Though he wouldn’t comment on the possibility of an offseason reunion, Royals GM Dayton Moore spoke highly of former Kansas City closer Greg Holland last week, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. “Greg Holland is one of the very best and most talented relief pitchers that I’ve been around,” said Moore of the free-agent righty. “The success of our bullpen is a direct correlation to his toughness and his competitive spirit. So we admire him as a person and a pitcher.” Holland didn’t sign anywhere this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last October, and Dodd outlines the potential obstacles that stand in the way of a reunion, again mentioning the Royals’ potential payroll crunch as well as uncertainty surrounding Holland’s health. A low-cost one-year deal with Luke Hochevar could also be pursued, Dodd writes, though Hochevar is coming off surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. Dodd also lists young righty Josh Staumont as a potential bullpen darkhorse for the Royals at some point in 2017.
More from the AL Central…
- If the Tigers elect not to pick up Francisco Rodriguez’s $6MM option next season, Bruce Rondon could be first in line for the closer’s role, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. GM Al Avila praised Rondon last week, and as Fenech notes, his 2.97 ERA in some ways masks how dominant he was to finish out the year. The 25-year-old Rondon’s ERA topped out at 5.68 last year (on July 19), but he tossed 23 2/3 innings of 1.52 ERA ball with a 31-to-8 K/BB ratio over his final 25 games of the season. It still strikes me as surprising that there’s even a question when it comes to Rodriguez’s option, though. While K-Rod no longer even averages 90 mph on his heater and struggled in September, he still finished the year with a 3.24 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a career-best 54.7 percent ground-ball rate to go along with 44 saves. Additionally, that $6MM option comes with a hefty $2MM buyout, so the Tigers are really only making a $4MM decision on Rodriguez. That seems like a no-brainer given the fact that comparable relief arms figure to sign for considerably more in free agency this winter. If nothing else, he’d have some trade value if the Tigers picked up the option and moved him to another club. (They’d also potentially save the $2MM they’d pay him via a buyout that way.)
- Former big league infielder Chris Getz spoke to reporters, including the Chicago Tribune’s Colleen Kane, about his new role as director of player development for the White Sox over the weekend. Kane writes that Getz knew he wanted to move onto the front office track upon wrapping up his playing career even in the final years that he was active. The former ChiSox draftee considers the city and organization his home and is excited to return: “The relationships I was able to build, it was something that will always be in my heart, something that always will be in my DNA,” he explained before continuing to discuss his new position. “…It is carrying out the vision of the scouts. It’s a commitment by both the player and staff members to create an environment for (each) player to reach their ceiling.”
Seems to be some uncertainty in the Royals front office if they want to give this team one last run before the big guys become free agents, Holland should be a no brainer if they wanted too. The Red Sox and Royals could match up on a Hosmer deal, if they were willing to part with one of their big prospects for one year of Hosmer. Probably highly unlikely but would definitely be the move off the off season.
Why would they want to part with a big prospect for 1 year of Hosmer?
They wouldn’t.
Obvious reasons. Guessing you are not familiar with Dumbrowski. Also guessing you don’t watch baseball very much since a one inning pitcher got a major haul for half a season.
What obvious reasons?
That one inning pitcher was one of the top 5ish relief pitchers in baseball, went at the trade deadline, and was considered to be an overpay. I also don’t understand what that has to do with Eric Hosmer.
I’m not sure what the amount of baseball I watch has to do with not understanding why the red sox would give up a major prospect for 1 year of a below average-average 1b in a market that has many of them as free agent possibilities.
Agree with this guy 100%. Even calling Hosmer below average-average is being nice here, he’s inconsistent, a fringy hitter for a 1b, and not a very good defender
But hey, I guess we don’t watch baseball very much. My wife would disagree.
For some reason, most Braves fan posters around here are stunningly bad at understanding baseball. Which is weird, because in most settings, I’ve found that fan base to be pretty knowledgeable of both their team and the game as a whole.
Hold on. How is Hosmer being called a bad player here? I’ll admit he isn’t a huge bat for a 1B, but he has been a solid contributor the last 2 seasons. I’m not even a Royals fan, but acting like Hosmer isn’t a good player just makes no sense to me. And saying he’s not a very good defender? I know Gold Gloves aren’t everything, but the dude has won 3 in a row…he’s clearly doing something well in the field.
Remember, there are a handful of outstanding 1b (e.g., Goldschmidt, Miggy, Rizzo, etc.), but there are also plenty of ones who are actually below average (e.g., Mark Reynolds, Matt Adams, James Loney, Yonder Alonso, Mitch Moreland). I could keep the list going, but just because Hosmer isn’t a top 5 1B, does not mean he isn’t a good player
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=1b&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0
Here ya go, you will find Hosmer at 22.
