In early December, after a spree in which the Athletics uncharacteristically invested nearly $40 million to obtain Scott Kazmir via free agency and Jim Johnson and Luke Gregerson in trades, an executive who is pals with Oakland general manager Billy Beane made this statement:
“Billy isn’t messing around any more.”
The translation was Beane had enjoyed success in making the playoffs and having Brad Pitt portray him in “Moneyball.” But as much he views the postseason as a crapshoot, he wanted to do all he could to go for it — to finally win a title.
Thus, even with the best record in the majors, Beane’s A’s executed the first blockbuster deal of this trading season by essentially cornering the market on starting pitching. Oakland obtained both Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Cubs for a multi-player package that included one of the majors’ top prospects, shortstop Addison Russell, and arguably Oakland’s top three prospects altogether.
The A’s lost two starters who needed Tommy John surgery — Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin — before the season even began. That has left them thin in the rotation even as they were having a powerhouse first half. It left a vulnerability that Beane and his front office did not want to risk going forward.
So Oakland, already leading the AL in team ERA (3.18), added Samardzija, who is 10th in the NL in ERA (2.83), and Hammel, who is 15th (2.98). Hammel is a free agent after this year and Samardzija after the 2015 campaign. Thus, this is a signal Beane sees a window now to go for it and try to win that elusive title.
Meanwhile, the Cubs continue to build arguably the best base of position prospects in the sport. Russell, who is at Double-A, was ranked between the seventh and 14th best prospect in the preseason by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com.
Chicago also got center fielder Billy McKinley, who was Oakland’s first-round pick in 2013, plus starting pitcher Dan Straily and a player to be named. Russell and McKinley join an elite group of Cubs position prospects headed by third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Javier Baez and outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler.
It was believed Chicago wanted to get top young pitching in return for Hammel and especially Samardzija. But it now appears the Cubs are content to add offensive possibilities at a time when hitting is down in the majors and use either the prospect base or cash to add the starting pitching. The Cubs, for example, could look to sign David Price if he reaches free agency after the 2015 season and have been linked with him, to some degree, because after 2012 they hired his Vanderbilt pitching coach, Derek Johnson, to be their minor league pitching coordinator.
Coincidentally, with Samardzija off the market, Price stands alone as the best pitcher available via trade — unless the Red Sox, for example, were to put Jon Lester up for a deal, which is unlikely.
This trade was executed on the day Yankees manager Joe Girardi said CC Sabathia could miss the rest of the season with complications after knee surgery. The Yankees had been interested in Hammel and Samardzija, and will now have to look elsewhere for a starter.
With Hammel and Samardzija off the market, the Mets also could decide to fill the void by making Bartolo Colon available, maybe even Dillon Gee. In addition, the Cubs are now overloaded with shortstops with Russell and Baez, along with Starlin Castro in the majors, and a desire for young, quality pitching which the Mets possess. However, early word was that the Cubs are not looking to make any moves from their shortstop stockpile.