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2016 is Matt Shoemaker’s year. After coming on to the scene in 2014 with a ROY campaign season, he failed to build on that success in ‘15, making him one of the outsiders looking in coming into Spring Training last February. Some out-of-the-blue injuries of various earth-shaking magnitudes jumbled up that rotation right quick, and Shoemaker saw his lane and took it.
After a low point of May 1st, when he was optioned to AAA after some sub-par starts, he came back up to the re-join the rotation, and he hasn’t looked back since. On the hill, he’s been a veritable Kershaw clone, going deep into games, strike outs abound but walks are almost nonexistent.
We’ve seen and read plenty on Shoemaker’s unbridled leap into next-level pitching status, but unfortuantely, with that notoriety comes other teams...and it’s near the trade deadline, so these clubs aint knockin’ out of the kindness of their heart.
No, they want some of The Cobbler. It appears that, as any halfway intelligent fan could surmise, teams are interested in the cost controlled, golden arm of Matt Shoemaker. But we know that Billy Eppler will entertain these calls...he’ll listen.
The Angels, it turns out, will listen to offers on Matt Shoemaker as well as Hector Santiago. This won’t be an easy turnaround, so new GM Billy Eppler has his work cut out for him
So Matt Shoemaker isn’t untouchable, but I’m sure that Eppler would have to be quite inspired by whatever scenario is floated in front of him. Shoemaker is a favorite around the Halosphere, especially here at Halos Heaven, but if the terms and conditions are a go, and the price is right, then all of a sudden “fan favorite” gets tossed out the window.
The Marlins are reported to be one of the teams interested, but nope...gonna have to do better, because their farm system isn’t exactly brimming with jaw-dropping talent. Unless they plan on unloading a few guys in return, then they aren’t getting anything beyond a hard pass from Billy.
So, what’s a good haul for Matt Shoemaker? It probably depends on whether you think he’s turned a corner and figured some stuff out on the mound, or if you think this is just a fluke. I’m the former, so again, hands off my Shoey, unless you give us ALL YER PROSPECTZ.