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By Ben Nicholson-Smith | at
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Jack Hillyard 2
“owner David Glass has indicated he’s willing to spend to improve his team’s rotation.”–It wouldn’t take much spending to improve the team’s rotation. In fact, more dumpster-diving could conceivably do that. He didn’t say he’d spend to get a #1 or #2. Personally, I am not optimistic the Royals rotation will improve much, given David’s and Dan’s DNA–to make a profit, seeing fans as someone to exploit in doing so.
Patrick OKennedy
This team could be scary good with a decent rotation. I can’t see them spending what it takes on the free agent market to get all the rotation help they need, but I could see them making a trade or two, signing one good free agent SP and maybe another No 3, and patching together something decent. All that premium young talent is on the offensive side. Balance it out and you’ve got a legit contender.
Thomas Wilson
Haren, Paulino, Duffy, Guthrie, Mendoza with Chen moved for salary relief would put them right in the thick of it for 2013
Moe Lester
Duffy and Paulino won’t be back until June at the earliest. And I would have to think that right now the rotation looks like this: Guthrie(hopefully), Mendoza, Odorizzi, Sign Lohse, and then Smith.
Dock_Elvis
They might need to deal a premium bat for a premium young pitcher. Playing it safe is never going to get the job done in the Kansas City market. They don’t have time to let the young offense price themselves out of contention..thus repeating the cycle.
rizdak
However improbable, it would be pretty funny if they actually signed Greinke. But really, what FA ace would be persuaded to sign there? The best I can imagine is a Joe Blanton or Erik Bedard.
x man
they need to trade for James Shields.
twentyfivemanroster
I disagree. I think it was true just a couple seasons ago, but with the the offense and defense behind them I think a solid starter or two would really think hard about signing with the Royals. It’s not(nor should it be) the albatross team of a couple years ago that made Greinke want to get out.
Mark LaFlamme
They’ve got to hire a voodoo priestess to help them shake off the curse before they do anything else. Signing Jonathan Sanchez seemed like a positive move but look what happened there. Complete disaster. The Royals front office seems to suffer the Midas touch in reverse.
Colin Christopher
They signed Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur the year before that, and both of those guys had career years with KC, so maybe that reverse Midas touch isn’t completely true. Every team makes moves that don’t pan out.
Thomas Wilson
Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francouer, Felipe Paulino, Jeremy Guthrie, Jonathan Broxton there are plenty of examples pointing some very nice signings(the Frenchy extension was a horrible Idea)
Koby2
With the history this team has shown in pitchers who have received Tommy John surgery, I wouldn’t expect Paulino or Duffy to throw in the majors before June at the earliest. Though with those two returning, with the possibility of Odorizzi maturing some more in the minors, the pitching depth could double from what the team had this past season, as long as they acquire two front-line starters. Anibal Sanchez is a good start, as well as someone like Edwin Jackson. If the Angels decline Haren’s option, he’d be a fun one to go for. Though, knowing how this front office works, they’ll trade for Scott Feldman and give Hochevar a $30 million deal and call it an offseason.
burnboll
Royals should really embrace their farm system once and for all and bring up a handful of young guys and let them get full playing time. It’s about time to roll the dice with the kids.
Bringing up kids from the farm system is only a problem if you don’t give them playing time and only let them in as bench players.
Colin Christopher
The Royals are already embracing their farm system and letting the young guys play. Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, and about half the guys in their bullpen have all come up to win starting jobs in the last two seasons.
Jwick22
Really thought kc was going to be decent this year. maybe the can get a couple decent pitchers via free agency. With the new wild card in place maybe they will still be in it come the trade deadline and if so then trade for a front line starter.
go_jays_go
Re-sign Gutherie. In his career thus far, Gutherie has pitched well in AL Central ballparks. The only weaknesses would be pitching in Progressive Field (Cleveland).
ca.sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7040/splits;_ylt=A…
Colin Christopher
It seems somewhat of a stretch to say that Paulino and Duffy are “in place” for 2013. Duffy didn’t have his surgery until mid-June, and Paulino’s wasn’t until early July. I read somewhere that Paulino thinks he’ll be back by May, and I guess that’s possible, but it doesn’t seem like the Royals can bank on having both guys back until the All-Star Break.
