The World Baseball Classic is headed to San Francisco for the Championship Round. Sporting Kansas City held its home opener. Kansas and Kansas State are set for the Big 12 Championship game and Selection Sunday will soon follow. However, all that's on my mind is the start of the Major League season.
With two weeks to go until Opening Night, the Royals are 16-3 in Cactus League play. That doesn't mean much to me and I'm not even trying to poo poo the great Spring the club is having. It's just the way it is. I have no doubt a higher percentage of fans know what the Royals' Spring Training record is compared to the players in the clubhouse.
Nevertheless, now is the time to start projecting forward what the season holds. American League Central Champions? American League Wild Card? Above .500? Catastrophic meltdown? No matter your opinion of Dayton Moore, your expectations for the 2013 Royals likely fall into one of those categories. However, mine fall into another: Better than the Yankees.
As someone who grew up despising the Yankees (I once attended three games of a four-game Yankees vs. Royals series — the Royals lost all three games I attended and won the one I missed), those might be my hopes more than my expectations, but for the Royals, I think those are the most realistic expectations.
As far as I'm concerned, a wild card is a pipe dream and a pennant is an impossibility. The Tigers are head and shoulders better and whether or not the Indians are better, as well, they've certainly had a better offseason. And the White Sox are still a club for the Royals to reckon with. So winning the division is out of the question. But even if they manage to climb to second place, that leaves teams like the Rangers, Athletics, Angels, Blue Jays, Rays and Orioles that either reached the postseason in 2012 or are legitimate contenders to do so in 2013. A multitude of things would have to go wrong for those teams to fall behind the Royals in the Wild Card standings.
But, a year after finishing ahead of the Red Sox, I do think the Royals are in position to outpace an even greater AL East monolith in the Yankees.
The Royals have their holes, for sure (even David Lough never imagined a fan base might one day view him as a savior — especially not at the same age with the same measurements as this lowly writer). But right now they are healthy. They have experienced youth. They have very few distractions. And they might actually have some pitching depth.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have lost the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira to injury. That trio combined for 85 home runs in 2012 compared to the Royals' team total of 131. Rodriguez will miss at least half the season with only the drastically declining Kevin Youkilis to replace him. Granderson will miss the first month of the season with newly-acquired Ben Francisco filling in. Teixeira will be out until at least May, leaving Juan Rivera as the team's best option at first base. While all three are upgrades from their replacements, Granderson is the only one of the three who hasn't regressed significantly over the last season or two.
Speaking of regression, Derek Jeter is still taking up space between second and third base and Travis Hafner is somehow slated to be the club's regular DH. Ichiro Suzuki can't play forever (I don't think). Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda are entering probably their last productive seasons, if not their final seasons, period.
The biggest star left in his prime is second baseman Robinson Cano. It's hard to poke any holes in Cano's resumé (unless you want to bring up his performance in last year's Home Run Derby). However, he happens to be in the final year of his contract and until a new contract is signed, the New York media will turn the situation into a distraction. Even if they don't, Yankees brass will have to feel some anxiety that he will depart for a club with endless funds (Dodgers, Angels) or a team seeking a franchise player with money to burn (Astros).
As for the Yankee's staff, you can't find a more sturdy (literally) Opening Day starter than CC Sabathia or dependable stopper in the bullpen than Rivera. But you can't help but wonder when/if Sabathia's weight or Rivera's age and surgery will catch up to them, allowing hitters to catch up to them. If Sabathia and Rivera don't retain their form, there isn't a whole lot of support between them. I've already mentioned Kuroda and Pettitte's age. Behind them are younger but more erratic pitchers in Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova. Should anyone in the rotation go down, David Phelps is basically the last line of defense. As for the rest of the bullpen, it should be as good as any other bullpen, but a strong bullpen doesn't mean much if the rest of the team is broken — as the Royals learned in 2012.
Now, back to the Royals.
At some point, someone is sure to go down to injury. But it can't hurt that they are halfway through Spring Training in good health. Even if someone does succumb to injury, the Royals' reserves are at least on the same level as a Youkilis, Francisco or Juan Rivera.
When it comes to career arcs, most of the Royals' lineup is comprised of players headed in the right direction. Only Jeff Francoeur is falling off and Chris Getz and Johnny Giavotella are just flat-lining. Because of the team's youth, there aren't any looming contract concerns to distract the team. There aren't even any divisive position battles. Everyone seems to know their role and if Francoeur occupying a starting spot can't unravel a clubhouse, perhaps nothing can.
Against all odds, a tiny seed of optimism is growing within me regarding the pitching staff. Albeit in small samples, Will Smith, Luis Mendoza and Yordano Ventura have auditioned well for the back of the rotation. Ervin Santana hasn't imploded yet. James Shields is likely tinkering with things, so I can't put much stock in his performance. I can only hope Jeremy Guthrie is doing the same. Bruce Chen is going to do what Bruce Chen does. And Luke Hochevar is mercifully out of the picture. Like I said, it's a tiny seed.
Will anyone dance in the streets over a 79-83 record if the Yankees finish 78-84? I doubt it (and hope not). But from my perspective, that's the most logical goal for the season and the most realistically attainable. Sadly, it was likely equally as attainable with Wil Myers making a mid-season appearance for the Royals as it is with James Shields starting on Opening Day.
Fire Dayton Moore
Fire Dayton Moore
It's time.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Sunday, March 3, 2013
WWJS do?
From what I've read and heard, if I didn't know any better, the Bible got it wrong and JC was actually JS -- James Shields.
Story after story after story heap nothing but praise upon Shields as Opening Day nears. (HE AND JEFF FRANCOEUR TRICKED TEAMMATES INTO GOLFING WITH EXPLODING GOLF BALLS! HILARIOUS! LOL!). Even ESPN's rebranded Baseball Tonight Podcast has touched on Shields and the impact of his leadership on the Royals and how much the Rays miss their would-be No. 4 starter. (If you do have some free time, I encourage you to go back and listen to last week's episodes. I think Thursday and Friday's episodes make mention of Wil Myers as he nears stardom.)
I get it. James Shields is an accomplished Major League pitcher. He'd be a luxury as a No. 4 starter on a playoff contender. But what grinds my gears is Shields was not traded to a playoff contender. He was dealt to a team desperate not to finish with a losing record because jobs are on the line. Even if Shields' "aura" lasts from now to October, think of everything else that will need to fall the Royals' way.
