Athletics Nation - Oakland A's 2015 Trade Deadline: Zobrist to Royals, Kazmir to Astros, Clippard to MetsAn SB Nation blog for Oakland Athletics fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47025/an-fave.png2015-07-31T17:05:59-07:00http://www.athleticsnation.com/rss/stream/88161662015-07-31T17:05:59-07:002015-07-31T17:05:59-07:00Oakland A's trade deadline roundup
<figure>
<img alt="I'd like to think that Kazmir is also tipping his cap to A's fans. Thanks for two great years, Scott!" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2bAdA14wiAUAzsWuroIfqzEFEBE=/0x98:3207x2236/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46876402/usa-today-8725236.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>I'd like to think that Kazmir is also tipping his cap to A's fans. Thanks for two great years, Scott! | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The 2015 MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and the dust has settled. There will still be minor deals in August, but nothing like what we just saw. It all happened pretty quickly, and we threw a lot of information at you in the span of about a week, so here is a roundup of links to allow you to catch up with all that transpired.</p>
<p>In the end, the only players the Oakland A's traded from their 25-man roster were three pending free agents, none of whom had any chance of re-signing with the team: Scott Kazmir, Ben Zobrist, and Tyler Clippard. Unlike the deals of last winter, or the trades of guys like Gio and Cahill before 2012, the A's didn't give up anything that could have helped them in the future. Granted, the losses of these three star players effectively ends any slim chance of competing in 2015, but given that the A's are tied for the worst record in the AL, that hardly seems like a meaningful concession. The general national consensus seems to be that the A's got good-to-great returns in each trade.</p>
<p>Below you will find all of the deals the A's made this month. There are the three big ones, and a few minor transactions as well. Or, you can just browse through our full coverage in our <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/27/9052125/oakland-athletics-2015-mlb-trade-deadline-scott-kazmir-tyler-clippard-ben-zobrist" target="_blank">trade deadline StoryStream</a>.</p>
<h3>Scott Kazmir</h3>
<p>A's trade Kazmir to Houston Astros for minor leaguers <b>Jacob Nottingham (C)</b> and <b>Daniel Mengden (RHP)</b></p>
<p>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/23/9024079/oakland-as-pitcher-scott-kazmir-traded-hugs-underway/in/8816166" target="_blank">News story</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/24/9027371/oakland-athletics-trade-scott-kazmir-deadline-ben-zobrist/in/8816166" target="_blank">AN Analysis</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/23/9027231/reactions-athletics-trade-scott-kazmir-to-the-houston-astros/in/8816166" target="_blank">Reactions and hot takes</a> <br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/24/9036425/why-are-people-hating-on-the-kazmir-trade/in/8816166" target="_blank">AN reaction to hot takes</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/28/9061307/oakland-athletics-trade-scott-kazmir-prospects-jacob-nottingham-and-daniel-mengden" target="_blank">Scouting reports on Nottingham and Mengden</a></p>
<h3>Ben Zobrist</h3>
<p>A's trade Zobrist to Kansas City Royals for minor leaguers <b>Sean Manaea (LHP)</b> and <b>Aaron Brooks (RHP)</b></p>
<p>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/28/9059499/oakland-as-trade-ben-zobrist-to-kansas-city-royals-reports-ken/in/8816166" target="_blank">News story</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/29/9069121/oakland-athletics-trade-ben-zobrist-decline-defense-what-could-have-been/in/8816166" target="_blank">AN Analysis</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/29/9071635/oakland-as-trades-sean-manaea-aaron-brooks-ben-zobrist" target="_blank">Scouting reports on Manaea and Brooks</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/28/9064507/edward-mujica-closer-aaron-brooks-starter-brett-lawrie-second-base" target="_blank">Brooks will start for A's on Saturday</a></p>
<h3>Tyler Clippard</h3>
<p>A's trade Clippard to Mets for minor leaguer <b>Casey Meisner (RHP)</b></p>
<p>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/27/9049307/athletics-mets-trade-tyler-clippard-casey-meisner/in/8816166" target="_blank">News story</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/28/9054607/oakland-athletics-mets-tyler-clippard-trade-analysis/in/8816166" target="_blank">AN Analysis</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/24/9036343/oakland-athletics-bullpen-trade-tyler-clippard-eric-oflaherty/in/8816166" target="_blank">Bullpen ramifications</a><br>- <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/27/9051449/video-of-new-oakland-as-pitcher-casey-meisner/in/8816166" target="_blank">Video of Meisner</a><br>- <a href="http://athleticsfarm.com/2015/07/30/getting-to-know-the-as-hot-new-prospects/" target="_blank">Scouting report on Meisner</a> (from Athletics Farm, also includes the other acquisitions)</p>
<h3>Other transactions</h3>
<p>- A's acquire <b>PTBNL</b> from Red Sox in exchange for relief pitcher <b>Ryan Cook (RHP)</b> (<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9081871/oakland-as-trade-ryan-cook-to-boston-red-sox/in/8816166" target="_blank">story</a>)</p>
<p>- A's acquire left-handed starting pitcher <b>Felix Doubront (LHP)</b> from Blue Jays for cash considerations (<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9081507/athletics-acquire-felix-doubront-from-toronto-blue-jays-for-cash/in/8816166" target="_blank">story</a>) (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/doubrfe01.shtml" target="_blank">stats</a>)</p>
<p>- A's acquire minor league starting pitcher <b>Cody Martin (RHP)</b> from Braves for an international bonus slot (the right to spend more money on int'l players) (<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/2/8887237/athletics-acquire-cody-martin-for-international-slot-money-designate/in/8816166" target="_blank">story</a>) (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=martin003cod" target="_blank">stats</a>)</p>
<p>- A's acquire minor league relief pitcher <b>Aaron Kurcz (RHP)</b> from Braves for an international bonus slot (<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/6/8901647/athletics-acquire-rhp-aaron-kurcz-from-braves-for-international-slot/in/8816166" target="_blank">story</a>) (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=kurcz-001aar" target="_blank">stats</a>)</p>
