Hammel for Whitley and De La Cruz?

[dreadpirateroberts]

By Matthew Smith: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...sed-on-the-latest-news-rumors-and-speculation

New York Yankees Get: SP Jason Hammel

Chicago Cubs Get: RP/SP Chase Whitley, SP Joel De La Cruz


Overview

The New York Yankees need to add a starter, potentially two. And while the names typically associated with the banter are Cliff Lee and Jeff Samardzija, another name has recently surfaced.

According to ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers, Chicago Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel has made himself quite attractive as a trade target. From an article last week:

Teams are going to love that kind of control. He's a big, physical presence who can fit nicely in the middle to back end of a contending team's rotation. He can fetch the Cubs a B-plus/A-minus type prospect if things keep going in the right direction. That was no sure thing when he was signed last offseason.

He's right. On the season, Hammel is 4-2 with a 3.36 FIP (fielding independent pitching), 43 strikeouts and a 0.906 WHIP in 53.0 innings pitched. As Rogers noted, he has been electric.

In return for the right-hander, the Yankees would send the Cubs starting pitchers Joel De La Cruz and Chase Whitley. De La Cruz took a while to get going, not reaching Double-A until this season, but he has a mid-90s fastball, and as former Tampa Yankees pitching coach Jeff Ware put it, a “power sinker.”

And while Whitley pitched very well in his debut with the Yankees last week, he has been a reliever for the majority of his career. That makes his staying power in the rotation unlikely. With the Cubs, however, he could be given time to stretch out into a full-time starter.

Now none of this is to say that the Yankees are going to shy away from Samardzija, but Hammel would be an excellent pickup.

In my opinion, I love this trade. You get Whitley who might not be a starter because of Hendricks, Edwards, and Johnson coming soon but he will be a good reliever for a long time which the Cubs need. I do not know much about De La Cruz though.

 

[chibears55]

In my opinion, I love this trade. You get Whitley who might not be a starter because of Hendricks, Edwards, and Johnson coming soon but he will be a good reliever for a long time which the Cubs need. I do not know much about De La Cruz though.

Why do you love this trade ?
For a reliever and a player you know nothing about

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[dreadpirateroberts]

Yankees are not getting Samardzija. They have nobody good for us.

 

[nwfisch]

[video=youtube;IqIRpnsUvP4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqIRpnsUvP4[/video]

 

[beckdawg]

Yankees are not getting Samardzija. They have nobody good for us.

And I seriously doubt they would get Hammel either with that sort of offer.

 

[JZsportsfan]

I'd expect a return among the lines the Cubs got from the O's for Feldman

 

[CSF77]

I'd expect a return among the lines the Cubs got from the O's for Feldman

I would expect better. Feldman was not as good as Hammel is. Feldman pitched to location an put the ball in play more. Hammel has a very nasty slider and control.

Hammel has been a solid #2 for the Cubs and would be a solid #3 on a contender this year. It would have to be a young ready starter with control vs a relief pitcher.

I'd go as far in saying Hammel is pitching better than Garza was last year. He is in the top 5 in WHIP this year and just beat Tanaka with a crappy O. Enough said.

 

[theberserkfury]

I would expect better. Feldman was not as good as Hammel is. Feldman pitched to location an put the ball in play more. Hammel has a very nasty slider and control.

Hammel has been a solid #2 for the Cubs and would be a solid #3 on a contender this year. It would have to be a young ready starter with control vs a relief pitcher.

I'd go as far in saying Hammel is pitching better than Garza was last year. He is in the top 5 in WHIP this year and just beat Tanaka with a crappy O. Enough said.

To be fair, the O was actually pretty decent against Tanaka yesterday.

 

[CSF77]

To be fair, the O was actually pretty decent against Tanaka yesterday.

They bunted at first. Olt got 3 of the RBI's with 1 hit. Not really a outstanding line up.

They are still a stick short IMO. Bryant on this team in RF would change the dynamics of this team fast.

 

[CSF77]

C Castillo .240/.295/.419
1B Rizzo: .273/.400/.442
2B Valbuena .264/.381/.434
SS Castro .301/.339/.486
3B Olt .183/.263/.452
LF: Lake .261/.286/.462
CF: Bonifacio .295/.339/.367
RF: Schierholtz .200/.255/.254

That line up:

Bonifacio (.339 OBA)
Valbuena (.381 OBA)
Castro (.339 OBA/.486 SLG)
Rizzo (.400 OBA/.442 SLG)
Drop off
Lake (.462 SLG)
Olt (.452 SLG)
Castillo (.419 SLG)
Schierholtz (.254 SLG)

Pretty sad when the #5 hitter is producing less than Barney. Well close but Barney has 2 HR vs Schierholtz 0.

Sure we are going through Olt and Lake's growing pains but RF has been the core problem with this team.

Well Theo and Jed trying to upsale trade chips is the core problem. Trying to plug Veras back into the closer role...resale value. Schierholtz in RF when doing nothing...resale value. There is a reason why this team is the worst in baseball. Comes down to ownership being cheap and upper management trying to build up a farm. And the fans buying into it and accepting more losing.

 

[theberserkfury]

They bunted at first. Olt got 3 of the RBI's with 1 hit. Not really a outstanding line up.

