Done: Lester and Gomes from the Red Sox to A's for Yoenis Cespedes

[Tyler]

Wow, what a steal of a trade by the A's. That rotation...

[floplag]

Yea, sorry I am assuming that a very good major league pitcher would be an upgrade. By the way, calm the **** down. You asked a question I politely gave you my opinion. I am not beating you down. I am telling you why everyone, other than yourself, is seeing with this trade. As far as your last sentence, I am sure you and everyone else on this board knows where I stand with that. I don't think like that and I have more faith than most that we will be fine in a one game playoff regardless of who we face.

 

Has telling anyone to calm down, especially by using the obscenity, ever actually worked for you?  just wondering...

Not everyone sees it that was based on the little indicator i get at the top, but they seem to know better than i do to not take on those who get to speak around here i guess.

 

However, it is insulting if you think i didn't get your first line there.. the point that im making is that he isnt THAT big of an upgrade in comparison to what they lost in the process in my opinion.

Bottom line to me i dont think this changes what their record might have been.  Does it change them in the post season, yes, it does, but on both sides, and not both are positive. 

You can disagree with me, thats fine, but im getting a bit tired of the personal insults some people fall back on when anyone dares have a differing opinion.

[fan_since79]

I think Cespedes brought excitement to an otherwise boring team. He definitely gave them more personality.

 

"Chemistry" is often overrated, but it will interesting to see what this does to the team going forward. I could foresee a little downturn here in the offense.

[rageous]

I am surprised that Beane didn't trade for a 2nd baseman.

That is one spot in the lineup that has been shitty all year.

[Inside Pitch]

 

You can disagree with me, thats fine, but im getting a bit tired of the personal insults some people fall back on when anyone dares have a differing opinion.

 

 

You mean like referring to anyone that backs their differing opinions with something viable like statistics as "stat monkeys"?   Do you ever hold yourself to your standards?  I don't think I've ever seen you enter into a discussion where you didn't end up bellyaching about having been insulted while at the same time speaking in an overtly insulting fashion. 

 

Keep tilting at windmills Flop, the world is out to get you. 

[floplag]

well thanks for proving the point i guess... its funny how i get called out for calling people out but noone says shit to the ones that do it in every single thread. 

besides, i like windmills

[Stradling]

well thanks for proving the point i guess... its funny how i get called out for calling people out but noone says shit to the ones that do it in every single thread.

besides, i like windmills

Well Flop, once again you are wrong. I was completely called out the other night in the Game Day Thread and I deserved it, as do you.

[floplag]

Well Flop, once again you are wrong. I was completely called out the other night in the Game Day Thread and I deserved it, as do you.

funny though noone called anyone out here, but me?   its all good im used to it.. im not part of the in crowd around here and im fine with that

 

and even you felt the need to get in a cheap shot in your reply so... yeah

Edited July 31, 2014 by floplag

[Stradling]

Whatever man. I am sure there are a ton of people here that think I am part of the problem on this board because I am a moderator. Go ahead and play the victim.

[AngelsFanSince86]

"Chemistry" is often overrated, but it will interesting to see what this does to the team going forward. I could foresee a little downturn here in the offense.

 

I would usually agree with you, but I think for the A's it is a big deal.  How else do you explain that group of guys leading the league in runs scored/RBI

[AngelsFanSince86]

While the A's are definitely better after this trade, according to my best friend who lives in A's territory, it's not a very popular one with the fans. Cespedes is a huge fan favorite up there and a lot of people are pissed he is gone.

 

Yeah, I also have a few friends and they are pretty upset as well.  He was their favorite player.  Basically if they don't win a WS this year not only will it not have been worth it, but the fans will be pissed because they lost their favorite player for no reason.

[floplag]

Whatever man. I am sure there are a ton of people here that think I am part of the problem on this board because I am a moderator. Go ahead and play the victim.

You are giving me shit for "playing the victim" and saying nothing to those that made it personal?  really?  That makes sense to you as a moderator and staff?

I guess there isnt much to say if thats how things are done here these days

[nate]

Usually I like people shitting on Stradling, Flop, but you are way off here man.  You are having a conversation that nobody else in this thread is having.

[Stradling]

thanks?

[HaloMagic]

Who made it personal?

[gotbeer]

Yeah, I also have a few friends and they are pretty upset as well.  He was their favorite player.  Basically if they don't win a WS this year not only will it not have been worth it, but the fans will be pissed because they lost their favorite player for no reason.

