Comments on: The Chen Question

By: Catcher18

Catcher18 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:08:58 +0000

Having moved to Philly a decade ago, I watched Jamie Moyer’s entire time here. Other than the fact that Chen thows much harder, they are nearly identical. Both have complete melt-down games and other times they seem to be unhittable despite throwing slower than the weekend league pitchers I face. The other advantage of Moyer was that by watching him pitch, night after night improved the pitch selection of the young guys with real arms. When I first got here, no one in Philly threw a changeup. Not only is the pitch thrown by everyone on staff but is a steadfast of the minor league pitchers also. Despite his experience, now as Oswalt is leaving, he threw more changeups this past season than he did his entire career. Chen is effective and there is no reason to think he will be any less effective next year or the year after. As an aside, it would be a terrible decision for the Royals to sign Oswalt. He has back problems to the point he almost retired this year and that is too much money to put on someone so high risk.

By: sturgeon

sturgeon — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:23:36 +0000

“perennial outlier” is an oxymoron

By: Dogman

Dogman — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:58:16 +0000

After watching the season ending series (all of them), I am not so sure that Wilson is all that. He has looked less like a number 1 or 2 starter and more like a 4 or 5 starter. He doesn’t seem to handle pressure all that well, however if the Royals don’t play well there would be no pressure. Pass on the expensive free agents and go with the hidden treasures of the farm systems (get someone from another teams system if need be). The Royals have the hitting to at least compete with the other teams now to add some pitching that is actually a pitcher.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:53:23 +0000

I am also ambivalent about Chen. I guess it depends on what else happens with the rotation, and also whether it would take a second year to get him, meaning I don’t think the Royals should commit to Chen beyond 2012. But if he is willing to sign for another one-year stint, and if the rotation needs a fifth body, then sure. Ideally though the Royals will fill their rotation without Chen, even if it the rotation takes a step back without him there.

Oswalt won’t be coming to KC. At this point in his career Oswalt probably isn’t looking to babysit a group of youngsters as they struggle to not lose 90 games (sorry, but I am not in the camp who believes the Royals will contend for the division next season — also, and this is a side note, but I don’t think the Royals should be positioning themselves to win the division, I think they should be positioning themselves to dominate the division and play well into the post season).

Wilson will cost more than he is worth. I think a team like Anaheim or Florida or the Yankees could make great use of Wilson, and can afford to pay him as a #1 while getting slightly less than that in production. We probably shouldn’t commit that kinds of payroll unless the guy is a difference maker.

On the other hand, paying Jackson for four years is kind of appealing if the average annual salary isn’t much more than $8 or 9 million. The guy isn’t great, but he is a solid #3 type starter, and at some point a rotation of solid #3 types (Jackson, Paulino, Hoch?) provides decent production, enough to be respectable. And with luck those guys provide stability while others (Duffy, Monty, etc) eventually become what we hope they might be. Or else they provide stability long enough to discern what we have and what we need through trades/free agency.

What do people think about Eiland as the new pitching coach? I have no opinion and know very little about his coaching career. Kind of liked him as a player though.

By: Thaddeus

Thaddeus — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:16:23 +0000

Sign CJ Wilson or Sabathia. I am sure after the Phillies lost we could get Halladay or Cliff Lee pretty cheap. We might have to give up Frenchy or Melky to get one of those guys but it would be worth it. Then go after King Felix and move Soria to the rotation then there is no need to sign Chen. My rotation is:

Lee or Halladay
King Felix
CJ Wilson or Sabathia
Paulino
Soria

Beat That!

By: kcghost

kcghost — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:43:58 +0000

I am pretty ambivalent about Chen. Offer him arbitration and see what happens. Oswalt is going to want something in the $15M range per year. Let’s not go there.

By: LastRoyalsFan

LastRoyalsFan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:48:19 +0000

Really I think the decision on Chen rests on what the Royals can do in the trade market or free agency. They pretty much have to make Chen an arbitration offer, if only to possibly gain a sandwich pick. If the team is going to rely on internal options in 2012 then I think Chen should be kept around, assuming they can. If, however, they are headed after a free agent (Jackson, Buehrle, or maybe making a run at CJ Wilson, or if you’re a real dreamer Darvish) or if they can move some prospects through a trade, then perhaps they let Bruce move on.

By: LastRoyalsFan

LastRoyalsFan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:42:35 +0000

A team does not give up a pick for signing a Type-B free agent. Sandwich picks are awarded by the league. They are not existing draft picks, but instead are “sandwiched” in between the 1st and 2nd rounds. Now if Chen were a Type-A free agent and declined an arbitration offer, then the team signing him would indeed give up their first round pick, and also receive a sandwich pick from the league.

By: KCattheBat

KCattheBat — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:07:02 +0000

I like Joe’s question. You can’t spell Roy Oswalt without Royals. What will it take? Assuming er have to overpay.

By: DanL

DanL — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:54:06 +0000

I’ve gone back and forth on whether Chen should come back next year. I like the fact he gets results – doesn’t matter how you do it. However, the bigger picture for the Royals this off-season is finding the guys for the target 2013 season. Chen won’t be in the 2013 rotation, so just get the sandwich pick for him and let the 2012 innings go to the guys that could be in the 2013 rotation.