Salvador Perez must come close to delivering on the MVP-candidate expectations writers are probably unfairly branding him with. Eric Hosmer must bounce back from a horrendous 2012. The Royals must get some kind of production from second base. Mike Moustakas must take another step forward. Alcides Escobar must not take a step backward. Alex Gordon must put up with being jerked around the lineup and still produce. Lorenzo Cain must stay healthy and be a productive everyday player. Jeff Francoeur must pretend he isn't Jeff Francoeur over a full season. The rest of the Royals rotation -- Jeremy Guthrie, Ervin Santana, Wade Davis, Bruce Chen, whoever else -- must stay healthy all season and put forth the kind of performance that merits being in a Major League rotation all season. That might sound simple enough, but if you'd been asked before the 2012 season what a rotation rounded out by Guthrie, Santana, Davis and Chen was capable of, I can't imagine you would have predicted a playoff appearace. What has changed in a year? Finally, the bullpen must carry over its strong 2012 campaign.
So while I'm glad Royals fans have a pitcher they can rally behind, the enthusiasm is simply misplaced as far as I'm concerned. In reality, Shields' only value to the Royals should be as a summer trade chip. Maybe he will be, but I don't have that much faith in Dayton Moore. And even if he does wind up trading Shields before he leaves via free agency, he'll likely blunder such a trade just as he did the deal to bring Shields to Kansas City.
I know, the trade was back in early December. It's early March. I should be over it by now. Maybe I would be, except for the dubious "Player to be named later" -- Elliot Johnson. A replacement-level player if there ever was one. He's older than me and I'm already at the age I'm in awe when I see a player like Mike Trout and think about how much younger than me he is. And, as desperate as the Royals are for a regular second baseman, Johnson is not an every day regular beyond the Triple A level.
For two months, I held out hope that maybe the PTBNL might be one of the Rays' top draft picks in 2012 (because players must be with an organization for at least a year before they can be traded). I thought maybe that would make losing Myers and three other prospects worthwhile. Maybe. I thought that might redeem Dayton Moore in my eyes. Maybe.
Instead, I've never thought lower of an executive. Of what use is Elliot Johnson to a team supposedly in playoff contention? He's not just a poor man's version of Jed Lowrie. He might be a dead man's version of Jed Lowrie.
But if fans' enthusiasm for Shields is misplaced, as far as I'm concerned, because the Royals are counterfeit contenders, I guess my frustrations over Johnson in a Royals uniform are misplaced, as well, because he's just the kind of player a losing team targets.
Fire Dayton Moore
Story after story after story heap nothing but praise upon Shields as Opening Day nears. (HE AND JEFF FRANCOEUR TRICKED TEAMMATES INTO GOLFING WITH EXPLODING GOLF BALLS! HILARIOUS! LOL!). Even ESPN's rebranded Baseball Tonight Podcast has touched on Shields and the impact of his leadership on the Royals and how much the Rays miss their would-be No. 4 starter. (If you do have some free time, I encourage you to go back and listen to last week's episodes. I think Thursday and Friday's episodes make mention of Wil Myers as he nears stardom.)
I get it. James Shields is an accomplished Major League pitcher. He'd be a luxury as a No. 4 starter on a playoff contender. But what grinds my gears is Shields was not traded to a playoff contender. He was dealt to a team desperate not to finish with a losing record because jobs are on the line. Even if Shields' "aura" lasts from now to October, think of everything else that will need to fall the Royals' way.
Salvador Perez must come close to delivering on the MVP-candidate expectations writers are probably unfairly branding him with. Eric Hosmer must bounce back from a horrendous 2012. The Royals must get some kind of production from second base. Mike Moustakas must take another step forward. Alcides Escobar must not take a step backward. Alex Gordon must put up with being jerked around the lineup and still produce. Lorenzo Cain must stay healthy and be a productive everyday player. Jeff Francoeur must pretend he isn't Jeff Francoeur over a full season. The rest of the Royals rotation -- Jeremy Guthrie, Ervin Santana, Wade Davis, Bruce Chen, whoever else -- must stay healthy all season and put forth the kind of performance that merits being in a Major League rotation all season. That might sound simple enough, but if you'd been asked before the 2012 season what a rotation rounded out by Guthrie, Santana, Davis and Chen was capable of, I can't imagine you would have predicted a playoff appearace. What has changed in a year? Finally, the bullpen must carry over its strong 2012 campaign.
So while I'm glad Royals fans have a pitcher they can rally behind, the enthusiasm is simply misplaced as far as I'm concerned. In reality, Shields' only value to the Royals should be as a summer trade chip. Maybe he will be, but I don't have that much faith in Dayton Moore. And even if he does wind up trading Shields before he leaves via free agency, he'll likely blunder such a trade just as he did the deal to bring Shields to Kansas City.
I know, the trade was back in early December. It's early March. I should be over it by now. Maybe I would be, except for the dubious "Player to be named later" -- Elliot Johnson. A replacement-level player if there ever was one. He's older than me and I'm already at the age I'm in awe when I see a player like Mike Trout and think about how much younger than me he is. And, as desperate as the Royals are for a regular second baseman, Johnson is not an every day regular beyond the Triple A level.
For two months, I held out hope that maybe the PTBNL might be one of the Rays' top draft picks in 2012 (because players must be with an organization for at least a year before they can be traded). I thought maybe that would make losing Myers and three other prospects worthwhile. Maybe. I thought that might redeem Dayton Moore in my eyes. Maybe.
Instead, I've never thought lower of an executive. Of what use is Elliot Johnson to a team supposedly in playoff contention? He's not just a poor man's version of Jed Lowrie. He might be a dead man's version of Jed Lowrie.
But if fans' enthusiasm for Shields is misplaced, as far as I'm concerned, because the Royals are counterfeit contenders, I guess my frustrations over Johnson in a Royals uniform are misplaced, as well, because he's just the kind of player a losing team targets.
Fire Dayton Moore
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Not exactly easy listening Pt. IV
This is a day late, but on Wednesday, Baseball Prospectus' Effectively Wild Podcast featured the Royals as they cycle through each MLB team to preview the season. Craig Brown and Kansas City Star columnist Sam Mellinger were guests on the show. Both rehash the Myers-Shields trade and explain why, to this day, it still feels like a poor move on Dayton Moore's part. They also bring into question why a franchise that has preached OBP for years still has one of the worst walk rates in baseball. And their expectations for 2013 are as mild as mine.
That's the main thing I wanted to bring to your attention. Feel free to stop reading and please at least listen to the intro for this episode of Effectively Wild.
On my drive to work yesterday, while listening to this podcast, I had what I think is one of my best ideas in recent memory. You know how in some cases teams can cut ties with a player and void the remaining money owed to that player (like what the Yankees are scrambling to do with Alex Rodriguez, for example)?
What if you could do that with front office personnel? Except, instead of money, you void transactions. So when an owner fires his GM, all the moves he's made over the last 365 days are undone. Speaking as someone who has had the misfortune of following teams with strikingly bad GMs almost all my life, I think it's a spectacular idea.
