The Royals are determined to sign a significant free agent starting pitcher for 2013 this coming offseason, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. After a difficult first half that included a number of serious injuries, the Royals' rotation ranks 28th in baseball with a 5.16 ERA.
A Royals person told Knobler the team won’t settle for back-of-the-rotation types. "Not a fifth starter, but a real starting pitcher," the person said. Knobler suggests Missouri native Shaun Marcum could be a fit given the Royals’ past interest in the right-hander.
The Royals rotation currently consists of Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar, Luis Mendoza, Jonathan Sanchez and Everett Teaford. With the exception of Sanchez, the entire rotation is under control through 2013 or beyond. Royals pitchers Felipe Paulino, Danny Duffy, Blake Wood and Joakim Soria all had their seasons cut short to undergo Tommy John surgery this year.
Former Royals ace Zack Greinke headlines a class of free agent starting pitchers that figures to include Cole Hamels, Anibal Sanchez, Edwin Jackson, Ryan Dempster, Hiroki Kuroda and Marcum.
An offseason too late really. Should have gone after Edwin Jackson and at least tried to trade for one more guy in the style of Gio Gonzalez/Mat Latos/Michael Pineda. We had the pieces this offseason to do a deal like that, and still might this offseason. At least in 2013 we’ll get Paulino and Duffy back, Odorizzi will hopefully have had a few starts this season under his belt, and then whatever pitcher we end up with in the open market, then use some combo of Chen, Hochevar, Teaford, Will Smith, or Mendoza as our 5th, 6th, and 7th starters, stashed in AAA or in the bullpen.
you really want pineda? Pineda has not pitched a single inning for the yankees this year and wont until next season. maybe you guys can lure greinke back to KC.
It’s pretty obvious he meant last offseason before Pineda was hurt.
It’s pretty [email protected]:disqus not only knew of Pineda’s injury before he was traded, but also caused it.
That comment “Not a fifth starter, but a real starting pitcher” kind of made me laugh.
Fifth Starters are REAL pitchers, aren’t they? They probably needed to add the words “front of rotation” or “above average” or “ace” before the word pitcher.
Yeah that was funny. The Royals are full of guys that aren’t “real starting pitchers” though.
As a Royals fan, we learned a long time ago that “Back of the rotation” starter is KC code for AAA filler for another team. “Number 3 type” is a long reliever, and “Top of the rotation type” is a headcase like Sanchez.
To hear “Real starting pitcher” means that maybe, just maybe, we’ll get a legit number 5 guy.
Thanks for clearing that up! It DOES read funny though…
Bettancourt and Francoeur for Kershaw
I’m sure they would give that a go if they even had a suspicion that the Dodger’s front office were on enough drugs to say yes to that.
Sure, just toss in Myers, Odorizzi, and Moustakas.
I’m sure you were saying that last year when Prince Fielder was being booed in Arizona. and yankee fans neverrrrr boo the opposition.
the world doesn’t revolve around the yankees.. shocking i know
Didn’t Copernicus already prove that theory to be true?
Or was it Columbus?
So do 29 other teams.
I can see Edwin or Marcum signing there, they are in tier 2 of the starting pitchers, very good but not aces. KC should have a very good offense by then, when you look at all their pieces, Hosmer, Moustakas, Escobar, Perez, Myers, they certainly need some starting pitching to match it.
KC has a very good offense right now. If they’d have made moves last offseason they would be the mirror AL image of the Pirates with an actual better offense.
Steroids, Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, and Reggie Jackson.
And you think WE should be embarrassed?
Eh Cano said a royal SHOULD be in the home run derby. Lsat year fielder got this treatment but it received abotu 1/100th of the attention. The fans are cheering their guy. If he had hit ONE home run they woudl have shut up, the fact is he didnt.
… seriously? you’re gonna use *that* argument about the freakin Home Run Derby?
I think Anibal Sanchez could be a great fit in KC. I already have a hard time believing that we’ll be serious in FA with any of the available pitchers, but if we don’t at least make a serious offer, I’ll be really disappointed.
P.S. – David Glass, please sell the team to someone who cares.
Kansas “Wait till Next Year” City. If I were a Royals fan I would take something from the ballpark every game I went to.
the new market inefficiency: seeking starting pitching in the future
KC signs Hamels, Greinke, Anibal: goes on to win central division 2013.
