The Orioles made two trades last night, adding infielder Kelly Johnson and outfielder Alejandro De Aza, and any trade involving big-leaguers has an effect on not only a team’s 25-man roster, but its clubhouse. Via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, manager Buck Showalter provides an interesting look into how trades affect players who aren’t being dealt. Showalter says, for example, that following the acquisition of De Aza, he spoke to Delmon Young and other players about what the trade meant for them. “It’s unknown that drives players crazy and you want them to understand things,” says Showalter. “I had a real good idea what they were going to say. They’re usually pretty short conversations, but you have them nonetheless.” Here’s more from around the big leagues.
- The Athletics’ trade for Adam Dunn might not have been needed had they not traded Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox in the Jon Lester deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports opines. Oakland’s offense has struggled since the trade, and while Cespedes’ departure isn’t entirely to blame (there have been slumps and injuries throughout the Athletics lineup), it hasn’t helped.
- In the wake of the Brewers’ acquisition of Jonathan Broxton today, Rosenthal notes (via Twitter) that Milwaukee also went after David Price last month. Talks with the Rays did not progress very far, however, because the Brewers were unwilling to give up top young pitcher Jimmy Nelson.
- The Pirates appear unlikely to make any trades today, David Manel of Bucs Dugout writes. “It’s been a lower percentage of successful claims than ever before,” says GM Neal Huntington. “You expect the American League guys not to make it through the American League. But there have been some guys in the National League that have been claimed before they’ve gotten to us, which has been a bit of a surprise.”
I felt like Cespedes was a huge presence in the As lineup. Even if his numbers weren’t monster stats, his presence affected the way pitchers addressed the quality hitters around him. I don’t think Dunn is quite a replacement. He’s an all-or-nothing power swinger. Cespedes is a singular all-around talent.
Yeah, but Cespedes does seem to get hurt a lot.
Not for a long period of time though, but still.
Also, it doesn’t fully explain why the A’s offense has completely disappeared.
Even if it reappears, they are still giving up 8 to 9 runs a game and I think they just got swept by the Angels today. Something is wrong there and it’s kind of surprising because usually Beane outsmarts us all! =P
Maybe we just disagree, which is fine, š but I happen to think a single important presence does explain a lot in a offense.
Our orioles have done well to withstand its share of injuries to star players, but (knock on wood) they haven’t occurred to the heart of our offense. It’s great to have had, say, Davis step forward last year, and Nelson do so today, but I actually value Adam Jones as the heart and soul of our lineup, even if the numbers bear it out, or not. Every team has a single key player, who if you were to take them out of it, it carries such a ripple effect throughout the lineup, that the personality of the offense completely changes. Our swing-first/power mindset comes straight from Adam, I’d say. I was surprised to see Beane deal Cespedes, because I viewed him as their Adam Jones, even though Donaldson was having a superior statistical year.
The big question, does Billy Beane get the axe from Oakland if they miss the playoffs after trading away their best HR guy for a pitcher while having what was one of the best rotations in all of baseball already at the time?
Beane is a minority owner and still considered one of the best GMs in the game, he’d have to vote himself out.
From the A’s perspective, getting Lester for Cespedes was an acknowledgement that a) Cespedes would be traded in the winter anyway, b) Lester is a playoff seasoned ace pitcher, and c) this was the best chance to go all in to win since they were a virtual playoff lock and pitching usually always wins in the playoffs.
Even if the A’s crash and burn and miss the playoffs, my guess is Beane won’t be the scapegoat.
It’ll look bad, but no.
People are making too big of a deal over Cespedes. He hit home runs, but his OPS was subpar and they got a battle tested ace for him. Their rotation may have been one of the best at the time, but they didn’t have a proven playoff pitcher in their midst besides Kazmir.