Chris Young vs. Zach McAllister, 4:05pm
It’s the trade deadline! The M’s upgraded their offense by picking up OF Chris Denorfia for Abe Almonte and MiLB RP Stephen Kohlscheen. That’s…that’s not going to grab you many headlines even on a quiet trade deadline day, but it’s going to get lost after the A’s made yet another blockbuster, sending OF Yoenis Cespedes to Boston in exchange for SP Jon Lester. The A’s postseason rotation is going to be fearsome, and Cespedes would’ve been gone after 2015 anyway – he also can’t be offered a qualifying offer, so no draft pick to Boston. The A’s also picked up Sam Fuld, the OF they waived a few months ago, for SP Tommy Milone. Milone didn’t have a place after the LAST A’s blockbuster, but that’s a terrible return for a cheap, back of the rotation starter that gave the A’s around 450 innings of average-ish performance.
Asdrubal Cabrera’s now a National, Gerardo Parra went to the Brewers, and David Price and Marlon Byrd haven’t moved anywhere yet. Denorfia’s 34, and suffering through an abysmal season with San Diego, but he’s been an effective platoon bat as recently as last year. He can also play all OF positions, so some are excited about the possibility of seeing less Endy Chavez as early as tomorrow. I can see the M’s platooning the two, so we’ll have to see. The M’s will need to make a 25-man move to get Denorfia up, so we’ll see.
Stephen Kohlscheen’s got some very good K:BB ratios in the minors, but he doesn’t have big time velocity or a wipe-out breaking ball. Jason Parks was underwhelmed, but others see him as a near-MLB ready 6th-7th inning guy. For the M’s, though, he’s buried at the moment. Hefty MLB-vet Todd Coffey’s tearing up the PCL right now, and reports have his velocity sitting in the mid-90s. Forrest Snow’s continuing his resurgent season following suspension, and of course Brandon Maurer’s transformation into a bona fide MLB bullpen ace looks just about complete.
Zach McAllister’s ERA’s up well over a run this year, but his FIP has actually declined from what looked like a breakout 2013. He’s a four-seam, cutter/slider/change guy with zero platoon splits (in his career, his FIP v. lefties = 4.05, while his FIP v. righties = 4.05). He’s looked decent at times, especially as he’s picked up some velocity – he’s now averaging nearly 94mph on his FB – but so-so control and the lack of an out-pitch limits his upside. He’ll always be the guy who lost to Anthony Vasquez in his MLB debut to me.
Today’s line-up:
1: Ackley, LF
2: Taylor, SS
3: Cano, 2B
4: Morales, DH
5: Seager, 3B
6: Zunino, C
7: Morrison, 1B
8: Hart, RF
9: Chavez, CF
SP: Chris Young