This version of the Yankees is more likely to finish last than first. How awful must it be to be a Cubs fan? Trades like that are hard to explain to a Cubs ticket holder.
As a Cubs and a Samardzjia fan, I'm OK with the trade. He now will be able to show what he's got with a solid team behind him. The As will rent him for a year, hoping he can help get them to the World Series, then they'll turn him loose on the free agency market. After posting a red-hot ERA in April and May, he did not pitch well in June (1-3, 5.45 ERA), yet he turned down the Cubs' $85mil offer. If he meets expectations in Oakland, he'll get his $100mil contract from someone. If not, he'll still be marketable at some reasonably high contract amount because he's a 200+ innings guy, and so far in his career he hasn't been slowed by injuries. His salary this year following arbitration is $5.345 million, so Money Ball is alive and well in Oakland. Hammel's salary is around $6 million. The Cubs literally "flipped" Hammel after signing him to a one-year contract. In return, the Cubs continue to build (can't use "rebuild" with the Cubs because they haven't built anything yet) with 3 more prime prospects in their farm system. I would think that the Cubs are offering hope for a bright future to season ticket holders, who have to be among the most blindly loyal in MLB. If you think about it, what else do they have to offer?
I'm with Sid, I don't think Moneyball is dead and that Billy Bean is just renting a player for the pennant run. I'm rooting for them. I also think Sid is right about the Cubs.
Samarzdja goes 7 strong innings today gives up on 4 hits and 1 run for his first win as an Oakland A. A's are in the Astro's division so I can't wish them any luck, but I will root for the old Domer when he takes the mound.