Baseball Trade Deadline

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Jon Lester traded to Oakland Athletics, Yoenis Cespedes to Boston Red Sox - ESPN Boston

 

[KPENN]

Wow

 

[ACamp1900]

What. The. Fudge.

 

[IrishinTN]

Good trade for the Sox. A's will go far and maybe win it all this year. If not and the Sox re-sign Lester Billy Beane will have heck to pay.

 

[woolybug25]

Seems like a raw deal for the Sox.

 

[Cali_domer]

They're going for it...Got to respect it.


Go Dodgers !!!!!!!

 

[gkIrish]

My initial reaction was that this was a great trade for the Red Sox because I thought Lester would just go back there in free agency. But since that doesn't sound likely anymore, I feel like they got hosed. Cespedes is a lot of flair with not so great production. They will only have him for 1 more season.

 

[woolybug25]

Good trade for the Sox. A's will go far and maybe win it all this year. If not and the Sox re-sign Lester Billy Beane will have heck to pay.

So the A's get Lester and Gomes and the Sox get Cespedes, and this is a good trade for the Sox? Am I missing something?

Even if Lester re-signed with the Sox next year, I would take Gomes over Cespedes straight up. Plus the A's get another big time pitcher for the playoffs. Seems like a no lose situation for the A's.

 

[IrishinTN]

They are just renting Lester. Cespedes is under contract through 2015 with some option years so next year the Sox could have both. They were desperate for a power hitting outfielder and Cespedes contract next year is only 10.5 mil.

 

[IrishinTN]

So the A's get Lester and Gomes and the Sox get Cespedes, and this is a good trade for the Sox? Am I missing something?

Even if Lester re-signed with the Sox next year, I would take Gomes over Cespedes straight up. Plus the A's get another big time pitcher for the playoffs. Seems like a no lose situation for the A's.

Gomes is the least productive outfielder in baseball and Cepesdes is the most productive. The reason its a good trade for the Sox is they needed someone powerful in the outfield who will provide for years. The Sox were going nowhere this year and are building for next year. I wouldn't count the Sox out in re-signing Lester at all, especially with the money they just saved on the power-hitting outfielder they wanted. I think you are missing the fact that the sox weren't going anywhere and, if they don't re-sign Lester after this year, at least they got something for him rather than letting him walk.

 

[#1rish]

What's Cespedes FA status?

Edit: Looks like he'll be a FA next year at the end of his contract.

 

[gkIrish]

So the A's get Lester and Gomes and the Sox get Cespedes, and this is a good trade for the Sox? Am I missing something?

Even if Lester re-signed with the Sox next year, I would take Gomes over Cespedes straight up. Plus the A's get another big time pitcher for the playoffs. Seems like a no lose situation for the A's.

Gomes over Cespedes? In what world?

 

[IrishinTN]

What's Cespedes FA status? Is he signed for next year?

He is signed through 2015 with potential option years up to 3.5 years total.

 

[woolybug25]

They are just renting Lester. Cespedes is under contract through 2015 with some option years so next year the Sox could have both. They were desperate for a power hitting outfielder and Cespedes contract next year is only 10.5 mil.

I guess if you want to call him a "power hitter". The guy is a career .262 hitter and has never hit more than 25 homeruns. He has played on an excellent team this year and has declined in production.

Gomes on the other hand, has stats that really don't tell the story. He is one of the most clutch players in baseball and has an expiring contract. Essentially, the A's gave up a bloated contract of a player that has underperformed to their standards, for two playoff proven players as they enter the playoff push. After the season, they can do what the A's always do... start rebuilding.

 

[woolybug25]

Gomes over Cespedes? In what world?

Gomes is one of the most clutch players in baseball, and I say that as a Sox hater. Cespedes isn't clutch and really isn't worth $10M+ per year.

 

[IrishinTN]

I guess if you want to call him a "power hitter". The guy is a career .262 hitter and has never hit more than 25 homeruns. He has played on an excellent team this year and has declined in production.

