Finally..someone commenting on the trade with some reason. This isn't a great deal for the Royals...but certainly not a bad one. Most of the "experts" commenting on the deal are just falling over themselves bashing the deal on our side....they'd never even heard of Leo Nunez but all of a sudden, he's some young phenom who will be a great setup man and closer for years.

Jacobs certainly has flaws, but Nunez simply won't be missed and there's a chance Jacobs can help our offense. His OBP shouldn't be as bad as it was in '08, his BABIP was .260ish, about 30-40 points lower than it has been every other year. I think a .270/.320/.480 line is reasonable to expect from him..and while that's not spectacular for a 1B, it certainly improves our offense a little bit. If he doesn't work out..we have other options..it's not like we're attached to him. If this were our "big move" to help our offense, that would be awful..but this should be a pretty busy offseason for the Royals..they are supposedly a serious suitor for Pat Burrell and maybe even Adam Dunn (though I doubt DM will actually want to bid as high as others for Dunn). Jacobs is just a small piece..a bit of a risk, and we gave up practically nothing for him. Nunez can easily be replaced....Soria is Soria, Ramon Ramirez looks good, Ron Mahay was incredible for most of last year, Robinson Tejeda thrived in the bullpen..Carlos Rosa appears to be a dominant setup man in the making......

I think, as you said, that we come away ahead in terms of talent. We need to improve the offense more, obviously....we'll see what happens. No matter what, improving relies mostly on Gordon and Butler and Hochevar and others getting better.

They picked up Olivo's option and he didn't void it, kinda surprising to me. I wonder what that means for Buck and/or Tupman/Brayan Pena?

Also were mentioned as possible suitors for Willy Taveras from the Rockies. Seems to signal Gathright's end.

I know it's early but I like the direction this offseason is taking. Seems to me they are making a push to contend this year, and no longer just stockpiling young talent.

Trading for Tavares would be awful....I'd rather let Mitch Maier start in CF. He was very good defensively and at least has shown a little power in the minors...Tavares sucks. I'd rather just sign a power bat to play LF, deal with Guillen in RF, DDJ in CF, and Maier as the 4th OF....Teahen traded away or Teahen can be a super sub if we can't deal him. He can play 1B, 3B, and all the OF positions (though CF is a stretch...).

Good luck with Coco, I'm sad to see him go.
Scouting report on Ramirez?

Great power changeup. Incredible HR rate from last year that simply can't continue. Shaky control at times...but when he's on....he's really good. Had arm trouble in 2007..but stayed healthy all year last year..so maybe only slight injury risk. I'd say he's an above-average reliever..but not that much so. Kinda hard to judge relievers after one or two good seasons..they can be so fickle.

I'd say this trade is a small win for KC b/c while Ramon certainly helps the Boston bullpen a little bit perhaps...Crisp is a big defensive upgrade for us and most likely means the end of Mark Teahen's days in KC. We'll get better defensively at two positions, LF with DDJ going there and in CF...and I'd be willing to bet that Crisp can get on base as a higher rate than Teahen did last year (.318 I believe). Crisp certainly won't be a big upgrade too the offense...but I don't think we lose much there..and DM's ability to find relievers has been great so far...word is prospects Carlos Rosa and Julio Pimentel, both with fastballs in the mid 90s, are going to be showing up early to ST to compete to replace Ramon.

It's nice to have our own resident KC scout around here. GL with Coco, you'll at least be seeing plenty of highlight reels.

I really don't like this trade for the Royals. I think they didn't improve their team much if any while at the same time trading away a younger cost controlled player for a player that will probably only be there for a year(unless they pick up his option, but I wouldn't recommend that at this time) and adding over 5 million in payroll. I think they would have been better off saving the money for either more guys in the draft that fall due to money demands or using it to help get a middle infielder.

Most fielding metrics seem to show that 2007 was a fluke year for Coco so I think his defense is overrated and I really don't think there is much of a difference between him and DeJesus defensively. And without that big boost in defence and a bounceback year from Teahen I'm not seeing much improvement when you consider that their bullpen is going to suffer. They have at least added depth with Teahen either somewhere else or on the bench though.

That said I don't love this from the Red Sox side either. I think Coco was more important to them as a backup for Bay, Ellsbury, Drew and Ortiz than Ramirez is going to be as what looks like the 5th man in their bullpen. But they did shed some payroll and get a good young cost controlled arm that makes Manny Delcarmen and Masterson more expendable in a trade. I would have had them rather get a catcher for Coco, but I think they still came out ahead here.

Also for Royal fans are they still considering putting Soria in the rotation? With Ramirez and Nunez gone it seems unlikely but I still think it would be a good move.

Edit. Also Ramirez had a pretty good HR rate in Colorado too so there may not be as much regression there as KK thinks.