<p>- A's release minor league outfielder Dayan Viciedo and add minor league third baseman Brent Morel (<a href="https://twitter.com/AthleticsFarm/status/626902156965122048" target="_blank">story</a>)</p>
<p>- A's acquire Chuckie the Chinchilla from pet store (citation needed) for undisclosed terms (<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9082629/oakland-as-acquire-chuckie-the-chinchilla-per-report/in/8816166" target="_blank">story</a>)</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9082751/oakland-athletics-trade-deadline-roundup-scott-kazmir-ben-zobrist-tyler-clippardAlex Hall2015-07-31T15:04:47-07:002015-07-31T15:04:47-07:00Oakland A's acquire Chuckie the Chinchilla, per report<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/RealJoshReddick/status/627230753978363904">Oakland A's acquire Chuckie the Chinchilla, per&nbsp;report</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>This story is still developing, but Oakland A's outfielder Josh Reddick reports that Chuckie has been added to the clubhouse. It is unclear what the A's gave up to acquire Chuckie, but it should be noted that the Rally Possum was held out of Thursday night's game (explaining the lack of rallies) and is scheduled to be a free agent at season's end. It is believed that Chuckie is under contract for several more seasons, and although his cuteness is not considered as elite as the league's hedgehog prospects he still has a high ceiling (also, all hedgehogs have no-trade clauses to California teams due to being illegal in the state). More details as they are made public.</p></p></div>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9082629/oakland-as-acquire-chuckie-the-chinchilla-per-reportAlex Hall2015-07-31T13:32:00-07:002015-07-31T13:32:00-07:00A's trade Ryan Cook to Red Sox for PTBNL
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Zyjo7HblA_7NdplYL1kTmdkNO_c=/0x820:2609x2559/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46875598/GettyImages-455381638.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ezra Shaw/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The 2012 All-Star pitcher fell off the map after early season struggles.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> traded 2012 All-Star right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Cook to the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Red Sox</a> for a player to be named later, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/627210718492889088">reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/JHickey3/status/627213018397413376">Bay Area News Group's John Hickey</a>. There is no word yet on the return. Cook, 28, got off to a terrible start and never returned to form to merit a return to the club despite Oakland's bullpen woes.</p>
<p>Oakland Clubhouse's Melissa Lockard has one guess as to who the player to be named later might be:</p>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Total speculation based on nothing but my guess, but perhaps the PTBNL is <span>Daniel Nava</span>, currently on release waivers.</p>
— Melissa Lockard (@oakclubhouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/oakclubhouse/status/627212380653531137">July 31, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Cook made just four appearances and conceded five earned runs before getting demoted to Triple-A Nashville. In Nashville, Cook could not manage a performance that suggested success in the major leagues, striking out 26 but walking 14 in 33⅓ innings, resulting in a 4.05 ERA.</p>
<p>The Red Sox see Cook as a bounceback candidate, however, says Brian Macpherson of the <i>Providence Journal</i>:</p>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Farrell: Red Sox liked <span>Ryan Cook's</span> track record, see him as a "bounce back" candidate this year and beyond.</p>
— Brian MacPherson (@brianmacp) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmacp/status/627214693514481665">July 31, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Cook has a career 2.93 ERA and has one option year remaining after this season. With just over three years service time, he is under Red Sox control through at least the 2018 season.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9081871/oakland-as-trade-ryan-cook-to-boston-red-soxJeremy F. Koo2015-07-31T12:37:00-07:002015-07-31T12:37:00-07:00A's acquire Felix Doubront for cash
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EvsFhJwmF1YXgYdQpLd6tCmRWZA=/834x0:2799x1310/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46874842/usa-today-8722016.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Cash considerations are on the move again, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> have acquired left-handed pitcher <span>Felix Doubront</span> from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a>. The acquisition was announced with about 30 minutes before Friday's 1:00 PM Pacific Time non-waiver trade deadline. Doubront is out of options, and will need to be added to the 25-man roster prior to his reporting to the Athletics. As a player with over three years of MLB service time, Doubront would have the right to elect free agency if he instead cleared outright waivers.</p>
<p>The Blue Jays designated Doubront for assignment after that club obtained shortstop <span>Troy Tulowitzki</span> from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a>. Doubront made four starts for the Blue Jays and one relief appearance, throwing 13 strikeouts and walking five (one intentionally) in 22⅔ innings with a 4.76 ERA. With Toronto' s Triple-A team, Doubront struck out 43 and walked 18 in 48 innings, with a 2.44 ERA.</p>
<p>It's not clear what role Doubront will play with the Athletics, with both the starting rotation and bullpen struggling in recent games after trading away <span>Scott Kazmir</span> and Tyler Clippard. Jesse Chavez has struggled since the start of June. Kendall Graveman is starting tonight riding three straight non-quality starts, and recorded only four outs in his last start. Recent acquisition <span>Aaron Brooks</span> is slated to start Saturday, but that could change.</p>
<p>The bullpen also has been in need of a long reliever for quite some time, with <span>Dan Otero</span> serving in that role recently simply because he is a pitch-to-contact pitcher and doesn't usuall need a lot of pitches to either get out of an inning or get knocked out of an inning.</p>
