Mr. Lesky, thx for your usual spot-on analysis. I'm really excited about the Royals return to competitiveness in the division, which should make for some thrills and drama next season. Do we really have to put up with Miggy Cabrera for two more years? Also, please promise me that the Ryan O'Hearn experiment will be abandoned once and forever.
Terry, I wish I could promise you that because I'm right there with you on O'Hearn. As for Miggy, unless he retires, he's not going anywhere, so he'll continue to destroy the Royals while looking washed up against everyone else, sadly.
In retrospect (for the good reason that we had some minor league breakouts that we could/should not have counted on), we made the (only in retrospect) mistake last year of spending too soon (though not for top guys) into a mistaken thought of ready to compete for the playoffs, so are now saddled with 2 (in retrospect) bad contracts we wish we did not have, with Carlos and Dozier (though Dozier may still be able to be a barely above average useful backup at several positions, though not nearly worth his contract). Even if the Tigers do it now (mistakenly or not), spending big, I hope that the Royals do not do it yet. I hope that we are patient (and I think that JJ's promotion allows that) in 2022 to not sign any big contracts (maybe a reliever or 2 or 3 that we can trade when needed), but, otherwise, to find out what we have internally, which are the best ones, and to get them settled at the major league level. We have so many young starters, that the "losers" for starting spots can be relievers (and other teams have shown like, initially with Keller, this can be a very smart way to bring guys up). I dread to have to guess that, for example, Singer or Lynch or Kowar may not be one of our top 5, so we trade him for a CF and later find out we traded away a top starter. Stay the course. Thousand points of light. I believe that we are sitting on a gold mine, and do not want to get over anxious or fleeced into trading any key parts away.
I agree that if the Royals could have predicted guys like Melendez and Pratto would bounce back, they likely wouldn't have signed Santana, but I think Dozier was getting signed either way. And it's not like the contract is a back breaker. Probably unnecessary, but he provides depth assuming he's healthy, which with him is a big assumption at times.
I don't think spending, though, is a bad thing. We've seen what a couple injuries can do to torpedo a season, so there are certainly worse things than having depth. And while I agree that it would sting bad to trade someone and have them turn into stars, you simply can't wait around to see how guys turn out because then you end up sitting on players too long and wasting their trade value. I'm not against standing mostly pat heading into 2022 because there's so much to sort out, but not trading guys because they might be good is a way to enter into some serious years of mediocrity. The problem with trading guys and them becoming good is only a real problem if the return doesn't succeed. So let's say the Pirates are willing to move Bryan Reynolds and the return they want is Daniel Lynch. If Lynch becomes a stud, but Reynolds puts up 22 WAR in four years before he's a free agent, do you care? I know I don't. Sure you wish you had the stud in the rotation, but he got you stud in CF and at the top of the lineup. If you believe in your ability to develop, then you should believe in your ability to trade some of these guys even if it hurts a little.
Thanks David, I'm kind of with you that I'd have to put a wager on the Tigers making it back before the Royals at this point. It is interesting because the Tiger are taking the approach I'd like the Royals to take as far as getting a solid starter to solidify the top of the staff with young guns behind. Now, IDK if Rodriguez is truly that guy....but they aren't just sitting and waiting for the young guys to develop more. I am a little concerned about the division being tough the next few years but that isn't something you can control.
Yeah, they definitely got the jump and have a history of spending big, but there’s also a lot of off-season left and I know the Royals want a veteran starter, so they may still get that guy.
I can't remember who brought it up...but it was one of you guys. But my dream scenario has become Luis Casitillo from the Reds. He is filthy and minus a slow start this year generally pretty dependable numbers wise. Sonny Gray would be fine as well. Maybe the most gettable without having to give up one of the big prospects would be Tyler Mahle however. That would be an interesting gamble as he might.....might have some upside left. If not a move to the AL I could still see a 180 innings, four to mid four era, and a 2-2.5 WAR pitcher or so. I wouldn't think that would costs Melendez but who knows.
I think a lot have mentioned Castillo, but I know that I did. And Mahle too. All three of the Reds starters are under team control through 2023, so they should all be in pay if they're looking to move any of them, which I assume they will. I wouldn't trade Melendez for Gray or Mahle, but I'd consider it for Castillo.
Alec Lewis mentioned a surprise 40-man roster candidate: Collin Snider. The Royals are usually good for one of those each year, like Jeison Guzman and Angel Zerpa.
Yeah, I've just given up on trying to guess the surprise guy. I forgot who I predicted last year, but it was wrong. And I forgot who I predicted the year before, but it was wrong. So I'm just going to be surprised this year and not be wrong...about that. I'll be wrong about so much more.
