JimJohnson
Well-known member
- Joined:
- May 31, 2014
- Posts:
- 5,190
- Liked Posts:
- 884
One of the greatest collapses in baseball history?
- Status
- Joined:
- Aug 23, 2012
- Posts:
- 9,995
- Liked Posts:
- 3,630
My favorite teams
FYI, JimJohnson posted this in the all sports forum and Brett05 and I suggested he would get better conversation in the Cubs/Sox forums.
I can't get over how quickly Hammel fell off. Of course getting Lester but giving up Cespedes was a bigger deal than was thought at the time, imho.
I can't get over how quickly Hammel fell off. Of course getting Lester but giving up Cespedes was a bigger deal than was thought at the time, imho.
chibears55
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Apr 18, 2013
- Posts:
- 13,554
- Liked Posts:
- 1,924
Them and brewers are possibility this year
brett05
867-5309
- Joined:
- Apr 28, 2009
- Posts:
- 27,226
- Liked Posts:
- -1,272
- Location:
- Hell
Cubs of 1969
ChiSoxCity
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Jul 12, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,701
- Liked Posts:
- 612
I never take Oakland seriously. And that Lester trade was epically stupid.
- Joined:
- Oct 18, 2010
- Posts:
- 2,077
- Liked Posts:
- 580
- Location:
- The open road
Braves and Red Sox a few years ago were worse.
- Joined:
- Apr 16, 2013
- Posts:
- 21,680
- Liked Posts:
- 9,491
The trade wasnt bad. People are to hung up on Cepedes. He isnt that good and Lester has completely held his own. The problem is the A's just stop hitting and I find it hard with a guy around a 100 OPS+ is the reason they stop hitting. It if just one of those fluke things. I still thing if they make it to the playoffs there pitching would give them a shot.
Also, people did not want to trade Hammel. I was all for it. He was going to regress. He just hit a shit pile in the AL.
Also, people did not want to trade Hammel. I was all for it. He was going to regress. He just hit a shit pile in the AL.
JZsportsfan
New member
- Joined:
- Mar 31, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,503
- Liked Posts:
- 674
- Location:
- Chicago
Not even the worst of the past 3-4 years. But pretty awful.They still have a shot to right the ship but the offense is just bad. This is a sesaon that could set the A's back a few years. They really don't have a great farm system anymore after trading Russell. Hammel and Lester will walk in FA. So they could really only have a year of Samardzija to show for Russell and Cespedes a month from now
- Joined:
- Apr 24, 2010
- Posts:
- 29,061
- Liked Posts:
- 7,246
I do not believe it is due to cespedes being dealt unless chemistry was disturbed in the clubhouse. Cespedes as much as I would want him on the sox wasnt really tearing the cover off the ball. I think the deal is coincidence and if they stood pat they still would have hit this slide. it isnt like they moved abreu,puig,trout,miggy,cargo type player.
beckdawg
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 31, 2012
- Posts:
- 11,723
- Liked Posts:
- 3,723
IIRC Cespedes can become a FA soon anyways so he's not the real loss. Russell is what will really hurt if they don't make this count
- Joined:
- Aug 23, 2012
- Posts:
- 9,995
- Liked Posts:
- 3,630
My favorite teams
Russell wasn't part of this year's playoff run.
JZsportsfan
New member
- Joined:
- Mar 31, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,503
- Liked Posts:
- 674
- Location:
- Chicago
But it will haunt them long term. He isn't talking about just this season
- Joined:
- Aug 23, 2012
- Posts:
- 9,995
- Liked Posts:
- 3,630
My favorite teams
No kidding. The OP is specifically asking about this year's collapse.
ChiSoxCity
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Jul 12, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,701
- Liked Posts:
- 612
I disagree.
Cespedes is an everyday player who can hit and field. The A's traded one of their best position players for a SP rental they didn't need. What they needed was more offense.
Boobaby1
New member
- Joined:
- Apr 18, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,236
- Liked Posts:
- 1,180
This supposed collapse is really heightened by the Angels being nearly 40 games over .500 to this point. The A's have played well enough to be in 1st place or a couple of games back in over half of the divisions in baseball.
The A's also played good enough to warrant a mid-season trade thrust to get them the team they needed, and unfortunately, it has not went as well as planned.
Of course, getting into the playoffs is all they have to do to have a shot, but as others have said and I did a few weeks ago, their window is really, really small. If they don't do it this year, they are done for a while.
CSF77
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Apr 16, 2013
- Posts:
- 17,960
- Liked Posts:
- 2,775
- Location:
- San Diego
A's are still in the wild card. This is over played. Give credit to the Halo's for them pushing a 100 win season.
All I hope is Lester talked to shark and Shark said he wants to go back to Chicago when he becomes a F/A and they both come to Chicago.
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/93753640/samardzija-not-ruling-out-return-to-chicago
By Daniel Kramer / MLB.com | September 8, 2014 + 13 COMMENTS
CHICAGO -- A's right-hander Jeff Samardzija maintained that he will enter free agency when eligible at the end of the 2015 season, and didn't rule out a return to Chicago when meeting with reporters Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.
"Yeah that is absolutely something that is on my list," Samardzija said Monday in his return to Chicago, where he spent parts of seven seasons with the Cubs. He grew up 50 miles away in Valparaiso, Ind.
"I love it here. I've spent my whole life here and even to come back is exciting -- to see the same sights coming in from the airport and staying downtown. It brings back a lot of memories."
