Report: Royals Trade MacDougal to White Sox for Prospects

by Freneau on Jul 24, 2006 5:48 PM EDT in Kansas City Royals News

According to various reports and WSCR-AM in Chicago, the White Sox have acquired pitcher Mike MacDougal from the Royals in exchange for minor-league pitchers Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes.

Not sure what to make of this right now, although its somewhat surprising to see the Royals cut MacDougal loose, and in the division at that. If there's a team that might overvalue MacDougal, its the White Sox, who respect "saves" and value guys who throw hard. Then again, Cooper and Ozzie are able to actually get results from these guys like MacDougal, whereas the Royals haven't been. And obviously, the White Sox need to win right now, while the Royals have no reason to care about the rest of the next 1.5 seasons.

My immediate reaction: a muted sadness. Mac was a funny looking guy who seemed to be the anti-Greinke, a goofy guy who always had fun, wasn't quite all there mentally and yet could electrify us at times. He had a cool nickname, and the requisite facial hair. His 2003 All-Star appearance, when the Royals held a huge lead in the Central, was an emblematic moment; at the time a semi-coronation, later on a sign of the fleeting nature of the Pena-Era success.

As he leaves the Royals, Mike MacDougal is 5th in team history with 50 saves. Fare thee well, Mac...

We say "goodbye" to Mac the Ninth with this hideous poster in his memory.

"The Cheat" who blogs on the White Sox, wrote this in the comments earlier in the day,

It's the first real sign that Dayton Moore is moving the club in the right direction. The royals can't compete in the central for the next few seasons. They need to concentrate on acquiring players who will be useful to the team in the years to come. I think it also foreshadows the style in which he will be building his club. Lumsden and Cortes are both guys who, if scouts have seen them in the last few months, are considered projectable arms, despite some lackluster stats. I think it speaks to a strong emphasis on scouting by Moore & Co., and a shrewd move to sell off a player who was about to become more expensive when he didn't figure to be a contributing member of the next Royals division title contender.

Thanks to "AndrewMiller" who shares the link on Lumsden at Baseball America.

South Side Sox reaction here.

Looking at Tyler Lumsden's minor league stats & splits this season you can see what the White Sox people mean by "unimpressive stats". Still, he hasn't been bad (allowing a .671 OPS), just not dominant for the Birmingham Barons of MJ fame. The K-rate of 5.33 is a nice place to start, and hopefully he can inch that closer to the 7.78 per 9 he's getting against left-handed batters in the future, full-time. I'm no expert on the Barons, but I'd have to guess that their home field is fairly pitcher friendly, as nearly all Lumsden's stats are significantly stronger at home.

As for Daniel Cortes, the immediate thing that jumps out at you is his K-rates. 8.00 overall and fairly evenly split between lefties and righties (7.94 & 8.04 respectively). After scuffling a bit in May and June, he's rebounded with 25 Ks in 24.3 July innings (9.25/9). Umm, for an organization starved for strikeouts, we'll definetly take that.

Hopefully this isn't the last move D-Moore makes this week, although only time will tell.

Tweet Comment 19 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good riddance

Kudos to Dayton Moore for getting something in return for Macdougal. Mac was overrated. He couldn't throw strikes consistently and was never going to be a dominant closer for the Royals. Anyone with decent stuff can be a closer... Well, maybe not Burgos since Burgos can't throw strikes either.

Moore, please trade Reggie Sanders before the deadline also. Firing Buddy Bell won't hurt either.

by royalsfan @ Royals Review on Jul 24, 2006 6:05 PM EDT reply actions

Mac

was one of those guys that you hated and loved at the same time... i think he's fairly overrated, yes, however

by Freneau on Jul 24, 2006 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Sanders

is on the DL, making him unavailable for trade, unfortunatly

~*Love for Baseball Never Dies*~

by baseball girl43 on Jul 24, 2006 6:47 PM EDT reply actions

I know

Actually, I meant trade Sanders after he comes of the DL. I think he's scheduled to come off the DL on the 30th, so if there are any suckers out there they can take him off our hands before the trade deadline.

by royalsfan @ Royals Review on Jul 24, 2006 7:25 PM EDT reply actions

my take

I like this trade. I like that we were able to acquire two well regarded pitching prospects. I am hopeful that the young right hander will be a power pitcher that the Royals sorely lack (he is a power pitcher, right? I am assuming this based on his size and his SO rate). I think Macdougal has really, truly "put it together." It took him a couple of years, but I do believe he is now the dominating force we saw flashes of in 2003. However, it is ok with me that he is gone.

My #1 memory of Macdougal was in 2003 when we were barely hanging on to 1st place in the division. I was at the K enjoying my first and only game in a box seat behind the windows... we were playing Seattle. Macdougal came into a save situation and blew it badly (I think we had a full 3 run lead), giving up a home run to Ichiro in the process. For whatever reason, that will always remain my biggest impression of Macdougal.. sucks that it is a bad one, but that is what I remember most nonetheless.

So, fare well Mac the Ninth, I actually do kind of hope you win a WS this year (even though I do hate the ChiSox).

by antidecaf on Jul 24, 2006 7:58 PM EDT reply actions

same memory, different city

sadly, my #1 memory of the MacDougal era was a spectacular blown lead against the Blue Jays. However, my #2-4 memories are those gorgeous sliders that produced called third strikes on Frank Thomas, Albert Pujols and Barry Bonds. The Thomas pitch is the best pitch I've ever seen a Royal throw.

by andrewmiller on Jul 25, 2006 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow, that was unexpected...