They are still a stick short IMO. Bryant on this team in RF would change the dynamics of this team fast.

*shrugs* I don't really care how they plate the runs as long as they do... they did what they had to yesterday.

 

[SilenceS]

Bryant would strike out over 50 percent of the time in the majors right now. He would be olt with more k's


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[CSF77]

Bryant would strike out over 50 percent of the time in the majors right now. He would be olt with more k's


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That is 100% conjecture.

You have no way of knowing what he would do until he is playing here.

 

[CSF77]

*shrugs* I don't really care how they plate the runs as long as they do... they did what they had to yesterday.

I agree but they back doored a win vs being good enough to generate runs. I put that on upper management for bubblegumming a team and the fans for buying into it.

 

[CSF77]

Anyways Lake leads the Cubs with 47 SO's in 119 AB Olt is at 37 in 104. Castillo 36 at 129 AB's. Schierholtz 34 in 130 AB's.

The team takes SO's anyways. The problem is what they are doing when they are not striking out.

Olt 9 HR's 1 2B 8 1B. All or nothing
Castillo 5 HR 8 2B
Lake 5 HR 1 3B 7 2B
Schierholtz 1 3B 5 2B

In AA Bryant is running 11 HR's 11 2B (52 total hits) 53 SO. But he also is running a .325/.419/.600 line. with 21 BB.

Yes he SO but what he is doing when he makes contact means more. Most hitters are going to be an out 65% of the time or more. A out is an out in the end.

 

[SilenceS]

He is striking out 28.5% percent of the time in AA. Baez struck out 28.8% last year in AA. I have a pretty good idea that he would K a **** ton in the majors right now. He has no reason to be in the majors. He needs to learn to control the K's in the minors before he ever does in the majors. Olt is striking out 31.1% of the time in the majors. Bryant would get destroyed by major league pitching right now.

 

[SilenceS]

Anyways Lake leads the Cubs with 47 SO's in 119 AB Olt is at 37 in 104. Castillo 36 at 129 AB's. Schierholtz 34 in 130 AB's.

The team takes SO's anyways. The problem is what they are doing when they are not striking out.

Olt 9 HR's 1 2B 8 1B. All or nothing
Castillo 5 HR 8 2B
Lake 5 HR 1 3B 7 2B
Schierholtz 1 3B 5 2B

In AA Bryant is running 11 HR's 11 2B (52 total hits) 53 SO. But he also is running a .325/.419/.600 line. with 21 BB.

Yes he SO but what he is doing when he makes contact means more. Most hitters are going to be an out 65% of the time or more. A out is an out in the end.

He has an extremely high BABIP. All he would do in the majors right now would be hit home runs, strike out, and walk. Just like Mike Olt. To bring him up this year would be a huge mistake and it would be for absolutely no reason.

 

[CSF77]

He has an extremely high BABIP. All he would do in the majors right now would be hit home runs, strike out, and walk. Just like Mike Olt. To bring him up this year would be a huge mistake and it would be for absolutely no reason.

IDK dude. We can't tell that until he gets to hit higher levels of competition. Sure we can assume he will just put up Olt production but looking at his game now he takes his share of walks and is not just a HR hitter. 11 HR, 11 2B and 30 1B. 21 BB. His game is pretty well rounded right now.

He needs to be promoted to Iowa yesterday running that line. He is a man among boys in AA.

My prediction is he gets bumped up to AAA after the draft. I'' bet right now they are too focused on the draft to promote.

 

[SilenceS]

The line is sexy because the power part of the game is there. The walking ability is there. The problem is why he strikes out. He is the complete opposite of Baez. Baez strikes out because he is over aggressive and swings to hurt someone everytime he swings. Bryant strikes out because he is to patient. He waits for the perfect pitch. He goes deep into a lot of counts because instead of trying to hit decent to good pitches to hit. He will let them go and wait for a better pitch. If he doesnt get it, he K's a good bit. He needs to learn aggressiveness because in the majors they arent going to throw as many mistakes. He has to learn to hit decent balls to hit. I think Bryant will be a real good hitter before its done, but he needs work and the minors is the best place for it. I think he will get promotoed around late June early July, but I dont see him making the roster this year. He could break camp next year, but that is a long way to go. Lets be a little patient so when he does come up. He is ready and the Cubs have some real thump in their lineup.

 

[CSF77]

The line is sexy because the power part of the game is there. The walking ability is there. The problem is why he strikes out. He is the complete opposite of Baez. Baez strikes out because he is over aggressive and swings to hurt someone everytime he swings. Bryant strikes out because he is to patient. He waits for the perfect pitch. He goes deep into a lot of counts because instead of trying to hit decent to good pitches to hit. He will let them go and wait for a better pitch. If he doesnt get it, he K's a good bit. He needs to learn aggressiveness because in the majors they arent going to throw as many mistakes. He has to learn to hit decent balls to hit. I think Bryant will be a real good hitter before its done, but he needs work and the minors is the best place for it. I think he will get promotoed around late June early July, but I dont see him making the roster this year. He could break camp next year, but that is a long way to go. Lets be a little patient so when he does come up. He is ready and the Cubs have some real thump in their lineup.

I still see him bumped up to Iowa right after the draft and in Sept on the Cubs if he doesn't regress.