A’s southpaw Barry Zito tossed four innings tonight in what could be his final Major League appearance, although the veteran lefty isn’t officially calling it a career yet, tweets MLB.com’s Jane Lee. Zito says that while he won’t yet announce his retirement, he does feel “complete” and is likes the idea of spending time with his family. If this is indeed it for Zito, the game had somewhat of a full-circle slant to it. As Melissa Lockard of OaklandClubhouse.com notes (via Twitter), Zito’s final start would be closed out by Sean Doolittle, whom the Athletics drafted with the compensation pick they earned upon Zito’s free agent departure.
A few more notes from the American League as Wednesday evening winds down…
- Question marks surround Jeff Samardzija as he heads into free agency, writes ESPN Chicago’s Doug Padilla. The right-hander closed out the season with a pair of excellent starts, but that does little to erase the dismal August through which Samardzija suffered. Samardzija candidly said he’s not overly concerned with how much money he earns in free agency from a personal standpoint. Rather, his concern in contract negotiations has always been to preserve market value and set precedents for those who come after him. “I had enough money when I signed with the Cubs back in 2006,” said Samardzija, referring to the $10MM deal he signed with the Cubs to forgo his football career. “So, like I said before, for me it’s more about a professional thing and respecting the guys that came before me that have put us in this situation in this game. To make the money we make, and have the fun we have, and travel the way we travel, that needs to be continued by players that are coming behind me and current players. For me, that’s important.” Samardzija spoke highly of his time with the White Sox, saying the team has a number of great pieces in place that will help right the ship in future seasons and sounded open to a return.
- Orioles lefty Brian Matusz will undergo surgery to repair the arthritic AC joint in right (non-throwing) shoulder on Monday, tweets Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. The injury, Matusz told reporters (link), didn’t impact his performance but did force him to scale back his workouts. Encina notes that Matusz’s hope is that having the surgery immediately after the season will give him enough time to recover and enjoy a normal offseason before getting back into his preseason routine.
- The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo covered a number of trade-related Red Sox topics in his latest mailbag piece. Within, Cafardo mentions that he recently spoke to one scout who feels the Sox should be willing to move left-hander Henry Owens if he were to bring back a more established arm (bear in mind, of course, that’s one scout’s take). Cafardo also writes about Deven Marrero’s future in Boston, or lack thereof, as he feels Marrero will ultimately end up as trade bait due to lack of a clear path to playing time and a glove that makes him capable of starting at shortstop elsewhere. Other offseason trade candidates he mentions include Clay Buchholz and Wade Miley.
Henry Owens and Deven Marrero for Tyson Ross, who says no?
Definitely a fair trade IMO. Ross only has 2 years of control and the Padres probably aren’t going to be able to extend him. They get 6 years of a top 30 prospect in Owens whos pitching well in the majors and a SS in Marrero. The RS trade off some prospect depth for a very good proven pitcher.
I like it.. Seems like a win for both teams.. If the Padres are willing to trade Kimbrel the Sox would be a logical trade partner for him.. They could probably get the Padres to take Craig as well if they included someone of the caliber of Moncada..
You’ve lost me there.. Theres next to no chance the Redsox trade Moncada for a reliever. If they put him on the market, which is highly unlikley, they will probably want an ace, not a reliever.
But I do think the Owens/Marrero for Ross is a good fit for both squads.
Moncada and Criag ( who really isnt owed anything) is crazy. The Red Sox spent 60 million to get Moncada. That trade makes no sense. Criag is not goingto hurt the team that much. The Red Sox would lose far more money then they would save and get a downgrade in overall talent. I don’t think theres one GM who take Craig Krembel over Moncada.
I dont think theres a GM that would take 3 Craig Kimbrel’s over Moncada.
I say no way RS trade Moncada except for Sonny Gray
Ross is not enough of an improvement over Owens to justify trading both Owens and Marrero. I rather just keep Owens in the rotation next season at that cost. Marrero needs to shopped around for SP though, he is MLB ready and is blocked by Bogaerts.
Ross has proved that he is a very good #2 in a rotation. Owens has that kind of upside, but it still remains a question mark. I like the kid, but I think if you can get Ross for him and Marrero, you do it. I also think Ross is extendable on a nice deal, which would make the trade look a whole lot better.
If they can extend Ross on a team friendly deal, I’d like it. Just don’t like prospect of trading Owens, I believe he has that kind of upside, if not more. Marrero, I have no problem trading, he very clearly doesn’t have a future with Pedroia-Bogaerts-Holt in the MLB now, and Moncada coming up
2 pitch pitcher in the AL I have doubts on. Yes.. he’s been very effective in the NL West, but he doesn’t have a really overpowering FB and with just the 2 pitches, would be difficult to see myself giving up Owens in a deal for Tyson.
Marrero is no loss. never high on him from the day he was drafted, not to mention given an above slot bonus for some odd reason. I’d like to see him moved before his weaknesses (no bat) and chasing pitches (strikeouts) are exposed more at the MLB level.
He will likely want at least as much as Porcello on an extension.
Idk about that.. Porcello was coming off a 3.4 ERA season and was 26 years old, heading into FA at 27.
Ross has 2 years of control and will be a FA at 30, so theres a lot less leverage. Porcello’s 2014 season has almost matched all 3 of Ross’s good seasons as well.
Agreed, don’t think trading both makes sense here
No way I’d involve Owens in any trade unless it brought in Chapmen.. I think Owens has more upside than Tyson Ross…Redsox should keep Owens and Rodriguez in the rotation, sign Price ( if he’d actually come here)..try and convince Lackey to come back despite the bad blood , and find trade partners for Miley and Bucholtz….put Kelly in the bullpen…
Love to have Kimbrel…but would offer a minor league package for him…Not Moncada..no way..
Samardzija just lost some respect from me. Who does he think he is talking to when speaking this dribble about “his concern in contract negotiations has always been to preserve market value and set precedents for those who come after him.”
You preserve personal market value with a solid season and lose market value with a poor season. The top players set the market value for the league with the owners who are willing to pay top dollar for those services. Price and Grenke will raise the bar while the Shark will have to sit and wait with the rest of the FA SP to see what a team is willing to pay for their future services. Thinking about future players has nothing to do with what a team will be willing to pay him.
When talking about “home town discounts” that is a dollar discount for the extra personal value a player feels he gets (close to family, hometown, great comfort in clubhouse, etc.). The player then actually sets his own “market value” based on money and personal issues that go into the equation.
Could be that his “golden dome” was hit too many times playing football.
How about this Owens, marrero, Sandoval and cash to the Phillies for makiel Franco and ptbnl
You want the Phillies to take a pitcher they aren’t high on, a defensive shortstop and a bad contract in exchange for their best young player
Red Sox fans: Remember this is from Nick Cafardo. The guy who wanted the Sox to “Build around Bobby Valentine”. The guy who tried to sell us Lavarnway and Middlebrooks as hitters. The guy who reported the Sox were all over rental Johnney Cuento at the trade deadline…. a deal that made no sense whatsoever…again and again and again.
Cafardo is the epitome of the phrase: “If you hang around long enough then people will think you know what you’re talking about”