 

If all of these people would go to games, maybe moves like this wouldn't happen with the A's on regularity.  The A's have the best record in baseball.  And yet they are 23rd in attendance.  San Diego gets more people per game than them, and they absolutely suck.  

 

So when they say they lost him for no reason.  I say BS.  They lost him, like a lot of other great players in the past that started in Oakland, because no one goes to the games to support them, and thus they can't afford them.  

[mtangelsfan]

"remove small pieces of silica from female body parts"

 

can we talk about the trade?

[AngelsFanSince86]

not really concerned

up until a few starts ago Jon Lester has been mediocre at best this season

and yeah they may have the best rotation on paper but they still have to execute

weren't we supposed to have the best offense on paper last year? we didn't execute and look what happened

you still gotta play the game 

 

 

???  Lester has posted a 2.52 ERA, 155 ERA+, 2.62 FIP, 1.119 WHIP, 0.6 HR/9, 2.0 BB/9, and 9.4 SO/9 while averaging 6.8 IP/9

 

Even if you take away his last four starts in which he has been lights out, he still had a 2.92 ERA.  If Lester has been mediocre at best this season then the Angels rotation besides Richards has been awful and Richards has just been pretty good.  Lester has pitched in the AL East against tough lineups his whole career so its not like he went from the NL to the AL.  He most likely will continue to pitch well.

[AngelsFanSince86]

If all of these people would go to games, maybe moves like this wouldn't happen with the A's on regularity.  The A's have the best record in baseball.  And yet they are 23rd in attendance.  San Diego gets more people per game than them, and they absolutely suck.  

 

So when they say they lost him for no reason.  I say BS.  They lost him, like a lot of other great players in the past that started in Oakland, because no one goes to the games to support them, and thus they can't afford them.  

 

 

Yeah true...for the defense of my friends who said this, they each attend 15+ games a year (one of them will probably go to nearly 40 this year).  They also seem to think it has to do with trying to win the WS now so that they can raise their value for the stadium talks that are going on now.

 

Edit:  I mean obviously it is because they are win now mode, but they think that is the reason.

Edited July 31, 2014 by AngelsFanSince86

[nate]

thanks?

 

Any time!

[QuinlansMinion]

Their rotation doesnt scare me as much as it does some of you.  But then again I still have flashbacks to Kazmir giving up a crap load of runs.  
 

Who the heck is Sonny Gray?  Jeff Samardija is an overrated NL pitcher.  Lester doesnt care about Oakland, hes going back to Boston and cant wait to get back there soon enough.  I didnt think their offense was built for the playoffs, but its even worse now that they lost Cespedes.  Their offense without Cespedes doesnt scare anyone above .500.  

 

Yeah, well there you have it. 

[RallyMo]

Their rotation doesnt scare me as much as it does some of you. But then again I still have flashbacks to Kazmir giving up a crap load of runs.

Who the heck is Sonny Gray? Jeff Samardija is an overrated NL pitcher. Lester doesnt care about Oakland, hes going back to Boston and cant wait to get back there soon enough. I didnt think their offense was built for the playoffs, but its even worse now that they lost Cespedes. Their offense without Cespedes doesnt scare anyone above .500.

Yeah, well there you have it.

It's this kind of statistics based analysis that I cannot refute. You win.

[Angels]

Their rotation doesnt scare me as much as it does some of you. But then again I still have flashbacks to Kazmir giving up a crap load of runs.

Who the heck is Sonny Gray? Jeff Samardija is an overrated NL pitcher. Lester doesnt care about Oakland, hes going back to Boston and cant wait to get back there soon enough. I didnt think their offense was built for the playoffs, but its even worse now that they lost Cespedes. Their offense without Cespedes doesnt scare anyone above .500.

Yeah, well there you have it.

Brilliant

[Mark68]

Their rotation doesnt scare me as much as it does some of you.  But then again I still have flashbacks to Kazmir giving up a crap load of runs.  

 

Who the heck is Sonny Gray?  Jeff Samardija is an overrated NL pitcher.  Lester doesnt care about Oakland, hes going back to Boston and cant wait to get back there soon enough.  I didnt think their offense was built for the playoffs, but its even worse now that they lost Cespedes.  Their offense without Cespedes doesnt scare anyone above .500.  

 

Yeah, well there you have it. 

Gray is a very good pitcher. He has a long enough track record now. Samardzija is a very good pitcher, again with a track record (certainly has done well since coming over), and Lester would be an ace on many teams, and he may not care about Oakland, but he sure should care about trying to get another ring.

[RePLAY]

This trade makes the A's better in a playoff series...but for some odd reason I think it makes them easier for us to catch and get the division lead.