Lester/Gomes to the A's

[GomesBeard]

And we get Cespides.....

 

So what do I do avatar-wise??!!

[a700hitter]

A’s Acquire Lester, Gomes For Cespedes

By Steve Adams [July 31, 2014 at 8:49am CDT]

 

The Athletics have acquired Jon Lester from the Red Sox, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (Twitter links). In what will be a blockbuster deal, Jonny Gomes and Yoenis Cespedes will head to Boston.

This is a surprise

[sk7326]

This is a surprise

 

Suffice to say, for the A's, this is a rental. At the same time, this is a tremendous deal for Oakland - improves their already terrific run prevention ... add a reasonable corner outfield bat who has played in big games (fwiw) and did not have to give up any young assets. If Lester comes back (or somebody similar in the offseason) this move looks better than it does right now. Getting 1 season of Cespedes for 2 months of Lester and Gomes is a solid return on some level, but considering what you'd have hoped for in dealing the top name on the market, it feels thin. Second of the Sox trades where it seems like they did not get 90 cents on the dollar.

Edited July 31, 2014 by sk7326

[a700hitter]

Cespedes is under contract in 2015 for $10.5 million. He will be arbitration eligible in 2016 and Fee Agent eligible in 2018.

[gojohn99]

Not bad. I will miss Lester and Gomes, but Cespedes is a decent bat, decent OF.

Of course Cespedes is Cuban, so he may be 35 years old and not really 28.

[sk7326]

Cespedes is under contract in 2015 for $10.5 million. He will be arbitration eligible in 2016 and Fee Agent eligible in 2018.

 

Under the contract he signed, Sox are not allowed to offer him arbitration after the 2015 season.

 

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120213&content_id=26674580&vkey=news_oak&c_id=oak

[redsoxrules]

Unless Lester signs with the Sox next year this is a brutal trade.

[dupree]

The A's just now become the favorites in the AL now with the Tigers a close 2nd. It would be crazy if Lester pitched in back to back World Series. I think now the main goal is to resign him in the off season. We need an ace and he is definitely that.

 

I'd say before the deadline Lackey and Andrew Miller will be gone too.

[sk7326]

The A's just now become the favorites in the AL now with the Tigers a close 2nd. It would be crazy if Lester pitched in back to back World Series. I think now the main goal is to resign him in the off season. We need an ace and he is definitely that.

 

I'd say before the deadline Lackey and Andrew Miller will be gone too.

 

To be fair, they were already there - they and the Angels have been the 2 best teams in the AL most of the season, just crush it on the run differential. It's not like Detroit is getting 2012 Verlander performances this season. Hammel has been terrible for Oakland, so Beane I think was looking to upgrade opportunistically. They got Lester at what was (for them) a pretty small price - a low OBP outfielder who they were not going to resign after 2015. Not that they won't miss Cespedes, but for a rotation anchor rental, it was a pretty fair price.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Consider me greatly underwhelmed. That was the best they could get for Lester? Great deal for the A's.

[Palodios]

If the Red Sox can lock up Lester/Cespedes in the offseason, might not be a bad trade. Cespedes has great corner outfield defense, is a 25 HR ish bat and could improve offensively in Fenway Park.

[BigPapi]

This is really only worth it if we are able to resign lester next year. Cespedes has essentially turned into a .260 hitter who will hit you just over 25 hrs in a season and can't get on base. He is like what you want from mike napoli power wise but without the obp.

[d-money]

Stupid trade unless they resign lester in the offseason.I hate giving away veteran pitchers.

[d-money]

The question with the As is their lineup.Is it good enough for the postseason.

[sk7326]

The move also does block Betts - who picked up where he left off with his Pawtucket feats of strength. On the other hand, in Boston he'd be subjected to management who has been incredibly weak kneed about their internal prospect evaluations.

[sk7326]

The question with the As is their lineup.Is it good enough for the postseason.

 

It is the fascinating question - it has been good enough to pile up the runs so far. There was not a great impact bat left, so they went the other way.

[GomesBeard]

I can't see the Sox making a serious effort to re-sign Lester. His price has gone up since no draft pick will be attached to him. I don't see him giving a hometown discount either. So if the Sox weren't willing to negotiate seriously with him while he was here, what makes anyone think they will this winter, when he'll cost more? No, they will keep floating that idea but in the interim, we will all get used to life post-Lester.

[d-money]

So will lackey be dealt now as well?

[sk7326]

So will lackey be dealt now as well?

 

In some ways he is a more attractive commodity - that extra year of control for peanuts.

[sk7326]

Also note the mechanism by which Cespedes goes free after 2015. His contract forbids the team from offering him salary arbitration - they essentially agree to cut him, thus no compensatory pick attachment. You have to think this was done with the intent of signing him longer but they did not buy a ton of control here.

[Dojji]

We missed Carl Crawford so much we went and got a younger version.

 

DO NOT LIKE. This man is too old and too unelite for my likings. The tools are there, Cespedes is a good talent, which would be fantastic if he were about 6 years younger, but he does not have the consistency you look for when trading an elite asset.

