Before the Clock Strikes 12

When the 2013 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline passed, what I remember most is that it was not memorable at all. that is not the case in 2014. A flurry of 11th hour trades with some All Star caliber players were dealt at the last minute this afternoon. These transactions are certain to impact both pennant races and may be the moves that tip the scales in favor of the eventual 2014 World Series champion. The following are the highlights of the day.

JON LESTER TO THE A's FOR YOENIS CESPEDES

The Oakland Athletics eliminated any doubt to whether they are employing a "World Series or bust" strategy in 2014 with the trade of two-time Home Run Derby Champion and 2014 All Star cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes (.256, 17 HR, 57 RBI) to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for their ace, Jon Lester (10-7, 2.52 ERA, 149 Ks). The A's are getting a veteran leader in the prime of his career with loads of postseason experience and two World Series rings. The Red Sox are getting another budding superstar from the recent Cuban invasion of MLB who will provide a desperately needed infusion of power into the batting order. The A's also received Red Sox left fielder Jonny Gomes (.234, 6 HR, 32 RBI).

Cespedes had another year remaining on his contract and Lester is all but certain to be a two to three month rental for Oakland. The A's would probably not have been able to resign Cespedes after 2015, but they could have had him for another year.On the other hand, Cespedes was one of the highest paid members of the A's with a $10.5 million salary. His defection (and that of his salary on a financially frugal, small market team) in exchange for a bona fide ace pitcher who help could win a World Series is not the worst subtraction from the roster.

Grades:

Red Sox: A
Athletics: B-

1

JOHN LACKEY TO THE CARDINALS FOR ALLEN CRAIG AND JOE KELLY

The Cardinals have employed hired guns before, but seldom at such a steep cost. In Lackey (11-7, 3.60 ERA, 116 Ks), the Cards are getting a solid starter who, at his best, plays at an All-Star caliber level. They also have a dirt cheap option that they are likely to exercise on Lackey in 2015. The cost was steep, however. Joe Kelly (2-2, 4.37 ERA) has shown he can be a solid starter, but Lackey will replace him in the rotation. Allen Craig, however, was thought of to be the future of the franchise and now he is gone. Craig (.237, 7 HR, 44 RBI) has had a down season and has a disastrous July, but his potential is evident. The Red Sox need hitters and gambled on his evident upside.

Grades:

Red Sox: B+
Cardinals: B-

John Lackey 2

DAVID PRICE TO THE TIGERS

To quote the Fallout Boys, it ain't a scene, it's an arms race. The Tigers dumped the weak link in their rotation, Drew Smyly (6-9, 3.93 ERA) and centerfielder Austin Jackson (273, 4 HR, 33 RBI) while picking up the former Cy Young award winner in David Price (11-8, 3.11 ERA, 189 Ks) from the Tampa Bay Rays. This was a three team trade that also involved the Seattle Mariners. While Detroit still has some exploitable pressure point in its bullpen, its starting rotation now looks almost bulletproof, especially for a postseason run in which as few as three pitchers could be rotated.

Grades:

Tigers: A
Rays: C
Mariners: C+

David Price pitched 7 innings in his final game as a member of the Rays. 3

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1) Image from www.whdh.com
2) Image from www.baseballhq.com
3) Image from www.businessinsider.com

More Lives Than A Cat

Two years ago, we compared the Tampa Bay Rays to the early 20th century monk Rasputin, who seemingly could not be killed in spite of many attempts. Since that metaphor has been used on The Hat Trick already, I will go with something more simple and traditional. The 2013 Tampa Bay Rays appear to have nine lives.

September 29, 2013 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Rays 7 Blue Jays 6 

In the 162nd and final scheduled regular season game of the 2013 MLB season, the Rays entered the day tied with the Texas Rangers for the second and final American League Wild Card spot. The Rangers won that day, meaning the Rays would need to do the same for their season to continue beyond that day.

After taking a 7-0 lead on the Toronto Blue Jays in the 4th inning, the Blue Jays put on a furious rally and cut the Rays' lead down to one run in the 9th inning. Rays closer Fernando Rodney, with ice in his veins, shut down the Blue Jays and sent his team to Arlington, Texas for a 163rd game for the right to travel to Cleveland to play the Indians in the American League Wild Card Game.


September 30, 2013 - Arlington, Texas: Rays 5 Rangers 2

Playing for the right to play on, Rays ace pitcher and reigning American League Cy Young winner David Price put his team, and its season, on his back. Price was brilliant in a complete game, two earned runs allowed performance on the road. The Rays cruise on to to play for their lives, again, after snuffing out the life of the Rangers' season before their deflated fans.

David Price put the team on his back throughout the game. His teammates wrap their arms around him afterwards. 3

October 2, 2013 - Cleveland, Ohio: Rays 4 Indians 0

Playing in their third game in their third state away from home in their second country in just a little over 48 hours, one would think the travel and pressure would wear on the Rays. It just made them stronger. On paper, the Rays couldn't have a better pitcher, other than Price, on the mound with the season on the line than Alex Cobb (11-3, 2.76 ERA).

Still, the Indians were at home. The Indians were red hot. the Indians were...scalped. Cobb took a shutout into the 7th inning before the Rays' bullpen nailed it down for a 4-0 win and a trip to Boston for the American League Division Series. Three straight de facto or actual playoff elimination games...three straight contests on the road...three straight clutch wins.

The Rays celebrated their Wild Card Game win with silly string, but there was nothing silly about it. They lived to play another day...again! 2

October 7, 2013 - St. Petersburg, Florida: Rays 5 Red Sox 4

After being beaten soundly twice by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Rays returned home fighting for their playoff lives. The Rays trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the 5th inning with two outs, about to strand their fourth and fifth runners of the night. Rays Third baseman Evan Longoria comes through with a two-out three run homer to tie the score.

After taking the lead for only the second time in the entire series in the 8th inning, 4-3, Tampa surrendered the tying run in the top of the 9th inning with two outs. Fernando Rodney did not buckle. He struck out Mike Carp of the Red Sox, stranding Jacoby Ellsbury at third base. In the bottom of the 9th with the score tied, the Red Sox sent out their closer, Koji Uehara, and the reserve catcher Jose Lobaton of the Rays notched his first career postseason hit, which was also the first postseason walkoff home run in history of the franchise, the ball landing in the ray tank behind the outfield wall.

Jose Lobaton gets a Gatorade bath. Rachel Nichols, to his left, acts surprised. 1

Die Hard

Four do-or-die games...four wins. I don't know if the Rays can rally to push the series to a fifth game in Boston and pull off the road win. The Red Sox are very good on the mound and loaded with weapons from top-to-bottom at the plate. I don't know if the Rays have the bats to keep pace with Boston in the next two games, if they can even force two more games. But the decades-old cliche, "The game ain't over until the Fat Lady sings," could not be more applicable to a more fitting franchise.

At least we might get treated to Julianna Zobrist, wife of Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist, singing during the 7th inning stretch one more time. 4

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1, 2) Images from www.usatoday.com
3) Image from www.urbanchristiannews.com
4) Image from www.gettyimages.com