quote:
Ok, I'm going to make the case against trading for a top SP.
In the playoffs you need 3-4 SP who can get you to the 6th. You have a deeper BP, because you have 1-2 less SPs and your SPs can go mid-starts. All hands on deck.
We have:
Hamels: 18 GS, 3.21 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
Darvish: 4 GS, 3.15 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
Perez: 19 GS, 4.05 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
Griffin: 10 GS, 3.81 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
As terrible as the SP has looked, with Griffin and Darvish back, we need one more servicable SP.
It doesn't take much to improve over Ramos\Lohse\Martinez\Chi Chi.
But, a playoff rotation with those 4... add Colby if healthy, and while I'd love a ToTR SP, we can get by without one.
Now consider what it would cost us to improve.
Here are the guys we are talking about:
AL
Tropeano (LAAA): 3.12 ERA, 1.462 WHIP
Moore (TB): 4.33 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
Odorizzi (TB): 4.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP
Archer (TB): 4.68 ERA, 1.41 WHIP
Gray (Oak): 5.12 ERA, 1.48 WHIP
NL:
Teheran (Atl): 2.96 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
Santana (Minn): 4.12 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
Cashner (SD): 5.05 ERA, 1.478 WHIP
Corbin (DBacks): 5.25 ERA, 1.514 WHIP
De La Rosa (Col): 5.50 ERA, 1.573 WHIP
There just isn't the difference maker who jumps out as someone I'd put above Perez or Griffin or Colby.
Then, consider what we give up. We are struggling to field a rotation in Round Rock. WE have some very strong SP trade options in AA
We have Gallo, Brinson, among others.
However, when you look at the players we've given up, and the holes we now have (in AAA), giving up anyone from AA, will really leave us in trouble in the future.
Yes, we'd look for someone with team control through say 2018, but a lot of our trouble in SP is the reminents of the trades - Hendricks, Eickoff, et al.
I'd be willing to take on some salary like Santana, but not give up much to get him. Other than that... I don't want to give up a SP. Especially from AA (Sadzeck, Payano, Ortiz, Mendez), A+ (Urado), A (Tate).
If we can give DeShields, Alberto, or some of those guys... fine. Give up some Rule V guys, but other than that... our future is now and we can't give it away.
Ok. I tried.
According to this story... the A's wanted Espoinosa for Rich Hill:
quote:
the A's reportedly initially wanted Anderson Espinoza when the Red Sox inquired about Hill.
Now, mhayden has said the Rangers don't have an equivalent to Espinoza, which I disagree... But, I'm not sure if we did, I'd want to give him (or equivalent package) up on a rental of Hill, let alone Pomeranz. Fears of Garza and Dumpster come to mind.