Mr. Lesky, thx for your usual spot-on analysis. I'm really excited about the Royals return to competitiveness in the division, which should make for some thrills and drama next season. Do we really have to put up with Miggy Cabrera for two more years? Also, please promise me that the Ryan O'Hearn experiment will be abandoned once and forever.
Terry, I wish I could promise you that because I'm right there with you on O'Hearn. As for Miggy, unless he retires, he's not going anywhere, so he'll continue to destroy the Royals while looking washed up against everyone else, sadly.
In retrospect (for the good reason that we had some minor league breakouts that we could/should not have counted on), we made the (only in retrospect) mistake last year of spending too soon (though not for top guys) into a mistaken thought of ready to compete for the playoffs, so are now saddled with 2 (in retrospect) bad contracts we wish we did not have, with Carlos and Dozier (though Dozier may still be able to be a barely above average useful backup at several positions, though not nearly worth his contract). Even if the Tigers do it now (mistakenly or not), spending big, I hope that the Royals do not do it yet. I hope that we are patient (and I think that JJ's promotion allows that) in 2022 to not sign any big contracts (maybe a reliever or 2 or 3 that we can trade when needed), but, otherwise, to find out what we have internally, which are the best ones, and to get them settled at the major league level. We have so many young starters, that the "losers" for starting spots can be relievers (and other teams have shown like, initially with Keller, this can be a very smart way to bring guys up). I dread to have to guess that, for example, Singer or Lynch or Kowar may not be one of our top 5, so we trade him for a CF and later find out we traded away a top starter. Stay the course. Thousand points of light. I believe that we are sitting on a gold mine, and do not want to get over anxious or fleeced into trading any key parts away.
I agree that if the Royals could have predicted guys like Melendez and Pratto would bounce back, they likely wouldn't have signed Santana, but I think Dozier was getting signed either way. And it's not like the contract is a back breaker. Probably unnecessary, but he provides depth assuming he's healthy, which with him is a big assumption at times.
I don't think spending, though, is a bad thing. We've seen what a couple injuries can do to torpedo a season, so there are certainly worse things than having depth. And while I agree that it would sting bad to trade someone and have them turn into stars, you simply can't wait around to see how guys turn out because then you end up sitting on players too long and wasting their trade value. I'm not against standing mostly pat heading into 2022 because there's so much to sort out, but not trading guys because they might be good is a way to enter into some serious years of mediocrity. The problem with trading guys and them becoming good is only a real problem if the return doesn't succeed. So let's say the Pirates are willing to move Bryan Reynolds and the return they want is Daniel Lynch. If Lynch becomes a stud, but Reynolds puts up 22 WAR in four years before he's a free agent, do you care? I know I don't. Sure you wish you had the stud in the rotation, but he got you stud in CF and at the top of the lineup. If you believe in your ability to develop, then you should believe in your ability to trade some of these guys even if it hurts a little.
Thanks David, I'm kind of with you that I'd have to put a wager on the Tigers making it back before the Royals at this point. It is interesting because the Tiger are taking the approach I'd like the Royals to take as far as getting a solid starter to solidify the top of the staff with young guns behind. Now, IDK if Rodriguez is truly that guy....but they aren't just sitting and waiting for the young guys to develop more. I am a little concerned about the division being tough the next few years but that isn't something you can control.
Yeah, they definitely got the jump and have a history of spending big, but there’s also a lot of off-season left and I know the Royals want a veteran starter, so they may still get that guy.
I can't remember who brought it up...but it was one of you guys. But my dream scenario has become Luis Casitillo from the Reds. He is filthy and minus a slow start this year generally pretty dependable numbers wise. Sonny Gray would be fine as well. Maybe the most gettable without having to give up one of the big prospects would be Tyler Mahle however. That would be an interesting gamble as he might.....might have some upside left. If not a move to the AL I could still see a 180 innings, four to mid four era, and a 2-2.5 WAR pitcher or so. I wouldn't think that would costs Melendez but who knows.
I think a lot have mentioned Castillo, but I know that I did. And Mahle too. All three of the Reds starters are under team control through 2023, so they should all be in pay if they're looking to move any of them, which I assume they will. I wouldn't trade Melendez for Gray or Mahle, but I'd consider it for Castillo.
Alec Lewis mentioned a surprise 40-man roster candidate: Collin Snider. The Royals are usually good for one of those each year, like Jeison Guzman and Angel Zerpa.
Yeah, I've just given up on trying to guess the surprise guy. I forgot who I predicted last year, but it was wrong. And I forgot who I predicted the year before, but it was wrong. So I'm just going to be surprised this year and not be wrong...about that. I'll be wrong about so much more.
Don't know if you can or not. I accidentally removed todays post from my e mail list. Could you re send that to . Thank you sir either way
Hey Paul, I don't think that's something I can do to send it as a one-off, but you can always find it directly on the site.
Thanks