Oakland’s acquisition of Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel displaced left-hander Tommy Milone from the club’s rotation, and now the 27-year-old has asked the club for a trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Oakland has received multiple inquiries on Milone, but the team doesn’t feel inclined to move him, as he could be needed for future depth in the event of injuries or ineffectiveness. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that she now also hears that Milone has asked for a trade, but that won’t necessarily prompt the A’s to deal him.
It’s understandable that Milone would be frustrated with his demotion. As Rosenthal notes, July 5 marked the third time that Milone was sent to Triple-A Sacramento in the past calendar year, and it come on the heels of a stretch in which he went 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA in 11 starts.
Milone is not yet arbitration eligible — he will be this offseason — and is under control through the 2017 season. A soft-tossing southpaw (he’s averaged 87.3 mph on his fastball in his career), Milone has a 3.84 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 36.8 percent ground-ball rate in 468 2/3 Major League innings. The A’s originally acquired him from the Nationals as part of the Gio Gonzalez trade. He’s a client of Praver/Shapiro, as shown in MLBTR’s Agency Database.
Milone would appeal to a wide range of teams, as contending clubs in need of help at the back of their rotation could be interested, but rebuilding teams in need of controllable arms could look to acquire him as well.
Tommy Milone for Nick Franklin?
Exactly. But would need to throw more in there for him since Franklin has more years of control… Jason H too?!! They’ve been in the market for a ‘top of the line starter’. Give them Jimmy J for good measure!
First the M’s do not need starters. Second the A’s would need to get more than Franklin for Milone. Starters are in demand more than a former top prospect. The A’s would trade Hammel before Milone
We’ve been hearing about all these Price-to-Mariners rumors because they are looking for a rotation upgrade. Elias and Young overachieved in the first half, so their staff needs help if they’re going to keep up with the Angels and A’s. And I think that the Mariners would need more than Milone for Franklin, not the other way around. Oakland doesn’t even want Milone in their rotation, and he asked for a trade, so they don’t have any leverage.
Great post. With the question marks around Walker & Paxton, Elias hitting a “wall” & Young pitching out of his arse, Milone might be a good grab for the M’s.
Only reason milone is in AAA is because of the depth at pitching for the A’s not because they don’t want him. You pick up 2 starters somebody is not in the rotation. Franklin has been in AAA for almost 3 years and have not hit above there so his stock has fallen. Milone agent asked for the trade according to reports not Milone and since he has options left the A’s are not under any pressure to trade him.
Asking for a trade and pulling him from the rotation doesn’t mean they don’t have leverage. Leverage is dictated by interest. It would probably take a young arm with Franklin. Biggest issue is it’s within the division.
A’s can get infielder Nick Franklin, Justin Smoak, and catcher John Hicks (then trade Smoak to the White Sox for Ronald Belisario) for Tommy Millone for starting pitching help. Also, acquire Byrd & Rollins for couple mid level prospects, Paxton or Maurer, and Dustin Ackley. Those moves should help those respective teams.
You’re kidding right? I left hand starter with some Major League level success for 2nd year player who batted .225 his first year and hitting .300 in PCL? Who hasn’t hit .300 in PCL?!? lol
He hit .324 last season and is hitting .300 this season after slumping for a bit. Away from Oakland, Milone is a #5. The M’s would be better off putting Franklin in a package for a RHB.
Eric Sogard hit .300 in the PCL.
He is currently batting .194
Franklin isn’t that good. If he was The M’s wouldn’t have gotten Cano. And they wouldn’t be trying to get Zobrist now.
Not disagreeing with you ok Franklin not being that good BUT cano is/was the best 2B in the game, he was obviously an upgrade over anyone on the Ms roster. As for Zobrist, he’s one of the most versatile players in the game who hits well.
Signing Cano and being interested in Zobrist has a lot less correlation between Franklin being available than you are eluding to.
It’s all moot. The A’s aren’t going to deal Milone within their division. He will probably be dealt to an NL team with a big park.
Maybe the Cubs and A’s can hook back up. Cubs can give them Valbuanea or Barney. I know that most likely wont get the deal done, but the A’s wont be getting much more for him
the A’s still owe the Cubs a PTBNL, don’t they?
