The Athletics are “getting flooded” with calls on Jason Hammel following this morning’s acquisition of Jon Lester, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Oakland was planning to use Hammel as its fifth starter, with Jesse Chavez heading to the bullpen, Susan Slusser tweeted earlier this morning. However, Chavez also gives the A’s an excellent fifth starter candidate should they decide to flip Hammel, be it for prospects or perhaps a Major League piece that could help deepen their current roster.
Hammel, 31, has struggled tremendously since coming over in the Jeff Samardzija trade. In four starts with the A’s, he’s yielded a 9.53 ERA and seen his previously excellent 1.9 BB/9 rate spike to 5.3. However, his overall numbers this year are still appealing to teams in need of a rotation rental: Hammel has a 3.87 ERA with 8.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 40.9 percent ground-ball rate. Rival clubs may consider him a nice buy-low candidate.
This would have been great before they traded Tommy Millone. But Drew Pomeranz is still at AAA, right? He could slide into the 5th spot
When did they trade Tommy Milone?
haha…today after they acquired Lester…he went to the Twins
less than an hour after the lester deal. Probably around 8am Oakland time
think they’ll use Chavez as the 5th starter
What about Pomeranz as the fifth starter? He’s off the 15-day DL and looking good in Sacto?
Trade Hammel
Pomeranz to rotation
Chavez to bullpen
Scribner to AAA
Yankees should try and make deal if Oakland does decide to trade.
If it’s a decent return, do it. Pomeranz can be the 5th starter and Chavez go to long relief
A’s “Getting Flooded” With Calls On Jason Hammel
What is there laughter from the incoming call?
Good Luck, Billy Beane!!!
The problem is his control.
Asdrubal Cabrera for Hammel. A small bump at 2nd for the A’s and a small bump in the rotation for the Indians, both rentals.
Absolutely done deal
Cleveland is a sub .500 team, they have no interest in Hammel.
Sure they do. He’s an upgrade over 3/5 of their current rotation.
Trading Milone kind of cuts the chance of trading Hammel.
What happens if the all to frequent injuries hit the starters ahead of Hammel? You need more than 5 starters to win. Maybe Pomeranz can spot start as a spare; but it’s nice having some extra starters for the high likelihood of injuries.
Exactly. Depth is crucial. Starters getting hurt is always a very real possibility. And even if we assume everyone stays healthy, Chavez is already looking fatigued, plus Gray (in his first full ML season) and Kazmir (who hasn’t pitched over 163 innings since ’07) could get fatigued, as well, if they stay on track for 200-plus innings. If they went straight back to Chavez/Pomeranz being their only good #5 options, it would defeat half the purpose of why they made all these moves to begin with.
For the right return, I think they should consider any possibility. But they have to be careful.
They can get Mills for $1.50 and use him as insurance.
Overpay much? 😉
Pomeranz would do more than “spot start.” As long as he doesn’t meet any pugnacious wooden chairs in the near future…
Trade Hammel please. Are people forgetting about Pomeranz? He has had 2 great rehab starts and is ready to go. Chavez and Pomeranz can rotate the 5th spot to keep Chavez fresh.
Wonder what we can get for him, although I’m sure we won’t trade him.
I just read that he might be traded to Royals for Butler, Aoki
Where did you read that?
Why on earth would the royals do that lol
Wonder what we can get for him, although I’m sure we won’t trade him.
Is Hammel the singular form of Hamels?