Sox acquire Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa

[GreenSox]

What is wrong with Alexei for Smardjiza, straight up? The Sox save money this year. They don't have to make a risky long term commitment,

on a pitcher. Next year, they may not need "Shark," and if they are still short a starter, perhaps there will be another pitcher available, who is

similarly in his final contract year.

In terms of value, nothing is wrong with that. It's an even trade.

What's wrong with it, however, is opportunity cost. Why waste Alexei on a 1 year player when we could trade him and fill multiple holes, and/or get some good prospects (which at the least are currency).

The Sox are below average at the following positions: 2B, LF, #3 starter, #4 starter, 1 (to be kind) bullpen spot, bench bat. They are also bad at overall team defense (3B and RF are poor defensively aside from the above).

That trade closes #3 starter, and opens up SS. And it closes #3 for a single year. That situation is winning a world series? Of course not, and it's a long shot to even make the playoffs.

But we'd have the Shark, and, from reading this board, that's all it takes.

Edited November 29, 2014 by GreenSox

[cabiness42]

Yeah, not sure I would do it either. I'm just not a huge Samardjiza fan.

 

If Rick is gonna deal for an impact pitcher he should be younger and controlled, IMO.

 

Based on what you've heard + your own instincts, what player would you say the Sox are most likely to sign/acquire next?

[Lillian]

Now I'm confused. I thought that the big remaining "holes" were: RH starter, closer and another outfielder.

If you fill the RH starter with Samardjiza, by trading Alexei, that does not use up any of the remaining $25 Million, which

most estimate that Sox still have to spend. I can't believe that it would take more than that to add a closer and a corner outfielder,

who can hit, and provide respectable defense.

 

I don't think that 2016 has to be such a key consideration. As long as the Sox are not giving up key, core pieces going forward.

Think of all of the fun we could have, again next off season, with a whole new "hot stove"! LOL

Edited November 29, 2014 by Lillian

[Bob Sacamano]

Samardzija doesn't have a whole lot of innings on his arm either being a reliever until his mid-20s about. I'm perfectly ok giving him a 5 year deal

[Dunt]

Please don't trade usable assets away for a year of Shark.

[Jake]

What Semien has going for him is some BABIP-fueled minor league stats. First full MLB year was a failure. Beane will not pay us for 2014 Clutch Moments. Semien did walk in the minors, but not here. He's 24, the farm thing is done. The defense is considered limited besides his speed.

 

Because of the minor league stats i'd see you getting a decent cost controlled reliever-type basically at this point at the absolute most. Semien is not a prospect.

 

Semien is at least an adequate defender around the infield and has the best offensive chops of any of our minor league infielders. The first rule of baseball is not to freak out over small MLB samples. I also have no clue where you get the idea that he's had BABIP-fueled MiLB stats. He's generally had fairly low BABIP numbers.

 

He's a middle infielder with solid defensive skills, a great batting eye, production at high levels, and back-to-back 20 HR seasons between MiLB and MLB. That's a big deal.

[Balta1701]

Semien is at least an adequate defender around the infield and has the best offensive chops of any of our minor league infielders. The first rule of baseball is not to freak out over small MLB samples. I also have no clue where you get the idea that he's had BABIP-fueled MiLB stats. He's generally had fairly low BABIP numbers.

 

He's a middle infielder with solid defensive skills, a great batting eye, production at high levels, and back-to-back 20 HR seasons between MiLB and MLB. That's a big deal.

Marcus was so far not really an adequate defender in the time we've seen him. He could potentially get there, particularly at 2b, but his footwork overall is poor and he doesn't have good overall skills to make up for that yet.

 

He's still potentially a solid player but let's not oversell him. His defense needs work and he looks like a guy we'd despise if he was put at shortstop.

[Jake]

And since we're talking about Semien, I'll add that he was far better when he was called back up later in the season:

 

6.8% BB%, 17.6% K%, .273/.333/.485, 129 wRC+, .300 BABIP

[GGajewski18]

Please don't trade usable assets away for a year of Shark.

 

No way it would be a year. We get Shark, we are signing him to an extension.

[Chicago White Sox]

Semien is at least an adequate defender around the infield and has the best offensive chops of any of our minor league infielders. The first rule of baseball is not to freak out over small MLB samples. I also have no clue where you get the idea that he's had BABIP-fueled MiLB stats. He's generally had fairly low BABIP numbers.

 

He's a middle infielder with solid defensive skills, a great batting eye, production at high levels, and back-to-back 20 HR seasons between MiLB and MLB. That's a big deal.

Yup, thank you for posting this. Agree completely. It's amazing how some people on this site overreact to Semien's numbers during his first with the Sox last year. Had Beckham been healthy to start the season, Marcus would have been in AAA where he belonged. Jumping to conclusions based on those numbers is incredibly short-sighted.

[BlackSox13]

I think the trade ends up being between Oakland and Atlanta. Maybe something like Upton and Gattis for Samardjiza, Reddick and minor league pitcher. Basically its Samardjiza for Upton is an exchange of one year rentals and then there's Gattis for Reddick +.

 

Would love to have Reddick but dude is pretty bad against lefties so a right hand platoon partner would be needed.

 

Bucket was not kidding when he said " moving parts ".

