I am not convinced Cain is as good as Melky but we will never find out until either Melky or Frenchy is gone.

It just seems to me that there is a lack of joy right now in Yankee fandom. I feel that all this drive for championships — the feeling that any season without a ring is a failure, the urge to outspend everyone, the belief that every player should aspire to wear Yankee pinstripes and that every player will one day be available to them via free agency or trade — that this way of thinking has drained the excitement from regular season baseball for Yankees fans.

I suppose all this is by way of preamble, a way of contrasting how I feel about the Royals with how I imagine I might feel as a Yankees fan. Yes our team is dreadful again, and yes some of the shine has come off our farm system, but this is still an exciting time to watch KC baseball, and it was a long time ago that I last said that in July. I don’t have expectations that we will dominate the Central Division in 2013, but I hope that we might be competitive soon, and I believe that within a few years we might even see the playoffs again.

Seems like we have alot of potential 2B’s in our system (Getz, Aviles, Johnny Gia, Bianchi, Colon, Navarro, others?) – only one can play. The same at first base and centerfield – lots of potential guys – all are blocked.

Since only nine can start a game for the Royals, the loaded farm system should not be wasted. Dayton needs to figure out how to package several farmhands for an upgrade at targeted positions.

Why not package a Melky with Aviles, Kila and Dyson for a long term solution at 2B?
Why not package a Frenchy with Getz, Clint and Derrick for a long term solution at C?
Why not package a Betemit with Colon, Lough and Cuthbert for an actual starting pitcher?

Really the only moves I could get excited about will be for starters, even if it means trading Soria or Butler for a guy that you are 95% sure is going to be a 2 or 3 quality starter (but GMDM better be sure, can you imagine the backlash if royals fans are watching Butler and Daemon light up pitchers for the rays in the playoffs). I probably wouldn’t do this if I where him, too risky, trade Butler towards the end of his deal when he gets expensive, maybe after next season.

I noticed the other day that Aviles has one of the highest War for rookies on fangraph, it was like 4+ if i remember right, really think he should be at 2nd who cares if he flubs some balls, our amazing SS makes up for it in the averages for that in the middle infield and the E’s just seems to hurt more since our SP’s suck so much (plus has the post points out he def plays better if you let him have a bag and leave him). FREE AVILES

What do we think about dealing Hochevar for an older proven starter with 3-4 years left in the tank? Probably impossible since it means GMDM has to admit he botched the first overall pick right. But lets be honest for all the good stuff we see out of Hoch he’s sliding slowly but surly into Davies territory.

And you also have to look at his runs, RBIs, power, stolen bases, overall base running, and positional flexibility. Billy taking walks to get to Matt Treanor hasn’t translated into actual runs. A walk to Cabrera or Frenchy is worth more than a walk to Butler, as it takes three singles or walks, a double and a single, a triple or home run to score him. We saw an example the other night when Billy scored two runs, moving up one base at a time to do it. We also saw Getz walk, swipe two bases, then score.

“If you want Melky at DH, you pretty much just have to look at offense, and Billy is a better hitter, period.”

Billy is better at walk-adjusted hitting. Billy trails several people on the team in run production, whether Rs or RBIs, trails Gordon in wOBA. Billy is a year younger than Melky. Billy walks a lot when he doesn’t have Gordon batting behind him.

“Also, this is Melky’s first year in a while putting up this kind of production — who are you more confident in to continue this production?”

We have Gordon, a year older than Melky, in his first year of injury free and productive play. In both cases there is a reflection of new approaches and a couple of young guys getting it. Both may be aberrations and Billy may be sliding down from his 2009 peak. No sure things. Billy may pull a hammie trying to turn four balls into a walk:)

“and whatever they’d get back in a trade, it wouldn’t be worth that.”

The market sets the worth and WAR seems the common currency. Cahill is 1.6 on a pitching heavy club with few position players, Billy 1.2 for the pitching weak Royals, so if the Royals can address other of Oakland’s needs, that difference can be bridged. I think the Royals are better with Cain in center, Melky DH, and Cahill on the mound than they are with Melky in center, Billy DH, Cahill in Oakland, Aviles and Kila and Clint in Omaha, and Betemit on the bench. We have some bodies that Oakland needs, they have some we need. There is a trade in there that benefits both teams. If not, Billy will be a good enough hitter in the 6th or 7th slot for a few more years and the Royals can move Melky instead, second most valuable on the team after Gordon. We’ll have to see.

“The same value and versatility you see in him should be packaged and flipped for a need, which is pretty much 90% starting pitching.”

Agree. I could see trading both for SPs, just a matter of which returns the most. Only reason for discussing Butler was the blogger’s rhetorical question, which I thought deserved a serious answer with some numbers and possible partner and return. Oakland is the home of ‘moneyball’, so they would likely prefer Billy for OBP, as their ball yard would negate Melky’s power and his defense isn’t good enough. He might be best at Wriggly Field or even Boston in LF. Just a matter of finding the fits.

If you want Melky at DH, you pretty much just have to look at offense, and Billy is a better hitter, period. Also, this is Melky’s first year in a while putting up this kind of production — who are you more confident in to continue this production? Hint: the answer should not be Melky Cabrera. Look at his career line…he was horrible just last season, whereas Billy has been very good for 2+ years.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Melky offensively, and while his range in CF leaves much to be desired, at least he’s thrown out some baserunners. The same value and versatility you see in him should be packaged and flipped for a need, which is pretty much 90% starting pitching.

With Cabrera’s 20/100 line you also have to look at his .287/.324/.454 compared to Billy’s .295/.396/.424 line. Billy is a MUCH better option at DH than Cabrera, but Cabrera does have a little defensive flexibility. I still like the idea of Cabrera/Francoeur platoon in RF. They both have the arm, Cabrera hits Righties, Francoeur hits Lefties. They are only getting about 3 mil total. And I would like to see Cain in CF before too long.