Just think. In 9 months, after the Royals have finished 78-84 behind the Tigers and White Sox, Dayton Moore should (but probably won't) get fired. And upon the announcement of said firing, all of his moves from the previous year would be reversed. No more James Shields. No more Wade Davis. No more Jeremy Guthrie. Wil Myers comes back to his rightful place in the Royals outfield. Wouldn't that just be grand?
As unrealistic as it sounds, I think it's fair in this way: GMs that are on the hot seat make irrational moves in their last season to save their asses. That's the only logical explanation for the moves Moore has made the last three months. Desperation. So why should a franchise be set back because of the actions of a desperate man?
I know. The fact of the matter is, an owner should string an underperforming GM along so long that they have a chance to execute such desperate moves. But, at the very least, I bet such a change would cause competing GMs to think twice about taking advantage of GMs like Moore...
And while I'm throwing out crazy ideas, I think the Tampa Bay Rays should move to the Sprint Center.
That's the main thing I wanted to bring to your attention. Feel free to stop reading and please at least listen to the intro for this episode of Effectively Wild.
On my drive to work yesterday, while listening to this podcast, I had what I think is one of my best ideas in recent memory. You know how in some cases teams can cut ties with a player and void the remaining money owed to that player (like what the Yankees are scrambling to do with Alex Rodriguez, for example)?
What if you could do that with front office personnel? Except, instead of money, you void transactions. So when an owner fires his GM, all the moves he's made over the last 365 days are undone. Speaking as someone who has had the misfortune of following teams with strikingly bad GMs almost all my life, I think it's a spectacular idea.
Just think. In 9 months, after the Royals have finished 78-84 behind the Tigers and White Sox, Dayton Moore should (but probably won't) get fired. And upon the announcement of said firing, all of his moves from the previous year would be reversed. No more James Shields. No more Wade Davis. No more Jeremy Guthrie. Wil Myers comes back to his rightful place in the Royals outfield. Wouldn't that just be grand?
As unrealistic as it sounds, I think it's fair in this way: GMs that are on the hot seat make irrational moves in their last season to save their asses. That's the only logical explanation for the moves Moore has made the last three months. Desperation. So why should a franchise be set back because of the actions of a desperate man?
I know. The fact of the matter is, an owner should string an underperforming GM along so long that they have a chance to execute such desperate moves. But, at the very least, I bet such a change would cause competing GMs to think twice about taking advantage of GMs like Moore...
And while I'm throwing out crazy ideas, I think the Tampa Bay Rays should move to the Sprint Center.
- The Sprint Center finally lands the marquee tenant it's been seeking.
- The Rays get out of a city that doesn't appreciate (or deserve) them.
- The Rays can continue playing indoors for no good reason.
- Wil Myers would play in front of fans in Kansas City as he was meant to.
- Kansas City baseball fans wouldn't have to travel to St. Louis to watch a well-run franchise in person.
As you can tell, I'm starved for actual baseball action to begin...
Fire Dayton Moore
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
Let's set aside all the facts we have on Jeff Francoeur. Let's forget all the things that must go right for the Royals starting rotation to combine for 60 victories (a standard plateau for playoff-caliber staffs). Outside of right field and the rotation, what would you say is the Royals' most glaring question mark?
Fair to say second base? I think so. Enough of a question mark that manager Ned Yost answered questions about the coming battle between Chris Getz and Johnny Giavotella for playing time at the position.
Coincidentally, while Yost was talking about two replacement-level infielders, the Oakland A's — a franchise with a plan — traded for Jed Lowrie, who will likely serve as an uber utility man. Lowrie can play every infield position, including...drum roll...second base!
Just like Dayton Moore should have known the Marlins were primed to sell off players when the offseason began, Moore should have known nothing in Houston was nailed down and Lowrie in particular should have been a target. Instead, he was too busy pinning his $1 million hopes on Miguel Tejada.
For the record, Lowrie — who posted a 2.5 WAR in 2012 despite missing time, compared to Getz and Giavotella's combined WAR of -0.2 — will make just $2.4 million this season, is arbitration eligible for 2014 and wouldn't be a free agent until 2015. He switch hits. And he wears a double-flapped batting helmet.
He's exactly the kind of player a contending team adds as a final piece of the puzzle. By comparison, Marco Scutaro, who signed a 3-year, $20 million deal this offseason, also posted a 2.5 WAR last season. Scutaro also would have fit in nicely with the Royals, especially if Moore thinks the team needs veteran leaders, but I can understand why he was priced out of the Royals' range (plus he's 37 while Lowrie is going on 29). Moore doesn't have the same excuse with Lowrie.
The only case I can come up with against the Royals landing Lowrie is they probably couldn't offer the Astros a power bat like Chris Carter, who the A's sent packing along with solid prospects Brad Peacock and Max Stassi. If the Astros wouldn't settle for less than a big bat, a top pitching prospect and catching prospect, then the Royals obviously wouldn't be a good fit.
However, believe it or not, I'm an optimist. I like to look at why something can happen, not why it can't. So, once again, if Dayton Moore were serious about making the Royals a contender this season, he would have found a way to add Jed Lowrie to his roster.
But Moore isn't serious. He hasn't come to "win" in 2013. He's Come to Play.
Fire Dayton Moore
Fair to say second base? I think so. Enough of a question mark that manager Ned Yost answered questions about the coming battle between Chris Getz and Johnny Giavotella for playing time at the position.
Coincidentally, while Yost was talking about two replacement-level infielders, the Oakland A's — a franchise with a plan — traded for Jed Lowrie, who will likely serve as an uber utility man. Lowrie can play every infield position, including...drum roll...second base!
Just like Dayton Moore should have known the Marlins were primed to sell off players when the offseason began, Moore should have known nothing in Houston was nailed down and Lowrie in particular should have been a target. Instead, he was too busy pinning his $1 million hopes on Miguel Tejada.
For the record, Lowrie — who posted a 2.5 WAR in 2012 despite missing time, compared to Getz and Giavotella's combined WAR of -0.2 — will make just $2.4 million this season, is arbitration eligible for 2014 and wouldn't be a free agent until 2015. He switch hits. And he wears a double-flapped batting helmet.
He's exactly the kind of player a contending team adds as a final piece of the puzzle. By comparison, Marco Scutaro, who signed a 3-year, $20 million deal this offseason, also posted a 2.5 WAR last season. Scutaro also would have fit in nicely with the Royals, especially if Moore thinks the team needs veteran leaders, but I can understand why he was priced out of the Royals' range (plus he's 37 while Lowrie is going on 29). Moore doesn't have the same excuse with Lowrie.
