Oakland All In Good for Houston; Astros dealing Jarred Cosart?

For some reason the MLB Trade Deadline brings out the bullet posting in me, in very related American League West news:

– Oakland was all in to the limit after dealing future stud Addison Russell as well as Billy McKinney(Q&A linked), my best friend and future everyday MLB player Billy McKinney to the Chicago Cubs for Jeff Samardzija. Their farm system was depleted if they were going after a big fish, but silly us forgot about the rarity where teams trade non-prospects aka actual MLB rostered players to obtain an upgrade or fill a positional need…or want.

Fresh off a World Series, Lester aims for another across the coast

Photo Credit: David J. Phillip/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

-The A’s dealt their big bopper Yoenis Cespedes today (along with a Competitive Balance Pick) to the defending champion Red Sox for their ace Jon Lester as well as former A’s outfielder the rugged Johnny Gomes. Acquiring Lester, Billy Beane is forming an absolutely scary postseason rotation of Lester-Sonny Gray–Jeff Samardzija–Scott Kazmir. However, despite all the favorable sabermetrics, Oakland lost a huge bat that Sam Fuld for Tommy Milone can’t replace and Gomes can’t either.

– For an Astros/Rangers fan like me and all of us out there who support either team plus the Seattle Mariners but not the Los Angeles Angels who are also all in in the short-term , I can dig the A’s going all in and then rooting hard against them to lose. They have gutted their top heavy farm system in the Cubs deal and now have sacrificed a huge part of their batting order and club and clubhouse, as demonstrated by outspoken outfield mate Josh Reddick, who came from where his former teammate is headed.

“My mind is blown,” said A’s outfielder Josh Reddick.

The A’s are really all all all all all all so much all so much damn all in. It’s good for A.L. West clubs like the Astros and Rangers.

Anyway, I had a title didn’t I?

If there were scouts on hand yesterday in Houston to see Dallas Keuchel dominate the A’s, well they either need to upgrade their offer big time or drop it because Keuchel had a complete game one run four hitter and is reportedly not on the market anymore anyway.

Somewhat surprisingly, another young Houston Astros starting pitcher is.

Reportedly teams interested are the Marlins, Indians and Rangers.

The 24 year old Jarred Cosart, the headliner from the 2011 Hunter Pence trade with the now very messy Philadelphia Phillies, is having a decent season, probably better than his 4.41 ERA in 20 starts indicate. He is also 9-7 , but at this very point win-loss record is for the most part meaningless, it’s the progression from the first full year starter. Cosart’s big bugaboo has been the walk, and he’s got a 75:51 K:BB ratio trending in the very right direction.

HOWEVER, the Astros future remaining very bright, their minor league depth is absolutely positively 100% with the arms and not the bats. The big bats were George Springer and Jon Singleton, who have made their minor league graduations in 2014.

Hey.

Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Correa is going to be a star, Domingo Santana, my man Max Stassi and Delino Deshields, Jr. could be really good, you’ve got several promising players from the last two drafts.

But the depth in the system, especially talent closer to the cusp of Houston, is with pitching and if the team finds a taker for a player like Cosart — who is not done developing but the returning bat certainly won’t be either –it’s a deal I’m in favor for…and I’m a Cosart fan. A big one.

In a trade deadline that has uncharacteristically seen MLB players traded for other players in The Show, the Astros could end up dealing a Major League pitcher of their own for a Major League hitter soon to slot into the lineup.

We shall see.

Two hours left in the non-waiver deadline.

Joel Sherman just reported David Price “will be traded (before the Deadline ends)”

Love this day.