I think I’m going to be a little disappointed if they don’t make a trade here before the end of the week. I think they can certainly cut enough to add the 5-6 players they want to protect yet. But, your right, if they also want to add a couple pitchers, reliever, etc….you are going to need to open up even more. I guess in theory, if you are trading guys off the 40 man you can do it any time….so it may not be this week. But one would think this week would be as good as any. Keller is an interesting one this week. He’s not one the royals would have moved on from in the past. I think it will happen, but waiting for confirmation.
I'd bet on at least one trade, even if small, this week, but I would say don't be too disappointed if it doesn't happen. Moves will be made, I promise you that. It might just be incremental stuff to get the roster in line right now. I'll repeat what I said last week - I think the bulk of the work on the 2023 roster is about making the bottom of the roster better. That can be done by signing guys to bump down 15-20 to 21-26 but it can also be done by simply signing better backups and middle relief types. So I don't expect anything flashy, but I expect a fairly different looking roster come mid-February.
Although I do believe that it will happen I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan O’Hearn removed from the roster and replaced with someone with either a track record of success or a rookie with potential.
Yeah, I think the time has come. Like I wrote, there's an argument that he has some more in the tank with the new rules, but a lefty first baseman on a roster with Pasquantino and Pratto just doesn't make any sense.
Because he's an excellent defender who has shown flashes with the bat and teams don't move on to guys like that when they're still two years away from even reaching arbitration.
I don’t recall if you’ve written about it….but I kinda see Isbel as a person getting traded this offseason. To me, Eaton has sort of taken his role as 4th outfielder….really good defender role.
I say that but its pretty clear they don’t think the world of Olivares…..and Taylor is probably on the block. I guess your really only going to move so many outfielders. I just see Isbel’s role being redundant with Eaton now.
He could get moved, and that wouldn’t surprise me, but Eaton could also factor in at third base and, like you mentioned, maybe Taylor and Oli get moved. There are just a lot of moving parts. I wouldn’t bet on Isbel being moved, but I also think it *could* happen.
To protect someone from rule 5, they have to be on the 40 man, right? I get confused sometimes but I go all the way back to the 50s when I started watching Major League Baseball, different rules then for sure. That was back in the days when players got cut 10% because they only hit .299 instead of .300 and they didn’t make any money anyway. April 12, 1955 I was at the first game MLB ever played in KC. My brother and I got to play hooky that day thanks to my dad. Still have my ticket stub and program. Thanks again for keeping us up to date!
With Olivares, Melendez (C), Pratto (1B/DH), Dozier (?), Eaton (3B/C), Waters, Taylor (?/T), O’Hearn (NC), Rooker (NC), Cross (M), Gentry (M), Wallace (M), S Taylor (M). Pull off the list Taylor, O’Hearn, Rooker, still leaves a crowded outfield without him
David, I know you’ve wrote about it on Twitter….and I”M SURE you’ll have more on it tomorrow.
Keeping O’Hearn around is a mark in the “Picollo isn’t changing enough” column in my eyes. Keep telling me better changes are coming, keep telling me better changes are coming, keep telling me better changes are coming. Lol
It's four months to spring training and they signed him to a non-guaranteed contract. Would I have done it? No. Do I think it was silly? Absolutely. I don't have much more to say about it. It's a waste of a 40-man spot on a redundant player, so that part sucks.
Edit here...turns out it is guaranteed. It was just for 2022 that arbitration settlements weren't guaranteed, so that does make it worse, but I'm also still surprisingly meh on the whole thing. I think it's a dumb decision and could have been avoided but it's being significantly overblown.
Its not that big of a deal. But its still a “my guy” scenario I had hoped we were past that has nothing to do with actual results. And if you are now keeping O’Hearn and Dozier the number of improvements at the bottom of the roster are being reduced.
- Actually is it too late to fire Picollo for this move and hire Click?????? It might be too late….its too late…fine.
Last one and actual question here. I’ve read a lot about the shift rules being changed. I get you can’t have an infielder in the outfield grass anymore and only two people on each side of the diamond……but what’s to keep a team from rotating the outfield for a shift? For instance, take your third baseman and put him in left field. Rotate your outfield over so that you essentially have two “outfielders” in right and play one shallow. Do the same rules apply to the outfield? If not, you know Tampa’s doing this first game.
The rule is there has to be two people on the dirt on either side of second, so you can't put your third baseman in left field. Teams can move an outfielder to shallow right if they want to, but if a lefty goes the other way, it's a guaranteed extra base hit and often a home run.
Maybe it's a my guy scenario and maybe it isn't. The numbers do show that O'Hearn has been above average without a shift. I'm not saying I agree with it. I'm saying I at least understand them being interested in that. And also, he still may not be on the roster next month, let alone in four months and let alone in five and a half.
I would give it a roughly 0.001% chance they’d trade Walker for Salvy. There are so many catchers available via trade who aren’t 33 and who aren’t owed more than $60 million over the next three years.
Money can be adjusted. None of the catchers including Contreras have Saly's bat. Arenado is turning 32, Goldschmidt is 35, their window for a championship will be closing soon. Adding Barlow may sweeten the deal. Walker is blocked by both of the corners in St Louis. I think this could be a win, win for both clubs.
I think I’m going to be a little disappointed if they don’t make a trade here before the end of the week. I think they can certainly cut enough to add the 5-6 players they want to protect yet. But, your right, if they also want to add a couple pitchers, reliever, etc….you are going to need to open up even more. I guess in theory, if you are trading guys off the 40 man you can do it any time….so it may not be this week. But one would think this week would be as good as any. Keller is an interesting one this week. He’s not one the royals would have moved on from in the past. I think it will happen, but waiting for confirmation.
