The problem with the Royals is not that they don't have tradable pieces, but that their roster consists of mostly spare parts. That's the way it seems most years. Very frustrating to see the team go through this year after year. I hope Piccolo has a different vision.
I would say they brought up their non-spare parts last year. I think Witt, Melendez and Pasquantino are a pretty strong core to team with Salvy. I agree they do have plenty of spare parts, especially on the pitching staff, but I think it'd be tough to look at some of those rookies from last year and think they're only spare parts. If those four are a core and you can find two more guys who are something between spare and core, you're in business. If I had to guess, I'd say those two are Massey and Waters, but Pratto, Eaton, Isbel, etc. could all be candidates for that. Again, the pitching staff is a different story.
I really do think a bigger trade is coming. Basically I’m just really hoping. I’m just honestly surprised this is the route JJ has decided to go after fully taking this over. I don’t expect big things as far as splashes….but no rule 5 pick because our roster is full and who oh who could we move on from, signing EVERYONE back, no small trades on the margins. For all the good management moves he has made here the last few months the fear is growing daily that he is just like DM on the roster management side of it. I’m just so surprised he didn’t make the easy moves (O’Hearn, Keller) if for no other reason than to show he is different. Clearly the fear of a player succeeding elsewhere is still implanted within the organization which is frustrating to me. I just gotta think a trade is coming and he is just waiting out the top free agents. I certainly hope so, cause the concern meter is slowly rising until we see a difference on the player management side.
I think it's important to remember that it's December 13, which is still two full months before pitchers and catchers report. I agree that tendering everyone was very odd, but again, that seems to be a clear sign that JJ believed the biggest issues were the guys in charge on the field and not the guys on the field. While I agree with that, I don't agree the players weren't the problem too.
I also think it's interesting what the A's got back for Murphy. The A's have always valued players differently, so maybe it's not instructive at all, but JJ mentioned he'd talked some trades with teams and it just wasn't working out. If the Royals got offered a commensurate haul for one of their actual pieces with value, I'm glad he wouldn't have made that move. So yeah, it's discouraging. I also don't think there are any real conclusions to be made yet.
When I hear things like they couldn’t get worked out though. I’m a little afraid the Royals overvalue its guys. Not talking Barlow, Melendez, etc the guys you hold out till you get what you want because everyone will value them to a certain degree. But if we are playing hardball on Taylor, Garrett, etc come on guys. We’ll never know, so its just a guessing game.
I think Dozier's the only one they'd have to pay down. Maaaaaaybe Keller, though again, teams pay $7 million for reclamation projects on one-year deals all the time. But they also don't have to give up talent for the right to pay them that, so I could see needing to include some money. Taylor for $4.5 million is more than reasonable for a backup outfielder who plays defense like he does.
Sometimes the worst action is inaction. That is my fear here. We resigned guys that we know what they are, parts of a 68 win team. That isn't good enough. It is time to take some shots and see what happens. The status quo is not working. I would keep the core of Witt, Vinny, and Singer, everyone else is available. This team cannot contend how it is currently constructed. That makes me very sad.
Yeah, it's hard to get excited, but I've said before that I at least appreciate the fact that they seem to finally accept where they are. Can't change the past and in the past we've heard consistently how close they are. JJ has said they aren't there yet and I appreciate that even though it stinks to hear.
From some of the articles I've read, it seems most clubs were checking in on Melendez. Though I can understand why they wouldn't trade him, he is the one player I could see a nice return for. Especially if we traded him for a starter. I don't believe they will pull that trigger, but if they were offered a good return, I wouldn't complain.
Melendez is really interesting to me. I love the guy, but I also think he's the one who most easily lifts out of the plans given his primary position and what the Royals already have on the roster. The fact that his defense rated SO poorly certainly hurts the conversation though, and I'd argue that his trade value won't decrease enough to make a difference if they did hold on to him and wait for a mega offer if he can clean up some of the issues with the glove. There's a risk there, for sure, but I feel like I'd bet on the person there.
I too like his makeup. He may end up our left fielder but for the right team, he could stay behind the plate. There are so few offensive options available at catcher, other teams might see him as their future anyway.
Oh absolutely. I think there's a chance some team covets him and gives up the world, but I also don't hate hanging on to him unless the return is pretty crazy.
Just heard on MLB Hot Stove. The Braves are shopping Max Fried because the don't think they can sign him long term. What about trading for him? I don't know his contract details.
I imagine it would be pretty expensive, but I'd take any shot to get a talent like that. That said, he's only under team control through 2024, so they'd have to believe they were ready to make a leap by then and be willing to give up a whole lot.
I'm not emotionally attached to any of these guys, like I am to Singer and Salvy, so I'll go along with you on them. Though I really think Keller can be a workable piece to keep. Given his age (27 now) and his body size (not likely to wear down). I think he has more trade value.
I'm curious to see what Keller does with better instruction, but also they're in a bad spot with him. He's a free agent after the season, so either he pitches great and is expensive (and would you want to commit lots of money to him?) or he pitches poorly and he's cheap enough to keep but do you want to keep him? It's a similar situation to Mondesi.
I would be ok with a Barlow trade to the Angels for Luis Rengifo. Royals could have him play 3rd base which is his natural position. Angels have Urshela now.
He was a good OBP in the minors and really started to come on last year and developed some power. Switch hitter who could fill a need and still only 25. But will be 26 by start of season.
I know who he is. He's also only under team control for one season beyond Barlow. He did show some pop, but even in his last 300ish PA, he was at a .290 OBP.
The problem with the Royals is not that they don't have tradable pieces, but that their roster consists of mostly spare parts. That's the way it seems most years. Very frustrating to see the team go through this year after year. I hope Piccolo has a different vision.