Gomes on the other hand, has stats that really don't tell the story. He is one of the most clutch players in baseball and has an expiring contract. Essentially, the A's gave up a bloated contract of a player that has underperformed to their standards, for two playoff proven players as they enter the playoff push. After the season, they can do what the A's always do... start rebuilding.

10.25 million is not a bloated contract by baseball standards.

 

[ohara831]

A's have a strong rotation with Lester added.

 

[gkIrish]

Gomes is one of the most clutch players in baseball, and I say that as a Sox hater. Cespedes isn't clutch and really isn't worth $10M+ per year.

Gotta disagree with you on the overall picture. Sure Gomes might be more clutch but that's only one aspect of the game. Cespedes has better stats across the board and is 100x the defender Gomes is. I highly doubt any team in the league would take Gomes over Cespedes.

 

[woolybug25]

Gotta disagree with you on the overall picture. Sure Gomes might be more clutch but that's only one aspect of the game. Cespedes has better stats across the board and is 100x the defender Gomes is. I highly doubt any team in the league would take Gomes over Cespedes.

It's not like Cespedes has all star stats or anything. I don't want my team paying a guy over $10M a year for 20 hr's. If I am the A's, I would rather trade that for Gomes' clutchness and another top pitcher. Even if its just for one playoff push.

Spending $10M a year for a .262 career hitter that averages 22 hr's a year isn't hard to replicate on the FA market. He is easily replaceable, where ace pitchers and clutch playoff performers are very difficult to add at the trade deadline.

 

[BobbyMac]

This trade was a result of Jason Hammel falling a part since coming over from the Cubbies. He's 0-4 in 4 starts with a ERA of nearly 10.

With Lester on board, the A's are gonna run Kazmir, Gray, Lester, Samardzija and Chavez out there. Good luck to the rest of the league.

I don't know what Vegas says about the odds for a A's - Dodgers WS but I'd put it at 1:1

.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Lots of people in Boston hating this trade, but it's a very good trade for them. They acquire a power bat they desperately needed for at least next year, and they got it for a player that wouldn't have ever pitched another meaningful game for them. Getting rid of Gomes is a bonus. He was great as a spot hitter and in the clubhouse last year, but his act gets old pretty quickly. He wants to be an every day player and he just straight up is not an everyday player. He'll probably help Oakland but is addition by subtraction here in Boston.

Wooley - you're talking about salaries like it's 1995. $10M is a relative bargain for a starting outfielder on the free agent market (i.e., not taking into account controlled tendered or arbitration eligible guys).

 

[woolybug25]

This trade was a result of Jason Hammel falling a part since coming over from the Cubbies. He's 0-4 in 4 starts with a ERA of nearly 10.

With Lester on board, the A's are gonna run Kazmir, Gray, Lester, Samardzija and Chavez out there. Good luck to the rest of the league.

I don't know what Vegas says about the odds for a A's - Cardinals WS but I'd put it at 1:1

.

FIFY

 

[T Town Tommy]

Oakland ain't playing.

 

[irishfan]

It's not like Cespedes has all star stats or anything. I don't want my team paying a guy over $10M a year for 20 hr's. If I am the A's, I would rather trade that for Gomes' clutchness and another top pitcher. Even if its just for one playoff push.

Spending $10M a year for a .262 career hitter that averages 22 hr's a year isn't hard to replicate on the FA market. He is easily replaceable, where ace pitchers and clutch playoff performers are very difficult to add at the trade deadline.

He hits more than 22 a year. He hit 23 as a rookie and 26 last year. He has 17 right now. He's pretty much a lock for 30+ in a full season at Fenway. He might get to 30 this year with their stupid stadium.

Losing Lester sucks, but he went to a harmless team. The As don't have the cash to re-sign him. Its tough to tell what's going on behind the scenes with Lester and the Sox, but I think they have as good of a chance as anyone at signing him back this off-season.

And Gomes is a 4th outfielder/pinch hitter. He's a career .244 batter who acts like its .344. He's pretty much rubbed me the wrong way since his interview after the WS last year.

