It's safe to say that Gil Meche is off to a less-than-stellar start as he has given up 16 runs with a 0.58 K/BB ratio in 12.2 innings of work. Even though he missed time early on this season with shoulder bursitis, Royals manager Trey Hillman doesn't believe that Meche is having any physical or mechanical issues (Ryan Young of The Kansas City Star reporting).
Meche, who shares the honor of having the largest contract in Royals history with Mike Sweeney, is set to earn $12MM in each of the two remaining years on his deal. The 31-year-old's contract didn't seem unreasonable at this time last year, as he turned in a 3.82 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 across his first two seasons in Kansas City. However, in the winter following his injury riddled 2009, the Royals told clubs that they would be open to dealing their former ace.
There were a few suitors for Meche over the offseason, including the Mets and the Cubs. Could Meche conceivably restore his trade value this season, or will the Royals be stuck with the $24MM bill?
We’re probably stuck with him. But we do live in a world where Carlos Silva was traded…
It doesn’t help that Hillman ran Meche out there for 130 pitches or more many times last year, even when Meche was complaining of arm problems and a dead arm.
Also, I have heard other people saying a move to the bullpen could be useful, and it is in style at the moment.
Poor Meche had his career derailed by the Royals.
I don’t mean that as a knock against their franchise or anything, but he was always a #3 starter and would have probably ended up with a contender as a #3 or #4 but instead got ace money and ace expectations from the Royals.
I’m sure he’s not too torn up about cashing those checks but still
What are you talking about? He was a weak #3 before he went to the Royals and his first 2 years with the Royals were the best years of his career. If anything those first 2 years made him look like a solid #3 or even marginal #2 starter on even a contending team. He hasn’t been an ace but he also hasn’t been the bombshell that everyone expected.
I think we agree, there was just a misunderstanding of what I was saying.
We agree on Meche’s talent, as a solid #3. What I’m saying is that when he became a free agent, he had deals on the table to join contenders at (just approximate) 3 year/24 million deals. He’d be in the back end of the rotation, he’d be just as successful and fans would have appropriate expectations.
Instead, the Royals came in and offered him ace money, so he jumped at that. Was it the best move for him financially? Absolutely. But for his baseball career? No way
Royals would be better off seeing if he can right the ship. As it stands now they would have to eat 80% of his contract. Meche is better than that. With a few good starts maybe they can find someone willing to pick up 50% of whats left.
5 year deal for 55 million for this guy? Do owners have a hole burning in there pockets or what?
Handing out salaries like this for an average player who is no better than a guy at triple A making 400k.
Since when is 11 mill/year ace money? All the Royals wanted from him was a veteran presence at the top of the rotation, which he exceeded the first 2 years of this contract going with a 3.69 and 3.98 era respectively. Since you’re probably all Yankee fans you can compare that to AJ Burnett who went 4.07 and 4.04 those same years and is making 16.5 million/year. I get that since he is pitching for the Royals you all just assume that he’s “an average player who is no better than a guy at triple A”, but you should really check the facts before you display your baseball IQ for everyone to see.