Trade deadline day is happening! FEEL THE EXCITEMENT!!!
You’re probably going to have to feel it for another team though, because the Angels are most likely going to do nothing today, having already made their moves for Street and Thatcher. Still, it is a fun day and I, The Monkey, will be live blogging it all. Though most of the deals and rumors won’t be Angels-centric, I’ll analyze them and try and include a spin on how it affects the Angels. For example, if the A’s trade for Jon Lester-
WHAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!!?????????!!!!!!
They did already? Wow, I should’ve woken up earlier today, I guess. Alright then, let’s get the show on the road.
8:30 AM UPDATE – A’s acquire Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes for Yoenis Cespedes
Dammit. The A’s have all the pitching now. They might as well just go get David Price now, too. This is really going to make the 2014 A’s something special. Their rotation, especially in that ballpark, is now absurd. Sonny Gray is their fourth starter, for crying out loud. Their offense will take a bit of hit with Cespedes gone, but it won’t be a substantial one, especially if Gomes heats. If there is any positive here, it is that the A’s likely won’t be able to retain Lester beyond this season and won’t have Cespedes either. So, that’s good news for 2015. However, 2014 very much looks like the Angels are going to have to be content with that Wild Card spot.
I’m sure someone will suggest that the Angels will try to “respond” to this deal, but I don’t really think they operate that way. Well, that and they don’t have any prospects left. Maybe this will prompt them to look harder for a salary dump addition to the rotation, but that’s about it and even that is more likely to happen in August.
9:00 AM UPDATE – Angels aren’t even talking to Rays about David Price
https://twitter.com/BillShaikin/status/494874346075062273
Well, yeah, duh. Unless they reconsider giving up Cron and Skaggs (which still might be enough), the Halos and Rays shouldn’t even bother talking. Also, the Rays may not actually be willing to move Price. Their stance on who they are and aren’t willing to trade seems to change every 20 minutes.
9:20 AM – Angels showing interest in A.J. Burnett
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/494878832956932096
File this one under “It doesn’t hurt to ask.” Burnett is a salary dump target that the Angels should be going after, but Burnett has a no-trade clause and has long been opposed to playing on the West Coast due to family issue. In fact, if I recall correctly, he vetoed a deal to come to Anaheim two off-seasons ago.
9:35 AM – John Lackey going to the Cardinals
https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/494883728858947584
Not really Angels-related, but Lackey is a former Angel, so I assume there were some of you pining for him to return. Welp, nuts to that.
11:15 AM – Beware the fake Alden Gonzalez account
A fake account for Alden Gonzalez is tweeting that the Angels have traded Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Cron for David Price. Obviously, that is false. It is also Alden’s fault because 10 minutes earlier he opined how sad it was that nobody made a fake account version of himself. Great work, Alden.
11:30 AM – Mariners land Chris Denorfia
https://twitter.com/GregJohnsMLB/status/494909141442633728
Hey, look! The Mariners did something, too! Now their bad offense will be slightly less bad. It also helps that they got a non-lefty hitter and a capable outfielder. This isn’t going to be a gamechanger for them, but Denorfia will help.
12:25 PM – Angels aren’t going to do anything
"All is quiet" on #Angels front, I'm told.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 31, 2014
Thirty-five minutes left. Hearing #Angels "not anticipating anything at all."
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) July 31, 2014
35 minutes left and it looks like the Angels are pretty satisfied to sit on their hands. Sorry, folks, but we warned you.
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