The Winter Meetings came and went and the DEFENDING WORLD SERIES CHAMPION Kansas City Royals played it in a typical Kansas City Royals’ fashion, meaning they didn’t really make any waves. (Well, “typical” minus the year that they traded their best prospect to the Tampa Bay Rays for a dude who helped them make it to the World Series and another dude who helped them win it the next year.)
Instead, they signed returning long-reliever/spot-starter/human giant Chris Young to a two-year deal worth $11.5 million, and former All-Star relief pitcher Joakim Soria to a three-year deal at $25 million. (The Soria deal also has some lofty incentives that could actually lead it to being something like the third or fourth richest free agent contract inked during Dayton Moore’s tenure. [The biggest provisions that could make that happen are unlikely to occur, but still.])
I like the Young deal. During large chunks of last season, when duty called, he was frequently the most dependable starter in the rotation. He’s versatile, he’s smart, and he knows how to pitch. (You know, to contact and in the strike zone.) And so although the financial dynamics of baseball make this an absurd statement, he figures to be worth $11.5 million, and possibly more.
The Soria thing, I don’t know.
Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles May 24, 2011
Let me preface this by saying: I like Joakim Soria, and it’s a “cool story” that he’s back. But cool stories only count in horseshoes and hand grenades, and they matter very little when it comes to winning ball games. Yes, Soria’s numbers were good last year splitting time between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and sure, they’ve been good since he successfully returned from his second Tommy John surgery in 2012. Furthermore, he will probably be the closer once Wade Davis leaves after this season.
I guess what I’m saying is, I fully acknowledge that he will be a nice addition to the bullpen.
My biggest issue, simply put, is spending that much money now on a 7th or maybe 8th inning guy (if you wanted to flip-flop him with Kelvin Herrera) when you have other, bigger needs.
For example, KC needs an outfielder.
Alex Gordon seems intent on breaking the hearts of millions of little Kansas City children by going to San Francisco or—good God—maybe even St. Louis. I’d be surprised if he’s back.
Oh, and I guess Ben Zobrist never actually cared about any of us.
So left field is vacant.
And although Moore is hell bent on starting into the season with Jarrod Dyson as the mostly-regular right fielder, it would be nice to have SOMEONE (anyone) of more substance. (I’m not really counting on that, though. But they still definitely need a left-fielder for sure.)
They also need a starter.
Johnny Cueto is gone. Jeremy Guthrie, too. Jason Vargas is going to be out for most of the year.
Basically, they’ve got a rotation of: Edinson Volquez, Yordano Ventura, Kris Medlen, Chris Young and Danny Duffy.
Royals’ pitcher Chris Young throws six-innings of shutout ball against the Detroit Tigers on September 8th, 2015
I really dislike Duffy as a starter and continually hope that they’ll stop trying to make it a thing. He’s horribly inefficient. On his best days, he’s capable of giving up one or two runs and striking out eight—but it’ll take 110 pitches in four innings to do so. I also like Young better as a long reliever/swing man for somewhat similar reasons. When stretched out on a regular basis—say, over the course of months, you know, like in a full baseball season—Young loses some of his effectiveness.
So anyway, in my wildest dream-world filled with fanciful flights of frivolity, they go after two starters.
But they love Duffy, and they are undoubtedly very excited about having Young start for a little over $5 million per year, so whatever. It won’t happen.
That doesn’t mean they’re entirely done making moves though, for sure. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during Moore’s tenure, it’s that they play things pretty close to the vest. Just when you think they’ve done all they plan on doing, BOOM! HERE COMES BRONSON ARROYO AT 3/$30 MIL, SPORTS FANS.
I trust the process. How could I not?
Holy shit don’t do that that’s not funny and my heart stopped!
“…once Wade Davis leaves after this season.”
Sweet Jebus H Ke-rist, dude – don’t even think it, much less put it down in print. Now I have to go sacrifice a sheep. I live in Brookside – you have any idea how hard it’s going to be to find a sheep here?
Hey man, it’s going to happen. Ain’t nothing we can do about it, neither.
“Ain’t nothing we can do about it, neither.”
You could have told me that before I harvested that sheep’s soul…
Wade Davis is under contract for 2017 @ $10 million with a team controlled buyout of $2.5 mil. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2018 unless they renegotiate his deal.
