The Cubs may have made two of most lopsided trades in the the last ten years. They got a MVP and Cy Young candidate for two average starting pitchers in Andrew Cashner and Scott Feldman.
Anthony Rizzo and Jake Arrieta trades
- Thread starter HawkeyeHitman
- Start date
Brilliant!
I was skeptical about Rizzo. I knew he had crazy power but I thought he would be a sub .200 hitter with 500+ ko's.
I was skeptical about Rizzo. I knew he had crazy power but I thought he would be a sub .200 hitter with 500+ ko's.
Yup. When it is all said and done the Samardijiza/ Hamel for Russell, Mckinney, Straily might be a biggest LOL of them all.
I still cant believe Samardijiza turned down 100MM from the cubs.
I wonder how much he will get. The Sox are going to let him walk and take the sandwich pick. They would have traded him already, but no one offered something better than a sandwich pick. That says to me that the league does not view his talent as all that great. He has not been a complete bust like LaRoche, but pretty disappointing still. I don't think they will make any effort to re-sign him at all.
Drafted him with the Red Sox, traded for him with the Padres, traded for him with the Cubs. Shows he's both smart and persistent.
Arrieta has by far been the big win in that trade, but don't forget that Feldman (and C Steve Clevenger) brought over Pedro Strop in addition to Arrieta. Strop has had trouble closing, but otherwise, he's been a pretty rock-solid set-up guy.
There are a lot of good things Theo and Jed have done and obviously Rizzo and Arrietta trades are at the top, but don't discount what a great job they've done in finding mid-market pitchers to flip. Cubs don't get Addison Russell if Hamel isn't a desired commodity to put with Samardzija. Feldman proved to have great value. On top of that, they've been able to flip guys who weren't part of the long-term plan for prospects and international cap money. The Cubs are really becoming a sustainably well-run franchise from top to bottom. I've been following them since 1981 and I've never been able to say that.
Or smart enough to hire some brilliant people (McLeod) who have an incredible eye for talent.
I wouldn't say the deal to the A's was lopsided. The A's flipped Shark to the Sox for four players (I think). Marcus Semien is playing every day for them now, and I remember they got Josh Phegley. Not huge, but, Semien has upside still, you can never have enough catchers, and who knows what the minor league guys turn into. And, the A's got to use the players they got from the Cubs in a playoff run last year. Beane flipped away in the offseason to cut payroll and refurbish the numbers in the system. The Cubs got at least one every day player, and a guy in McKinney who has shined at AA, but isn't overly fast, and lacks a good arm. He's probably a very capable #4 outfielder in the making. That is good for them.
It's the Sox who did themselves no favors at the trade deadline. They should have traded away everything not bolted down. They'll get one compensation pick of respectable value.
It's the Sox who did themselves no favors at the trade deadline. They should have traded away everything not bolted down. They'll get one compensation pick of respectable value.