Lumsden has been talked about in the minor league blogs for sometime now. One guy said he was like a young Mark Mulder. I just hope he is healthier. If Moore says he will challenge for a rotation spot in spring training. Then well welcome aboard Tyler Lumsden. I will wait awhile on Mr. Cortez. He will be at High Desert and they could use some good arms.

Now that Mac is gone, I think we will be seeing Ryan Braun in the bigs sooner rather than later. Peralta probably will be brought up to replace Mac. But, I just don't think Burgos has the closer mentality.

Lets see more...Mr. Moore.

by grudz69 on Jul 24, 2006 8:43 PM EDT reply actions

I see nothing good here. . .

The Royals trade the only decent closer they've had since Quiz (except for a brief stint by Roberto Hernandez) for a pitcher coming off surgery and another who is 3-9 in Class A. Trades like this help the White Sox make the playoffs (again) and keep the Royals futility string at 21 years and counting.

As for the Fire Bell group, how does he have a chance to compete with bonehead moves like this?

by jbrocato on Jul 24, 2006 11:10 PM EDT reply actions

My quick reaction is to agree with you.

This looks like the loss of one of the Royals few proven assets in exchange for two prospects that John Sickels rated at "C" level before this season began.

I'll look into the new additons a bit more when I have time, but tonight it looks like a talent drain for the Royals.

by James Quinn on Jul 25, 2006 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions

There is nothing wrong with the pitchers acquired.

...they both look like they have potential to make it to the majors and perhaps develop into average, maybe even better than average pitchers. But I give this trade a mild thumbs-down because MacDougal really is a damn good pitcher and I think the Royals could have gotten more value for him if they were set on trading him. His loss keeps the Royals pen in the chaos it has lived in all year. He could have been a stablizing force at the end of the pen for three more years.

As far as MacDougal finally coming into his money years, I expect if he finishes this year strong he will look for something in the neighborhood of $700K to $1M for next year. But damn it, the Royals have to accept the fact that they might someday have to pay some player market rate. The point is to stock the team with good players who will help the team win, not save money for some future that never seems to arrive because the team keeps shipping off those players it develops that might actually be part of that future.

I'd have no problem with the Royals paying Mac a bit of money for next year and leaning on him as a team leader. He was one of perhaps half a dozen players on the roster who I think truely was an above average talent. It is not at all easy to replace men like that.

That said, the pitchers that Moore acquired both seem to have some promise and this trade might work out well for the Royals in the end. I am skeptical, but hopeful. If I were a betting man I'd say the odds of this one working out for the Royals in the long haul is about 35%. Nothing wrong with the new guys, just the price paid for them may have been too high.

by James Quinn on Jul 26, 2006 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

to quote homestar runner

the cheat, that was amazing...I'm buying you a pizza.

by loyal2theroyals on Jul 24, 2006 11:16 PM EDT reply actions

Arm Surgery Response

dancing around the fact that the main pitcher in the deal has some very nice stats at mid minor leagues is quite encouraging. To brush that off and discount that because he had arm surgery last year seems like a dry-hump fatalistic attitude to me.

Also, wins are probably, actually the worst determinant of how skilled a pitcher actually is. A W-L record is next to meaningless for evaluating skill. Especially in the minor leagues. I imagine most GM's would tend to flat out ignore WL record. You take it with a grain of salt. I really liked the trade. Honestly, how useful will a 31 year old Mac be when we start to kick the "youth movement" into full gear? I was his biggest fan, I loved Mac and I was elated when I got to see him pitch a game out here in Oakland a while back, but to say that we didnt get anything for him is like I said, an apathetic and fatalistic perspective.

by wildthang on Jul 25, 2006 5:08 AM EDT reply actions

Agreed

I'm tired of hearing the idiots on here complaining about how we gave up a proven closer. It doesn't matter. He's going to become expensive, and we were able to acquire two legitimate starting pitching prospects. How could anyone be upset?

by royalsfan9 on Jul 25, 2006 5:38 AM EDT reply actions

It's this type of trade (and NOT Buddy Bell)

That keeps the Royals losing 100+ games. This team is bad enough without giving up what little talent they have.

by jbrocato on Jul 25, 2006 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Do we actually need a closer

on a team on its way to 100 losses?

Good trade here, I like what Moore did. Much better than the Gathright trade.

Just a little update there. Gathright as a Royal = .232/.319/.357. Howell as a Durham Bull = 32.1 IP, 31 K, 6 BB, 2.23 ERA.

by Diesel @ Royals Review on Jul 25, 2006 9:23 AM EDT reply actions

I like the Gathright trade, too

A .357 OBP is very valuable for someone with that speed, and his defense is paying dividends.

by andrewmiller on Jul 25, 2006 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

In the last 25 years

I cannot think of any veterans-for-prospects trade that has worked well for the Royals. The best player the Royals obtained in such a trade was Angel Berroa, who was basically a throw-in with Roberto Hernandez the key acquisition.

by jbrocato on Jul 25, 2006 10:13 AM EDT reply actions

point taken...

...but I'd argue Teahen was a better pick-up than Berroa.

by andrewmiller on Jul 25, 2006 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

sheesh

This was a perfectly reasonable deal, and I'm not at all sorry for it. If MacDougal isn't a prime example of "you can make anybody with above average stuff into a 'proven major league closer,'" then I don't know who is. A reliever about ready for arbitration for a guy with a shot at being a middle of the rotation guy and another live young arm is exactly the kind of trade we have to make.
Oh, and Hernandez wasn't "the key acquisition" in the Damon trade, Berroa (who most certainly wasn't a "throw-in") was. Any misjudgment about Berroa aside, the "throw-in" in the deal was our flipping Mark Ellis (who we didn't think had the range for short) back to the A's, and that just compounded the mistake.

by Sliver on Jul 25, 2006 5:54 PM EDT reply actions