The Orioles have made the first big move of the season in baseball by trading Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop to the Chicago Cubs in return for RHP Scott Feldman, a “proven starter with postseason experience,” words of Orioles GM Dan Duquette. The Orioles also sent pool money for international signings to the Cubs, two pool slots totaling roughly $380,000.
Most importantly, let’s all stand up and give Duquette a round of applause for making this deal, sending two players who have struggled in Baltimore but are viewed by other teams as potential big roster pieces for a solid starting pitcher. He also made this trade on July 2, almost a full month before the trade deadline, giving the Orioles an extra 4-5 starts possibly from Feldman compared to making a deadline deal. A trade for Matt Garza, Bud Norris, or even Cliff Lee would have dug into the farm system and sent prospects away, but Duquette was able to capitalize on pieces that weren’t being productive to the Major League club at the moment and acquired a piece that could help stabilize a rotation that is also about to get Wei Yin Chen back from injury.
For Arrieta, it has always been said that the change of scenery could be just what he needs. Well, now we get to find out how true that is. While analysts and sabermetricians alike have claimed over the years that this concept is mostly invalid, it certainly has shown true for the Orioles this season with Chris Davis, who for one has remarked that the move to Baltimore was one of the many factors in helping him become the player he is today.
Strop obviously saw many struggles this 2013 season after putting on a pitching clinic with Fernando Rodney in the World Baseball Classic for Team Dominican Republic. He has had various issues with fastball command and perhaps stamina problems, but the “stuff” is there. At times formidable, Strop has the ability to throw a fastball in the high 90s with insane movement, provoking those thoughts of “but a ball going that fast isn’t supposed to do that!”
Let’s not forget, Strop will most likely jump into the role of setup man for the Cubs behind closer…Kevin Gregg.
Best of luck to both Pedro and Jake out in the midwest. Pedro has always been seen as an extremely upbeat person, always smiling and addressing his teammates with humor and happiness. Arrieta has the potential to be a number one, top of the rotation kind of pitcher. Here’s to the future success of two great men.
Yep, my thoughts exactly. I like Strop and Arrieta, but I don’t think they were going to bounce back here. I especially hope Strop gets back to his lights out form just to prove all of the “STRAETEN UR HAT IDYOT!” people wrong. This looks like it’s a pretty good deal for both teams.
Him and his mentor Rodney both look like morons with their crooked hats. There is a reason it is called a “Uniform!” What is acceptable next? Wearing their pants down around their knees? How about dying their uniform a different color so they stand out?
Strop could turn into Cy Young himself and the “STRAETEN UR HAT IDYOT!” people will still be 100% correct!
Who cares how they wear their hat if they pitch well?
Would you complain if we had CC on our team pitching the way he does and also wearing his hat the way he does (crooked)? No, you wouldn’t.
In fact, I’m pretty sure back when Strop was lights out for 5 months at the beginning of last season, nobody thought of his hat as any more than a funny quirky thing he did. It was only when he started pitching poorly when it became a target for all the venom.
The hat was not included in the trade. The hat shall remain in Baltimore where it will attach itself to a player to be named. The hat was quoted as saying “I always end up on top… and crooked”. The hat followed the statement with a maniacal laugh and offered no additional comment.
This is my favorite comment ever.
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I really hope this works out for both teams. Although deserving of the criticism, Strop and Arrieta worked their tails off when they were here. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for them in Baltimore. And I agree with Nick F. I hope Strop kills it in Chicago, crooked hat and all. On the O’s side, this is a great move. Solid guy that stabilizes the back end of this rotation. And it’s another one of Buck’s “nuggets” from Texas. They’ve worked out pretty good so far.
Any truth to the rumor that Jabby Burns played a role in the trade of Arietta through Twitter?!
I can’t believe these comments ,,,,,,,,,,,,the O’s traded for a big turd,,,,,,,,,,,,the O’s gave up Arietta too soon ,, no problem with Strop , Arietta could be the Ace we are looking for he just needs the right person to get this in his head,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it’s a shame the O’s can’t bring along pitchers very well because Arietta has all the tools , I love the way his pitches seem to have an unatural movemnet as they near the plate,,,,,,,,,I just hate to see him go for a three month rental of a turd……………………If the O’s were really ready to give up on him , he should have been better packaged for at least an innings eater , Feldman brings nothing to the table , we already have a few Feldmans on the staff,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Bad trade indeed………………
spy – would you consider Justin Verlander an “innings eater”?
He’s had 17 starts, 105 innings or 6.17 innings per start.
“Corey” as 2488 calls him, has 15 starts for 91 innings or 6.07 innings per start.
Didn’t you poo-poo picking up Saunders last year, too?
Do you support anything other than Joe Flacco?
While I believe the most important part of a football team is the q-back , I also think the most important part of a baseball team is an Ace , that is if that particular team wants to win a world championship,,,this is why I support Flacco,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,an innings eater can be very different than an Ace , thought an Ace can also be an innings eater,,,,,,they can be mutually exclusive,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I liked Saunders last year and still like him , I wish they could have brought him back……………..
Orioles got Corey Feldman