 |
|
|
| |
« Mike Fontenot Gets Super Two Status | Main | Odds & Ends: Uggla, Granderson, Lackey »
Royals, Wilson Betemit Reach Agreement
THURSDAY, 10:09am: Via a press release, the Royals announced they've agreed to a minor league deal with Betemit.
WEDNESDAY, 5:55pm: Wilson Betemit is likely to sign a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Betemit spent 2009 in the Chicago White Sox organization, after being part of the deal that sent Nick Swisher to New York. Betemit hit .200/.280/.311 in only 20 games for the Sox, but has had some major-league success in the past. As the FOX report points out, Royals GM Dayton Moore was part of the Atlanta Braves organization in 2005 and 2006, when Betemit enjoyed his two most successful seasons with the Braves.
Rosenthal and Morosi speculate that the team might see Betemit as a "low-cost alternative" to the recently departed Mark Teahen.
Comments
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
Man, what happened to this guy? Showed a ton of power potential and an emerging batting eye early on, but just seemed to fall off a cliff. Perhaps a case of getting too fat?
Posted by: AA | November 11, 2009 at 06:17 PM
Lows cost or low quality alternative? I'm opting for the latter.
Posted by: bjsguess | November 11, 2009 at 06:29 PM
Well the thing about low quality is they tend to be low cost.
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 11, 2009 at 06:30 PM
I will be stunned if Nick Green, Buddy Carlyle, and Jorge Campillo don't end up with the Royals.
How many former Braves will end up in KC??
Posted by: Trusting the Process | November 11, 2009 at 06:33 PM
too many to count.
Hope Campillo comes back to the Braves as a reliever though
Posted by: Darion | November 11, 2009 at 06:37 PM
I WAS GONNA SIT HERE AND GO OFF ABOUT BETEMIT, BUT YOU NOTICE ALL THE SOX CUTS PROSPER IN OTHER SYSTEMS, I.E. NICK SWISHER,ROSS GLOAD,MARTE,MACDOUGAL.WILSON TRULY SUCKS THOUGH. RARELY HITS AND HAD A BUNCH OF COSTLY ERRORS.
Posted by: soxsider4life | November 11, 2009 at 06:37 PM
FORGOT WILLIE HARRIS
Posted by: soxsider4life | November 11, 2009 at 06:38 PM
No surprise here. We all know how much Dayton Moore loves those low OBP players who can't play defense.
Posted by: mitchell | November 11, 2009 at 06:48 PM
"Betemit spent 2009 in the Chicago White Sox organization"
where he matched his stellar .280 Chicago OBP with .294 in Charlotte! Mmm! Outs!
Posted by: jwb | November 11, 2009 at 06:57 PM
I WAS GONNA SIT HERE AND GO OFF ABOUT BETEMIT, BUT YOU NOTICE ALL THE SOX CUTS PROSPER IN OTHER SYSTEMS, I.E. NICK SWISHER,ROSS GLOAD,MARTE,MACDOUGAL.WILSON TRULY SUCKS THOUGH. RARELY HITS AND HAD A BUNCH OF COSTLY ERRORS.
yeah i'm sure Kenny Williams loses sleep over the likes of Ross Gload and MIke'Wild Thing' McDougal. what a joke. did sox scouts drop the ball on betemit, yes. will swisher or betemit be missed on the south side? nope.
Posted by: 2HeadedBoy | November 11, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Another ex-Brave player. What was the point of this? Does Dayton Moore have any type of baseball knowledge??
Posted by: NastyNateisGreat | November 11, 2009 at 07:53 PM
lol you have a point 2headedboy
Posted by: soxsider4life | November 11, 2009 at 07:55 PM
I watchwd him many years as a Braves fan, and he's a defensive liability everywhere
but 3rd. He just doesnt have enough pop for the hot corner
Posted by: FLaBravesFan | November 11, 2009 at 08:25 PM
I watchwd him many years as a Braves fan, and he's a defensive liability everywhere
but 3rd. He just doesnt have enough pop for the hot corner
I'm afraid he's now ALSO a severe liability at 3B
Posted by: 2HeadedBoy | November 11, 2009 at 08:34 PM
Why are they going to sign this guy to replace Teahen? Isnt that why Fields was included in the trade?