Otis26
I would trade Myers for Shields in a second. No questions asked. My guess for the rotation next year coming out of spring training: FA/Trade Pitcher, Guthrie, Chen, Mendoza, and Smith/Odorizzi. Not that exciting really. Would be better to pick up two starters.
Jwick22
im a braves fan but from what ive read on myers i think he gets u more than a james shields.
baseballstu
absolutely. myers and one or two other prospects get you a david price.
johnsilver
Tampa bay probably isn’t making any David price jokes. They are probably looking at a 2-3x increase in his pay via arbitration this winter, or 10-12m salary for 2013 and with 3 years of control left, price already informing them he has -0- interest in any LT deal??
Another year of hammering Tampa like that (Lincecum money perhaps after 2013) and Tampa maybe moves him and loses some of the few fans they actually can get into the DumpsterDome.
Dynasty22
Agreed with the first part..no need to bash their fans though.
johnsilver
Some local TB baseball fans would probably attend more games if they could leave and still hear after being bombarded with with cow bell noise from the few fans (Rays) that actually attend the games.
That post didn’t come out of nowhere. NYY and Boston games? The rays draw 20k, anyone else and they draw 10k and that included their “fight” for a playoff spot this past season.
Patrick Kim
You definitely not following Price’s twitter, he has been saying all years that he wants LT deal with Rays. With new tv deal upcoming which will net them 70+m annually, Rays can extend him if they want. Plus Price’s projected salary for 2013 is around 7m.
johnsilver
Twitter? *No* Thanks 🙂
As for 7m, as a Super 2 on 2nd year of arbitration eligibility and just made 4m+? Better rethink that 7m figure.. Lincecum got 14m and Price’s numbers blew away Lincecum’s.
BTW: Price stated last off season in the TB Times/Tribune he was more than fine going year to year with a deal *unless* the Rays ante up. Price isn’t going to take a hometown discount.
Patrick Kim
You may need to search before you speak. Lincecum was 2 times Cy-winner when he headed to arb and his 1st arb was 9m while Price’s was 4m. If you seriously think Price will make 14m for arb2 from 4m this year then you know nothing about arb process. Better search how much Verlander made for his arb1 and arb2, and how similar was it comparing to Price.
Price mentioned so many times in his interviews, either with TB times and/or Sun sports that he’s open to LT deal and publicly shown his complaint why the team is not locking him up with LT deal after Moore’s historic lopsided LT deal. I am sure he’s smart enough to know what Rays can offer and what they cannot. It probably means he’s willing to take a hometown discount deal because it is just that clear this franchise can’t throw him a market value deal.
Dock_Elvis
Seems to me that Christian Colon is blocking Christian Colon
Chris 46
Christian Colon had a good year.
Dock_Elvis
As a 23 year old in AA it was less than you’d expect from such a high pick. I just don’t think he’s a player you assume takes over a starting job in his career…he’s looking like a utility infielder…just saying that if they have the option of picking up a solid MLB 2B…they wouldn’t be blocking him the way K’aihue was with Hosmer.
Dock_Elvis
Time for the Royals to turn some talent into a dominant young starting pitcher.
102win
Listen up Dayton. Send Wil Myers and Chen (KC pays 1/2 salary) to the Rays for RHP James Sheilds, RHP Wade Davis and (A) RHP Jeff Ames. Tampa gets salary relief, so they can sign a couple bats. Royals then move Bubba Sterling and Chris Getz to The Reds for RHP JJ Hoover and SS/2B DiDi Gregorius.Then Sign Brandon McCarthy 2/14 mil and 2B J Keppinger 3/15 mil 2013: Shields, McCarthy, Hoover, Davis, Mendoza
Lineup: Gordon, Escobar, Billy, Salvy, Moose, Keppinger, Hosmer, Cain, Lough
Bench: Pena,Gregorius, Frenchy, Dyson
Payroll around 75 million
Patrick Kim
Rays have the best rotation in baseball and they have about 7+ starters who would put up 3.00~4.00 era. Why would they want washed up Chen? It is a waste of rotation spot. Myers for Shields straight up does make sense, but Shields, W.Davis and Jeff Ames for Myers not going to happen.
