to maybe a #2, and is younger. He's bottom of the Tigers' rotation maybe, but he's already a mid rotation guy for many teams. Martinez might have some potential, but I'd still go with Adames, who is showing a bit of power for a MI who is only 18. Craig has been good, but not this year certainly. And he'd be expensive for the Rays to take a flier on that they could get a 30 year old struggling player back on track. Basically, the package the Cards gave up just wasn't the sort of package that the Rays would have been interested in, unless the Cards threw in a lot of cash to pay for Craig.

Meanwhile, don't forget that Lackey is under contract next season for only $500,000 - major league minimum. That raises his trade value considerably. Price will get $17 million or so more next season. That's a lot of money to spend on other players.

Smyly still has to prove that he can be consistent from year to year before I'd call him mid-rotation for anyone. The Rays have little need for Adames when they have Hak-Ju Lee ready and waiting at Triple-A. Martinez would have been an excellent prospect for them, as their best young pitchers in the minors fit the dominant reliever mold instead of a top-of-the-rotation starter. In addition, they could place Craig at first base or DH to minimize the stress on his foot, and they need a first baseman who is better than Pena. And personally, I wouldn't have minded the throw-in of cash: it's a team-friendly contract. And meanwhile, we still lack a quality left-handed starter to compliment Wainwright. Gonzales and Kaminsky have potential, but they're still a long way away. Paying Price would have been more than feasible, especially since our best players are either locked up to long-term, team-friendly contracts (Molina, Wainwright, Carpenter, Holliday) or are very young and still on their rookie deals (Adams, Taveras, Wong, Wacha, Miller).

 

[TGZ]

Absolutely hate the trade for Lackey. Done with the Cardinals this year.

I legit would rather have Joe Kelly than John Lackey, Jake Peavy, or Shelby Miller.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Awful move.

 

[fearsomefour]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/...r-jonny-gomes-cespedes-heading-to-boston.html

Blockbuster - A's Send Cespedes and a competitive balance pick to Boston; Red Sox send Lester and Gomes to the As.

As really seem to be going for it this year. Lester's probably the top pitcher to be traded this trade deadline period - after they picked up two other starters from the Cubs a while back. Cespedes is decent, but the A's weren't going to keep him after next year when his contract expires and per the contract they can't offer him arbitration.

Price is still available - but I doubt he gets traded. And the Phillies are apparently asking for an insane amount for their tradeable pitching.

The A's fans I know are upset at Cespedes leaving. I understand he is a fan favorite and a good player.
Getting Gomes is a pure "Moneyball" move. Gomes hits .300 vs LHP so he will offer O vs LHP and platoon vs RHP. Beane loves running platoons.

 

[ChrisW]

A lot of nostalgia in this thread for Kelly and Craig. That's all it is though, nostalgia. Craig has been absolutely lost, and Kelly hadn't been playing well. It was actually a good deal.

This clears the way for Oscar to complete his development. It also gives us a veteran pitcher that can eat up innings down the stretch. Then, if Wacha comes back for the playoffs, you've got a pretty nasty rotation for October.