Then goes into fire sale mode in the offseason because they can’t afford the contracts to those players
It would take that plus Myers, Odorizzi, a consistent Hochevar and the 250M in contracts you just spent. As much as I want that to happen, it’s just not. At least not for 2013.
They were selling the Home Run Derby to a national TV audience. Billy Butler comes to the plate…and people in Boston or Phoenix go to the fridge.
You mean as opposed to Carlos Gonzalez?
Cargo Shouldnt have been there. He really is honestly only an average player when you take him out of coors.
Butler career high in Home Runs is 21. Why is Edwin Encarnacion not complaining about not even being selected as an All-Star. Trumbo deserved it, Bautista is leading MLB in HR’s, and Prince won it. I’m a huge Royals fan but they sounded like a bunch of babies. How come the crowd isn’t that pissed off on a Tuesday night in June when Sanchez is getting his head bashed in. The management here is the only thing Royals fans should be furious with. Cano owed Kansas City nothing. If this was a Doubles Derby, then yes, Butler got snubbed.
To be fair…it isn’t a career homerun derby…and Butler is on pace for over 30 home runs. I’m not sure why more isn’t made out of the ridiculousness that is giving the winner of the All Star exhibition game home field advantage during your sports crown jewel World Series event.
If MLB knew what the fans really wanted…..they’d sell tickets themselves instead of having Stubhub offering their product for less than half the face value.
Why not let the fans pick the Home Run Derby competitors…or can they only be trusted with the game lineups and choosing the MVP award.
As far as Cano and MLB go….in my mind…you’ve really messed up when you get booed by people with enough disposable income to afford an All Star game event ticket. If that’s the take of the fan with some cash flow..what’s the feelings of the basic fan out there? Most of these KC fans aren’t going to be at the All Star game. They’re going to be watching from home or working.
Checked the royals boards at all the day before, the day of or the day after Suckcheese takes the hill? Many many of us wish we would just cut bait with that sack of s%it.
He’s tied for 16th in the AL this year in home runs. He didn’t get snubbed. Does Butler even win a Royals home run derby? If anything, Moose or even Hosmer could probably get more out.
But regardless, my point is where’s the passion for not making a playoff game since 1985? Where’s the anger and booing for constructing the most losing decade in all of team sport? Where’s the rage in #Our Time yet the rotation still includes Chen, Sanchez and a band of dfa’s year in and year out?
FANTASTIC angle that more fans should have! This is a cherished event that your city has been gracious enough to host! From all accounts of the baseball personnel it has been a great venue and a fun 5 days. Why trash it with any sort of controversy? I’m a baseball fan and mainly root for my fantasy team and handful of favorite players. The ASG was recently held in my city and I was not upset that a “hometown guy” wasn’t selected. I was excited to have the attention and cash flow of such a large scale event in my local economy.
“I’m a baseball fan and mainly root for my fantasy team and handful of favorite players.”
Then it makes sense that you can’t understand the passion that Kansas City has for its team and players.
obviously you dont live in k.c. or you would know of the fans daily pleas to the glass family to sell the team to somebody who will spend the money necassary to make the team competitive
KC is the 2nd smallest market with a baseball team. It doesn’t just come down to the owners.
The passion was the booing!
I’m surprised/pleased as hell that the KC fans still had the emotion to do it.
I gave up when they wanted more to park than they did for a ticket.
Butler hit 11 HR’s during bp before the derby
Tommy Hanson for Will Myers in the offseason?
Braves would be a good trading partner- they’re pitching thin right now , but that’s because of a string of bad luck and injuries. They’ll be pitching rich again.
Any other team with the pitchers going down/being down the Braves had would be under .500, their depth has saved them this year.
Tommy Hanson’s mechanics look terrible and he has had injury problems. Will Myers will be taking over for Francour soon.
Any package of players for top of the rotation pitching besides Myers, Mouse, Hosmer, Escobar or Butler should be the mindset….period. If we need to shell out a 5/55 type of contract like Meche, then do it. Even in a small market we can afford a couple top tier free agents (assuming they want to be here) without going belly up. All it would take is a reshuffling of our funds to international players (haven’t seen the fruits of those labors just yet) or to our scouting department (serious questions here as well). Our track record probably makes us gun shy of free agents, but not trying is worse then trying and failing.