I'd bet on at least one trade, even if small, this week, but I would say don't be too disappointed if it doesn't happen. Moves will be made, I promise you that. It might just be incremental stuff to get the roster in line right now. I'll repeat what I said last week - I think the bulk of the work on the 2023 roster is about making the bottom of the roster better. That can be done by signing guys to bump down 15-20 to 21-26 but it can also be done by simply signing better backups and middle relief types. So I don't expect anything flashy, but I expect a fairly different looking roster come mid-February.
Although I do believe that it will happen I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan O’Hearn removed from the roster and replaced with someone with either a track record of success or a rookie with potential.
Yeah, I think the time has come. Like I wrote, there's an argument that he has some more in the tank with the new rules, but a lefty first baseman on a roster with Pasquantino and Pratto just doesn't make any sense.
Why don’t you have Isbel on the list not to keep, he’s not going to be a consistent contributor
Because he's an excellent defender who has shown flashes with the bat and teams don't move on to guys like that when they're still two years away from even reaching arbitration.
I don’t recall if you’ve written about it….but I kinda see Isbel as a person getting traded this offseason. To me, Eaton has sort of taken his role as 4th outfielder….really good defender role.
I say that but its pretty clear they don’t think the world of Olivares…..and Taylor is probably on the block. I guess your really only going to move so many outfielders. I just see Isbel’s role being redundant with Eaton now.
He could get moved, and that wouldn’t surprise me, but Eaton could also factor in at third base and, like you mentioned, maybe Taylor and Oli get moved. There are just a lot of moving parts. I wouldn’t bet on Isbel being moved, but I also think it *could* happen.
To protect someone from rule 5, they have to be on the 40 man, right? I get confused sometimes but I go all the way back to the 50s when I started watching Major League Baseball, different rules then for sure. That was back in the days when players got cut 10% because they only hit .299 instead of .300 and they didn’t make any money anyway. April 12, 1955 I was at the first game MLB ever played in KC. My brother and I got to play hooky that day thanks to my dad. Still have my ticket stub and program. Thanks again for keeping us up to date!
Yep, they have to be added to that 40-man to avoid being exposed to the draft.
With Olivares, Melendez (C), Pratto (1B/DH), Dozier (?), Eaton (3B/C), Waters, Taylor (?/T), O’Hearn (NC), Rooker (NC), Cross (M), Gentry (M), Wallace (M), S Taylor (M). Pull off the list Taylor, O’Hearn, Rooker, still leaves a crowded outfield without him
Maybe. But he also has options. He could get traded, but I will be legitimately surprised if he’s non-tendered.
👍
David, I know you’ve wrote about it on Twitter….and I”M SURE you’ll have more on it tomorrow.
Keeping O’Hearn around is a mark in the “Picollo isn’t changing enough” column in my eyes. Keep telling me better changes are coming, keep telling me better changes are coming, keep telling me better changes are coming. Lol
It's four months to spring training and they signed him to a non-guaranteed contract. Would I have done it? No. Do I think it was silly? Absolutely. I don't have much more to say about it. It's a waste of a 40-man spot on a redundant player, so that part sucks.
Edit here...turns out it is guaranteed. It was just for 2022 that arbitration settlements weren't guaranteed, so that does make it worse, but I'm also still surprisingly meh on the whole thing. I think it's a dumb decision and could have been avoided but it's being significantly overblown.
Its not that big of a deal. But its still a “my guy” scenario I had hoped we were past that has nothing to do with actual results. And if you are now keeping O’Hearn and Dozier the number of improvements at the bottom of the roster are being reduced.
- Actually is it too late to fire Picollo for this move and hire Click?????? It might be too late….its too late…fine.
Last one and actual question here. I’ve read a lot about the shift rules being changed. I get you can’t have an infielder in the outfield grass anymore and only two people on each side of the diamond……but what’s to keep a team from rotating the outfield for a shift? For instance, take your third baseman and put him in left field. Rotate your outfield over so that you essentially have two “outfielders” in right and play one shallow. Do the same rules apply to the outfield? If not, you know Tampa’s doing this first game.
The rule is there has to be two people on the dirt on either side of second, so you can't put your third baseman in left field. Teams can move an outfielder to shallow right if they want to, but if a lefty goes the other way, it's a guaranteed extra base hit and often a home run.
Maybe it's a my guy scenario and maybe it isn't. The numbers do show that O'Hearn has been above average without a shift. I'm not saying I agree with it. I'm saying I at least understand them being interested in that. And also, he still may not be on the roster next month, let alone in four months and let alone in five and a half.
I think that the Royals should trade Salvador Perez to St Louis for 3B Prospect Jordan Walker. St Louis needs a Catcher and the Royals need a 3B.
I would give it a roughly 0.001% chance they’d trade Walker for Salvy. There are so many catchers available via trade who aren’t 33 and who aren’t owed more than $60 million over the next three years.
Money can be adjusted. None of the catchers including Contreras have Saly's bat. Arenado is turning 32, Goldschmidt is 35, their window for a championship will be closing soon. Adding Barlow may sweeten the deal. Walker is blocked by both of the corners in St Louis. I think this could be a win, win for both clubs.
You’re right that money can be adjusted, but there is next to no way the Cardinals make that trade.