Samardzija was traded on July 5 by the Cubs, the team that selected him in the fifth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.
Samardzija reportedly turned down a five-year, $85 million extension with the Cubs in June, and said he wasn't surprised that he was traded.
"No, just because there was so much talk early," Samardzija said. "I think if for me it would just surprise if had there been no talk the whole time and then drop it on me on that Saturday [the morning after he was traded]."
"Like I said before and all along, I had a good relationship with Theo [Epstein, Cubs president] and the front office. We were pretty open with each other in communication, and that was that. I think we were understanding if there was a deal they didn't like, nothing was going to happen and we were going to go from there."
A first time All-Star who couldn't play in the game because he was elected as a National League pitcher and traded to the A's 11 days prior, Samardzija is now enjoying his role as a starter in Oakland's pennant race. The last time the Cubs were playing in October, in 2008, Samardzija was a reliever and pitched one inning during Chicago's NL Division Series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.
Samardzija said his new role in a postseason hunt is "exciting. It makes you realize what it's about and why you play those long seasons and why you come to the park in May and June and July and play every game like it's your last."
The 29-year-old righty is 4-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 12 starts since the trade. The Athletics are 7-5 in games Samardzija has started.
"He comes as advertised," manager Bob Melvin said. "He's a fighter. He loves to be out there. He wants to pitch in big games. He wants the ball."
He also wants to be courted by the market at the end of his current contract.
"You're always trying to impress the people you're playing for or being recruited by or scouted by," Samardzija said. "I think as an athlete it's always fun to have those tables turned a little bit, where you're being courted. You also get to pick a situation that you feel is best for you. And you work to get to that spot.
"I think it gets overlooked a lot of times is how difficult it is to get to that situation and be in a situation where you get to choose. I'm excited to keep working and hopefully reach that goal."
Daniel Kramer is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
All I hope is Lester talked to shark and Shark said he wants to go back to Chicago when he becomes a F/A and they both come to Chicago.
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/93753640/samardzija-not-ruling-out-return-to-chicago
By Daniel Kramer / MLB.com | September 8, 2014 + 13 COMMENTS
CHICAGO -- A's right-hander Jeff Samardzija maintained that he will enter free agency when eligible at the end of the 2015 season, and didn't rule out a return to Chicago when meeting with reporters Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.
"Yeah that is absolutely something that is on my list," Samardzija said Monday in his return to Chicago, where he spent parts of seven seasons with the Cubs. He grew up 50 miles away in Valparaiso, Ind.
"I love it here. I've spent my whole life here and even to come back is exciting -- to see the same sights coming in from the airport and staying downtown. It brings back a lot of memories."
Samardzija was traded on July 5 by the Cubs, the team that selected him in the fifth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.
Samardzija reportedly turned down a five-year, $85 million extension with the Cubs in June, and said he wasn't surprised that he was traded.
"No, just because there was so much talk early," Samardzija said. "I think if for me it would just surprise if had there been no talk the whole time and then drop it on me on that Saturday [the morning after he was traded]."
"Like I said before and all along, I had a good relationship with Theo [Epstein, Cubs president] and the front office. We were pretty open with each other in communication, and that was that. I think we were understanding if there was a deal they didn't like, nothing was going to happen and we were going to go from there."
A first time All-Star who couldn't play in the game because he was elected as a National League pitcher and traded to the A's 11 days prior, Samardzija is now enjoying his role as a starter in Oakland's pennant race. The last time the Cubs were playing in October, in 2008, Samardzija was a reliever and pitched one inning during Chicago's NL Division Series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.
Samardzija said his new role in a postseason hunt is "exciting. It makes you realize what it's about and why you play those long seasons and why you come to the park in May and June and July and play every game like it's your last."
The 29-year-old righty is 4-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 12 starts since the trade. The Athletics are 7-5 in games Samardzija has started.
"He comes as advertised," manager Bob Melvin said. "He's a fighter. He loves to be out there. He wants to pitch in big games. He wants the ball."
He also wants to be courted by the market at the end of his current contract.
"You're always trying to impress the people you're playing for or being recruited by or scouted by," Samardzija said. "I think as an athlete it's always fun to have those tables turned a little bit, where you're being courted. You also get to pick a situation that you feel is best for you. And you work to get to that spot.
"I think it gets overlooked a lot of times is how difficult it is to get to that situation and be in a situation where you get to choose. I'm excited to keep working and hopefully reach that goal."
Daniel Kramer is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
brett05
867-5309
- Joined:
- Apr 28, 2009
- Posts:
- 27,226
- Liked Posts:
- -1,272
- Location:
- Hell
Well welcome him to the Sox 
CSF77
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Apr 16, 2013
- Posts:
- 17,960
- Liked Posts:
- 2,775
- Location:
- San Diego
Well welcome him to the Sox
I was thinking that Lester ends up a Cub. Shark goes to the Sox. Sox would have Sale, Quinta, Noesi. Danks is a F/A after the 2016 season. Shark is is F/A in 2016. 1 year over lap with those 2.
brett05
867-5309
- Joined:
- Apr 28, 2009
- Posts:
- 27,226
- Liked Posts:
- -1,272
- Location:
- Hell
Plus Rodon
brett05
867-5309
- Joined:
- Apr 28, 2009
- Posts:
- 27,226
- Liked Posts:
- -1,272
- Location:
- Hell
I see Lester as a Red Sox
- Status