I don't think Ramirez will give up a lot of HRs or anything...but two all year..when he pitched quite a few innings...that's not repeatable.

I think the move makes our defense better. DDJ is a better LF than Teahen was, and Crisp is a better CF than DDJ..even if only a little..(not to mention that DDJ isn't very durable, so a move to a less strenuous position could be an added benefit). On offense...it's debatable. I don't think you can just casually say that Teahen will have a bounceback year..he looked absolutely god-awful most of last season..and his BABIP was .306 last year..so there isn't anything to say that he got unlucky last year like a Nick Swisher. Crisp as an offensive CF is better than Teahen as a RF or LF..and DDJ is pretty respectable for a LF (though certainly lacking in power). I'd say offensively...we don't get better or worse..defensively, we get a little better. Decent trade..not a great one...I wouldn't like it at all if DM hadn't shown the ability to find relievers from nowhere..he already had two replacements ready from the farm system and I'm sure he'll pick up more relievers. With how fickle middle relievers are..I don't think we can say that our bullpen will suffer or get better right now.



Also, don't count on Teahen being on the team. A Teahen for Fontenot trade with the Cubs is the next "hot rumor" here in KC...according to sources from both sides. Not sure if it'd be straight up or not..but if it went down, that deal would easily be better than the Jacobs and Crisp trades.



Soria is not a candidate for the rotation this upcoming year. 2010 is a possibility if we are out of the race in '09 and we decide to start stretching him out. I think that's a decent possibility.

I like the trade personally. The important thing to remember is that this move can't be viewed in a vacuum. This is the precursor to whatever comes next. We've got 5 million more to play with and another live bullpen arm to cover for say, Masterson's departure whether that's to go to the rotation or be moved for a catcher. Coco was a good 4th outfielder, but I'd prefer a corner/1B type. Our two biggest injury risks are Drew and Lowell. If we get that corner guy, no one has to play out of position.

My biggest hope is that they give new Ramirez old Ramirez's number 24. 1 million jerseys will suddenly be saved from obsolescence.

Awesome.

KC rumors are hot right now. Teahen to the Cubs for Sean Marshall or Mike Fontenot. (GET THIS DONE! Either one of them). DeJesus to the Brewers for JJ Hardy (HELL NO! Not straight up anyways...terrible). Hochevar to the Rangers for Taylor Teagarden (KC is dreaming on this one..no chance the Rangers would settle for that....I think). Furcal rumors are still out there...the Indians still may be interested in Teahen to fill their 3B hole (unlikely, I think). DM is said to still be taking calls about Billy Butler..though isn't actively shopping him and it would probably take a big offer to get him...which is unlikely coming off of a down year..though he is just 22 and remains an elite hitting prospect.


Lot of buzz right now. We'll see what happens.

Its depressing me that the Royals couldnt ship him over to my Redbirds. We've got an abundance of outfielders. DM should have done his cross state brothers a favor, I mean come on.

Who?

Don't be surprised if, within the next few days, Zack Greinke is traded to the Braves for a major package of prospects..including SS Yunel Escobar and potentially three more good prospects. I'd put the chances of this happening before Dec. 1 at 66%.

Forget about what that assclown above me said. Looks like the Braves are close to trading for Javy Vazquez......which would pretty much kill any Greinke to the Braves talk. Looks like the Braves weren't willing to meet DM's asking price on Zack. Don't know the terms of any deal..but I'm glad DM wasn't willing to budge....no need to give Zack away for less than what we should get for him. We still control him for two more full seasons..his value will be just as high come the trading deadline or next offseason if we can't get him signed to an extension.

Just thought I'd quote myself from page 43 of this thread. This is my prediction for our 2008 record.....

I'm so good.

Bringing back Horacio Ramirez to a cheap, one year deal. Can't hurt.

Close to signing Kyle Farnsworth to a two year, 9.25 million dollar deal.

Fucking stupid. Way too much money for someone not that good. This one is deserving of all the criticism we usually get for moving one finger...hopefully we can still trade him at the deadline for anything. I'm already looking forward to that.

I know that Moore has forgotten more than I will ever know, but this offseason has been kinda weird and I'm not sure what to think.

Rany sure doesn't like the Bloomquist signing:

Rany on the Royals

Greinke signs 4-year extension


WOOT!

I really didn't think this was going to get done, everything I had heard suggested that Greinke would play out this year and hit the market. He changed agents within the last couple of weeks, so maybe his agent was holding up the process. But, I wherever I heard that he changed agents said that his new agent was Boras, so that doesn't make much sense. Oh well, I'll take it!

...ah..a pleasent turn of events.

Seven million fist pumps.

Can't wait until the terms of the deal are released. Too bad our cheap ass organization won't lock up any good players. Maybe next year we'll finally not lose 100 games. We suck, the GM and owner sucks and every player sucks.