<p>Friday evening's contest against the <a href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cleveland Indians</a> begins at 6:35 Pacific Time.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9081507/athletics-acquire-felix-doubront-from-toronto-blue-jays-for-cashJeremy F. Koo2015-07-31T06:00:10-07:002015-07-31T06:00:10-07:00Daily Bernie: A's prepare for Trade Deadline
<figure>
<img alt="Could this have been Josh Reddick's last hit as an Athletic?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4qw0vj-gs9n6vtQb13FKuR2mKP4=/0x0:2490x1660/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46871056/usa-today-8725260.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Could this have been Josh Reddick's last hit as an Athletic? | Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The blockbusters continued on Thursday, as Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers joined the Astros, Mike Leake is headed to the Giants, and the wild three-team deal was completed, among much, much more.</p> <p>Happy Trade Deadline Day, and welcome back to The Daily Bernie! It's the best dance in the game, so let's get rolling once more!</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li> <span>The trades simply would not stop on Thursday. First off, the three-team trade between the Dodgers, Marlins, and Braves was finalized. The Dodgers received starters Alex Wood, Bronson Arroyo, and Mat Latos, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan, first baseman Michael Morse, and top prospect Jose Peraza. The Braves picked up infielder Hector Olivera, reliever Paco Rodriguez, right-handed starter Zachary Bird, and the Marlins' 2016 competitive balance draft pick. Finally, the Marlins acquired young pitchers Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo, and Kevin Guzman. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports helpfully consolidates each team's return (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626819452877672448">Dodgers</a><span>) (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626819620146561024">Braves</a><span>) (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626819772647247873">Marlins</a><span>). The deal has been made official. The Dodgers designated Morse (along with three other players) </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626896420725854208">for assignment.</a> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>The Cardinals seem to have overpaid to acquire an old friend of ours. Outfielder/first baseman Brandon Moss is heading to St. Louis, in exchange for highly touted pitching prospect Rob Kaminsky. The move </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626754983304790016">is official</a><span>. Kaminsky is a much better prospect than the A's acquisition for Moss back in the winter, Joey Wendle, if the consensus rankings are to be believed. However, the Cardinals have a surplus of young pitching, and now add a bat to replace the injured Matt Holliday on their quest for another championship.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>Next up came an out-of-nowhere blockbuster between the Houston Astros and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Astros picked up star outfielder Carlos Gomez along with righty Mike Fiers and an international bonus slot in exchange for outfielders Brett Phillips and Domingo Santana, along with pitchers Josh Hader and Adrian Houser. The deal </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626903111039254528">has been</a><span> </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626903195386646528">made official</a><span>. The rebuilding Brewers got an excellent haul for two pieces that likely weren't a part of their long-term plans, while the Astros added talent under team control beyond just 2015. And it seems like they might be continuing to do so, as...</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>...The Astros and Padres are discussing what could be a major move, per </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626989247279538176">Passan</a><span>. </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/status/626990012458999808">Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports</a><span> the deal, if completed, could send ace closer Craig Kimbrel along with starter Tyson Ross to the Astros in exchange for outfielder Jake Marisnick, former first overall pick Mark Appel, and others. This situation is definitely one to watch, as it could drastically change the futures of both teams involved, as well as the landscape of the 2015 playoff race.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>The Giants have acquired right-handed pitcher Mike Leake from the Reds in exchange for young starter Keury Mella and infielder Adam Duval. The move </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626976987324641280">is official</a><span>. The Reds continue to stock up on young arms after dealing both Leake and Johnny Cueto, while the Giants try to bolster a previously-untrustworthy rotation. Sadly, old friend Tim Hudson will be </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/extrabaggs/status/626981616812883968">sent to the bullpen</a><span> to make room in the rotation for Leake. San Francisco missed out on top names such as Cole Hamels and David Price, and thus had to settle for Leake.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>Speaking of David Price, the lefty was sent to Canada on Thursday morning. The Toronto Blue Jays continued to make noise, adding Price, while sending top lefty prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, and Jairo Labourt to Detroit. The move </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626811522266722304">is official</a><span>. The Tigers did an excellent job adding two mid-rotation arms in Norris and Boyd that can step into the rotation right away, along with a lottery ticket in the hard-throwing Labourt. Meanwhile, while Toronto's aggressive moves may pay off and take them to the postseason, one has to wonder where their team will be in the future. The Blue Jays have lost quite a few young, talented arms between the Price and Tulowitzki trades.