Detroit Tigers Links: David Price trade reaction

If the Detroit Tigers were not “all in” a week ago when they traded two prospects for Joakim Soria, they are all-all in today after picking up 2012 Cy Young award winning pitcher David Price for Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly and prospect Willy Adames.

Here’s a look at some of the reaction from the trade. First up, a reluctant farewell to AJax:

Detroit Tigers’ Austin Jackson pulled in middle of game: ‘I kind of knew’ – Perry A. Farrell, Detroit Free Press

More from Detroit Tigers News

"Jackson said he really didn’t feel the applause the Comerica Park crowd was giving him as he jogged to the clubhouse. The Tigers went on to lose, 7-4, to the Chicago White Sox.“I wanted to go and hug my teammates; it was kind of weird,” Jackson said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been pulled out of a game in the middle of an inning. Actually in Pittsburgh, in a National League game, I got pulled out the game. When I saw him (Davis) coming out there, I kind of knew. I was kind of in a daze.”It was an emotional moment.“It definitely meant a lot,” Jackson said of the way he left the field. “This is where I started. Once I seen Rajai come to the top step I pretty much kind of knew what was going on. It was kind of a sad moment right there, knowing that last run off the field. … It was pretty tough. You run by all your teammates that you played with. Like I’ve always said I appreciate the opportunity that the Tigers gave me because this is where it started for me. That’s why it’s a sad moment running off.”"

See the moment here. Look, many of us took our shots at Austin Jackson. The strikeouts, the cold streaks, the lack of diving, blah blah blah. When Austin was hot, the Tigers often were winning. He was a part of something no Detroit baseball fan still breathing had ever seen, three straight postseason berths. So it is a reluctant farewell to him, and of course to Drew Smyly who had a decent run here. Best of luck, gentlemen.

Tigers’ huge trade for David Price comes at huge cost -Lynn Henning, Detroit News

"It’s a seriously expensive eight days of shopping for the Tigers, who last week handed over two superb pitching prospects in their trade for Joakim Soria.Thursday’s parcel was heavier and potentially painful, given what Adames is likely to bring the Rays and what Jackson might have provided ahead of free agency, at the end of next season."

I was heavily monitoring Twitter yesterday afternoon, to bring all the breaking news to the readers of the site and Lynn Henning was doing his usual “believe the opposite of what everyone else thinks.” At first, when it was announced that Jackson and Smyly were going, he called the trade a “steal.” Then when he heard Adames was involved, his tune completely changed.

Old school guys like Lynn are too concerned about prospects that may never materialize. Adames, 18-years-old, could be the next incarnation of Derek Jeter–or become Torey Lovullo. You never know and if it came out that Dombrowski had nixed a deal because Adames was non-negotiable, he would have been crucified. DD was really in a no-win position approaching the trading deadline. Had he made no deals, fans would have complained. When he made two deals (remembering you have to give up something good to get something good), fans have complained.

The Tigers went down a road of win-now and they can’t go back in the middle of this year. Yes we know they have holes–could have used another legitimate lefty bat and another lefty in the bullpen would have been nice. I still have faith that Soria will settle down and come around and be what we all thought.

Final thought on Lynn Henning, who is bemoaning the Tigers’ future. He had this to say about the Boston Red Sox wheeling and dealing. Me thinks Lynn is buttering both sides of the bread:

Red Sox also showing how you CAN contend year in and year out, even if there's brief slippage. Idea of a team's "window" is nonsense.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) July 31, 2014

Trade deadline winners and losers – David Schoenfield, ESPN.com

"Detroit Tigers: With Price, the Tigers now have a rotation with three Cy Young winners, plus they were last year’s American League Central champs. Heck, Justin Verlander is clearly the fifth-best starter on the Tigers at the moment. Yes, Detroit is on the hook for whatever Price will earn in arbitration for next year — $19-20 million or so — but I don’t think Tigers owner Mike Ilitch cares too much about that. The Tigers get an ace starter for Austin Jackson (free agent after 2015), midrotation lefty Drew Smyly (3.77 ERA) and a minor league shortstop. I’ll take that deal. Rajai Davis can slide over to center field, and while the outfield defense will be poor with Torii Hunter and J.D. Martinez in the outfield corners, you can run out a playoff rotation of Price, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and Verlander (or Rick Porcello). The Tigers will be in the playoffs for the fourth season in a row. This may be the year."

Another winner, of course, was the Oakland A’s. Had Oakland not landed Jon Lester earlier in the day, I doubt the Tigers would have landed Price. Still I think Yoenis Cespedes is a bonafide emerging star and to lose him is kinda shocking. But Billy Beane is shockingly unconventional and maybe this will pay off for him. Like the Tigers, the A’s are all in for 2014.

Rays needed to get more in David Price trade – Jesse Spector, Sporting News

"Rays fans have to be scratching their heads, and that should not be the result of a Price trade. Tampa Bay had the option to wait until winter and see how the market developed then, especially because a winter trade would have opened the possibility of a negotiating window for a long-term deal for Price, juicing a possible return. Instead, it’s a big ball of maybe."

Everyone likes to make fun of Tampa Bay for their attendance problems, as was seen in a Twitter war yesterday, but when they make deals like this, it’s just crazy. No offense to any of the pieces that the Rays received, but they weren’t the face of their franchise as Price was. Think of this as when the Tigers traded Doug Fister. Now multiply it by 100. Then again, Tampa Bay fans may be used to trading off major names and while it was shocking for the Tigers to have a one-sided deal with Fister, it’s just par for the course at the Trop.

Home/Detroit Tigers News