The only case I can come up with against the Royals landing Lowrie is they probably couldn't offer the Astros a power bat like Chris Carter, who the A's sent packing along with solid prospects Brad Peacock and Max Stassi. If the Astros wouldn't settle for less than a big bat, a top pitching prospect and catching prospect, then the Royals obviously wouldn't be a good fit.
However, believe it or not, I'm an optimist. I like to look at why something can happen, not why it can't. So, once again, if Dayton Moore were serious about making the Royals a contender this season, he would have found a way to add Jed Lowrie to his roster.
But Moore isn't serious. He hasn't come to "win" in 2013. He's Come to Play.
Fire Dayton Moore
Friday, February 1, 2013
The list to top all lists
I love lists. I think it goes back to my love for baseball. And for as long as I can remember, my dad and I have come up with lists. Every year in fantasy baseball we break our rosters down into how we'd fill out an actual lineup card. Last year I came up with an "All-Excitement" team, listing the most exciting baseball player at each position. Also, I'm an unabashed smart ass.
That's my backstory. Last week, my dad asked me to list my "All-Royals" team by naming my favorite player or the best player I could think of for each position. So, me being me, I rattled off the following...
"Jason Kendall, Mike Jacobs, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jeff Francoeur, Kyle Davies, Vin Mazzaro, Jonathan Sanchez, Luke Hochevar..."
Then I started thinking about the players I was blurting out and realized they were all acquired by the same man: Dayton Moore.
Yes, I know the history books will read Hochevar was drafted two days before Moore was named Royals GM, but I don't buy it. Agreeing to work for a franchise that won't allow you to run your first draft and ultimately drafts Hochevar without you is inexcusable. However, to know you're going to be hired by a team yet refuse to have any input on the player you will ultimately have to sign and answer for is irresponsible. Either way, Moore looks foolish.
I'll never forget Joe Posnanski breaking down Moore'se ludicrous, glowing quotes after he signed Kendall, illustrating how out of touch with reality Moore seemed to be when it came to the broken down catcher. I sadly couldn't find the article, but I did find this one, which brings up other long-forgotten names. It goes to show how little things have changed under Moore's direction.
Anyway, as a completionist, once I started this list of terrible Moore acquisitions, I set my mind to round it out. So here it is. A 25-man roster of terrible. In parenthesis are the year or even years in which Moore acquired or re-acquired these standouts along with their WAR as Royals.
C Jason Kendall (Dec. 2009; July 2012 — 1.3)
1B Mike Jacobs (Oct. 2008 — -0.7)
2B Chris Getz (Nov. 2009 — 1.5)
3B Josh Fields (Nov. 2009 — 0.2)
SS Yuniesky Betancourt (July 2009; Dec. 2011 — 0.1)
LF Scott Podsednik (Jan. 2010 — 0.7)
CF Rick Ankiel (Jan. 2010 — 0.8)
RF Jeff Francoeur (Dec. 2010 — 1.7)
DH Jose Guillen (Dec. 2007 — -1.6)
C Jason LaRue (Nov. 2006 — -0.3)
1B Ross Gload (Dec. 2006 — -0.9)
UT Jason Bourgeois (March 2012 — -0.5)
UT Miguel Tejada (Dec. 2012 — TBD)
SP Luke Hochevar (June 2006 — 8.9)
SP Kyle Davies (July 2007 — 5.2)
SP Vin Mazzaro (Nov. 2010 — 0.2)
SP Jonathan Sanchez (Nov. 2011 — -0.7)
SP Brandon Duckworth (June 2006 — 1.5)
SP Sidney Ponson (March 2009 — 0.6)
SP Sean O'Sullivan (July 2010 — -0.7)
RP Yasuhiko Yabuta (Nov. 2007 — -0.3)
RP Jeremy Jeffress (Dec. 2010 — 0.0)
RP Doug Waechter (Dec. 2008 — -0.1)
RP Hideo Nomo (Jan. 2008 — -0.3)
RP Kyle Farnsworth (Dec. 2008 — 1.7)
Moore missed being on the hook for Scott Elarton by months but that doesn't excuse him from allowing Elarton to post a -1.7 WAR from 2006 to 2007. He was the one player I was most disappointed I couldn't include.
I left off some other great names such as Ryan Shealy and Kip Wells and I'm certain I missed others, but if this isn't the definitive list of Dayton Moore flunkies, it's damn near close.
Look at that list. Some of the worst players to ever suit up for the Royals. And they were all unleashed on Kansas City by the same man.
Fire Dayton Moore
That's my backstory. Last week, my dad asked me to list my "All-Royals" team by naming my favorite player or the best player I could think of for each position. So, me being me, I rattled off the following...
"Jason Kendall, Mike Jacobs, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jeff Francoeur, Kyle Davies, Vin Mazzaro, Jonathan Sanchez, Luke Hochevar..."
Then I started thinking about the players I was blurting out and realized they were all acquired by the same man: Dayton Moore.
Yes, I know the history books will read Hochevar was drafted two days before Moore was named Royals GM, but I don't buy it. Agreeing to work for a franchise that won't allow you to run your first draft and ultimately drafts Hochevar without you is inexcusable. However, to know you're going to be hired by a team yet refuse to have any input on the player you will ultimately have to sign and answer for is irresponsible. Either way, Moore looks foolish.
I'll never forget Joe Posnanski breaking down Moore'se ludicrous, glowing quotes after he signed Kendall, illustrating how out of touch with reality Moore seemed to be when it came to the broken down catcher. I sadly couldn't find the article, but I did find this one, which brings up other long-forgotten names. It goes to show how little things have changed under Moore's direction.
Anyway, as a completionist, once I started this list of terrible Moore acquisitions, I set my mind to round it out. So here it is. A 25-man roster of terrible. In parenthesis are the year or even years in which Moore acquired or re-acquired these standouts along with their WAR as Royals.