I know he has a reputation of trading prospects but what significant prospect has dombrowski given up for a pure rental even if your dismissing how good or not good Hosmer is a 1 year rental he’s more of a buy players like he’s done every time he’s ran a major market club like Detroit or Boston
The thing is, Hosmer isn’t very good.
And then they’ll be stuck in a decade of mediocrity
Well he’s won numerous Gold Gloves and hit 25/100 in Kauffman Stadium. Yes, his BA and OPS went down this year, but
I’d say that goes up to at least 30/120 in Boston with an uptick in BA to about .280 thanks to that wall in LCF.
I’d say .280/30/120 is a pretty good deal for a full season and would fetch quite the haul if he was put on the market.
Me being a Royals fan and getting to see him play 162 times this year, I personally wouldn’t pay up for him because he’s inconsistent as you say, but other teams might be willing to.
Seeing “3x Gold Glove Winner” next to a guys name would suck in a lot of GMs.
This isn’t 1990, gms aren’t gonna go based on who wins a gg award.
Your projections for him in Boston are based off what, exactly? Pure conjecture on your part. He’s a 1b who hits slightly above league average without providing much value on the bases or with his glove. That is not the type of player you give up top talent for, especially not for 1 year of that player
I stand corrected…did not realize he had such a bad year…he had a lower WAR than non-tender candidate Chris Carter. Guess I shouldn’t have put so much value in his homeruns and RBIs, how archaic of me 🙂
Not a very good defender? He’s on his way to a 4th straight gold glove!
He ‘s been good defensively in the past, but he frankly blew chunks at first this year, and it’s that instability of Hosmer’s in both his defense and his bat that keeps the Royals from getting a good haul for him, and could very well leave him non-tendered.
Uh, ….
Saying that Hosmer isn’t a very good baseball player is like saying Cardinal So
Cubs paid ton for D wizard Heyward. Hows that working for them?
> Red Sox…willing to part with one of their big prospects for one year of Hosmer.
The Sox have a slugger at 1B who is not great at fielding the position, but passable. The Royals have a slugger at 1B who is not great at fielding the position, but passable.
Why would the Sox give up anything to get a second one of those? Don’t say “DH,” because it would be cheaper overall to sign a DH.
The DBacks should look into both Holland and KRod should they be available for the right price this winter. The back end of their bullpen needs some experience and both of those guys have a solid track record.
The Royals need to choose their path this offseason. It will be too late if they realize in June that they need to rebuild. They would get more for Hosmer, Davis, Moose by trading them now.
Actually, teams in the hunt tend to overpay at the deadline, more so than during the winter, IMO.
3.24 ERA and 44 Saves for $6MM, or buy K-Rod out for $2MM. A $4MM difference. He’s going to be picked up. Easily.
Even if they use K-rod as set up for Rondon, the difference of $4MM is less than they are paying Lowe to mop up. Its also nice to have a fall back if they can’t find another closer. c The combination provides a nice contrast to each other; off speed vs. blazing fastball. Great way to throw off a line-ups timing.
Steve I agree with you about K-Rod. Not picking up his option is crazy talk. With a $2MM buyout, he only costs $4MM. Where are you going to get a pitcher like K-Rod for $4MM?
Lots of teams will line up to get a closer with his track record for $6MM. Sign and trade if you must,but sign him!!
Maybe pirates buy low on holland?
Sign and trade on K-Rod makes sense. Make Rondon the closer. The Tigers seem adamant about cutting payroll and may find some of the other options difficult to pull off.
haha you guys really want KC to trade their big players, not gonna happen…
Or they could let them walk and pick up draft compensation either way kc is probably going to lose a few of their key players they could procrastinate for a year or two make a significant run or make the turnover quicker to that next great team
Two good years does not make a “great team”.
Maybe not historically but they won a championship and went to another it was a great team for two years I think alot of people would want to just get back to that position no matter how short that window was
In my opinion the Red Sox are ok at first base, Hanley had a great year for a guy who never played The position before..Sam Travis might be ready, and more than likely they will sign a 1B/Dh like EE…Hosmer is a great player, just not worth trading a top prospect for one year of his decline in production
Tired of retread players being hired into front office positions in the White Sox org with little or no experience. This is why the White Sox are where they are and the Cubs are in the World Series. Maybe Getz works out, but just because KW had one lucky season and Ozzie worked out for a few, apparently JR thinks that all ex players can do well in those positions (and that it was Parent’s, not Ventura’s, fault that they stunk for the past 5 seasons).
Cmon JR, bring in guys that are accomplished in baseball and stop paying bottom dollar for the guys that you need to develop your players!!!!