Arms For Hire

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With the non-waiver trade deadline a little over a month away, the attention of a lot of MLB fans seems to be shifting from the on-field action to the maneuverings behind the scenes. Even last night, as Tim Lincecum was twirling his second no-hitter in a dominant display against the Padres, it seemed that almost as much attention was being paid to the way David Price walked to the dugout at Tropicana Field at the end of his outing. After last year’s fairly disappointing trade season (I mean, unless you find trades for Matt Garza and Jake Peavy the height of excitement) this season seems to have more in store, especially when it comes to the Pitchers who look to be available. Here, I offer up a primer of those who look to be available, and a couple of potential trade scenarios (which will inevitably be wrong, but everyone loves reckless speculation, am I right?)

DAVID PRICE (SP, TAMPA BAY RAYS)

Seemingly the crown jewel of this year’s potential trade class, the 2012 AL Cy Young winner looks set to follow the path of James Shields and be flipped for prospects by the Rays before he hits FA. Obviously, they won’t give him away cheap and any team looking to get their hands on the southpaw can expect to give up their top prospect. This is by no means going to reduce the market for Price, as noted earlier the Rays pulled off a similar trick turning James Shields into Wil Myers, and it does seem that Tampa are willing to move Price. Several contending teams have been linked with Price with the Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Giants and Marlins all having sent scouts to his recent starts. In terms of what they can offer the Rays it would seem unlikely the Angels’ barren Farm system has enough in it to swing a trade, whilst the Marlins are more focused on their youth movement and seem unwilling to give up top prospect Andrew Heaney. Adding Price to a rotation already containing Kershaw, Greinke and Ryu would put the Dodgers in pole-position to win a World Series title, and the same can be said for the Giants and Cardinals who both already have stacked rotations. One outside contender might be the Oakland A’s, who’s rotation is currently one injury short of a catastrophe, though having only just re-stocked the farm it seems unlikely that Billy Beane would be prepared to pillage it to get Price, and may look at less high-profile targets.

JEFF SAMARDZIJA (SP, CHICAGO CUBS)

The Cubs ace is currently having a career season and carries a 2.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, both career lows. This has had the effect of inflating his value to the point that the Cubs are looking at getting a similar haul for him as the Rays want for Price. This pricing is excessive given that the Shark’s peripherals (he’s currently got a FIP of 2.90) indicate his ERA is fairly unsustainable, and it may turn teams off of the big right-hander. Teams who have shown interest include the Mariners, Blue Jays, Marlins (who got to witness his best stuff firsthand a few weeks back) and Orioles, though it seems that a team who trades for him will have to give up their top pitching prospect as part of the deal. The Cubs Farm is pitching starved, and they seem unlikely to contend this season and probably next season, so flipping Samardzija now looks like a good way to help the seemingly never ending rebuilding process in Chi-town.

JASON HAMMEL (SP, CHICAGO CUBS)

Hammel has been a revelation in Chicago after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs over the Winter with a 2.99 ERA on the year so far. Given that he will be a Free Agent at the end of this season, rather than in 2015 like Price and Samardzija, obtaining his services will come at less of a cost. Therefore, it is unsurprising that a lot of teams have been linked with him led by the Angels (who are likely unable to afford the two big name starters) and Blue Jays (who supposedly balked at the price for Samardzija). Hammel is a pure rental, and he is a bit of a risk given that his production this year is so much better than previously in his career (he has a 4.65 career ERA). However, the lower price to attain him makes him probably the most likely Starting Pitcher to be traded, especially as the Cubs look to add pitching to the Farm.

HUSTON STREET and JOAQUIN BENOIT (RPs, SAN DIEGO PADRES)

Both of these guys are having quality seasons whilst mired in the hideous Padres team. Street has been perfect in the 9th this year, converting all 20 of his Save opportunities with a 0.96 ERA whilst Benoit has also excelled as his set-up man with a 1.42 ERA. A lot of clubs are looking for bullpen help, the Tigers have been heavily linked with Street as a solution to their seemingly never-ending Closer nightmare, while the Angels, Blue Jays, Brewers and Orioles are all looking at help in the late innings. For a Padres team that isn’t going anywhere fast having two assets as good as these two could be very helpful in attempting to get back on track next year.



JIM JOHNSON (RP, OAKLAND ATHLETICS)

Johnson was nothing short of a train-wreck the first month of the season, his performance has improved since then but it was damning that the A’s were apparently willing to pay the rest of his salary in order to trade him earlier in the season. Johnson had 101 Saves between his 2012 and 2013 seasons in Baltimore, so at least has some recent production that may boost his value, and he turns 31 on June 27th, so isn’t so old as to not be able to retain that form. However, as a trade asset, his value has pretty much bottomed out now, so the A’s aren’t going to get a great return for him if they can trade him at all.

Though James Shields‘ name had come up in rumours over the last month, but the Royals’ emergence as a potential contender has scuppered those, though if they collapse in July then it would be reasonable to expect KC to start fielding offers for him in the same range as any deal for Price. The other situation that warrants some monitoring is in Boston. Less than a year removed from their World Series triumph the Red Sox look to be going through a transition phase and with Jon Lester out of contract at the end of the year and John Lackey having only a veteran minimum option for next season it would be unsurprising if the Sox shifted one of them, possibly to allow for the graduation of top pitching prospect Henry Owens.

July 31st is still over a month away, so a lot can change, and traditionally the All-Star break brings with it a fresh set of rumours, but after last years’ fairly anti-climactic deadline we can look forward to one with more intrigue this season.