Need starting pitching? Jeff Samardzija might be your man

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http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/10847460/matt-garza-says-jeff-samardzija-needs-pitch-way-chicago-cubs

Everyone's focused on David Price but no team wants to get raped by Tampa Bay in some lopsided deal. Samardzija was pitching a 1.53 ERA in his first five games and still couldn't get a win. Former teammates Matt Garza, Aramis Ramirez, and Alfonso Soriano spoke up in support of him getting the fuck up out of there.

He refused to voice frustration but today he pitched a sixth game and got lit up and is finally admitting that the uncertainty of his future is getting to him. Angels, Mariners, etc... get ready to ship some prospects to Chicago!

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He'll be a Yankee.

[MistaNova]

He'll be a Yankee.

Stupid Yankees fan. The Yankees don't have the prospects to pull off a trade for Samardzija.

Arizona could sure use some pitching. And unlike the Yankees they actually have some top tier prospects.

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Oh God I hope he doesn't end up in Arizona. Would hate to deal with his ass.

[MistaNova]

Well I'm basing my prediction on whether or not the other team has what the Cubs are looking for. Even though the Cubs have a pretty top notch farm system it's heavy on the hitters but not so heavy on the pitchers and catchers. In order to get Samadzija I presume that a team would have to give up at least one pitcher and maybe one catcher. Right off the bat Arizona fits that description since they have the prospects that could get them David Price if they wanted him. After all, the D-Backs have RHP Archie Bradley and catcher Stryker Trahan and a few other promising pitchers in their system.

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He'll be a Yankee.

Stupid Yankees fan.

I check the standings and disabled list everyday to see when the Rays, Redsox and Orioles are going to push the old, decrepit, untalented Yankees into the cellar of the AL East and the entire starting lineup is collecting welfare checks on the DL. Everyday.

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Well I'm basing my prediction on whether or not the other team has what the Cubs are looking for. Even though the Cubs have a pretty top notch farm system it's heavy on the hitters but not so heavy on the pitchers and catchers. In order to get Samadzija I presume that a team would have to give up at least one pitcher and maybe one catcher. Right off the bat Arizona fits that description since they have the prospects that could get them David Price if they wanted him. After all, the D-Backs have RHP Archie Bradley and catcher Stryker Trahan and a few other promising pitchers in their system.

Damn... since Yanks have two dope prospect catchers in Gary Sanchez and JR Murphy, you think they could Samardzija with one of them plus a pitching prospect?

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^No. That would put the Yankees in too good a position.

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He'll be a Yankee.

Stupid Yankees fan.

I check the standings and disabled list everyday to see when the Rays, Redsox and Orioles are going to push the old, decrepit, untalented Yankees into the cellar of the AL East and the entire starting lineup is collecting welfare checks on the DL. Everyday.

^No. That would put the Yankees in too good a position.

lmao

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Lol, no that's not what I think. That's what I was told by the Yankees guru would be the Yankees fate this year.

The untalented roster would suck even at full strength...but they won't be at full strength because they'll all be on the DL.

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lmao I knew what you were referring to bro don't worry hahahaha

[MistaNova]

Damn... since Yanks have two dope prospect catchers in Gary Sanchez and JR Murphy, you think they could Samardzija with one of them plus a pitching prospect?

Well right now the Yankees just paid God a hefty sum to align the stars just right so that Gary Sanchez has a clear path to the majors. In that if/when he finally makes it to the big leagues in a few years from now, McCann will no longer be able to be an everyday catcher and be moved to 1st base (or DH) giving Sanchez the starting catcher job. Which is to say that right now Sanchez is an important and longterm piece for the Yankees. Unless a catcher in the even lower minors like Luis Torrens starts tearing shit up I'd be surprised to see Sanchez get moved.

The Yankees are probably more willing to let Murphy go though. He's only up with the team now because Romine can't hit and Cervelli got injured. Once Cervelli comes back I assume Murphy will be out of a job and back in the minors again until somebody gets hurt again or rosters expand.

Now the question would be whether or not the Yankees have the type of pitching that would interest the Cubs. The Yankees have a couple of notable arms in Manny Banuelos, Jose Ramirez and Rafael De Paula. However, Banuelos just came back from Tommy John which kept him out of action for all of 2013. Before TJ Banuelos was one of the top 25 prospects in all of baseball so I doubt the Yankees would be willing to let him go now that his value has significantly decreased. Ramirez has the potential to be a number 3 starter, and there's your problem. Why would the Cubs want to trade their ace for Murphy and a potential number 3 starter when another team can muster up an even better package? The last guy De Paula was a beast last year but he's off to a pretty slow start this season and projects to be a reliever.

Bottom line, if Samardzija were to come to the Yankees, it won't be via the trade market.

BTW, your other division rival, the San Diego Padres, also has the top notch catcher and pitcher (Austin Hedges & Max Fried) that would interest the Cubs.

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Yeah if you offered Ramirez you would have to part ways with Sanchez for sure.

Padres themselves are in rebuild mode (though somewhat overachieving thus far early into the season) so I doubt they would hand over top prospects like Hedges. I wouldn't mind if they did though since I'm pretty confident Samardzija would leave them as a free agent anyways.

[MistaNova]

Padres themselves are in rebuild mode (though somewhat overachieving thus far early into the season) so I doubt they would hand over top prospects like Hedges. I wouldn't mind if they did though since I'm pretty confident Samardzija would leave them as a free agent anyways.

I'm aware, they've had an insane amount of talent in their system recently (didn't all or most of their affiliates win every league/championship one year?). Although most of their guys who've come up to the majors have been mediocre. I was just pointing out that the D-Backs aren't the only NL West team who could trade for Samardzija.
I don't think Samardzija would be so quick to leave though. Pitchers love Petco Park.

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Many people believe that Royals are going to trade James Shields if they're too far behind the AL Central (which they will be). He's better than Samardzija and actually might be easier to trade for because A) he's older and B) Dayton Moore has a history of making bad deals. I think Yanks should target him.

Then there's also Cliff Lee, but I don't see Philly giving him up.