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>Some news and notes from around the league: the Yankees picked up 2B/OF Dustin Ackley from the Mariners in exchange for OF Ramon Flores and RHP Jose Ramirez (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626858297468022784">link</a><span>); the Cubs, Blue Jays, and Dodgers are pursuing Rangers right-hander Yovanni Gallardo (</span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25255086/gallardo-market-cubs-blue-jays-dodgers-yankees-and-dodgers">link</a><span>); the D-Backs have discussed acquiring closer Aroldis Chapman with the Reds (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626108699967377408">link</a><span>); the Pirates picked up reliever Joakim Soria from the Tigers in exchange for young OF/SS Jacoby Jones (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/626890864644587520">link</a><span>); the Mets are interested in adding Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, and would likely give up righty Zach Wheeler to do so (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/626922384038227968">link</a><span>); the Orioles are discussing acquiring OF Gerardo Parra from the Brewers (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/626923182784675840">link</a><span>); the White Sox want to add a bat, and are interested in OF Yoenis Cespedes (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/626839516691562496">link</a><span>) as well as OF Justin Upton (</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/626859534498316288">link</a><span>).</span>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The A's have released Triple-A outfielder Dayan Viciedo and added infielder Brent Morel to the Sounds' roster (<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AthleticsFarm/status/626902156965122048">link</a><span>).</span> </li>
</ul>
<h4>Bernie's Daily Deals: The Finale</h4>
<p>Since today is the trade deadline, this will be my last opportunity to spew trade ideas towards you all. So I've decided to put together a couple of speculative deals in order to get them out of my head prior to the deadline.</p>
<p>On the ride home from Thursday night's game, I was listening to Chris Townsend's "A's Talk" on 95.7 The Game. While I don't always agree with what Towny has to say, last night, he really hit the nail on the head. In response to General Manager Billy Beane's comments about the team being competitive again right around the time the A's would finally get a new stadium, Townsend said that the A's will have to look at their roster and ask themselves, "Who can we see still being a big part of this squad in three or four years when it will be competitive once more?" Names like Josh Reddick, Jesse Chavez, and Ike Davis stand out as players who will likely no longer be around by the time the A's are competitive again. So now seems like the best time to trade them.</p>
<h5>Josh Reddick to the Chicago White Sox for Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson</h5>
<p>The White Sox are looking to add a bat, with interest in outfielders specifically. Reddick makes a lot of sense for them, as he is under team control through 2016, and isn't just a rental. He will be costly, however. Montas, 22, is a hard-throwing right-handed starter with a high ceiling. Montas, currently in Double-A, has the ceiling of a number two or number three starter, but could also end up as an elite closer. Klay Thompson's younger brother Trayce would also come to the Bay Area (where he belongs!). Trayce is a 24 year-old outfielder in Triple-A with a nice power-speed combo and above-average defense. While his strikeout rate is a concern, Thompson's speed and defense give him a relatively high floor. Both players would likely debut in the major leagues around mid-2016, or early-2017 at the latest.</p>
<h5>Jesse Chavez to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Harold Ramirez</h5>
<p>The Pirates could sorely use an upgrade over Jeff Locke in the back of their rotation, and former Buc Jesse Chavez could be the perfect fit for them. Under team control through 2016, Chavez could remain in their rotation, where he could work on his stamina with highly-touted pitching coach Ray Searage. In exchange, the A's pick up 20 year-old outfielder Harold Ramirez. Ramirez has hit very well in High-A in 2015, but is blocked in Pittsburgh behind Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco, and Austin Meadows. Ramirez is fast, and is a good contact hitter. He would likely debut in 2017 at the earliest.</p>
<h5>Ike Davis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Tommy Pham</h5>
<p>While the Cardinals just added Brandon Moss, they could use another lefty bat off the bench, as well. Enter Ike Davis. Davis hasn't been great in Oakland, but I wouldn't put it past St. Louis to find a way to suck every little ounce of production out of him. In exchange, the A's pick up 27 year-old outfielder Tommy Pham. Pham's nice walk rate and speed make him a perfectly underrated fourth-outfielder type. Underwhelmed? Don't be. Any return for Ike Davis would likely be small.</p>
<h5>Stephen Vogt, Eric O'Flaherty, and Edward Mujica to the Minnesota Twins for Kohl Stewart, Nick Burdi, Max Kepler, and Josmil Pinto</h5>
<p>Yeah, I know you guys won't be happy with me for this one. But, again, I have to agree with Towny. Vogt's value will never be higher, and he likely won't be contributing to the club by the time it's competitive once more. He's breaking out at age 30, and while he's a fan favorite and a great story, right now the best move would likely be to sell high on him. The Twins and their great farm are interested in catching upgrades, as well as relievers, so this package fits them well. Vogt would serve as a leader for the young up-and-coming Twins, as they do their best to hang on tight to their Wild Card spot. Vogt is under team control for four more years.</p>
<p>Stewart is a highly-touted 20 year-old right-handed pitcher. While Stewart's strikeout and walk rates haven't yet met expectations, he has maintained success as a young pitcher in High-A. Stewart has mid-rotation potential. Burdi is a hard-throwing right-handed reliever, and while he struggled with command in Double-A, the 22 year-old has fantastic stuff, and would likely make for a lockdown set-up man or closer a few years down the road. Kepler is a 22 year-old Double-A outfielder. The left-handed hitter is enjoying a breakout season in which he is walking almost as much as he is striking out. He also possesses nice speed and is an above-average defender. Finally, Pinto is a 26 year-old catcher who has disappointed on both sides of the baseball in the big leagues. He does have some pop, however, and would serve as a decent back-up to new starting catcher Josh Phegley.</p>
<p>The returns from these four trades (or trades like them) would set the A's up very strongly for 2017 and/or 2018, by when they would hopefully have their new stadium. The team could be a little tough to watch until then, but players such as Billy Burns, Kendall Graveman, Brett Lawrie, and Sonny Gray will be sure to keep things interesting.</p>
