Not sure Myers is advanced enough to be considered blocked. I assume he starts at Springdale next season and can earn his way up to Omaha, then starts ’13 at Omaha in line for a Moose-type promotion during the season. By then trades, injuries,or declining production may open a spot. Cain doesn’t have a long track record, both Frenchy and Gordon are coming off career years that they may not be able to repeat, and all the incumbents are quite a bit older than Myers in baseball years, so Myers may be less blocked than protected from having his development rushed like happened with Gordon and maybe Moose.

I think Frenchy’s 2yr deal was more of an insurance policy than a blocking of Myers. If he can replicate his 2011 season and Royals are contending then he stays in RF…Myers gets additional seasoning in the minors. He’s in a similar position as Cain was last yr. The plan was to call him up, but because of the yr’s Gordon, Melky and Frenchy had it was unjustified.

If Frenchy or Cain or the Royals flop (god forbid if all 3 do) in 2012 then Frenchy will be flipped to a contender and Myers get’s a chance to earn his stripes with a mid-season call in a similar fashion to Hosmer & Moose.

If Gordon gets 4 years and Frenchy has the next 2 years in RF, seems like a solid block on Wil Myers. It’s not like Wil can switch to DH/3B/1B/C, so somebody has to get traded when Wil is ready later this year. I’m going to guess Wil is the trade bait for a front line pitcher at some point – there seems to be a higher value placed on the unproven prospect than a young veteren.

On Gordon, maybe it was Dutton who suggested that they are close for four years/$20 million. Seems reasonable.

Royals Exploring Long-Term Extension For Gordon
By Luke Adams [December 7 at 8:58pm CST]

Following a break-out campaign that earned Alex Gordon MVP votes, the Royals would like to lock up the 27-year-old for the long term. The Royals have discussed a contract extension for Gordon, and GM Dayton Moore says the club will work “very hard” to keep him in Kansas City, according to MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel.

“I don’t think either side feels any pressure,” said Moore. “We have him under control for two more years. There’s certainly a willingness to move forward together and get something done.”

Gordon, who hit .303/.376/.502 in 2011, will be eligible for arbitration this year and next. MLBTR projects an approximate salary of $4.4MM for the former second overall pick.

I also named four pitchers no longer with us who accounted for a sizable number of losses. Sanchez and Paulino seem clear upgrades over any of those four pitchers.

“Our 2011 pythag was 78-84… it’s no great stretch to think we can improve our talent level systematically and top 83 wins.”

I don’t care for pythag, but 83 wins is reasonable enough.