Yes they do, but I keep hearing that its most likely Raul Alcantara. Very doubt the PTBNL would be Milone
that was mostly tongue in cheek, i admit. but what’s say we do throw in Barney or Valbuena to complete the deal
From what I understood, the PTBNL was not significant. Alcantrara would be significant, and he just had TJ surgery so it would be a while before he’s ready to pitch. More than likely, it’s a nobody.
Sounds like a guy Theo would want for the PTBNL, a guy coming off TJ. See Vizcanio with the Braves a few years ago
PTBNL will based on how far the A’s get in the playoffs and the outcome of Samardzija & Hammel performance.
the fact that the player hasn’t been named yet makes you wonder if that’s true, actually. if it was just going to be ‘a nobody’ then i can’t imagine why the deal hasn’t been completed yet.
more than likely it’s somebody on the DL for oakland, since you can’t trade injured players.
I hope it’s not him as I feel the Cubs already won that trade. He’ll be ready to pitch in late 2015 at the earliest. So they wouldn’t be able to complete that deal until then? That’s a long wait.
it’s kind of complicated but a player can only be officially on the DL while the season’s actually ongoing… and outstanding trades must be completed within one calendar year, if i understand things right.
So if it is Alcantara then they’d have to wait until the season was over to formalize it.
You can trade for injured players. Cubs did for Vizcanino with the Braves 2 years ago
Milone for Valbuena makes way too much sense.
Milone > Hammel in AL. I think Hammel’s ERA is going to balloon playing in the AL West.
I don’t.
fair enough 🙂
I agree completely. Hammel in the AL is a recipe for disaster.
Except for that time he spent in the … umm I dunno … AL …
You mean the four out of five years his FIP was over 4 and the three years it was over 5?
You are saying that he will fail simply because he’s in the AL.
He has succeeded in the AL; therefore, your argument is flawed.
Anybody alive could succeed in the AL to some degree. Hammel has failed far more than he’s succeeded in the AL. Therefore, my argument is valid.
How soon people forget…
Jeez, it wasn’t that long ago he was pitching quite well (while healthy) in a strong AL East.
For how many weeks? Compared to the years he was horrible…
He pitched well in the AL East on a contending Baltimore team in 2012, so I don’t see why he can’t succeed in the AL West. Milone is worse, he thrives pitching in Oakland in that big ballpark. Put him in a normal sized stadium and his numbers would look much uglier.
Hey Fritt,
Perhaps. My worry is that his great numbers with the Cubs this year were severely inflated by luck. High strand rates. Low BABIP. etc. I think his ERA was going to balloon even if he didn’t get traded. Sure, Oak’s ballpark will help, but pitching against Angels and Mariners (and TEX…while they suck now, almost everyone in that line-up is dangerous) isn’t like pitching against Pirates and Reds. The Astros’ll help, tho.
But, what the hell do I know? 🙂 I’m sure Beane has it figured out.
The Astros, Mariners and Rangers all rank 17th or lower in wRC+ versus RHP. The Halos are the only really tough offense in that division, and they’re tough on everyone.
Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and St. Louis all rank in the top half of the Majors in wRC+ against righties. Moving to the AL hurts, but he’s actually going to be facing some weaker offenses — at least within his division.
Plus, the same low BABIP/high strand rates apply to Milone.
Based on groundball rates and stuff, I’d disagree. Although it comes down to execution, and Hammel’s execution, for whatever reason, in the AL has been inconsistent. His sinker always seems to stay up once he’s on an AL club. He was better as a Cub. You may be right, and Milone may just end up being very valuable insurance in case Hammel flops.
Wow, Hammel has only had what 2 starts and already all you A’s fans want him gone? lol. Jeez, Cubs will take him back lol
Personally, I didn’t want him to begin with. Milone should have stayed in the rotation and we should have kept McKinney.
Cubs Nation says “No”
Milone could be one of the pieces to get Utley.
Utley has said about three times in the past month that he won’t waive his 10-and-5 rights, which allow him to veto any trade.
Milone should have stayed in the rotation. Chavez should have gone to long-relief because his innings number is a concern anyways; Jim Johnson needs to be fired into the sun.
