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A better run up to the All-Star game finds us at 47-41 after going 17-11 in those 28 games. We are still 9 games out of 1st as the Mets are playing much better than I expected. However, we are just 1 back in the Wild Card and have every chance to make the playoffs.
But I made some moves that may not pay off. We signed Lynn to a AAA deal and he was decent there, but after scouting him earlier this year and finding no drop offs to his game, I decided to make a big deal and traded our LF Varnell for closer Tim Cain to open up left field for Lynn. Varnell is just 27 and is a .330 hitter, but he strikes out 150+ times a year and is an average fielder and Cain is 26 and had 41 saves in Toronto last year
After Lynn was promoted, a new scouting report came to my desk and he took a HUGE hit in quality since April. His B level ratings fell to C levels and since I promoted Lynn, he's hit .154/.267/.308 with 1 HR in 10 games and then announced his retirement after the season and THEN went on the DL for 2 weeks. Sigh
Fortunately, Cain has picked up 12 saves in the 21 games he's appeared for us, so the Varnell deal itself has helped our pitching, I've had to promote from AAA to play in LF with Lynn out.
King was named the starter at 1B for the All-Star game, which is quite an accomplishment as he was left exposed in the expansion draft when we came into the league. He's 3rd in average and RBI at .347 and 69 respectively. His best year in Oakland was a .262 average with 18 homers as a 24 year old but he has developed into a high average hitter with 30 HR and 100 RBI's.
I also dealt our #1 prospect, catcher Joe Berube, to the Reds for starter Chris Hammond. Berube is the #22 prospect but Frias is young and isn't going anywhere, so we traded for Chris Hammond, who was 8-3 with a 3.28 ERA. This is by far the best season for the 30 year old, and my assistant told me not to do it, but I ended up pulling the trigger. Hammond has gone 3-0 in his 4 starts with a 3.41 ERA, so I hope he can be a solid top end starter.
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