Based on Alec Lewis's interview comments from Dayton and JJ yesterday, they seem to agree with you that the proven aces will be beyond their budget. Beyond that, I was encouraged to see them say that they first look internally, but then was disappointed to see that they next look trades, and then free agent. I would hope free agent before trades, as it is only (and not even my) money with free agents, and not giving up prospects in a trade. I may be the only one, but I see this like Dorothy finally did in the Wizard of Oz - that after spending the whole movie looking for what she wanted elsewhere (trades and free agents in our comparison), she finally realized that she only had to click her heels 3 times to realize that she already had everything she was looking for (we already have all the players we need if we take a forward looking view, including at how baseball is evolving), so should just give thanks and not let anyone fleece us of our great depth and great opportunity to use 2022 to find out how best all the pieces fit, and to get them comfortable at this level (2013, or 2014 if we catch fire). As the World Series showed (in part due to injury), you do not need expensive front line starters to win - confident 23, 24, and 25 year olds (of which we have plenty) can get the job done just fine.
And, I was also very encouraged by Anne Rogers mlb.com article yesterday, my dreams come true, that Dayton and JJ are looking very closely at how to take the Lorenzo Cain injured legs training and (not really all that much) rest approach to Mondesi - to really use the best of modern training science to figure out the best way to turn him into an endurance athlete that is (hopefully far) less likely to keep having his injuries - that they have not given up on that helping him to become one of their vaunted "everyday" players - that they clarified that it is SS/2B (not necessarily 3B) where they do not want to break up the "middle" with regular changes - but that they also opined that both Nicky and Whit were mentally tough enough to make that work if they give SS to Mondi. I hope that they stay (in my humble opinion) smart enough to not let any of them go, that they can all be part of our next championship groups with, in the most optimistic projections (my own?), that Mondi and Bobby can by our Acuna and Tatis.
To me, it sure seems like Marcus Stroman would be a "Royals" kind of guy. Maybe not the top tier.....but shopping on that next level if they decide to spend some money and upgrade. Doubt it happens....but of pure FA. Stroman would be the one I see would see them potentially target. I'd be all for it even though it sounds like they shut down the talk of any free agent already this offseason.
Based on Alec Lewis's interview comments from Dayton and JJ yesterday, they seem to agree with you that the proven aces will be beyond their budget. Beyond that, I was encouraged to see them say that they first look internally, but then was disappointed to see that they next look trades, and then free agent. I would hope free agent before trades, as it is only (and not even my) money with free agents, and not giving up prospects in a trade. I may be the only one, but I see this like Dorothy finally did in the Wizard of Oz - that after spending the whole movie looking for what she wanted elsewhere (trades and free agents in our comparison), she finally realized that she only had to click her heels 3 times to realize that she already had everything she was looking for (we already have all the players we need if we take a forward looking view, including at how baseball is evolving), so should just give thanks and not let anyone fleece us of our great depth and great opportunity to use 2022 to find out how best all the pieces fit, and to get them comfortable at this level (2013, or 2014 if we catch fire). As the World Series showed (in part due to injury), you do not need expensive front line starters to win - confident 23, 24, and 25 year olds (of which we have plenty) can get the job done just fine.
And, I was also very encouraged by Anne Rogers mlb.com article yesterday, my dreams come true, that Dayton and JJ are looking very closely at how to take the Lorenzo Cain injured legs training and (not really all that much) rest approach to Mondesi - to really use the best of modern training science to figure out the best way to turn him into an endurance athlete that is (hopefully far) less likely to keep having his injuries - that they have not given up on that helping him to become one of their vaunted "everyday" players - that they clarified that it is SS/2B (not necessarily 3B) where they do not want to break up the "middle" with regular changes - but that they also opined that both Nicky and Whit were mentally tough enough to make that work if they give SS to Mondi. I hope that they stay (in my humble opinion) smart enough to not let any of them go, that they can all be part of our next championship groups with, in the most optimistic projections (my own?), that Mondi and Bobby can by our Acuna and Tatis.
To me, it sure seems like Marcus Stroman would be a "Royals" kind of guy. Maybe not the top tier.....but shopping on that next level if they decide to spend some money and upgrade. Doubt it happens....but of pure FA. Stroman would be the one I see would see them potentially target. I'd be all for it even though it sounds like they shut down the talk of any free agent already this offseason.