Comments on: Lorenzo Cain and Curtis Granderson

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:09:11 +0000

JaKKKKe could be, along with Esky, a major part of the Royal’s future. I’ve heard that he is a long-tosser, like Montgomery, and that the organization has screwed with his long-time training program. As for the trade, Royals already have won it and probably resign Zack when he goes FA. Royals got a great haul and in previous years three of the four would have been with the club all of ’11. Just a tribute to the organizational improvement that Cain couldn’t make the big club and Jeffress couldn’t stay and become the new Kyle Farnsworth. Odorizzi was always a couple of years away, so will be a bonus if he gets to the bigs.

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:42:18 +0000

Abh – I was thinking about that the other day as well: what has happened to all the switch-hitters? You would have thought with the advent of so many relief specialists that baseball would have spawned a greater number of switchhitters to combat it, but it doesn’t seem so.

It would be interesting to research the number of switchitters today versus say 20 years ago to see if they really have decreased…it sure seems like it.

Jim/KCGhost – I think Odorizzi is the key to whether the Greinke trade is a ‘win or loss’ for the Royals. Of course should Cain get traded or Melky traded and Cain performs, the return in either of those trades could swing it some, too.

By: Abh

Abh — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Melk-man is a switch hitter, therein lies his real value… a dying art!

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:43:05 +0000

“Everything I have heard and seen since then leads me to believe that Cain is a well above average defensive centerfielder.”

Perhaps, as he does have very good speed, but not as much as Dyson, who does get good reads and routes and has a superior arm. Before Melky dinged up his toe and ankle he was about an average CF, holding around -2 on fld, so Cain is likely a defensive upgrade over Melky. Just a matter of guessing whether he turns into Savior Perez with the bat or Johnny Giavotella, the range for rookies coming up this last year.

“If Cain isn’t really good enough to be our CFer we will have come up on the short end of the Greinke trade”

We traded a ten win pitcher who wanted out for one of the best defensive SS I’ve ever seen, so that’s a win right there. Esky’s bat is improving and career OPS is a pretty worthless average for a 2nd year player. Last half of the season he wasn’t hurting us with the bat and has been improving.

Cain also looks to be a win, just going to have a hard time displacing the Melk Man, who had an exceptional offensive year.

Odorizzi wasn’t terrible at Springdale, he just wasn’t as dominant. That often comes from concentration on secondary pitches in a tougher league and in a hitter’s ballpark.

On Jeffress, in hindsight, I think we see why Milwaukee threw him in, the 2nd coming of the Farns. So we hope he can turn into the 2nd coming of Felipe Paulino.

By: kcghost

kcghost — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:04:50 +0000

Hard to imagine Cain having as good a year as Melky just had but then it was real hard to believe Melky would have that kind of year either.

If Cain isn’t really good enough to be our CFer we will have come up on the short end of the Greinke trade: A SS who can’t hit (.633 career OPS), a CF who isn’t good enough to play, a reliever who can’t throw strikes, and a SP who was great at High A, but terrible at AA.

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:07:33 +0000

Jim – I believe early this year, the organization thought Cain could use some more time to refine his routes due to his relative late start in playing baseball. I don’t think his routes were necessarily bad, just inexperienced. Everything I have heard and seen since then leads me to believe that Cain is a well above average defensive centerfielder.

By: DanL

DanL — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:20:13 +0000

Since Melky plays a position that we have a reasonable replacement for in Cain, and the fact Melky has trade value coming off a very strong season, he is the best trade piece for a quality starting pitcher.

By: Hassler

Hassler — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:33:35 +0000

I hate that everyone is always so hot to trade Melky. Want to compete next year by trading best player next to Gordon. Or we could, oh I dont know…….keep him? Yeahhhhhh. Good Game.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:27:36 +0000

What I hear on Cain is that, while fast, he doesn’t take good routes and has a Melky-esque arm. As for offense, Melky was amazingly consistent over the year, didn’t go more than two games without a hit, and is hitting his prime years. Cain was good at Omaha, but no Giavotella or Robinson with the bat.

As for SPs, we may pick up one from Oakland or SF, but it probably takes Butler and a couple of prospects to get anyone better than Master Chen or Paulino. I think best is to develop in-house. Hoch seems to get it, Duffy will be much better next year, if Paulino can keep the walks down he’s solid, and we have quite a bit of competition for the last two slots, even if Master Chen gets away. I would trade Melky and some second level prospects for Trevor Cahill, but not Monty or JaKKKKe or Dwyer, so I don’t think the deal gets done.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:30:02 +0000

I definitely want to see Cain in CF to start the year. His range might save as many runs as we “lose” with Melky not in the lineup. Quotes, b/c I don’t think Melky can repeat his 2011 numbers. Cain has had an impressive minor league career, and has shown (in limited time) that he can handle MLB.

If the Royals can bring in 2 front of the rotation starters between trades and FA, this team will compete in 2012. The FA list is short, but there is some quality there. Who knows what the trade market can offer.