 

[woolybug25]

Wooley - you're talking about salaries like it's 1995. $10M is a relative bargain for a starting outfielder on the free agent market (i.e., not taking into account controlled tendered or arbitration eligible guys).

Cespedes' contract kicks into $10M+ after this season. Currently, he's making $3.2M.

I don't know what league you're looking at. That will make him the 8th highest paid left fielder in baseball. Guys like Ryan Trout, Ryan Ludwick and Bryce Harper will all make far less next year. Do you put Cespedes on that level? I certainly don't. There are only 8 left fielders in baseball making over $10M a year. Next year, Cespedes will be one of them. That's what I mean. You can easily replace his production for far less money.

2015 MLB Top Total Salaries - Left Field

 

[woolybug25]

He hits more than 22 a year. He hit 23 as a rookie and 26 last year. He has 17 right now. He's pretty much a lock for 30+ in a full season at Fenway. He might get to 30 this year with their stupid stadium.

Losing Lester sucks, but he went to a harmless team. The As don't have the cash to re-sign him. Its tough to tell what's going on behind the scenes with Lester and the Sox, but I think they have as good of a chance as anyone at signing him back this off-season.

And Gomes is a 4th outfielder/pinch hitter. He's a career .244 batter who acts like its .344. He's pretty much rubbed me the wrong way since his interview after the WS last year.

Cespedes has a career HR average of 22 as of today. That is a fact. Even if he hit 26 this year, you don't pay your "power hitter" of your team for 26 HR's. $3.2M is one thing... $10M+ is another.

Lester gives the A's one of the best rotations in baseball and one of the best teams in baseball. This trade arguably makes them the WS favorites. How is that a "harmless" team?

Well, Sox fans weren't "rubbed the wrong way" when Gomes' performance last year won them a WS, were they?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Lester is a top 10 starting pitcher but he was dead weight in Boston. No way they resign him to the type of deal he wants. Trade him and get what you can get. I don't care for them getting the salary of Cespedes... he isn't worth that. I would rather they got two prospects out of the deal. To me, Oakland came out way ahead here.

 

[gkIrish]

Lester is a top 10 starting pitcher but he was dead weight in Boston. No way they resign him to the type of deal he wants. Trade him and get what you can get. I don't care for them getting the salary of Cespedes... he isn't worth that. I would rather they got two prospects out of the deal. To me, Oakland came out way ahead here.

Boston has the highest average ticket prices in the MLB but they can't afford to re-sign their ace. Makes sense. (my disbelief not directed at you TTT)

 

[irishfan]

Cespedes has a career HR average of 22 as of today. That is a fact. Even if he hit 26 this year, you don't pay your "power hitter" of your team for 26 HR's. $3.2M is one thing... $10M+ is another.

Lester gives the A's one of the best rotations in baseball and one of the best teams in baseball. This trade arguably makes them the WS favorites. How is that a "harmless" team?

Well, Sox fans weren't "rubbed the wrong way" when Gomes' performance last year won them a WS, were they?

I'm sorry. I can't get beyond this. This is only a "fact" if the season ended today. He has 66 career home runs in 2 2/3 seasons, not 3 full seasons. Like I said, he hit 23 as a rookie and 26 last year. Right now, he's projected for 26 again this year, with a push likely coming from going from a large stadium to a tiny one. After his first 3 seasons in the league, he's going to be a guy averaging 25 HRs and 85-90 RBIs. Not to mention his arm. I'll pay $10 million a year for that regardless of his average.

It's a harmless team in the sense that they're not going to re-sign Lester. Its not like they're trading him to another big-market where he's going to fall in love with the place and re-sign. He's going to Oakland for 2 months, and that is it.

And I wouldn't say he "won" us a World Series. He played terribly actually.

2013 playoff stats: 7-42. .167 average. 1 HR and 5 RBIs. Clutch.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Boston has the highest average ticket prices in the MLB but they can't afford to re-sign their ace. Makes sense. (my disbelief not directed at you TTT)

I don't think it's that they can't re-sign him. They surely can. I just don't think they want to commit to the five year contract he appears to be wanting.