That's more like it, now you are a fan!

4 years/38 mil. 13.5 mil a year for the last two seasons (his two FA years).

Horacio Ramirez couldn't even make it out of the 1st inning in his first ST appearence. Hopefully that will happen five more times so that he has zero chance of making the rotation.

inexplicably, the former mariners gm actually traded FOR this guy. unreal.

Yeah but only for Rafael Soriano. That guy has no talent.......

compared to horacio ramirez, soriano is like nolan ryan

Amen

FYP

I guess the rotation was pretty locked in going in to ST, except for Ponson. BTW Fuck Sidney Ponson. (unless he kicks ass then we trade him)

Ponson in the rotation I can live with. Don't like it, but not the end of the world. Sending Hochevar and Bannister to Omaha allows us to have more overall rotation depth...so I can see where DM is coming from there, though if it were me, Hochevar would've been a lock for the rotation no matter what. Whatever.

HoRam in the rotation is awful, but I'm holding out hope he only gets one start and then just becomes our longman, it sounds like they are kind of hedging their bet as far as that goes........we'll see.


TPJ makes the team. Retarded.

Shealy sent to Omaha. Retarded.

Gload traded away. YAY!!



We're going 79-83 this year. Book it. Small improvement. If Davies is legit and Gordon or Butler break out, we'll contend for a while, since no team is very good. If both of them break out...well, I won't dream too big there yet. The biggest thing this year will be watching a lot of our prospects move from the lower minors to the AA levels..as well as a few arms at AA moving to AAA and KC at the end of the year. Our farm system should take a strong step forward this year, right now it is middle of the pack, I expect it to be in the 7-9 range by the beginning of next season.

Yeah, I see the point of doing what they did, with the options, etc. But, I kinda wish they wouldn't feed the crap about open competition for the rotation, when they pretty much knew Ramirez was slotted in. Oh well, I guess they can't tip their hand/let Bannister and Hochever know they have no chance. I hope they all do well, but I do see the possibility of Ramirez becoming long relief LHP, so I got that going for me. I think your read is about right on, I am hoping for a .500 season though.

Oh, I haven't looked into it completely (obv.) TPJ MADE THE TEAM!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Holy shit I would have bet my house he was gone.

2B situation been cleared up any? Seems like the questions at the start of ST are pretty much the same now. From what I've heard they are planning a platoon situation or what?

<<<confused,.

edit- got free tix for saturday, but can't go. brag and beat.

I think it's almost a guarantee that HoRam won't get many starts, probably 5-6 at the most. DM has already stated somewhere (can't remember well) that he sees HoRam as a longman in the bullpen eventually. Somebody said that if we hold Hochevar down until mid-May, we gain an extra year of service time with him, so I think that is what will happen. We don't need a #5 starter very often in April, so HoRam will get some spot starts and then we'll call Hochevar up in mid-may.

As for Ponson...I don't know.....I guess there's a chance he could pitch servicably..he did last year, but I still don't like it. Hopefully he has a short leash. I'd rather see Bannister, but it's not like Banny did anything to scream that he deserves a spot either.

Teahen is the starting 2B to start the year, but expect Callaspo to get plenty of time there. I think Bloomquist will be more of the utility guy. He'll be hitting 3rd in the Opening Day lineup (ugh). I am not a Trey Hillman fan right now. I think Callaspo should be the starter at 2nd, but I'm okay with giving Teahen a look, but hitting him 3rd? Bullsh*t.

Hopefully we get to play today.

Poor Meche. Having to know that Farnsworth is back there waiting to blow a game. I hate that guy. I will never understand how people still sign him to contracts. Sorry KC.

God Trey Hillman is a retard.

I don't mind Farnsworth being on the team, but he clearly should not be the primary set up guy. When you have a fully rested Juan Cruz and Joakim Soria, letting Farnsworth pitch in that spot is flat out unacceptable. I know it's not happening soon, but I think Hillman should be fired. He has been absolute garbage since the day he got here. He has done nothing right since he got here. He has no idea what baseball is about.

farnsworth shouldnt be allowed to go on road trips when they go to chicago. Over his career he has like a 9.0 era against them. He is my favorite Royal

Coco Miss that boy.


Got my tickets to see the Royals in Boston in July, right before the ASB.

After the debacle of Tuesday, it sure is nice to take a series from the Sox. It'd sure be nice to drive in some runners on occasion though, I don't think 324 runs for the year is going to cut it. Butler looks like garbage, hope he gets it turned around. He looks totally lost up there from what I've seen. I hope Davies can break out this year, combine him with Meche and Greinke, and Ponson can be below average and we'll still be in the hunt.

Oh, nice to see Greinke get aggressive with Quentin yesterday, dude is all out over the plate then gets pissed about being hit? Better get used to it.

