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Despite choosing to leave Oakland for Cleveland, Coco Crisp still beloved by A’s fans
Coco Crisp: Still the epitome of loyalty and leadership for A’s fans
It’s going to be hard for Oakland Athletics’ fan to say goodbye to Coco Crisp. His trade to the Cleveland Indians was finalized Wednesday, just in time to make sure that Crisp would be eligible for the Indians’ postseason roster.
Seven years is also half Crisp’s career and until recently he stood apart from other players because he always talked about how he wanted to stay in Oakland. It’s something that you don’t hear a lot of from the players. The stadium is old, the payroll is low and the A’s are either really good or really bad. They’re either a shoe-in for the postseason or last in the American League West.
A fan-favorite, Crisp was also the longest tenured member of the A’s. Crisp played seven seasons with the Athletics, which is considered a VERY long time in Oakland, a place where the filthy-rich ownership refuses to put money into the team’s payroll to keep players long-term. Therefore the majority of players are traded for prospects just prior to becoming free agents.
Still when his contract was up after the 2013 season, Crisp signed a two-year contract extension with the team. The contract included a $13 million vesting option for a third year based on his number of games played in 2015-16. When he signed that extension he had this to say,
“This is the place I wanted to be. This is home for me. So I’m happy with coming back more than just this year.”
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Chicago White Sox In Desperate Need Of An Outfielder; Could Jay Bruce Be A Fit?
The Chicago White Sox started the year as one of the hottest teams in baseball, but they are sharply declining. In their last 10 games, they are 3-7 and they now find themselves in third place in the American League Central. If the White Sox want to compete in this very tough division, they are going to need to add an impact bat near the trade deadline.
The White Sox are currently ranked 21st overall in run production, and a big part of that is because of their lack of power production. They have hit 49 home runs this year, which ranks as the 24th overall team in Major League Baseball. For that reason, they must trade for a power bat near the deadline to stay afloat in the American League Central.
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MLB Trade Rumor: Luis Valbuena To The Kansas City Royals
After losing Mike Moustakas to a season-ending injury, the Royals are in desperate need of a third baseman. As of right now, Cheslor Cuthbert is their only viable option, but he isn’t cutting it. Cuthbert is batting .277, with two home runs, six RBIs, nine runs, and a .294 OBP in 85 plate appearances. His numbers aren’t terrible, but the Royals are going to need more production at third base if they want to retain their lead in the American League Central.
There are multiple potential third base options that will be discussed near the trade deadline, but Luis Valbuena could be a very good option for the Kansas City Royals. As of right now Valbuena is the starting third baseman for the Houston Astros, but their top prospect, Alex Bregman, is making a very good case in the Minor Leagues that he is ready for the bigs. If the Astros decide to promote Bregman, Valbuena could find his way on the trade block immediately.
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Houston Astros Reliever, Will Harris, Could Draw Interest From Teams Near The Trade Deadline
Will Harris has been lights out since joining the Houston Astros in 2015. Over the past two seasons, he has compiled some of the best statistics of any reliever in Major League Baseball.
In 2015, he appeared in 68 games, with a 5-5 record, 1.90 ERA, 42 hits against, 68 strikeouts, 22 walks, and 13 holds in 71 innings pitched. So far in 2016, he has appeared in 23 games, with an 0-1 record, 0.38 ERA, 14 hits against, 26 strikeouts, four walks, and 13 holds in 23.2 innings pitched.
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MLB Trade Rumors: Drew Pomeranz To The Chicago White Sox Could Be A Perfect Fit
Drew Pomeranz, 27 years old, has been a very pleasant surprise in 2016. After being traded to the San Diego Padres in the offseason, the Padres decided to transfer Pomeranz back to the starting rotation after three years of work in the bullpen with the Oakland A’s and Colorado Rockies.
Through his first 10 starts in 2016, he has a 4-5 record, 2.48 ERA, 35 hits against, 69 strikeouts, and 29 walks in 58 innings pitched.
Unfortunately, this left-hander’s talents are being put the waste on the last place San Diego Padres. It is no secret that the Padres will look to sell their talent at the deadline to continue their rebuilding process. Pomeranz will be at the top of everyone’s wish list when they look at the assets the Padres are offering.
