Soria will be fine (I keep telling myself that too).

Sure, but that’s the curse of a small market and having about a third of the available payroll as the big teams. If being GM was easy, Allard Baird would still be here.

All the prospect books pick the new highly drafted players over older prospects for some reason. It’s funny, b/c Bubba definitely has a higher chance of flaming out than Myers, but as of right now, he has the higher ceiling. 5 tool CF doesn’t come around often. From what the Royals have done in the past, he might stay in extended spring until it warms up then join Kane County later in the spring. There will be a plethra of arms heading there about the same time, I would think. Brickhouse, K.Smith, Binford, and Junas.

A valid point and one I’ve made when talking trade for Billy, but in both cases the math gets a little complex. In Soria’s case we have an abundance of hot bullpen arms costing half a million per year each. If we get 95% of Soria’s production for 7% of his cost, plus get a good prospect at position of need, I think we do it, banking the $7.5 mil or whatever for the future when our current young stars start to get expensive and using it to try to extend Perez, Hosmer, Moose, then in a few years probably two or three budding aces. Of our three old “stars”, Soria is easier to replace today than Billy or Alex, so will be traded first, probably Butler in two years, Gordon in three when Bubba should be ready.

I would guess that’s a little less than the going rate, but I could be wrong. That’s what ChiSox got for Santos who had pretty much an identical contract, but Soria is far more established assuming he bounces back like you’re expecting. I didn’t think ChiSox got full value either.

He’s still cheap for a closer and if that IS the going rate I’d pass on dealing him.

He’s a favorite of mine, it’s certainly possible I’m biased.

“Come July, if Greg Holland is still lights out and the Royals are not in the race, maybe then you pull the trigger and get more than a prospect, however good, in return.”

One good high A or AA arm would be a good trade and Soria, should he return to form, would be worth it. Really, not much reason to be convinced that Soria can’t make it back, still relatively young and not like he has that many innings on his arm. He’s been a great part of the team but he’s getting expensive and we seem to have a couple of replacements in Holland and, eventually, Herrera, so may have to look at the bigger picture of generating more prospects and less payroll. Only way the team can stay competitive in our market.