C Jason Kendall (Dec. 2009; July 2012 — 1.3)
1B Mike Jacobs (Oct. 2008 — -0.7)
2B Chris Getz (Nov. 2009 — 1.5)
3B Josh Fields (Nov. 2009 — 0.2)
SS Yuniesky Betancourt (July 2009; Dec. 2011 — 0.1)
LF Scott Podsednik (Jan. 2010 — 0.7)
CF Rick Ankiel (Jan. 2010 — 0.8)
RF Jeff Francoeur (Dec. 2010 — 1.7)
DH Jose Guillen (Dec. 2007 — -1.6)
C Jason LaRue (Nov. 2006 — -0.3)
1B Ross Gload (Dec. 2006 — -0.9)
UT Jason Bourgeois (March 2012 — -0.5)
UT Miguel Tejada (Dec. 2012 — TBD)
SP Luke Hochevar (June 2006 — 8.9)
SP Kyle Davies (July 2007 — 5.2)
SP Vin Mazzaro (Nov. 2010 — 0.2)
SP Jonathan Sanchez (Nov. 2011 — -0.7)
SP Brandon Duckworth (June 2006 — 1.5)
SP Sidney Ponson (March 2009 — 0.6)
SP Sean O'Sullivan (July 2010 — -0.7)
RP Yasuhiko Yabuta (Nov. 2007 — -0.3)
RP Jeremy Jeffress (Dec. 2010 — 0.0)
RP Doug Waechter (Dec. 2008 — -0.1)
RP Hideo Nomo (Jan. 2008 — -0.3)
RP Kyle Farnsworth (Dec. 2008 — 1.7)
Moore missed being on the hook for Scott Elarton by months but that doesn't excuse him from allowing Elarton to post a -1.7 WAR from 2006 to 2007. He was the one player I was most disappointed I couldn't include.
I left off some other great names such as Ryan Shealy and Kip Wells and I'm certain I missed others, but if this isn't the definitive list of Dayton Moore flunkies, it's damn near close.
Look at that list. Some of the worst players to ever suit up for the Royals. And they were all unleashed on Kansas City by the same man.
Fire Dayton Moore
Monday, January 28, 2013
It's who you know
As if Ruben Amaro Jr. hadn't put Phillies fans through enough this offseason — trading for Michael Young and signing Delmon Young — today he signed Yuniesky Betancourt to a minor league contract.
It just goes to show, sometimes, it's all about who you know. Betancourt has played eight seasons and has compiled a career WAR of 2.5. But Betancourt has had the benefit of his career coinciding with Dayton Moore and Amaro Jr.'s tenures as GMs.
As a result, Moore rescued him from Seattle, where he had worn out his welcome. Then no sooner than Moore finally rid the Royals of Betancourt in the Zack Greinke trade, Moore snatched him back up before last season for a cool $2 million.
But apparently not even Betancourt's negative WAR in 2012 was enough to mercifully put his career to rest. The only explanation is Amaro Jr. must not think Philadelphia fans are grumpy enough as is. No word yet on whether or not Betancourt's contract will include any clauses regarding his weight.
Can you imagine a three-headed monster of Moore, Amaro Jr. and Kevin Towers running a single organization?
I can and I envision it looking a little something like this: 1B Ryan Howard, 2B Yuniesky Betancourt, 3B Michael Young, SS Cliff Pennington, LF Delmon Young, CF Cody Ross, RF Jeff Francoeur, SP James Shields, SP Jeremy Guthrie, SP Ervin Santana, SP Luke Hochevar, SP Kyle Kendrick, CL Heath Bell. To their credit, this team would have a stud catcher whether it's Salvador Perez, Carlos Ruiz or Miguel Montero.
Fire Dayton Moore
It just goes to show, sometimes, it's all about who you know. Betancourt has played eight seasons and has compiled a career WAR of 2.5. But Betancourt has had the benefit of his career coinciding with Dayton Moore and Amaro Jr.'s tenures as GMs.
As a result, Moore rescued him from Seattle, where he had worn out his welcome. Then no sooner than Moore finally rid the Royals of Betancourt in the Zack Greinke trade, Moore snatched him back up before last season for a cool $2 million.
But apparently not even Betancourt's negative WAR in 2012 was enough to mercifully put his career to rest. The only explanation is Amaro Jr. must not think Philadelphia fans are grumpy enough as is. No word yet on whether or not Betancourt's contract will include any clauses regarding his weight.
Can you imagine a three-headed monster of Moore, Amaro Jr. and Kevin Towers running a single organization?
I can and I envision it looking a little something like this: 1B Ryan Howard, 2B Yuniesky Betancourt, 3B Michael Young, SS Cliff Pennington, LF Delmon Young, CF Cody Ross, RF Jeff Francoeur, SP James Shields, SP Jeremy Guthrie, SP Ervin Santana, SP Luke Hochevar, SP Kyle Kendrick, CL Heath Bell. To their credit, this team would have a stud catcher whether it's Salvador Perez, Carlos Ruiz or Miguel Montero.
Fire Dayton Moore
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Moore comparing and contrasting
February is days away. Pitchers and catchers are less than three weeks in the distance. Outside of remaining marquee free agents Michael Bourn, Kyle Lohse and Jonathan Sanchez, the offseason is all but wrapped up.
Seeing how the Royals aren't likely to be involved with any remaining free agents — although I'm sure Dayton Moore is kicking the tires on Sanchez — it's time to contrast Kansas City's offseason with some other clubs around MLB.
Looking back at the transactions that have taken place since the end of last season, it's fair to say four teams have drawn lines in the sand: Kansas City, Atlanta, Arizona, Toronto. Whether or not these lines are parallel, perpendicular, or even in the same sandbox, I'm not sure. But Moore, Frank Wren, Kevin Towers, and Alex Anthopoulos have steered their respective organizations in distinct directions that may or may not lead to success.
Yes, I know the Dodgers and Angels have spent piles of money this offseason, but both teams started that trend before the offseason began. I don't count them in this group. The Mariners tried to make a big splash this offseason, but even with all their moves, I don't see them as drastically different or better going into this season. Tampa Bay did what it does. Nothing new. Miami did what it does. Nothing new. (Can the United States please trade Florida for Puerto Rico or something?) The Phillies had perhaps the worst offseason, bringing in the likes of Michael Young and Delmon Young, but this is Fire Dayton Moore. I'm not going to let Ruben Amaro Jr.'s disdain for advanced statistics get Moore off the hook.
Understanding Their Opportunity
The Yankees aren't what they once were and are dealing with some cumbersome contracts while trying to lower payroll. The Red Sox are trying (awkwardly) to rebuild after a 69-93 season. Nobody seriously expects the Orioles to catch lightening in a bottle a second straight season. The Rays are always a threat, but coming off a third place finish and have James Loney as their starting first baseman. Therefore, the window of opportunity in what was once the best division in baseball is wide open and the Blue Jays held nothing back.
Granted, they took on a load of players that led the Marlins to a mere 69-93 record, but they also added a Cy Young winner. Even if R.A. Dickey regresses somewhat, when Reyes, Johnson and Buehrle are at their best (or close to it), they give the Blue Jays one of the two best rotations and the best shortstop in the AL East. And all it cost them was four promising, but certainly not can't-miss prospects, and a bigoted shortstop.
Would it shock me if Anthopoulos' plan imploded and Tampa Bay won the East while, let's say, the Yankees and Rangers earned Wild Card spots? No it wouldn't. But I can't blame Anthopoulos for recognizing a rare opportunity to win and a farm system with valuable trade pieces and using the latter to improve his odds of the former.