[flavum]

https://twitter.com/RobertMurrayMLB/status/...728489613287425

 

Child reporter

[Special K]

I keep hearing about all this Alexei for Shark talk. No trade for shark will involve Alexei. Sox are in win now mode and Oakland is looking for prospects, not an aging SS. It will clearly be for prospects, and sox may not be that concerned about that because they will be compensated for a draft pick if they don't extend him, which I think they will.

 

This article seems toduggest it could happen soon

http://www.southsidesox.com/2014/11/29/730...ja-trade-rumors

 

Apologize if it was linked already.

[GGajewski18]

https://twitter.com/RobertMurrayMLB/status/...728489613287425

 

Child reporter

 

He clearly doesn't know that Hahn is a wizard and does things that are out of the blue.

[GreatScott82]

This is just pure speculation on my part, but I can see the Sox getting involved with the A's and Braves in an attempt to finalize a three way trade. If the deal does involve Shark, one of the stipulations to the deal could be him signing an extension before it's finalized. Stay tuned.....

[2nd_city_saint787]

https://twitter.com/RobertMurrayMLB/status/...728489613287425

 

Child reporter

 

That kid was on MLB network for breaking some deal (If it's not a fake account) so he does know some things.

 

I'd have no problem trading for Shark as I'm confident he'd be resigned.

 

He was really good last year.

Edited November 29, 2014 by scs787

[thxfrthmmrs]

What Semien has going for him is some BABIP-fueled minor league stats. First full MLB year was a failure. Beane will not pay us for 2014 Clutch Moments. Semien did walk in the minors, but not here. He's 24, the farm thing is done. The defense is considered limited besides his speed.

 

Because of the minor league stats i'd see you getting a decent cost controlled reliever-type basically at this point at the absolute most. Semien is not a prospect.

 

Semien is at least an adequate defender around the infield and has the best offensive chops of any of our minor league infielders. The first rule of baseball is not to freak out over small MLB samples. I also have no clue where you get the idea that he's had BABIP-fueled MiLB stats. He's generally had fairly low BABIP numbers.

 

He's a middle infielder with solid defensive skills, a great batting eye, production at high levels, and back-to-back 20 HR seasons between MiLB and MLB. That's a big deal.

 

Agree with Jake here. The first post couldn't be more off base. You could argue that Semien's BABIP the past two years in the minors actually hurt his overall numbers.

 

He had only little seasoning above AA last year and was definitely rushed up here. After spending some time in AAA this year, he made major improvements throughout the season and carried those improvements with him in September call up.

 

Defensively, he will always be a solid to above average, but not spectacular defender at either 2B or SS. With some more seasoning, he definitely couldn't hurt you out in the field.

 

I wouldn't call Semien a top prospect, but to call someone who just turned 24 and was a fringe Top 100 guy at the beginning of the year, who also just put up an 142 wRC+ season in AAA a non prospect is a quite frankly an absurd statement.

Edited November 29, 2014 by thxfrthmmrs

[GGajewski18]

That kid was on MLB network for breaking some deal (If it's not a fake account) so he does know some things.

 

I'd have no problem trading for Shark as I'm confident he'd be resigned.

 

He was really good last year.

 

Supposedly he broke the Butler to Oak deal.

[LDF]

someone tweeted about the contract of Jeff or something like that.

 

i don't know, what if the sox is being given an opportunity to work out a contract

for Jeff?

 

either way, getting a SS of Alexei substantial worth to a team who wants to compete

while holding down the position for their young talent. Billy Beane wants that.

Edited November 29, 2014 by LDF

[flavum]

What I like about Bloomington guy is that he doesn't say anything until he "knows" it, and then he doesn't fan the fire with other stuff.

 

Still optimistic something happens.

[BlackSox13]

I wonder if this is the potential three way the Sox were reportedly in on at the trade deadline.

 

If I had to chose, gimme Upton with an extension over Samardjiza. I know Upton is less likely but a 3,4,5 of Abreu, LaRoche, Upton is pretty solid.

 

One can dream right...

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

No one's going to want Semien, at least not in any meaningful way. He does not have much value right now.

Did you just miss that Oakland just traded a guy who was 3rd in MVP voting in 2013 and 8th in 2014 for an injury prone but younger 3rd baseman , 8th and 6th round minor league pitchers and an 18 yr old SS ?

 

Semien has the potential to be exactly what Oakland always wants. Southern League MVP a few years ago with a .420 OBP and 15-20HR power potential. Showed an ability to hit when the pressure was on and showed a lot of improvement in his 2nd call up and years of control.

 

Frankly ,I'd hate to see him go but Oakland is looking for a 2nd baseman but I can also envision him as an every day OF.

[Kyyle23]

I wonder if this is the potential three way the Sox were reportedly in on at the trade deadline.

 

If I had to chose, gimme Upton with an extension over Samardjiza. I know Upton is less likely but a 3,4,5 of Abreu, LaRoche, Upton is pretty solid.

 

One can dream right...

 

I doubt the A's were shopping JS in the middle of a pennant race, after they just acquired him for the pennant race

[Sockin]

I realize how dumb this is but Tim Anderson just tweeted 3 sad face emoticons...

[DirtySox]

I realize how dumb this is but Tim Anderson just tweeted 3 sad face emoticons...

 

I had the same thought. Probably unrelated but you never know.