<p>That's all for today. Prepare for a very, very hectic Trade Deadline. The A's take on the Indians once more at 6:35 P.M. PST, well after the 1:00 P.M. PST deadline has passed. Feel free to dump any links in the comments below. Until tomorrow - lean on, A's fans!</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/31/9077617/the-daily-bernie-7-31-15-oakland-as-prepare-for-the-trade-deadlineJoshua Iversen2015-07-30T06:00:08-07:002015-07-30T06:00:08-07:00Daily Bernie: A's quiet despite flurry of moves
<figure>
<img alt="I wonder how the Rangers' new ace Cole Hamels will fare against the Athletics?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NnPTpPyT0aVfdpNO44oOhpU-XIA=/0x141:3784x2664/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46863620/usa-today-8716537.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>I wonder how the Rangers' new ace Cole Hamels will fare against the Athletics? | Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Cole Hamels is headed to the Rangers, Carlos Gomez almost joined the Mets, and the Dodgers are commandeering a wild three-team deal, among other news from a hectic Wednesday.</p> <p>Welcome back to The Daily Bernie! It's the best dance in the game, so let's get rolling once more!</p>
<p>Remember when it was the morning of July 23rd, and no trades of any significance had taken place, frustrating an anxious baseball world? Yeah, I don't remember that either. Ever since the A's dealt lefty Scott Kazmir that morning, the market has taken off in a way that hasn't been seen in a long time. Wednesday continued this trend, as many marquee names are reportedly switching teams.</p>
<ul>
<li> <span>First and foremost, lefty ace Cole Hamels has finally, after years of speculation, been traded. He, along with lefty reliever Jake Diekman and money, will head to the Texas Rangers, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/status/626578455627476992" target="_blank">per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News</a><span>. In return, the Rangers will send young catcher Jorge Alfaro, righty Jerad Eickhoff (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/626575751337283584" target="_blank">source</a><span>), outfielder Nick Williams, righty Alec Asher (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/626578870712582144" target="_blank">source</a><span>), fellow righty Jake Thompson (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/status/626583475378876416" target="_blank">source</a><span>), and older left-hander Matt Harrison (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/626582316639461377" target="_blank">source</a><span>), all per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com (Thompson's inclusion is per Grant). The Rangers managed to pull off this blockbuster without including prized youngsters Joey Gallo or Nomar Maraza, and managed to dump Matt Harrison's contract in the process. However, Williams, Alfaro, and Thompson should prove to be great pieces of the Phillies future, and each side made out fairly well in this massive, franchise-altering deal.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>The Dodgers, Braves, and Marlins are nearing a massive three-team deal. The confusing trade will send starters Mat Latos and Alex Wood, along with reliever Jim Johnson and top prospect Jose Peraza to the Dodgers, marquee Cuban signing Hector Olivera, first baseman Michael Morse, righty prospect Zach Bird, and the Marlins' competitive balance pick to the Braves, and three young (unknown) arms to the Marlins, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626568766088978433" target="_blank">as Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports</a><span>. The trade makes sense for each team - the Marlins dump the salary of Morse while getting a return for Latos, the Braves acquire Olivera, whom they coveted in the offseason, and deal from a position of strength (starting pitching), and the Dodgers grab two above-average starters for a relatively low cost. </span><a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/626568766088978433" target="_blank">Passan notes</a><span> that those in the industry have seemed to sour on Peraza. The Dodgers front office continues to think outside of the box to acquire talent, and many think they could even use Peraza or Wood to acquire lefty ace David Price from the Tigers.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>The Mets also came very close to acquiring a star. Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez would have headed to New York in exchange for young infielder Wilmer Flores and young (injured) right-handed starter Zack Wheeler, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/626558104734445568" target="_blank">per Joel Sherman of The New York Post</a><span>. The deal was complete, pending physicals. However, it had become the cause of controversy - Flores, playing shortstop for the Mets, remained in the game for two at-bats after the trade's leak. Upon taking the field in the eighth, tears were visible in Flores' eyes, as the 23 year-old had seemingly finally learned of the deal - </span><i>and was still sent out to play the inning.</i><span> Flores reportedly heard of the trade from the fans, and was overcome with emotion, as the infielder had signed with the Mets at the young age of sixteen. However, it seems the trade has since been nixed. The physicals were not approved, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/626588920382402560" target="_blank">as Sherman reports</a><span>. In a post-game interview, Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson very officially stated that a Gomez deal "will not transpire." It seems this wild controversy has been all for naught, and Flores will (happily) remain a Met, as will Wheeler.</span> </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <span>Some other news and notes from around the league: Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday has (possibly) re-torn his right quad and will miss an unknown amount of time (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/dgoold/status/626562051608080384" target="_blank">link</a><span>); the Tigers have decided to reboot and sell off free-agents-to-be such as David Price, Yoenis Cespedes, and Rajai Davis (</span><a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/13339786/detroit-tigers-tell-teams-david-price-other-potential-free-agents-available" target="_blank">link</a><span>); the Price market is alive, with the Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays, and Yankees being the current front-runners (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/dgoold/status/626562051608080384" target="_blank">link</a><span>); the White Sox have decided to buy at the deadline, taking righty Jeff Samardzija off the trade block (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/anthonyfenech/status/626405531503185920" target="_blank">link</a><span>); the Padres have shown strong interest in young Cubs middle infielder Javier Baez (</span><a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25253528/padres-like-cubs-power-prospect-javier-baez-teams-have-talked" target="_blank">link</a><span>).</span> </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<h4>Bernie's Daily Deal: Josh Reddick and Ike Davis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Stephen Piscotty and Darren Seferina</h4>