Posted by: pcain_78 | November 11, 2009 at 09:26 PM
In spirit of Christmas being next month, I am dubbing the Kansas City Royals the "The Land of Misfit Atlanta Braves". If they added Charles Thomas (oh yes, I'm goin back), it would be the icing on the cake.
Posted by: jcrabtree | November 11, 2009 at 09:34 PM
I heard they were looking to sign Sid Bream, Otis Nixon and Mark Lemke too.
Posted by: NastyNateisGreat | November 11, 2009 at 09:38 PM
Being a Braves fan, I would love to see Sid slide into home, or Otis climb walls, or Lemke wearing those googles again, haha
Posted by: jcrabtree | November 11, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Fields is a terrible fielder at 3B. The only way he's gonna be a regular starter for KC is if he figures out how to hit well enough to justify playing him at 1B/LF/RF/DH. If the Royals think Betemit can field 3B at an adequate level, and hit better than all the other starting options (which don't include Fields)... this is really unlikely.
Posted by: ugen64 | November 11, 2009 at 11:59 PM
Err, there's a word or two misplaced there. My point is, if Betemit can suddenly hit well, he could potentially be a candidate for starting 3B. Fields will never be a candidate for starting 3B because his defense sucks.
Posted by: ugen64 | November 12, 2009 at 12:01 AM
In the spirit of "The Land of the Misfit Atlanta Braves," I vote the Royals aggressively pursue Albie Lopez, Reggie Sanders, Quilvio Veras, and Danny Kolb. Oh, and Denny Neagle too.
Posted by: BravesMadduxFan | November 12, 2009 at 03:00 AM
There's actually a discussion of the 64 worst Atlanta Braves, and there are some pretty classic names in there. (Rico Brogna, anyone?) And to think I'd already almost forgotten how much I truly hated Corky Miller.
http://www.bravesjournal.com/?cat=48
Posted by: BravesMadduxFan | November 12, 2009 at 03:09 AM
Rejoice Royals fans! The playoffs are in sight!
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 12, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Heh, Dayton Moore lovvveeesss that sub-.300 OBP.
Posted by: R y a n | November 12, 2009 at 10:20 AM
On a minor-league deal, you could do a lot worse. Given the questions all around the infield, having a guy who can fake all four infield positions and hit with a bit of pop isn't a bad idea.
Posted by: ColonelTom | November 12, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I forgot He's a former Brave... haha just another to the list
Posted by: Darion | November 12, 2009 at 10:27 AM
And on Baseball Reference, most similar batter...#3 is Alex Gordon. Hilarious. God, we suck.
Posted by: Not Again | November 12, 2009 at 11:04 AM
DEAR ROYALS FANS:
the last thing you need to worry about is signing betemit to a minor league deal. trading callaspo for a.j. ellis would be the worst move of the year.
SIGNED,
DODGER'S MANAGEMENT
Posted by: rootman1010 | November 12, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Dayton...Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this…and totally redeem yourself!
We're going all the way this year now.
Posted by: Grover'sRoyals | November 12, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Surely there is somebody somewhere who is better deserving of this roster spot.
Im reasonably certain that The Royals never have any intention of competing.
Posted by: Zero | November 12, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Surely there is somebody somewhere who is better deserving of this roster spot.
Im reasonably certain that The Royals never have any intention of competing.
Posted by: Zero | November 12, 2009 at 11:46 AM
It's a MINOR LEAGUE contract.
Posted by: baseballfan9 | November 12, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Right, it's just a minor league deal. The Yankees signed Casey Fossum to a minor league deal. Every team signs bad players to minor league deals.