It’s a $10mil club option for 2017. They’ve got a lot of other guys they’re gonna need to shell out for, and I’d be surprised if they pick it up. Seems likely that Soria moves into the closer role and Davis moves on to a huge deal elsewhere. (Unless it seems super likely that they’ll be in position to contend for another title in ’17. Then maybe they keep him.)
surely there must be a sacrificial lamb somewhere in brookside!?
otherwise, might try knob knoster….
I have a personal rule about visiting anywhere with ‘knob’ in the place name…
“Alex Gordon seems intent on breaking the hearts of millions of little Kansas City children by going to San Francisco”
– A SF take on gordon: “he’s not exactly a dynamic hitter. Think somewhere between Brandon Belt and Norichika Aoki. If you think that’s hyperbole, look at the stats”
OUCH. They really know how to shrink a guy’s hype; $100 mill for that? Nyet. Pass.
The GIANTS author quoted above rates the gordon to SF odds about a 15%
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2015/12/8/9872804/sf-giants-rumors-alex-gordon
Kerouac is sure gordie will leave kc* (which is probably a mistake on his part as he’ll be an even smaller fish in an even bigger ocean elsewhere than he already is) – it won’t be for baseball’s finest, SAN FRANCISCO (if said occurred, Kerouac would renounce his GIANTS fandom – STAT.) / * 1969, 1985, 2015
“DEFENDING WORLD SERIES CHAMPION”
– the dynastic GIANTS will be going for their 3rd consecutive World Series Trophy in 2016 aft MLB vacated the mets/royals 2015 comedy of errors result ws 2015, same as they did ’88 dodgers & A’s (will be SF’s 5th Championship in 7 years when they do.)
🙂
Lefty, if you haven’t already, you need to check out the Royals special on MLB network about the ’85 & ’15 World Series teams. “Royal in Kansas City-30 Years later.” Very well done.
I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, but I need to. I’ve heard a lot of good things.
Look for GMDM to swing a deal for the left fielder, (Jackie Bradley Jr perhaps?) no way they open with the Cain, Dyson,___, combo platter. I think there is still a very small chance they retain Gordon(15%?) GMDM does his best work scraping the left-over pitcher pile, Santana, Volquez, so i’ m not concerned there. There is a slight possibility they pull a Kazmir out of their hat if they don’t sign Gordon. That post-season ca$h has to go somewhere. I will give GMDM his due..he’s earned it. No need to read K-whack’s post anymore, I just skip them now…let me guess-something about how they didn’t really win the world series **** SF-blah, blah blah. He just a troll now.
Yeah, I’ve heard the Kazmir AND J. Bradley Jr. talk. The Kazmir thing seems more likely to me.
Cueto now a ‘WORLD CHAMPION’ SAN FRANCISCO GIANT… Kerouac may have to renounce his allegiance…. result, this should ixnay for good any gordo/SF predictions.
🙂
Mr. Kerouac; You have said before that the 4 team expansion in MLB in 1969 rendered all subsequent World Series Champions as illegitimate due to the watering down of the talent level. Now you refer to the SF Giants as the defending World Series Champions. Based on your own rules, the SF Giants have never won a legitimate championship. Which one is accurate?
You have indicated you like Trump so I’m already a fan of yours but credibility with me requires consistency. There have been some pretty impressive WS team victors since 1969, ( the 1970 Orioles, 1975 Reds, and 1998 Yankees come to mind based on their seasonal win totals) but by your rules they are not to be considered as legitimate. Do individuals that played after 1969 have stats that are not legitimate either? ( Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Johnny Bench, Jim Palmer, Reggie Jackson among others).
Thank you.
Did I miss the part where Prince’s Hot Chicken figures into this story? Or is there an inside joke I’m not getting?
MLB winter meetings were in Nashville, home of Prince’s Hot Chicken. I’ll acknowledge, it was a stretch for a headline.
Aha …
Have you had it? From the looks of, and some comments, sounds greasy.
Super greasy, but delicious. Different. I’ve never had it from Prince’s, the gold standard, but you can find it lots of places in Nashville.
…play clean as country water!
…play wild as Mountain Dew-ew!
Love ’em!