Anthopoulos' tenure with the Blue Jays has been highlighted by taking risks (trading for Colby Rasmus, re-signing Edwin Encarnacion between 2009-2010 before his career took off, believing in Jose Bautista). Without those risks paying off, Toronto probably isn't in position to make a major push this offseason. Now the Blue Jays have gone from depending on Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero atop their rotation and Yunel Escobar at shortstop to handing the ball to a Cy Young winner in Dickey on Opening Day and plugging in an everyday shortstop with a 10.7 WAR the last two seasons in Reyes.
Anthopoulos could have waited for prospects like Travis d'Arnaud, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and Noah Syndergaard to reach the Majors and compete with them, but wisely he realized there are no guarantees in the AL East. The odds of those four players panning out and the division still being up for grabs when they did aren't as good as Dickey, Reyes, Johnson and Buehrle leading the Blue Jays to the playoffs the next couple of years. For Anthopoulos and the Blue Jays, the risk was worth the possible reward and I'll be more surprised if it doesn't pay off than if it does.
Understanding Their Opportunity
The Yankees aren't what they once were and are dealing with some cumbersome contracts while trying to lower payroll. The Red Sox are trying (awkwardly) to rebuild after a 69-93 season. Nobody seriously expects the Orioles to catch lightening in a bottle a second straight season. The Rays are always a threat, but coming off a third place finish and have James Loney as their starting first baseman. Therefore, the window of opportunity in what was once the best division in baseball is wide open and the Blue Jays held nothing back.
Granted, they took on a load of players that led the Marlins to a mere 69-93 record, but they also added a Cy Young winner. Even if R.A. Dickey regresses somewhat, when Reyes, Johnson and Buehrle are at their best (or close to it), they give the Blue Jays one of the two best rotations and the best shortstop in the AL East. And all it cost them was four promising, but certainly not can't-miss prospects, and a bigoted shortstop.
Would it shock me if Anthopoulos' plan imploded and Tampa Bay won the East while, let's say, the Yankees and Rangers earned Wild Card spots? No it wouldn't. But I can't blame Anthopoulos for recognizing a rare opportunity to win and a farm system with valuable trade pieces and using the latter to improve his odds of the former.
Anthopoulos' tenure with the Blue Jays has been highlighted by taking risks (trading for Colby Rasmus, re-signing Edwin Encarnacion between 2009-2010 before his career took off, believing in Jose Bautista). Without those risks paying off, Toronto probably isn't in position to make a major push this offseason. Now the Blue Jays have gone from depending on Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero atop their rotation and Yunel Escobar at shortstop to handing the ball to a Cy Young winner in Dickey on Opening Day and plugging in an everyday shortstop with a 10.7 WAR the last two seasons in Reyes.
Anthopoulos could have waited for prospects like Travis d'Arnaud, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and Noah Syndergaard to reach the Majors and compete with them, but wisely he realized there are no guarantees in the AL East. The odds of those four players panning out and the division still being up for grabs when they did aren't as good as Dickey, Reyes, Johnson and Buehrle leading the Blue Jays to the playoffs the next couple of years. For Anthopoulos and the Blue Jays, the risk was worth the possible reward and I'll be more surprised if it doesn't pay off than if it does.
Toronto's Notable Transactions
- Signed Melky Cabrera
- Traded Yunel Escobar, Jeff Mathis, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino (prospect), Anthony Desclafani (prospect), Jake Marisnick (prospect) for Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck
- Traded John Buck, Noah Syndergaard (prospect), Travis d'Arnaud (prospect), Wuilmer Becerra (prospect) for R.A. Dickey, Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas (prospect)
The Towers-ing Inferno
As frustrating as the Royals' offseason has been, I can't imagine what my mental state would be if I followed the Diamondbacks.
From my viewpoint, the D-Backs play in a winnable division no matter how much ravenous spending the Dodgers do or how many trophies the Giants add to their mantle. I didn't necessarily see the Diamondbacks as sure-fire contenders in 2013, but I liked their rotation. I liked some of their outfield prospects like Adam Eaton. No, not that Adam Eaton (shudders). I loved their pitching prospects (Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin). I still felt Justin Upton was a franchise player, despite a down 2012 season. When the offseason began and they signed Brandon McCarthy, I was a fan of the move. That's literally the only move Kevin Towers made this offseason that made any sense to me.
Even when Heath Bell saved 43 games in 2011, the underlying numbers showed he was getting by on smoke and mirrors. The contract the Marlins gave him last offseason was ill-advised and the thought of anyone trading for him this offseason was inconceivable. Especially if it left a hole in center field that Towers would apparently try to fill with Cody Ross, who isn't a center fielder, but is listed as the D-Backs' starting center fielder on MLB.com's depth chart.
Regardless of what position Ross plays, it doesn't add up. In center field, he stunts Eaton's development. If he plays right, he takes Gerardo Parra out of the lineup, even though it would seem he's the kind of gritty, grinding player Towers has been seeking out to appease manager Kirk Gibson. And by signing Ross before dealing Upton, it seemed to paint Towers into a corner that probably kept him from maximizing Upton's value. Especially when you consider he could have shopped Jason Kubel instead and still landed at least one solid pitching prospect and kept Upton or traded him at any point during the season rather than having to trade him in the winter. Of course, Towers wouldn't have been as desperate for young pitching had he not given up on Bauer and dealt him for a glove-first shortstop and little else.
So, recapping Towers' offseason: He went into the offseason with 22-year-old Trevor Bauer as his top young pitcher, 25-year-old Justin Upton as his best offensive weapon and shortstop Chris Owings as one of the Top 10 prospects in his system, according to Baseball America (not expected to be great, but some promise nonetheless). He goes into the 2013 season with 22-year-old Randall Delgado replacing Bauer — a downgrade until Bauer proves otherwise — 30-year-old Jason Kubel and 29-year-old Martin Prado expected to carry the offense (yes, Prado's WAR is solid, but he may not even be with the club a year from now), and shortstop Didi Gregorius ranked just two spots ahead of Owings by BA in the organization's Top 10 prospects.
At best, the Diamondbacks are no better than they were when last season ended, but now Towers has traded away the two best trade chips he had. If these moves don't pay off, Towers will likely have to trade away even more pitching. It seems the logical move would have been for Towers to trade Upton straight up for an elite shortstop prospect. Maybe even toss in a Corbin or Skaggs if he can get a Jurickson Profar in return. Instead, he took the roundabout path to land a shortstop who might not even hit. And even without Bauer I'm not sure why Towers was so dead set to deal Upton for more young pitching.
Maybe the cast of Charlie Hustlers that Towers has compiled will surprise baseball and set back the cause of advanced statistical analysis, but I don't see the Diamondbacks as any better than the .500 club they were a year ago.
