Tigers GM to A's GM after Price deal: 'You have 1 minute to acquire Chris Sale'
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Early on trade deadline day, the Oakland Athletics made a huge splash by acquiring Jon Lester from the Boston Red Sox, further solidifying a filthy rotation.
A few hours later, with the deadline looming just minutes away, the Detroit Tigers one-upped their potential ALCS foes, landing David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays.
With a few seconds still left on the deadline day clock, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski fired A's general manager Billy Beane a tongue-in-cheek suggestion:
Re: Price to Tigers, Beane "had a feeling it was going to happen." Dombrowski jokingly texted, "You have 1 minute to acquire Chris Sale"
— Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) August 1, 2014
Jokes aside, both teams now boast ridiculous rotations, and an ALCS showdown between the two sides would be a pitching enthusiast's dream. With the Tigers owning a four-game lead in the AL Central and the A's well insulated as, at worst, the top wild card team, it's a distinct possibility.
Have a look at how that series may shake down on the mound:
| Detroit Tigers | ERA, FIP, K% | Oakland Athletics | ERA, FIP, K% |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Price | 3.11, 2.93, 27.4% | Jon Lester | 2.52, 2.62, 25.7% |
| Max Scherzer | 3.27, 2.99, 28.0% | Jeff Samardzija | 2.92, 3.32, 22.2% |
| Anibal Sanchez | 3.57, 2.90, 18.9% | Sonny Gray | 2.65, 3.19, 21.1% |
| Justin Verlander | 4.79, 4.11, 16.8% | Scott Kazmir | 2.37, 3.23, 22.7% |
| Rick Porcello | 3.24, 3.78, 14.8% | Jason Hammel | 3.87, 3.74, 22.6% |
It's almost enough to bring a single tear to your eye.