Burch Smith proving Giants ‘messed up pretty bad' in trade with A's

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The Giants have made exactly one trade with the A's since 1990, and based on how it has turned out so far, it might be a while before the two Bay Area franchises combine in a transaction again.

Back in February, San Francisco sent reliever Burch Smith to Oakland in exchange for cash considerations. Smith had bounced around several organizations without much success, but possibly turned a corner last season when he posted a 2.08 ERA across 10 appearances with the Giants.

After turning that corner, Smith has kept on surging on the other side of the Bay.

In 10 1/3 innings with the A's so far this season, Smith (2-0) has allowed zero runs and just four hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk. 

"He’s been an absolute godsend for us," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Smith to the San Francisco Chronicle's Matt Kawahara.

Smith attributes his newfound success to a change in his approach.

"All I’m trying to do now is throw strikes and stay ahead of the hitter and be on the attack," Smith said this week. “I think in the past, sometimes I made mistakes trying to overcomplicate things, maybe looking too much into scouting reports or almost giving the hitter too much credit sometimes.

"Sometimes you’ve just got to be on the attack and throw your best pitch. That’s what I feel like I’m doing a good job of right now."

He didn't make an appearance in the A's shocking comeback victory over the Giants in the opening game of the Battle of the Bay on Monday, but there's a decent chance he will at some point in the series. That's an opportunity Smith would relish.

"This being my sixth team, I’ve had a lot of instances where I can play against my former team," Smith explained. "There’s always some of that in the back of your head. You always want to definitely pitch well against your former team."

[RELATED: Piscotty explains at-bat that led to A's game-tying slam]

Smith has been part of a tremendous A's bullpen so far this season that ranks second in MLB according to FanGraphs. The Giants' bullpen, meanwhile, ranks dead last. Obviously, they could use him more than the cash considerations they received in exchange.

"Yeah, I told him," A's starter Frankie Montas remembered mentioning to Smith, "like, ‘Man, they messed up pretty bad.'"

There usually is a winner and a loser to every trade. Just don't be surprised if the Giants and A's don't complete another one for a while.

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