As frustrating as the Royals' offseason has been, I can't imagine what my mental state would be if I followed the Diamondbacks.
From my viewpoint, the D-Backs play in a winnable division no matter how much ravenous spending the Dodgers do or how many trophies the Giants add to their mantle. I didn't necessarily see the Diamondbacks as sure-fire contenders in 2013, but I liked their rotation. I liked some of their outfield prospects like Adam Eaton. No, not that Adam Eaton (shudders). I loved their pitching prospects (Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin). I still felt Justin Upton was a franchise player, despite a down 2012 season. When the offseason began and they signed Brandon McCarthy, I was a fan of the move. That's literally the only move Kevin Towers made this offseason that made any sense to me.
Even when Heath Bell saved 43 games in 2011, the underlying numbers showed he was getting by on smoke and mirrors. The contract the Marlins gave him last offseason was ill-advised and the thought of anyone trading for him this offseason was inconceivable. Especially if it left a hole in center field that Towers would apparently try to fill with Cody Ross, who isn't a center fielder, but is listed as the D-Backs' starting center fielder on MLB.com's depth chart.
Regardless of what position Ross plays, it doesn't add up. In center field, he stunts Eaton's development. If he plays right, he takes Gerardo Parra out of the lineup, even though it would seem he's the kind of gritty, grinding player Towers has been seeking out to appease manager Kirk Gibson. And by signing Ross before dealing Upton, it seemed to paint Towers into a corner that probably kept him from maximizing Upton's value. Especially when you consider he could have shopped Jason Kubel instead and still landed at least one solid pitching prospect and kept Upton or traded him at any point during the season rather than having to trade him in the winter. Of course, Towers wouldn't have been as desperate for young pitching had he not given up on Bauer and dealt him for a glove-first shortstop and little else.
So, recapping Towers' offseason: He went into the offseason with 22-year-old Trevor Bauer as his top young pitcher, 25-year-old Justin Upton as his best offensive weapon and shortstop Chris Owings as one of the Top 10 prospects in his system, according to Baseball America (not expected to be great, but some promise nonetheless). He goes into the 2013 season with 22-year-old Randall Delgado replacing Bauer — a downgrade until Bauer proves otherwise — 30-year-old Jason Kubel and 29-year-old Martin Prado expected to carry the offense (yes, Prado's WAR is solid, but he may not even be with the club a year from now), and shortstop Didi Gregorius ranked just two spots ahead of Owings by BA in the organization's Top 10 prospects.
At best, the Diamondbacks are no better than they were when last season ended, but now Towers has traded away the two best trade chips he had. If these moves don't pay off, Towers will likely have to trade away even more pitching. It seems the logical move would have been for Towers to trade Upton straight up for an elite shortstop prospect. Maybe even toss in a Corbin or Skaggs if he can get a Jurickson Profar in return. Instead, he took the roundabout path to land a shortstop who might not even hit. And even without Bauer I'm not sure why Towers was so dead set to deal Upton for more young pitching.
Maybe the cast of Charlie Hustlers that Towers has compiled will surprise baseball and set back the cause of advanced statistical analysis, but I don't see the Diamondbacks as any better than the .500 club they were a year ago.
Arizona's Notable Transactions
- Signed Brandon McCarthy
- Signed Cody Ross
- Traded Chris Young for Cliff Pennington, Heath Bell
- Traded Trevor Bauer, Matt Albers, Bryan Shaw for Lars Anderson, Tony Sipp, Didi Gregorius (prospect)
- Traded Justin Upton, Chris Johnson for Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Zeke Spruill, Nick Ahmed, Brandon Drury
Pushing in His Chips
If you're reading this, you've heard this story before. Going into the offseason there was a team in a winnable division, but one stacked team ahead of it to overcome. So this team's GM put his neck on the line and made a bold, franchise-altering trade. And now that GM's club is in prime position to win.
I'm talking about Frank Wren and the Atlanta Braves, of course. What? Did you think I was talking about someone else? In just three moves, Wren turned the Braves into what I see as a legitimate World Series contender.
Say what you will about B.J. Upton, but if Michael Bourn wasn't interested in re-signing, there weren't any better center field alternatives this winter. Say what you will about Tommy Hanson, but his numbers haven't matched the hype the last couple seasons and, as great as Atlanta's bullpen has been with Craig Kimbrel as closer, Kimbrel and Jonny Venters have logged a ton of innings, so Jordan Walden alleviates some of that workload to ensure Kimbrel and Venters are around come fall. Those were the "minor" moves.
Last week came Wren's hum-dinger — trading for Justin Upton. Wisely, Wren offered up an attractive, but expendable arm in Randall Delgado. I'm sure he would have preferred to give up Julio Teheran, but I'm sure Towers insisted on Delgado. Well, that might be giving too much credit to Towers, but outside of Delgado and the versatile Prado, Wren gave up little else to land a 25-year-old outfielder with MVP potential. That kind of player isn't made available often and he pounced on the opportunity.
If there's any downside to the trade, it's the hole it leaves at third base for Atlanta, and the possible exhaustion Brian McCann might experience chasing errant throws by the Upton brothers.
If you're reading this, you've heard this story before. Going into the offseason there was a team in a winnable division, but one stacked team ahead of it to overcome. So this team's GM put his neck on the line and made a bold, franchise-altering trade. And now that GM's club is in prime position to win.
I'm talking about Frank Wren and the Atlanta Braves, of course. What? Did you think I was talking about someone else? In just three moves, Wren turned the Braves into what I see as a legitimate World Series contender.
Say what you will about B.J. Upton, but if Michael Bourn wasn't interested in re-signing, there weren't any better center field alternatives this winter. Say what you will about Tommy Hanson, but his numbers haven't matched the hype the last couple seasons and, as great as Atlanta's bullpen has been with Craig Kimbrel as closer, Kimbrel and Jonny Venters have logged a ton of innings, so Jordan Walden alleviates some of that workload to ensure Kimbrel and Venters are around come fall. Those were the "minor" moves.
Last week came Wren's hum-dinger — trading for Justin Upton. Wisely, Wren offered up an attractive, but expendable arm in Randall Delgado. I'm sure he would have preferred to give up Julio Teheran, but I'm sure Towers insisted on Delgado. Well, that might be giving too much credit to Towers, but outside of Delgado and the versatile Prado, Wren gave up little else to land a 25-year-old outfielder with MVP potential. That kind of player isn't made available often and he pounced on the opportunity.
If there's any downside to the trade, it's the hole it leaves at third base for Atlanta, and the possible exhaustion Brian McCann might experience chasing errant throws by the Upton brothers.