Instead the A’s demote Milone who is arguably better than both Hammel and Chavez. Baffling.
That’s exactly what should have happened. Milone stay in the rotation, Chavez to bullpen (specifically because of innings), Johnson gets DFA and A’s/Cubs don’t include Hammel or McKinney.
Just wait and that will happen very soon. Chavez is tired and the A’s need a long reliever out of the pen.
“…fired into the sun.”
LOL. The hate is strong in this one.
Fired into the Sun, that’s funny. I dig that.
I didn’t realize that Jim Johnson frayed the nerves that much.
He is frustrating that’s for sure.
IMO Millone isn’t much better than a #4-5 starter at best in a stadium like Oakland’s. He’s struggled in his career on the road so it wouldn’t surprise me if his ERA would go up to 4-5+ on another team.
Fans hating on Hammel after 2 starts are the same that were hating on Milone after a rough start to the season.
Must be nice to have the luxury of sending a LHP w/ ERA+ 107 down to AAA….
It’s unfortunate for Milone, but the A’s are doing the right thing and holding onto him. It won’t be long before he’s back in the Coliseum.
He should just realize that’s how the A’s do business with players with option years left, it’s no reflection on him.
I think Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners all could/would/should be interested. All 3 teams would like depth at SP, but don’t want to give up prospects that would need to get Price, Shields, Hamels ect. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the three jump on it.
Now that the type of pitcher dodgers should be looking at. Enough of the trading the farm to get pitching
Dodgers haven’t traded the farm for pitching. Kershaw was home grown, greinke and ryu were free agents, and beckett was a throw in for the gonzale/crawford trade
No but meant as enough of the talk about trading the farm to get a pitcher
Milone could be a nice piece for the Dodgers or Cardinals as a back-up plan to Price.
as I said when the A’s brought in the 2 new boys…Milone would be appreciated in Toronto…..
Although, tonight, Winston the custodian would be an upgrade over what the Jays trotted out.
I would take him. Nothing can be worse than Kyle Kendrick (5.00+ ERA in the past calendar year is crazy high!)
Andrew Miller for Milone and a minor piece?
Could be a good option for the Pirates
Milone would be more valuable for the A’s to stash as insurance. There’s a very good chance that one or two of their arms lose it down the stretch, and having a cheap lefty who can throw strikes and put up some quality innings is more valuable than gambling on a mid-level prospect who is years away from contributing.
Milone may have asked for a trade, but who really cares? He’s just pissed off because the more time spent in AAA, the lesser his expected paycheck will be in the future. As far as the league’s labor rules say, he is an indentured servant and shall not speak unless spoken too.
If the A’s can get a decent middle infielder, and fill their biggest hole right now, then fine. Callaspo and Sogard don’t have it this year, and Punto is a better fit as super-utility infielder/defensive replacement/late inning contact guy/pinch runner.
Frankly, going after Ben Zobrist would be worth while. Packaging Milone, Chad Pinder and Bruce Maxwell for an affordable 1.5 years of a veteran All-Star 2B with glove, power and OBP sounds doable. He’s the kind of guy that will be invaluable in the playoffs.
Also, any front office guy worth his salt knows that Milone’s numbers are padded. If any team pursues him with a decent prospect in hand, it’s either one that’s run by a monkey, or one that is in a park + environment that is unbelievably cushy–San Diego, New York (Mets), Pirates, San Francisco…He’s an average pitcher, and his numbers are heavily padded by flyball tendencies in his giant home park, with a giant foul territory and his superb catcher and defense behind him. Put Milone in Yankee Stadium or Camden Yards, and he turns into TJ McFarland really quickly.
Nick Franklin is more valuable than Milone. A cheap, switch-hitting middle infielder that can play an average or better shorstop and second base while hitting with solid-average power and posting an average OBP is a rare commodity in this league. If you put him in a more neutral hitting environment, and he’s a 2-3 WAR player already.
Gordon Beckham for Tommy Milone, get ‘er done Hahn!
Please please please Antonetti, get us another starter. I like Josh Tomlin, but I don’t think he’s gonna cut it in our rotation. He could be a long relief guy, instead.