 

All I can think of right now is "we traded our ace for a #6-8 hitter in a proper lineup." I am VERY disappointed. The Sox are still too focused on the now, and tried to get an asset first and foremost to help us this year and next. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED, ESPECIALLY IN THE TRADING POSITION WE WERE IN. You're trading a unique asset no one else has, that can absolutely put a team over the top and that's what you get? A very good roleplayer that's not going to help us enough now to put us into the playoffs in the next 2 years and then is gone or will have to be re-signed? Seriously, that's your best deal Cherington? Take the picks. They're worth more.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Dojji

[Spitball]

I will have to think about this trade. Cespedes might turn into a homerun machine in Fenway, but I have my doubts. He has OPSed about .750 in his last 1,000 at bats. The Sox received a competitive balance draft pick from the As (as I understand it) but lose the compensation pick that Lester would have given them. Also, I see no way the Sox sign Lester without the draft pick attached to him.

 

Basically, any trade is a gamble. This one is very interesting and a ballsy one by both Cherington and Beane.

[Spudboy]

I'm sort of "meh" about this trade.

 

The bulk of the current Sox fans ( casual or pink hat ) will blow loads over this deal because of the highlight reel plays and maybe the HR derbys. I won't.

 

Cespedes is a hack defensively ( although his speed and arm make up for some of his questionable play in lf ). His is close to the antithesis of the "work the count / OBP" hitter the Sox like to have. Most of his offensive numbers , BA, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+, HR, SB, as examples have gone down each year since he has been up with Oakland. He Ks a lot and he hardly ever walks.

 

He is a right handed batter with power but I don't see him as a big time power hitter. Maybe a Beltre type ( without the great defense ).

 

Never the less, the fans will go gaga over him near term. The Sox FO are now going to be "selling the sizzle".

 

Of course I could have my head firmly planted in my rectum. Maybe he is exactly what this team needs???? I don't thinks so. Cespedes is a stopgap player. The real bopper has yet to be landed.

 

I have little faith that the Sox will make a serious effort to get Lester back. But who knows?

 

Good bye Johnny Gomes. Thanks for the good memories.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Spudboy

[Dojji]

The Sox brass better be seeing something I for one don't. if Cespedes does in Boston what he did in Oakland, Sox fans are too knowledgeable to be fooled for long, and flubbing the trade of a legit homegrown Boston ace is a death sentence in this region.

[d-money]

A hack he is.He has struck out 80 times already.Gomes did provide some good memories.

 

I worry about next year's team and the rotation.Are they gonna lower ticket prices?

[Spudboy]

We missed Carl Crawford so much we went and got a younger version.

 

DO NOT LIKE. This man is too old and too unelite for my likings. The tools are there, Cespedes is a good talent, which would be fantastic if he were about 6 years younger, but he does not have the consistency you look for when trading an elite asset.

 

All I can think of right now is "we traded our ace for a #6-8 hitter in a proper lineup." I am VERY disappointed. The Sox are still too focused on the now, and tried to get an asset first and foremost to help us this year and next. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED, ESPECIALLY IN THE TRADING POSITION WE WERE IN. You're trading a unique asset no one else has, that can absolutely put a team over the top and that's what you get? A very good roleplayer that's not going to help us enough now to put us into the playoffs in the next 2 years and then is gone or will have to be re-signed? Seriously, that's your best deal Cherington? Take the picks. They're worth more.

 

You make some valid points. Amen.

[Spudboy]

A hack he is.He has struck out 80 times already.Gomes did provide some good memories.

 

I worry about next year's team and the rotation.Are they gonna lower ticket prices?

 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!1!!

 

NO.

[BigPapi]

I'm sort of "meh" about this trade.

 

The bulk of the current Sox fans ( casual or pink hat ) will blow loads over this deal because of the highlight reel plays and maybe the HR derbys. I won't.

 

Cespedes is a hack defensively ( although his speed and arm make up for some of his questionable play in lf ). His is close to the antithesis of the "work the count / OBP" hitter the Sox like to have. Most of his offensive numbers , BA, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+, HR, SB, as examples have gone down each year since he has been up with Oakland. He Ks a lot and he hardly ever walks.

 

He is a right handed batter with power but I don't see him as a big time power hitter. Maybe a Beltre type ( without the great defense ).

 

Never the less, the fans will go gaga over him near term. The Sox FO are now going to be "selling the sizzle".

 

Of course I could have my head firmly planted in my rectum. Maybe he is exactly what this team needs???? I don't thinks so. Cespedes is a stopgap player. The real bopper has yet to be landed.

 

I have little faith that the Sox will make a serious effort to get Lester back. But who knows?

 

Good bye Johnny Gomes. Thanks for the good memories.

 

I doubt he could be a beltre type. He can't hit for that type of average. Power wise I could see him like beltre. A high 20's to low 30's guy.

[d-money]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!1!!

 

NO.

 

Yippee!!! So sox fans get their dollars worth from seeing buchholz's batting practice and greasy hair.They also get to see napoli and cespedes combine to strikeout 200 plus time.Awesome!!!

[a700hitter]

Under the contract he signed, Sox are not allowed to offer him arbitration after the 2015 season.

 

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120213&content_id=26674580&vkey=news_oak&c_id=oak

2 months of Lester for 1 year of Cespedes? That doesn't look as good as I thought initially.