.

I watched all the games on the ChiSox broadcast..and my god what a bunch of whiny babies.

In the opener, two of our batters got hit. None of theirs.

In the 2nd game, Carlos Quentin stands directly on the plate and Greinke throws one inside, which can't be anywhere but at him. Next AB, same thing and it hits him.

I have no doubt that Greinke was trying to get him off the plate, but my god all they talked about the rest of the game was about how they owned Greinke some payback and how we were always a team trying to do this type of thing.

Then, in today's game, Gordon gets hit and they say "well, can't blame Danks, Gordon pretty much hit himself there."



Stunning stupidity there.





As for actual baseball discussion..if Davies is for real, we might have the best 1-3 pitchers in the division...the offense will be below average, but should be better than last year. Butler will be fine I think. Also, Guillen left the game today with an apparent injury, I hope it's serious so that Teahen can play RF and Callaspo can play 2B. That's a defensive upgrade at two positions and Callaspo's OBP is exactly what this lineup needs.

Jose Guillen has been a complete and total bust. It was obvious he was way overpaid from the second he signed, but my god, he still could've been an okay player, but nope.....he just completely fell off the face of the Earth. He can barely even run out in the OF and can't even spell patience.

Also.....Sidney Ponson pitches the home opener.


shit

Pretty happy with the 2-1 start, should have been 3-0. Everyone is talking about the homer Thome hit on Farnswerth, Thome crushes right handed pitchers and crushes fastballs, that matchup is just bad for Farnswerth and with a Lefty warm in the bullpen the right decision was to make a call to the bullpen. Management misstep IMO. Also need to cut down on the strikeouts, just way to many. Guillen looks horrible.

How close are we to this with the offense?



I know it's been cold (not really here in KC last two days) and we've faced tough pitching (major league pitching, not like an all-star team or anything), but damn can we get a 3 run "explosion" some day?

Oh, and Hillman is quickly falling out of favor with me. Not that he was one of my favorites before or anything, I had just kinda given him the benefit of the doubt. 3 leftys as your 3-4-5 against Pettite? Seems a little silly seeing as how he seemed to go out of his way to RLRL last season.

Panic about the offense?? No....but it is going to be a below average offense. I still think it'll be better than last years by a little bit. No Gathright, Gload, or TPJ getting so many ABs. Little more power in the lineup. Gordon and Butler should be fine, despite how bad they look.

After 20-25 games, then we can re-evaluate. It is super frustrating to watch a team-wide slump...but it happens.

4-3

Royals can pitch

Offense coming around a little bit?

I hope so. I don't know if you caught the FSN broadcast last night, but Ryan Lefebvre basically called Jacobs' HR right before he hit it. He was going on about how his swing is looking much better, and that he thinks we'd see his first HR real soon. This was all during the at-bat that he ended up hitting it. It was interesting, and I was actually thinking the same thing right before he said it.

Jamey Wright looks pretty good, Greinke is outstanding, Meche is continuing to prove his contract was more a bargain than overspending. Moore continues his streak of bullpen building thus far. We'll see if Ponson and Ramirez can be mediocre enough to stick around, I doubt it. 33 days til Hochever?

Seems that Teahen's days at 2B might be over.

Jacob's 2nd HR as a Royal was a big time blast. Too bad it came in a loss. Teahen baserunning gaffe really hurt, but it happens.

5-4 as we head to Texas for 3. I'll be happy winning one against that offense...perhaps our offense can step it up though. Jacobs and Butler are hopefully coming around...hopefully Gordon follows. The offense has been really unlucky so far..lot of line drives (BABIP is way too low for what our team LD% is...before today's game we had a LD% of 21 and a BABIP of .269, that's major bad lucky there, the BABIP should be in the .320-.330 range with that LD%...that's pretty significant.)

Gordon is having hip surgery. No timetable on when he'll return. Mitch Maier up from AAA. Look for him to start in RF, Teahen to 3B, Callaspo at 2B.

That's what the smart manager would do...but we have Trey Hillman, so....who knows what could happen. Hopefully Gordon doesn't miss too long...we'll see.

Man, Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp have been awesome so far.

Agreed. Both with OPS of 1+! I didn't realize that Crisp has already drawn 10 walks, and has 3 triples. Jacobs is interesting to watch, you just don't know if he's going to go deep or K, and it's pretty much one of the two it seems. I hope they give Gordon a "rehab" assignment to AAA for a couple weeks. Maybe he can get right down there and come back on fire. Teahen is hitting the ball pretty well, not much slug but a .351 avg can't really complain.

Edit- LOL I didn't catch last night's game, I didn't realize he went 5-6 last night (Teahen).

Hey Koop, what the hell happened to Tim Melville from last year's draft? I can't find him on any rosters and can't find any info on him being injured. Any idea?