Email a copy of 'Royals Acquire Josh Willingham' to a friend
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By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Royals Acquire Josh Willingham' to a friend
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Dynasty22
Should have traded him 2 seasons ago. At least they got something for him.
Dale Schaeffer
Great pick up for the Royals! This is the OF bat they needed down the stretch. Willingham may not hit for avg, but his OBP is great and when he makes contact he still can rake.
Snoochies8
And they just HAD to get him right before the Royals series with the A’s (he kills the A’s)
mlbaustin
Only slightly annoying :/
twins33
The key words in there are definitely “when he makes contact.” Hasn’t done that much.
.168/.286/.342 since June 11th.
MoCrash
Willingham has had respectable splits this season against LHP, so fills a need for the Royals.
108 stitches 2
.343 is a respectable OBP, above average in this offensive climate but great?
D.j. Wilson 2
I wonder if there’s a chance Minnesota will call up Byron Buxton in September
ian 2
Nope, he’s been hurt most of the year and still rehabbing/returning to form in A+ ball.
twins33
As Ian said, no. This is a lost season for Buxton due to constant injuries. Hicks might be a September call up if he keeps hitting.
sgtschmidt11
Not quite a lost season, he just got promoted to AA. Lost half-season though for sure.
twins33
It’s a lost season in the way I’m thinking. He was supposed to START at AA in April. He’s just now getting there. It’s mid-August..the season is almost over.
If he played well in AA from April on, he likely would have been up with the Twins after the all star game. All of that has been erased. He’s hardly played and he hardly has any time left to play (will likely go to AFL though). So to me, it’s a lost season.
D.j. Wilson 2
I just saw Willingham yesterday in Oakland! As a matter of fact, he hit a bomb off Gregerson. He’s still got plenty of pop and draws a ton of walks, just not a high average hitter but KC has enough of those that they’ll be okay
twins33
Loved the Hammer signing when it happened. Injuries hurt him badly since he tore his knee in 2013. His bat speed went in the dumps after that and he’s never been the same.
Wish him well. Surprised the Twins got a name right away rather than a PTBNL. It needed to happen though.
AmericanMovieFan
If I’m the Royals, I sign him to an extension: 2 years/$20MM and be done with it until 2017.
TheRealRyan 2
I would imagine they could sign him for a lot less than that if they want to keep him after this season. He signed for a 3/$21MM three years ago while coming off a far better season and stretch. I would think something like 2/$8MM would get it done if they wanted him for multiple years or maybe a 1/$5 with a $5MM option for year two. Without looking back at recent no D vet signings, this might even be on the higher side.
vtadave
Ruben Amaro, is that you?
docmilo5
Can Willingham play 1st better than Butler?
Melvin Mendoza, Jr.
Not sure, but Butler is an absolute butcher at 1st. If I recall correctly, Willingham got a few reps in at 1B when he was a catcher way back in the day.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
I was going to say this is an odd trade, but I forgot Hosmer is hurt.
Still Willingham is a DH, Butler is a DH typically, but since Hosmer is hurt….
Willingham was raking, when first signed by the Twins. Maybe, he will figure it out again. And the Royals will live happily every with all these cooks in the kitchen.
Mikenmn
interesting. if the Twins could sell Willingham for a decent prospect, you wonder what the asking price on Marlon Byrd was.
theatomicesquire
If one believes the rumor mill, the price the Phils were asking from the Yankees was Aaron Judge. You’ve got to think the shopping list starts with someone like Hunter Dozier for Byrd.
Phillyfan425
I know the asking price for Byrd (or at least the rumor) was Aaron Judge from the Yankees. Probably fair if a rental Willingham got the Twins a more advanced, lower rated guy like Jason Adams.
Then again, the rumor out of Philly was that Seattle was only offering Luiz Gohara and Tyler Pike for Byrd (the report said 2 lower level prospects with 6+ ERA – looking at some quick reports, those 2 fit the bill pretty well).
bigbadjohnny
good move by the Royals
haplito
Wish they would’ve done it in 2012, but great flip by the Twins. And nice for Willingham that he gets to go to a competitive team.
haplito
You gotta hand it to Terry Ryan: Very quietly, he’s pulled off some pretty favorable trades for marginal MLB talent over the past couple of years.
Now if he’d just get a pitching coach who can coach pitching, and a skipper who’ll field players based on talent and probability of success rather than their stoic love of walleye fishing… I’m terrified of what Gardenhire and Anderson’ll do to ruin this crop of talent we have coming through the minors.