102win
Chen would slide into Wade Davis’ current role, it would be to our benefit to have Chen as part of the deal. I think you are wrong about the Rays trade not adding up. We only get two years each out of Shields and Davis, the Rays need a power hitting OF who is cheap for 6 years. Also, they save about 8 mil that they could use on a couple 1B/DH types–also a huge need for them.
Patrick Kim
If Myers is a proven everyday player at MLB level then yes, but he is not. Hosmer used to have a higher offensive ceiling years ago and look how he hits now. So you are saying Myers’ value is equivalent to two years of 4.5+ WAR pitcher, 5 years of #3.5 type pitcher (W.Davis career ERA:3.94 FIP:4.28 in AL east, he was #17 prospect in baseball and now refining his secondary pitches. His slider and curve are legitimate plus pitches and if given chance as a starter again there is a big chance he can be more than #3) and a 1st round pick in 2011 who’s raking A ball with 1.96 era PLUS taking a bad contract of Chen? That won’t happen.
102win
2 years of Wade Davis. Remeber Wil is the #1 position prospect in baseball, and is a huge need for the Rays. This trade could allow Tampa to add three position players maybe something like: Myers, Berkman, Swisher for close to their current payroll.
Guest 4117
Wade Davis is locked up until 2017. Plus, Shields is not a money grabber and there is a plenty of chance Royals can extend him. I am not sure giving up 2+ years of 4-5WAR pitcher plus 5 years of #3.5 or decent setup man/closer guy plus a decent prospect in return for #3~5 prospect in baseball. And no, Profar is the #1 position prospect in baseball.
102win
Then after 2013, we sign Hunter Pence for 4/52mil. Payroll jumps to around 85, but we have a parade on the Plaza.
2014: Shields, Hoover, McCarthy,Duffy,Lamb or Paulino (Wade Davis=long guy)
Line up: Gordon, Pence, Hosmer,Billy,Moose,Perez,Keppinger,Cain,Escobar
Yes WS Champs in 2014
steveyea
Sign Guthrie to a reasonable 2 year deal for about 7-8 per before end of WS, then sign Zack to come back to the small market team he loved, now that we have the young exciting offense, and then sign Anibail or Dan Haren or Jake Peavy to be a legitimate #2 starter, so you have Zack/Anabail or Dan or Jake, Guthrie, Mendoza and Chen, without trading Myers or any other offensive piece, and you can be patient until the Paulino/Duffy/Lamb elbow guys or Odorizzi force their way into the lineup, at which time you can bullpen guys or make fair value trades. Glass will be a spending hero at exactly the right time to start the new Royal’s dynasty, Dayton a hero GM to finally get it right for the major league team after already doing so well at the minor league level. Save $4 million by not keeping Hochevar, $3 million more if you can get anybody to eat half of Francoeur’s contract, another $3 million if Odorizzi proves worthy of the 5 spot and you can get anyone to eat half of Chen’s contract next spring. Glass will spend $30-40 million, 15-20 million for Zack, 7-8 for Guthrie, and 8-12 for Anabail or Haren or Peavy, but save $17 million off Hochevar, Francoeur, Chen, and Soria, for a net spend of $13-23 million, and the Royals will turn their last weak area into a strength. If you can get Soria to go incentive laden, do it, but otherwise, the Royals need three top starters more than they need another top reliever, and they need to do it without trading away Myers or any other of their current offensive starters, and they can do it without spending any money this year except on the starters. Cain/Dyson can cover CF, and Getz/Gio/Abreu/Falu can cover 2B/ utility spot okay, with either Lough or Abreu/Falu as extra bench man, and Piña or Moore as backup catcher if Brayan wants too much dough (he won’t).
Dock_Elvis
Milwaukee might be the small market team that Greinke loves.
Moe Lester
Greinke isn’t coming back. Sanchez would be a nice pick up, and I hope we bring back Guthrie. Dropping Hochevar is an addition by subtraction.