But I think the undercurrent to these comments is the belief that Betemit will make the 25-man for no good reason and proceed to play just as terribly as expected.
Posted by: Jeremy | November 12, 2009 at 12:06 PM
"Why are they going to sign this guy to replace Teahen?"
Moore said they're going with Gordon at 3b. Fields will backup IF corners, Betemit will be in Omaha awaiting further developments: Injury, trade, demotion, outbreak of scurvy, etc.
Posted by: jwb | November 12, 2009 at 12:09 PM
It's a minor league deal, he is not replacing Teahen. It's just the timing of the signing coming right after Teahen's trade.
I think alot would have to happen for Betemit to see the major league roster next year. I'm not saying the Royals roster is loaded with talent or anything, but Bloomquist is still your utility guy who can play 2B, 3B, OF.
I don't even see Fields as the backup 3B. For some reason I think he will see corner OF duty (RF unless DeJesus gets moved), with Guillen being DH (since they have virtually no chance of moving him).
Posted by: bigscott | November 12, 2009 at 12:16 PM
I think Bloomquist is likely to get the first shot at RF, but that's an opinion I really don't care to defend.
Posted by: jwb | November 12, 2009 at 12:22 PM
guillen's arm will give him the first shot at RF.
dejesus in LF again.
bloomquist does have a shot at CF however because maier isn't too great
Posted by: rootman1010 | November 12, 2009 at 12:30 PM
I don't get this deal. Even though it's a minor league one, it makes no sense. Bad defense, bad obp. I like that he has some power potential, but right now, the Royals need to address defense.
Posted by: royalsfan4life | November 12, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Guillen's arm does not matter when he can get to anything that isn't hit right at him! An arm is only part of playing the field. I'd give Bloomquist, Fields, even Maier (who has an amazing arm) the RF position before Guillen.
IMO Guillen is either traded, or the DH(with Jacobs being non-tendered). There should be no way that Moore keeps both Jacobs and Guillen again.
Posted by: bigscott | November 12, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Honestly, the Kansas City Royals are the best argument there is for European football-style relegation.
Posted by: withpower | November 12, 2009 at 02:17 PM
There is nothing to complain about here. Every single team signs one-tool types every single year and stashes them in AAA for emergency purposes. Most never see the majors unless major injury bugs hit the club.
Deals like this are purley a good thing. It means depth. Fields goes down and Betemit takes his roster spot for a couple weeks. The loss is minimized to the max. Depth is good, not bad.
Posted by: SuzysMan | November 12, 2009 at 02:54 PM
"Guillen is. . . the DH (with Jacobs being non-tendered)."
We're working with the same pretend-GM script.
Posted by: jwb | November 12, 2009 at 02:57 PM
I dont understand why the Royals actually think Alex Gordon will be anything special. There is a long ways between talent and speculation. I consider him a baseball card player. That means he's all talked up to drive up his value on his card but in all actuality sucks ass. I thought Teahen was the better player out of the two. Seeings he pounded the Sox Im glad he is with us.
Posted by: WindyCityWarrioe | November 12, 2009 at 03:58 PM
"That means he's all talked up to drive up his value on his card but in all actuality sucks ass"
"sucks ass"? He has been an above average player the last two years and that isnt exactly easy to find. Meanwhile, Teahen is in the bottom-5 players in the game when he is asked to play 3B. Below average bat and horrific fielding at a power position who now will make about 4MM or more. Gordon is average to above bat and average fielder at no real monetary cost. No comparison between the two - Gordon all day and twice on Sunday.
Posted by: SuzysMan | November 12, 2009 at 04:18 PM
I realize its a minor league deal and surely there is somebody more deserving of that minor league roster spot. If there is an upside to Betemit its surely not evident.
Posted by: Zero | November 12, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Wilson will not be missed in Chicago. That now completes the worst trade in the last couple of years.
Posted by: csd72.blogspot.com | November 14, 2009 at 07:19 AM