Please stop.
What gives you the impression that a division leader who has been handicapped by injuries and is finally getting players healthy again would be willing to part with a 24 year old superstar left handed starting pitcher?
I’m not a Dodger fan, I’m curious where this comes from…
No, what the Dodgers need is an underachieving right fielder and a statue of a second baseman. Francoeur and Betancourt all the way!
…because you don’t have a player who would perform well in the HR Derby? And please don’t tell me Billy Butler and his career 90 HR in 6 seasons is your reason. You finally had the baseball universe wrapped up in your city for the first time in 27 years. And you blew it.
And I’m in no way, shape, or form a Yankee fan.
So we can all cherish the big 0-fer after the season pushed to 27 years of irrelevance?
The ownership is a problem. KC Fans also “booed” ownership for removing one of the most popular Royals in their history, Frank White for not towing the line and being a bit out spoken about a year ago.
Exactly what I’m saying. Feliz is hurt, Perez isn’t the prospect he used to be…wait, why am I even responding to this?
Kershaw isn’t going anywhere. Pretty sure the team is still in first place and not selling one of the league’s top pitchers.
The fact is Cano said he wanted a Royal in the game. The game is for the fans. The game is in KC. KC residents are fans of the Royals. Butler plays for the Royals. Why is this hard for you to follow Matty? Cano lied, and the fans acted as they should have. They got in his head and he choked with his daddy. It was awesome, and it was hilarious. Butler may have only hit 1 HR, who knows? But, the fans would have loved to see Cano follow through on his word. You follow?
It would have been understandable if the Royals All-Star selection had been Alcedes Escobar…but Butler was clearly qualified for the home run derby.
The game does not belong to KC, it belongs to MLB fans everywhere. You are simply the hosts of it. MLB, other teams fans, and the players owe you nothing. You owe them the honor of putting on a good show, showing good hospitality (which you failed), and providing a quality venue. Why do you feel like he owes you anything? Do you realize in the past six years, only ONE HR Derby has featured a home town player? And do you realize this same Derby was held in NY and not a single Yankee was selected? But suddenly a KC fan feels entitled to have a doubles-hitter who wouldn’t have fared well put in because it’s in his city?
Not to mention the fact that they JUST signed him to an extension.
Actually I honestly understand and am truly amused with the whole situation.Every host fan wants his team represented and I can see how the KC fans felt snubbed, and given the opportunity they booed.
To Cano and Yanks fans alike, it was another day at the park.
Now to be a bit more factual, I understood that the names for the HR Derby team had to be submitted BEFORE Butler was added to the squad and that’s the reason Butler was not chosen.
I’m sure someone out there can give the definitive answer as to that being correct or not.
Butler and Trumbo were put on the roster at the same time.
he said he would put him on the team and then he didnt can you not understand that. U dont have be very bright to understand that which obviously you are not
Tens of thousands of people in this city bought tickets for $200+ a pop because Cano said he would put a Royal in it. They had every right to boo.
I’ll move past ticketing you on behalf of the grammar police, navigate your insults, and jump right to telling you to untangle your thong and move on. Six years, one hometown representative in the derby, end of story. KC is not different than the other 5 previous cities that didn’t get a hometown representative.
Matty, No captain in the past 5 years stated publicly that if a position player of the hometown team were selected to the all star team, he would add them to the hr derby team. That is why Cano got booed and subsequently choked.
Thanks for the info.
@ CosmicBellboy as well.
Trumbo or Butler… ‘Who do I choose..?’
I guess Cano is guilty of not doing the PC thing and instead went with the best player. After all the games is for the fans and he did offer to use a KC player.Lets just hope the KC fans don’t show up to the game with Cano dolls and stick pins into them.
I’m sure had Cano been informed of that, he would have chosen George Brett instead of Trumbo
And then when he was asked why he didn’t follow through and put Butler on the team, Cano said it was his obligation to give the AL the best chance to win. Who ever remembers if the AL or NL won a home run derby? You can’t say “they shouldn’t have booed me, it’s just an exhibition” but also say “I couldn’t follow through with my promise to pick Billy because we were trying to win.” It’s hypocritical.