<p>Reddick and Davis each make quite a bit of sense for the Cardinals, who might be without both Matt Holliday and Matt Adams for quite some time after injuries. Both players are under team control through 2016, and while Reddick is much more valuable, Davis wouldn't be a bad buy-low pick-up for the Cards.</p>
<p>However, they would have to pay a premium for a young hitter of Reddick's caliber, with above average defense. Stephen Piscotty, recently promoted to the majors, is a 24 year-old righty-hitting outfielder. Piscotty has shown above average plate discipline and contact throughout his minor league career, and has a plus arm. His highest ceiling seems to be what Reddick is now, but from the right side of the dish. However, Piscotty has yet to impress as far as power goes, making that Reddick ceiling a bit farther off. Darren Seferina, on the other hand, is a 21 year-old infielder in Single-A. While far from the majors, Seferina possesses good speed and walks at a nice clip, making him a decent throw-in piece. While this could seem a little expensive for the Cardinals, Reddick's extra year of team control is extremely valuable, especially if St. Louis finds themselves unable to re-sign outfielder Jason Heyward this offseason.</p>
<p>That's all for today. The A's, behind righty Chris Bassitt, will take on the Carlos Carrasco and the Cleveland Indians at home at 7:05 P.M. PST. Feel free to dump any links in the comments below. Until tomorrow - lean on, A's fans!</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/30/9071719/daily-bernie-oakland-athletics-trade-rumors-cole-hamels-rangers-alex-wood-dodgersJoshua Iversen2015-07-29T20:43:15-07:002015-07-29T20:43:15-07:00Meet new A's Sean Manaea & Aaron Brooks
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w7dy-t1ne3pUKca3iiCGhBC2n-o=/0x672:2964x2648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46862914/usa-today-8410537.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>New A's top pitching prospect, Sean Manaea, could form a powerful one-two punch with Sonny Gray for the years to come. </p> <h5>"Manaea is considered the guy with the most upside, and probably the type of player we didn't think we could get in this type of deal." - Billy Beane</h5>
<p> </p>
<p>Early in the spring of 2013, everyone was talking about two names, Sean Manaea and Mark Appel. The conversation: which one would be the first overall pick in the MLB Draft?</p>
<p>The year before, the Pirates drafted Appel with the eighth overall pick, but they failed to sign him -- he reportedly wanted first overall money. The big righty returned to Stanford for his senior year to graduate and raise his profile. Manaea, in contrast, was a 6-foot-5-inch, lightly recruited lefty from Indiana State, who had a coming out party on the Cape the summer before. He went 5-1 with a 1.22 ERA and struck out 85 batters and walked seven in 51 2/3 innings. He also had the stuff to prove it: a 93-96 mph fastball he could command, a wipeout slider, and a deceptive delivery that allowed all of this to play up.</p>
<p>That spring, near the end of a start at the now-demolished Metrodome (Minneapolis, Minn.), Manaea tweaked his hip. As the days and weeks passed, he started to change his delivery to compensate for the increasingly balky injury. This was a terrible idea, for several reasons. First, it was his stuff and command to wane. Then it was a barking shoulder. By the end of the spring, amid mounting injury concerns, Manaea's draft stock tumbled. Appel went first overall to the Astros.</p>
<p>The Royals, in one the savvier draft maneuvers in recent years, used their inaugural competitive balance pick to select Manaea 34<sup>th</sup> overall. All-in on Manaea, they drafted Hunter Dozier with their first pick, knowing he was likely to sign for way less than the recommended slot value for the eighth overall pick (he did). With the money saved, they signed Manaea for $3.55 million -- that's $2 million over the recommended bonus.</p>
<p>The rest is history. Manaea had surgery to repair the labrum in his hip, his sore shoulder went away, and now, two years removed from surgery, he may yet be the best pitcher to surface from the 2013 draft class.</p>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Longtime <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a> player Billy Butler has seen Sean Manaea and said he has tremendous stuff. Thought KC considered Manaea untouchable.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/626168010617688064">July 28, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Manaea hasn't quite regained the mid-nineties fastball he flashed on the Cape in 2012, but it's still a really really good pitch. Baseball Prospectus's most recent <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=299">eyewitness report</a> (check it out, it's free) has Manaea's fastball mostly 91-94 mph, although it continues to play up due to the deception in his delivery. The question evaluators ask is whether or not he'll be able to command the pitch. At times last summer, he showed a 95-96 mph heater that he could throw for strikes. This summer, he's been more erratic, which may have something to do with the shoulder injury that cost him April and May.</p>
<p>His out pitch continues to be the slider. He throws it harder than his days at Indiana State; it's comfortably in the mid-eighties. He uses it to get ahead of batters and to put them away. The last piece, of course, is the change-up. It reportedly has some tumble and fade, but, like most young pitchers, he has a tendency to throw it too firmly.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="224" width="400" src="http://www.milb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=275767183&width=400&height=224&property=milb"></iframe></p>
