What is going on in Oakland?

[thecrow124]

They seem to be trading away their entire team, and doing so for very little in return. What is really infuriating to me is the fact that we haven't been able to capitalize on this yard sale.

We should have been able to beat Toronto for Donaldson. We could have easily put a package together to beat the White Sox for Samardzija. Instead we are bottom feeding again, we manager to pick up Sean Rodriguez from Tampa, for what I would guess will be Mel Rojas if he isn't taken in the Rule 5 draft. Personally I would rather have Rojas.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when NH is trying to work out a trade, I say this because I read earlier today that we had inquired on Samardzija, then I see the return Oakland got and I can only wonder how in the world NH wouldn't beat that. With what Samardzija will earn, there is an outside chance the Huntington could have still had enough money to resign Liriano, which I honestly believe we will end up not being able to do because Huntington doesn't sufficiently value a left handers power pitcher in his at 35 season.

I hate baseballs offseason, just give me a team and play the games please.

 

[stillmatic32]

Yeah it's like the best situation imaginable for a team like the Pirates. They have disposable prospects. These guys are affordable for a year or so each. The Pirates get Donaldson and Samardzija and whether they re-sign Liriano or not we're looking at the NL Central favorites.

I guess it was too perfect for Huntington to get involved with. If you're not going to sign top tier free agents (they're not) then you HAVE to take advantage of opportunities like these to take the next step.

 

[element1286]

Where do you play Donaldson?

I think the Samardzija was a question of what the A's wanted, would Pedro have been a comparable for Semien, no idea. But agreed, on the surface it doesn't seem like a huge haul for the A's.

 

[Darkstone42]

Where do you play Donaldson?

I think the Samardzija was a question of what the A's wanted, would Pedro have been a comparable for Semien, no idea. But agreed, on the surface it doesn't seem like a huge haul for the A's.

If they take Pedro back like they took Lawrie, I'd guess Donaldson at third, Harrison at second, and maybe Walker at first. It would be a pretty rangy infield, I'd guess, and Walker's bat could pass at first with the offensive upgrade of Donaldson.

But yeah, for Samardzija, and given the trades the A's have been making, I guess you just have to wonder how they're valuing the pieces coming back. Maybe the A's think their haul was really good and a package we think is better wouldn't have gotten the deal done.

I don't know what the Pirates offered if anything, but it's just been really hard to make any sense of the moves Oakland is making, and the only conclusion I have which is consistent with all of them is simply that their internal valuing system is a lot different than ours.

I mean, they gave Butler $30 million then turned around and flipped their best (and still cost-controlled) player! How do you make sense of that?

 

[Darkstone42]

In any case, man, it feels like a missed opportunity not landing Samardzija...

I wonder who else is being dangled right now. I'll probably be all over Twitter today following rumors. So much for getting work done.

 

[element1286]

Really doubt anyone views Pedro as a third basemen anymore, it's not a crazy thought that Lawrie could still be an all star and there is no doubt he can handle the position. Putting Walker at first devalues him significantly.

Beane runs his team differently than most, he's more comfortable wheeling and dealing in the traditional sense. He'll sign Butler for a year or two, hope he turns it around, and will flip him for something else. Don't know if him being part owner, and the requisite job security that entails, there is a reason he is really the only guy that runs his team that way.

 

[Darkstone42]

Really doubt anyone views Pedro as a third basemen anymore, it's not a crazy thought that Lawrie could still be an all star and there is no doubt he can handle the position. Putting Walker at first devalues him significantly.

Beane runs his team differently than most, he's more comfortable wheeling and dealing in the traditional sense. He'll sign Butler for a year or two, hope he turns it around, and will flip him for something else. Don't know if him being part owner, and the requisite job security that entails, there is a reason he is really the only guy that runs his team that way.

The hands and range are probably still fine. If a team thinks they can fix his arm, they might buy him as a third baseman still. Although I do think it's a bit curious the Giants weren't in on Donaldson, given their hole at third base.

 

[thedddd]

I swear Beane is a video game GM and likes to make trades to make trades.

 

[stillmatic32]

 

[pixburgher66]

Not that I've ever been in the room for these interchanges, but it's not like it's an auction where a GM puts a guy on the block and every single GM knows that player is available. Seems much more like the Jays called and asked what the price would be. I'm sure plenty of teams watched that news break and thought "we could've beat that!" The Samardzija one miffs me a little bit more, but everything I read in regards to it was that they wanted MLB ready talent. That seems to be the trend in general with trades, and unfortunately it's not something that the Pirates can afford to trade. They have the ability to move blue chippers, but it seems like GMs would rather a lower ceiling with more certainty.