A real good #2 would be needed, but highly unlikely. DHs aren’t highly valued in the market.

“Nothing Billy will bring back in trade is going to upgrade their rotation enough to weaken the one thing they may have going for them into the next year or three, which is hitting.”

So we don’t trade him. It’s all a matter of return on trade.

“no, no, no he isn’t. Not at all. Because he hit a handful of HRs the last couple of weeks?”

Because of the change of approach that created the HRs and RBIs. A two-year average stat won’t pick something like that up for two years, will it?

“then the Royals could’ve traded Escobar after his crazy-hot June on the basis that he’s “worth much more now”

Probably would have been takers, but trading a hot-hitting pickmeister wouldn’t be a very good idea, would it? In Billy’s case, he is reverting to ’09 production. With Escobar, a change of approach and swing was also made and seems to have stuck.

“Francoeur after his great April.”

Or Gordon after his hot April. Or Melky.

“He’s worth much more now” — no, no, no he isn’t. Not at all. Because he hit a handful of HRs the last couple of weeks? Billy has virtually the same worth he’s had all season. If a couple of weeks of hitting changed anything, then the Royals could’ve traded Escobar after his crazy-hot June on the basis that he’s “worth much more now”, or heck, Francoeur after his great April.

Billy’s value is in what he does right now…DH for the Royals. The strength for the Royals in the next couple of seasons, if they are to have one, will be on offense. Nothing Billy will bring back in trade is going to upgrade their rotation enough to weaken the one thing they may have going for them into the next year or three, which is hitting.

Seventh rated, per fangraphs. Not great, but above average for starting 2b at the moment.

He’s worth much more now, so should get better return. That would also allow Melky to move to DH and Cain to come up in CF. Pitching is the club’s problem and if the Royals could get a legitimate starter and a prospect or two, trade Billy.

About what I did, except I used wOBA. Ben Zobrist’s career wOBA is .348, his AAA .464, and 25% drop. Howie Kendrick went from .453 to .333, a 26% drop. Ryan Braun is highest on my list selected from WAR leaders and a few of the top 2b at .450 to .399, an 11% drop. Buster Posey dropped 14%, Butler 16%, Alex Gordon 25%, Chris Getz 20%.

Giavotella has a .386 wOBA at the moment, with an insanely high .371 BABIP, most comparable to Getz on my list. If we think him a Ryan Braun or Buster Posey type hitter, that projects him as a career .336 wOBA, which is good for 2b. I don’t think he has those kinds of chops, as his relatively low AAA wOBA does suggest, so if he has a more Getz percentage, a wOBA of .308 is given. Getz’ career wOBA is .290.

“I can’t see a single argument on having him on the 25 man roster when he has options left.”

He’s hitting .250, scores runs, steals bases, plays decent defense, and can hit RHP a little. Gio will get his chance and I hope he handles it well, as I like his type of scrappy, overachieving player. Just a matter of when he gets the chance, Navarro screwing up the time-line. Gio’s minor league numbers, while good, are hardly special and a two month burst isn’t uncommon, remembering Clint Robinson’s start to the season, or Hosmer’s. Even Frenchy was hot-snot for a month:)

I pretty much agree with that, have just tried to suggest what Gio is likely to be able to produce and tamp down a little of the incessant Getz-hate on the internet, likely a carry-over from the unrequited Aviles-love that was inevitably linked to it before Mike was unceremoniously dumped on Boston because he was much worse than Getz.

As for Giavotella, a player I’ve followed and liked all year and had hoped he would get a call-up when Aviles went down, he’ll be up in September after Yam Navarro gets his chance through August. If Navarro shows he can play 2nd, a position he doesn’t have much experience at, Gio goes to third on the depth chart, until proven otherwise, as a younger Getz, but with less defense and speed but who has shown he can hit minor-league pitching with some pop.

Royals Review had a piece on Major League Equivalents that projects Gio as a .300+ hitter in the bigs with decent wOBA, perhaps enough to compensate for projected -9 fld. My hunch, based on Aviles, Hosmer, Kila, and Moose, is that Gio comes in closer to .255. Surrounded by Escobar and Hosmer his defense might not be quite as bad as predicted, given their superior ranges.

“So unless he’s starting, I’m not sure how he fits on a 25-man roster.”

He doesn’t. Assuming Navarro plays up to hope, either Getz or Gio will be in KC next year, the other at Omaha. If Navarro wins 2nd, a true utility infielder will be needed and Falu is the only one I can think of at the moment.