I would say they brought up their non-spare parts last year. I think Witt, Melendez and Pasquantino are a pretty strong core to team with Salvy. I agree they do have plenty of spare parts, especially on the pitching staff, but I think it'd be tough to look at some of those rookies from last year and think they're only spare parts. If those four are a core and you can find two more guys who are something between spare and core, you're in business. If I had to guess, I'd say those two are Massey and Waters, but Pratto, Eaton, Isbel, etc. could all be candidates for that. Again, the pitching staff is a different story.
I really do think a bigger trade is coming. Basically I’m just really hoping. I’m just honestly surprised this is the route JJ has decided to go after fully taking this over. I don’t expect big things as far as splashes….but no rule 5 pick because our roster is full and who oh who could we move on from, signing EVERYONE back, no small trades on the margins. For all the good management moves he has made here the last few months the fear is growing daily that he is just like DM on the roster management side of it. I’m just so surprised he didn’t make the easy moves (O’Hearn, Keller) if for no other reason than to show he is different. Clearly the fear of a player succeeding elsewhere is still implanted within the organization which is frustrating to me. I just gotta think a trade is coming and he is just waiting out the top free agents. I certainly hope so, cause the concern meter is slowly rising until we see a difference on the player management side.
I think it's important to remember that it's December 13, which is still two full months before pitchers and catchers report. I agree that tendering everyone was very odd, but again, that seems to be a clear sign that JJ believed the biggest issues were the guys in charge on the field and not the guys on the field. While I agree with that, I don't agree the players weren't the problem too.
I also think it's interesting what the A's got back for Murphy. The A's have always valued players differently, so maybe it's not instructive at all, but JJ mentioned he'd talked some trades with teams and it just wasn't working out. If the Royals got offered a commensurate haul for one of their actual pieces with value, I'm glad he wouldn't have made that move. So yeah, it's discouraging. I also don't think there are any real conclusions to be made yet.
When I hear things like they couldn’t get worked out though. I’m a little afraid the Royals overvalue its guys. Not talking Barlow, Melendez, etc the guys you hold out till you get what you want because everyone will value them to a certain degree. But if we are playing hardball on Taylor, Garrett, etc come on guys. We’ll never know, so its just a guessing game.
I'd be very surprised if teams are targeting guys like Taylor and Garrett at this point in the offseason. Not seriously anyway.
Agree with everyone on the list except for Barlow. Don’t see them getting very much for any of them, may have to pay teams to take them
I think Dozier's the only one they'd have to pay down. Maaaaaaybe Keller, though again, teams pay $7 million for reclamation projects on one-year deals all the time. But they also don't have to give up talent for the right to pay them that, so I could see needing to include some money. Taylor for $4.5 million is more than reasonable for a backup outfielder who plays defense like he does.
Sometimes the worst action is inaction. That is my fear here. We resigned guys that we know what they are, parts of a 68 win team. That isn't good enough. It is time to take some shots and see what happens. The status quo is not working. I would keep the core of Witt, Vinny, and Singer, everyone else is available. This team cannot contend how it is currently constructed. That makes me very sad.
Yeah, it's hard to get excited, but I've said before that I at least appreciate the fact that they seem to finally accept where they are. Can't change the past and in the past we've heard consistently how close they are. JJ has said they aren't there yet and I appreciate that even though it stinks to hear.
From some of the articles I've read, it seems most clubs were checking in on Melendez. Though I can understand why they wouldn't trade him, he is the one player I could see a nice return for. Especially if we traded him for a starter. I don't believe they will pull that trigger, but if they were offered a good return, I wouldn't complain.
Melendez is really interesting to me. I love the guy, but I also think he's the one who most easily lifts out of the plans given his primary position and what the Royals already have on the roster. The fact that his defense rated SO poorly certainly hurts the conversation though, and I'd argue that his trade value won't decrease enough to make a difference if they did hold on to him and wait for a mega offer if he can clean up some of the issues with the glove. There's a risk there, for sure, but I feel like I'd bet on the person there.
I too like his makeup. He may end up our left fielder but for the right team, he could stay behind the plate. There are so few offensive options available at catcher, other teams might see him as their future anyway.
Oh absolutely. I think there's a chance some team covets him and gives up the world, but I also don't hate hanging on to him unless the return is pretty crazy.
Just heard on MLB Hot Stove. The Braves are shopping Max Fried because the don't think they can sign him long term. What about trading for him? I don't know his contract details.
I imagine it would be pretty expensive, but I'd take any shot to get a talent like that. That said, he's only under team control through 2024, so they'd have to believe they were ready to make a leap by then and be willing to give up a whole lot.
I'm not emotionally attached to any of these guys, like I am to Singer and Salvy, so I'll go along with you on them. Though I really think Keller can be a workable piece to keep. Given his age (27 now) and his body size (not likely to wear down). I think he has more trade value.
I'm curious to see what Keller does with better instruction, but also they're in a bad spot with him. He's a free agent after the season, so either he pitches great and is expensive (and would you want to commit lots of money to him?) or he pitches poorly and he's cheap enough to keep but do you want to keep him? It's a similar situation to Mondesi.
I would be ok with a Barlow trade to the Angels for Luis Rengifo. Royals could have him play 3rd base which is his natural position. Angels have Urshela now.
If the return for Barlow is a guy with a sub-.300 OBP, I'd be very disappointed.
He was a good OBP in the minors and really started to come on last year and developed some power. Switch hitter who could fill a need and still only 25. But will be 26 by start of season.
I know who he is. He's also only under team control for one season beyond Barlow. He did show some pop, but even in his last 300ish PA, he was at a .290 OBP.
Also really appreciate your hard work and love reading your stories. Agree with about everything you say.
Thanks so much!