Comments on: Let’s Make A Deal

By: MLB Ballparks

MLB Ballparks — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:11:23 +0000

Anyone else find it disturbing that A-Rod makes more than half of the Royal’s team salary? Demand.

By: SDT

SDT — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:38:02 +0000

I don’t really understand many of the complaints that I am reading. From a position standpoint we can compete with most of the other clubs right now (excluding the Ultra elite NYY,BOS, ATL, PHI, etc) We all know in baseball, pitching is the Ultimate currency and I will take our young core of pitchers and bet on the future. I am one that believes we are closer to having something like the braves had in the 90′s with Maddux,Smoltz, and Glavine than believing we should bring in a high dollar pitcher that will stunt there growth. We are just waiting for that breakthrough moment and as long suffering KC Royals fans the anticipation is killing us. But have paitents people and I do think the efforts of GMDM will payoff. I’m not saying I agree with all of his decisions but don’t blow it all up when we are this close. I think it could all come together as early as this year. I don’t see a dominate team in this division so I do feel like everything is wide open and why not the royals in 2012 to win the division?

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:31:10 +0000

“But a one year rental of a FA ace makes sense to at least consider.”

I’m sure it has been considered, but Scott McKinney did a Zips projection and Oswalt would take the team from 78 wins to 80 wins, at a cost of $8 million, which could be better used for extending Gordon, and the cost of at least half a season of development for Duffy or Paulino until Sanchez is traded, plus another full year in AAA for Montgomery. Renting Oswalt for ’12 makes the Royals a worse team in ’13.

By: benjammin

benjammin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:18:59 +0000

Kyle, The Twins are NOT a small market team. Don’t fall into that trap. They are a MID market team. The Minneapolis/St.Paul Metro area exceeds 3.3 mil and their pay roll the last 2 yrs has been in the range of 120 mil. That is a a much larger city than KC, and a MUCH larger payroll than KC will be able to spend for a long, long time. Saying they are a good model for the Royals is not accurate. Especially after getting a new stadium.

By: steve y

steve y — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:13:07 +0000

The main problem with the Process right now is the position players being ahead of the starting pitchers. The big question for this year is whether we suffer with substandard starting pitching or do something about it. I am definitely not in favor of trading away prospects for the, you do not harm the Process. But a one year rental of a FA ace makes sense to at least consider. Roy Owsalt fits the bill if a physical and/or incentive contract takes care of the back issue. Having a proven ace that throws strikes would be a great role model for our young starters, prove the Royals are in reasonable win now mode, be an exciting move to go for it in a reasonable way in our All Star year.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:13:55 +0000

Re: the top chart, I would note that it is quite likely that about $35 million of that salary will no longer be on the books at the start of the ’14 season. Of those on the chart, Hoch, Paulino, and Crow are most likely to still be with the team in two years, Hoch a maybe, the rest replaced with guys like Montgomery, Holland, Myers, Prades, maybe even Cuthbert with Moose moved to his more natural DH. Reload the payroll as well as the roster. A ’14 roster of Cain, Prades, Myers, Hoz, Gio, Esky, Cuthbert, Perez, Moose, Monty, Duffy, Odorizzi, Lamb, and Paulino would be cheaper than last year’s.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:52:13 +0000

“The point of the Beltran reference wasn’t that the trade was bad (of course it was awful), it was that you dont necessarily have someone behind ready to step in.”

That is why you plan to have someone ready. Baird didn’t have seven years to get ready for El Carlito leaving, GMDM does.

“DeJesus was and and will always be a small fraction of what Carlos Beltran was.”

True. Are Myers and Cuthbert DDJ v2.0? And behind both Myers and Cuthbert we have other young folks, Bubba and Elijer coming to mind.

“The point of the Beltran reference wasn’t that the trade was bad (of course it was awful)”

Half a season of Beltran for a few mediocre seasons of John Buck and whoever the pitcher was. Could have been better, probably should have been done the off-season before.

“I don’t see the organization producing a 2nd Hosmer or Moustakas.”

Of course not. Just a matter of worldview. Did you see the organization producing the 1st Hosmer or Moustakas three years ago?

“It’s been 20 years plus waiting for these 2.”

And only one championship since the creation of the earth. Twenty years or a billion years, neither is much use for the present.

“I’m hoping managment tries to win with this core.”

They seem to be trying as well as adding layers to the core. Moose and Hoz won’t win it by themselves. They have several years to keep drafting and developing players. I don’t see the team panicking and going “all-in” like Milwaukee. What I do see in a few years is valuable older players like Gordon and Butler traded for more prospects as their replacements show they are ready in Omaha.

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:51:30 +0000

Fred – Texas did ‘build around the Teixiera trade’, but did so with plenty of their in-house talent in addition to a free agency and trades. It remains to be seen if Kansas City can do the same (when/if it comes to that), but the depth of the Royals’ system gives them some margin for error when it comes to the inevitable and often high prospect wash out rate.

The Royals are not going to sign the next Yu Darvish and are unlikely to make a play for a big money free agent in Adrian Beltre, but could they draft a Kinsler or Young? Could they trade for a Hamilton and Nelson Cruz?

I believe they will try to ‘win with this core’, they would not have promoted so many of them with a ‘service clock be damned’ mentality as they did last year if they had any intention otherwise. Hosmer is not going to be traded in two years – it will be in five, if then. That’s a pretty big window in baseball terms that could be flown through with the development of one pitching prospect into at least a number two and another who is a number two/three type and one decent trade for whomever of the current nine flame out this season or next.

By: Fred

Fred — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:32:41 +0000

That Teixeira trade would mean nothing today if Texas surrounded the trade pieces with the resources and players KC would have. Andrus doesnt look across the bag at Chris Getz, he sees Ian Kinsler. He looks to his right and he sees Adrian Beltre. That team built around the trade.

But Jim we have nothing to worry about since you have predicted every player on the 25 man roster to have an uptick in production minus Giovatella who apparently shouldnt be issued a uniform. The point of the Beltran reference wasn’t that the trade was bad (of course it was awful), it was that you dont necessarily have someone behind ready to step in. DeJesus was and and will always be a small fraction of what Carlos Beltran was. I don’t see the organization producing a 2nd Hosmer or Moustakas. It’s been 20 years plus waiting for these 2. I’m hoping managment tries to win with this core.

By: Craig Brown

Craig Brown — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:16:10 +0000

“Really, similies to ten years ago are badly strained and pretty much worthless. Better would be comparing to what happened with Greinke, valuable veteran for short horizon upgrades at several positions. If Hoz becomes what we expect, the biggest problem in a trade will be finding a team with enough prospects to be able to swing a “trade the farm” sort of deal.”

Yes, yes and YES.