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MLB Trade Rumors: Andrew Miller To The Texas Rangers
Let me preface this article by saying that this deal will only be made if the New York Yankees are out of the playoff race near the trade deadline. As of right now, the New York Yankees are 22-24, and 6.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox. Considering how competitive the American League East is, there is a good chance the Yankees will be out of contention near the trade deadline, which means they will be sellers in the trade market.
The Yankees’ number one asset to move will be one of their three elite relief pitchers, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, or Aroldis Chapman. Of the three, Andrew Miller is the most likely to be dealt. Miller is under contract until 2018 (signed a four-year/$36 million contract in 2015), which is what makes him so valuable to a contending team. So far in 2016, Miller has appeared in 19 games, with a 2-0 record, 0.96 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and one walk in 18.2 innings pitched.
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MLB Trade Rumors: Ryan Braun To The Washington Nationals
Ryan Braun is putting together another successful season in 2016. In 147 plate appearances, he is batting .364, with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, 21 runs, two stolen bases, and a .429 OBP. Unfortunately, he has missed nine games this year due to injury, which isn’t surprising considering his injury history throughout his career. Braun’s success in 2016 could make him a hot commodity on the trade market near the deadline in 2016.
One of many teams who will be interested in Braun is the Washington Nationals. The Nationals’ outfield has struggled mightily at times in 2016. A lot of these struggles have come from Ben Revere, who is batting .182, with zero home runs, five RBIs, six runs, and a .225 OBP. Revere’s backup, Michael Taylor, is batting a whopping .192, with four home runs, six RBIs, 14 runs, six stolen bases, and a .234 OBP.
Clearly, they are not getting the job done, which is why Braun would be a huge upgrade to their lineup. This move makes sense for both sides considering the Brewers are looking to rebuild and the Nationals are in need of a bat since they are trying to win now.
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MLB Trade Rumors: Matt Kemp To The Seattle Mariners
Matt Kemp has had quite the 2016 campaign so far for the San Diego Padres. In 167 plate appearances, he is batting .244, with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 20 runs. While he doesn’t have the value he once did, he could improve many competing teams who have a lack of talent in their outfield. His power and run production could be a big boost to many lineups, including the Seattle Mariners.
The Mariners are currently 22-17 and sitting at the top of the American League West. They aren’t necessarily struggling with run production, but their outfield doesn’t strike fear into many pitcher’s eyes. Their outfield is currently manned by Nori Aoki (.224 BA, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, 20 R, 2 SB), Leonys Martin (.203 BA, 6 HR, 14 RBIs, 16 R, 7 SB), and Seth Smith (.240 BA, 4 HR, 14 RBIs, 18 R). Realistically, Kemp could take over for any one of these players and provide an upgrade to the Mariners’ lineup.
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A Jay Bruce Trade To The New York Yankees Makes Sense
As of right now, the New York Yankees are really struggling. They are currently in last place in the American League East with a record of 13-19. A large part of this extreme decline is because the Yankees are struggling to score runs. They are currently ranked as the 24th overall team in Major League Baseball when it comes to run production. This is exactly why the potential addition of Jay Bruce could be a huge spark plug to the Yankees lineup.
The Yankees outfield is currently filled with Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, and a struggling Aaron Hicks. Jay Bruce could take over for Hicks and provide a lot of power potential for the Yankees lineup. Over Bruce’s 9-year career, he is averaging 30 home runs per season. His left-handed power swing could be extremely dangerous in Yankee Stadium.
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TRADE RUMOR: Will The Los Angeles Angels Trade Mike Trout?
As of right now, the Angels only have 3 starting pitchers listed on their depth chart (Jared Weaver, Hector Santiago, and Nick Tropeano). This team is falling apart and it could be time to make a drastic move. They are currently 13-18, but they are expected to continue to drop in the standings considering their team can’t stay healthy. Just to make matters worse, their farm system is widely considered to be the worst minor league system in baseball. With that said, is it time for the Angels to consider trading Mike Trout to restock their farm system and focus on building their team for the future?
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