<p>From watching some video, it looks like there's some definite funk to his delivery. He throws from a high three-quarters arm angle, which is great for the angles he creates, but he gains this through scapular loading (the inverted-w, gasp!). His giant frame won't do him any favors in terms of his ability to repeat it. He could be at risk for shoulder injuries, but overall, it looks like a great delivery. In the aforementioned Scouting Report, BP's Tucker Blair summarizes Manaea's future, saying:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Manaea is an advanced arm and would be close to the majors if not for the shoulder injury that sidelined him earlier this season. The only issue with Manaea is the command, which coincides with his ability to maintain tempo and hit the checkpoints in his delivery. -BP Eyewitness Report, Dated 6/30/2015</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Manaea probably has the stuff to pitch in a major league rotation right now. Three above-average pitches coming from a 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound lefty is, well, scary. The consensus seems to be that if he can command his pitches, the sky is indeed the limit. He immediately becomes the A's top pitching prospect.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=304705583&topic_id=26271672&width=400&height=224&property=mlb" width="400" height="224" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>***</p>
<h5><b>Aaron Brooks</b></h5>
<p>Brooks is the secondary piece in the deal. He was drafted in the ninth round out of Cal State San Bernandino in 2011, and has essentially been shuttled back and forth between Omaha, where the Royals Triple-A team – the Storm Chasers – play, and Kansas City. He only pitched only 2 2/3 (comical) innings in 2014, allowing 13 earned runs in those two-plus frames. He's slated to make his second career major league start for the A's on Saturday. Let's hope for the best.</p>
<p>Here's what BP's CJ Wittmann tweeted out after the trade:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aaron Brooks: stiff throughout core, struggles to repeat delivery. Big arm strength and potential avg. SL. Reliever profile. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/As?src=hash">#As</a></p>
— CJ Wittmann (@CJWittJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/CJWittJr/status/626109369994842112">July 28, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/29/9071635/oakland-as-trades-sean-manaea-aaron-brooks-ben-zobristSpencer Silva2015-07-29T16:20:24-07:002015-07-29T16:20:24-07:00Ben Zobrist and what could have been
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KSHsjYvuU8JKV1P2kWOxqkQ-nDc=/0x0:2510x1673/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46860086/usa-today-8592478.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For years, Ben Zobrist seemed like he belonged on the Oakland A's. His greatness came in ways that were often not fully appreciated and he has still never earned even $8 million in a single season, making him the ultimate undervalued player. And then, on Jan. 10, Oakland finally acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays. And there was much rejoicing.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, things have not gone as well as we all would have hoped, which is sort of the greater theme for this 2015 A's season. After showing signs of mild decline the last couple years, the 34-year-old Zobrist fell even further and was simply not the player he had once been. He was still good at the plate, but his defense continued to slow and he missed a month due to knee surgery, not a great sign for a mid-30s player trying to recapture the old magic. In the end, the A's got about one win worth of value out of him in 67 games -- 0.8 bWAR, or 1.1 fWAR, depending on your preference. Now he'll finish the season with the Kansas City Royals, with a chance to end up around 2-3 WAR if he plays well down the stretch. But that's still a big drop from where he once was:</p>
<table border="0">
<caption><b>The Phases of Ben Zobrist</b></caption>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><b>Years</b></td>
<td><b>Ages</b></td>
<td><b>Rates</b></td>
<td><b>Annual Averages</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2009-12</td>
<td>28-31</td>
<td>.268/.369/.458, 128 OPS+</td>
<td>19 HR, plus-18 DRS, 6.9 bWAR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2013-14</td>
<td>32-33</td>
<td>.273/.354/.398, 113 OPS+</td>
<td>11 HR, plus-7 DRS, 5.0 bWAR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2015*</td>
<td>34</td>
<td>.268/.354/.447, 122 OPS+</td>
<td>6 HR, minus-7 DRS, 0.8 bWAR</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p><i>* The 2015 stats are through 67 games played, so the HRs are artificially low and the DRS could change because the season still has 60 games left. All of the HRs and DRS numbers in the final column are averages of the years within the given ranges.</i></p>
<p>Nobody expected the 7-WAR demigod from years ago, but it wasn't unreasonable to hope for the 5-WAR star he had settled into being the last two seasons. His offense had gone down, but it was still above-average. His defensive metrics, once airtight, had sunk to merely good for several straight seasons, long enough to conclude that the decline was real. (In fact, if you prefer Fangraphs and UZR, his defense had only barely slipped, if at all.) Much as you would expect from a player in his early 30s, Zobrist had taken a step back, but he started from such a high place that he was still excellent. What's more, his decline seemed to be of the slow, gradual variety rather than a sharp drop off a cliff, also not unusual for a player with such a diverse array of talents, strong work ethic, and textbook fundamentals.</p>
<p>But the moment Zobrist put on an A's uniform, he metaphorically went from his early-30s to his mid-30s, though to be fair he also turned 34 in May so those labels are also literal. The bat was still there, and in fact some of his old power returned -- mostly in the form of doubles, but he should still reach double-digit homers by the end of September. However, the defense simply disappeared.</p>
<p>Zobrist has received awful marks from both DRS and UZR at both second base and left field, his two primary positions, and though the samples are too small to be useful I will add in my own eyeball test to back them up. His play at second started out poor but had improved of late, but he was wretched in left, misplaying balls and dropping a couple easy catches. He even managed to make three non-throwing errors in 27 games in left field, which is just incredible given that you practically have to punch the official scorer in the groin to earn a fielding error in the outfield.*</p>