The Braves may lack the marquee names in their rotation that the Nationals possess and the leadoff spot remains a question, but there's no doubt the Braves are better off now than when umpire Sam Holbrook effectively ended their 2012 season. Because of Wren's savvy moves, I see the Braves testing the Nationals in the NL East and securing at least a Wild Card spot.
Atlanta's Notable Transactions
- Signed B.J. Upton
- Traded Tommy Hanson for Jordan Walden
- Traded Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Zeke Spruill, Nick Ahmed, Brandon Drury
Objects in Mirror are More Confusing Than They Appear
Earlier I wrote how I felt Dayton Moore should have continued his sale on farmhands to land Justin Upton for the logical reasons. After reading Mark Simon's Tweet above, I can't believe Moore didn't go after Upton for the sheer entertainment value of saying he had personally acquired three of the four outfielders with the most unpredictable arms.
I apologize. But until the Royals actually win something, Moore's just too easy a target. The more time I've spent thinking about and analyzing his moves this offseason, the more warped my mind has become.
He rushed to re-sign Guthrie, as if such a pitcher would fly off the shelf without a comparable alternative to be found. He rushed to trade for Ervin Santana, as if a $13 million commitment for a franchise such as the Royals was a drop in the bucket. He traded for James Shields as if he was the only available "front line" starter. He traded away Wil Myers as if it were mandatory he be dealt in order to acquire a "front line" starter.
Meanwhile, Shaun Marcum signed a 1-year, $4 million deal with the Mets just last week.
If any lesson was learned this offseason, it's that patience truly is a virtue when it comes to running a baseball team. The Blue Jays and Braves were patient in years past and moved to strike this offseason. Kevin Towers apparently lost all patience for his two most promising talents. The Royals had been patient all this time under Moore, but jumped the gun.
This notion of patience has probably held true for years, but I've spent significantly more attention to this winter's wheeling and dealing than years' past. How a person who doesn't realize this comes to run a Major League club is beyond me, but that's probably precisely why I don't get paid the big bucks.
Sadly, the Royals' offseason began with so much promise when Moore managed to dump Clint Robinson and Vin Mazzaro on the Pirates for a couple prospects. News last week that the Royals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers for a cool million dollars was also promising. But as far as I'm concerned, those have been the lone highlights.
To be fair, after seeing what Upton was traded for, maybe the market for young power-hitting outfielders has dried up. I would say it's more likely a case of smart GMs taking advantage of desperate ones, but maybe the Upton trade can at least lessen the blow for some Royals fans. I just don't see how the same GM who saw the value in Kottaras (a stat-geek darling) also saw so much value in Shields, Guthrie and Santana.
One more note before ending this diatribe: If Moore were serious about turning the Royals into winners this season and wanted to sign Michael Bourn or Kyle Lohse, it would not cost the Royals their first round draft pick because the first 10 picks in the draft are protected and Kansas City owns the eighth selection.
Don't get your hopes up considering Scott Boras is the agent for both Bourn and Lohse, but if they were to set their egos aside and sign one-year deals, they could be had for below market value. Why would they do that? For one, it's pretty clear teams with unprotected draft picks aren't biting. For another, it's believed that next year's crop of free agents will be desolate and still nine months remain between now and then for players in the last year of their contracts to re-sign with their current clubs. So, while I originally estimated Bourn could get $16 million a year, one analyst I heard recently said he could see Bourn signing for just $6 million on a one-year deal. We'll see.
Earlier I wrote how I felt Dayton Moore should have continued his sale on farmhands to land Justin Upton for the logical reasons. After reading Mark Simon's Tweet above, I can't believe Moore didn't go after Upton for the sheer entertainment value of saying he had personally acquired three of the four outfielders with the most unpredictable arms.
I apologize. But until the Royals actually win something, Moore's just too easy a target. The more time I've spent thinking about and analyzing his moves this offseason, the more warped my mind has become.
He rushed to re-sign Guthrie, as if such a pitcher would fly off the shelf without a comparable alternative to be found. He rushed to trade for Ervin Santana, as if a $13 million commitment for a franchise such as the Royals was a drop in the bucket. He traded for James Shields as if he was the only available "front line" starter. He traded away Wil Myers as if it were mandatory he be dealt in order to acquire a "front line" starter.
Meanwhile, Shaun Marcum signed a 1-year, $4 million deal with the Mets just last week.
If any lesson was learned this offseason, it's that patience truly is a virtue when it comes to running a baseball team. The Blue Jays and Braves were patient in years past and moved to strike this offseason. Kevin Towers apparently lost all patience for his two most promising talents. The Royals had been patient all this time under Moore, but jumped the gun.
This notion of patience has probably held true for years, but I've spent significantly more attention to this winter's wheeling and dealing than years' past. How a person who doesn't realize this comes to run a Major League club is beyond me, but that's probably precisely why I don't get paid the big bucks.
Sadly, the Royals' offseason began with so much promise when Moore managed to dump Clint Robinson and Vin Mazzaro on the Pirates for a couple prospects. News last week that the Royals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers for a cool million dollars was also promising. But as far as I'm concerned, those have been the lone highlights.
To be fair, after seeing what Upton was traded for, maybe the market for young power-hitting outfielders has dried up. I would say it's more likely a case of smart GMs taking advantage of desperate ones, but maybe the Upton trade can at least lessen the blow for some Royals fans. I just don't see how the same GM who saw the value in Kottaras (a stat-geek darling) also saw so much value in Shields, Guthrie and Santana.
One more note before ending this diatribe: If Moore were serious about turning the Royals into winners this season and wanted to sign Michael Bourn or Kyle Lohse, it would not cost the Royals their first round draft pick because the first 10 picks in the draft are protected and Kansas City owns the eighth selection.
Don't get your hopes up considering Scott Boras is the agent for both Bourn and Lohse, but if they were to set their egos aside and sign one-year deals, they could be had for below market value. Why would they do that? For one, it's pretty clear teams with unprotected draft picks aren't biting. For another, it's believed that next year's crop of free agents will be desolate and still nine months remain between now and then for players in the last year of their contracts to re-sign with their current clubs. So, while I originally estimated Bourn could get $16 million a year, one analyst I heard recently said he could see Bourn signing for just $6 million on a one-year deal. We'll see.
Kansas City's Notable Transactions
- Re-signed Jeremy Guthrie
- Traded Brandon Sisk (prospect) for Ervin Santana and cash
- Traded Clint Robinson, Vin Mazzaro for Luis Rico (prospect), Luis Santos (prospect)
- Traded Wil Myers (prospect), Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery (prospect), Patrick Leonard (prospect) for James Shields, Wade Davis, player to be named later
- Claimed George Kottaras off waivers
Fire Dayton Moore
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