<p><i>* For context, only 14 other MLB outfielders have three fielding errors this year; 11 of them have played at least 600 innings, the other three are over 400 frames, and Zobrist is barely over 200. Jack Cust's career-high in non-throwing errors was four, achieved only once, and it took him over 600 innings; he also committed three in 463 innings another year. Errors are not a good indicator of an outfielder's skill, but when you're looking for a second opinion on his putrid advanced metrics then a big error total isn't going to change your mind.</i></p>
<p>How big of a role has Zobrist's knee surgery played in this current lackluster season? There's no way for us to know. But keep in mind that however much of that bad defense you want to chalk up to the bad knee, you are also conceding to an equal degree that a 34-year-old middle infielder has a bad knee that is sapping his production. Again, that is not a positive selling point. After missing a total of just over 50 games the last <i>six</i> seasons combined, he missed 33 for the A's this year in four months.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>And what are we left with? At his peak, Zobrist was a combination of the little things. He hit for a decent average. He got on base a lot and his walks usually nearly matched his strikeouts. He hit for some power, 20 homers annually. He'd steal you 10-20 bases each year at a good clip. He'd play excellent defense, both at an up-the-middle position (2B) and elsewhere if you needed help that day. And he rarely ever missed a game. He was all strengths and no weaknesses. But if you remove some of the power, and downgrade the excellent/versatile defense to merely good/versatile, then he's less valuable, as was the case in 2013-14. And if you go a step further -- remove the steals, mix in an extended DL stint, and turn the good/versatile fielding into bad defense at only two positions -- then you've just lost too many parts from the equation that had made the whole better than the sum for so many seasons. The flawless player now has flaws. That's what you and I got to watch this year.</p>
<p>The saddest thing about this whole episode is that Zobrist got here a year too late. The A's were looking to add big pieces in 2014, and you know Billy Beane would have loved to get Zobrist to shore up his broken middle infield. The Rays were 16 games under .500 on June 27, but they weren't in as much of a hurry to sell as Beane was to buy so he sent his big chips to the Cubs. The Rays got hot and went 17-6 in July but only spent one August day at .500, and they ended up holding on to Zobrist until the offseason ... when they <i>just ended up sending him to Oakland anyway</i>.</p>
<p>The full-circle nature of it all makes the hindsight even worse. What if the Rays had just bitten the bullet and sent Zobrist here last July? What if they had acquiesced to a bigger package, with David Price in the deal as well, for a bounty led by Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson? Surely the A's could have given the Rays more than what they ended up getting from the Tigers for Price, if they had pulled the trigger before Beane gave it all for Shark and Hammel. Would that have changed everything about last summer? The Milone saga, the Cespedes trade, the middle infield nightmare, the overall collapse ... how much would have gone differently? And would 2015 have sucked so much?</p>
<p>Zobrist was a guy everyone wanted, and Price was supposed to be the big name in the pitching market. Shark was more of a consolation prize, the only available option so early in July, and Jon Lester only became available at the last minute. If you were to go back to old AN comment threads from last June, I bet you'd find that the pie-in-the-sky trade proposals were often to the Rays for these two stars. The trade chips still went out in real life, but different, unexpected All-Stars came in; the postseason lasted one evening, and Zobrist got here six months after Oakland really could have used him. Even today's watered-down version of him would likely have helped, if he'd been taking at-bats from Alberto Callaspo, Jonny Gomes, Nick Punto, or Adam Dunn.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>But alas, here we are, fortune's fools once again. The 2014 A's didn't get what they needed, even though the two biggest stars they acquired were mostly excellent, and who knows if Zobrist could have helped that. The 2015 A's didn't get the Zobrist they needed, even though he was still productive on one side of the ball, and who knows if the younger, better version of him could have changed anything. Maybe the bullpen would have tanked them regardless of who was in the lineup, but Zobrist's decline was just one more thing gone wrong. For any amount that he was good this year, he was at least twice that amount of disappointing simply because he had previously set the bar so high, and because we were so excited to have such a long-coveted player suddenly appear on the roster. I wanted a durable star, and I got a good hitter who sucked at two positions and missed a month on the DL.</p>
<p>I'm not specifically disappointed that Zobrist has been traded. He was always supposed to be a one-year rental, and this year is done, so there's no reason not to get some future value out of him. He seems like a fantastic human and I have no doubt that he worked his ass off this year to give us everything he could, especially when that meant going under the knife (or arthroscope) in the middle of a season. Regardless of his position on the unavoidable aging curve, I've got nothing but respect for him and I wish him the best. But he had nothing left to offer the last-place A's on the field before reaching free agency -- even when he played like his old self against the Giants last weekend it wasn't enough to avoid a sweep.</p>
<p>I actually expect him to bounce back a bit and help the Royals down the stretch, but the story was already written in Oakland. It's one of woe, of hope and heartbreak, of poor luck and poor timing, of how things could have been. It's the same story A's fans are all too familiar with, and one that seems to get more tragic with every passing season, with new and more tortuous twists and turns.</p>
<p>You guys, we had Ben Zobrist! And somehow he didn't help. This year is the worst.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/7/29/9069121/oakland-athletics-trade-ben-zobrist-decline-defense-what-could-have-beenAlex Hall