Royals come to terms with Gload, Buck, De La Rosa

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 4:11 PM EST Comment 30 comments

From the diaries. The link to Sam Mellinger's story is here.-RR

If I'd known about this, I would have posted it in my arbitration numbers diary. Oh well.

The Royals avoided arbitration by agreeing to contracts with three players on Friday and exchanged arbitration numbers with their three other eligible players.

First baseman/outfielder Ross Gload agreed to a two-year deal with a club option, while catcher John Buck and left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa agreed to one-year deals.

Gload hit .288 with 51 RBIs and agreed to a two-year deal worth $3.2 million. The club option for 2010 is worth $2.6 million.

Buck hit .222 and led the team with 18 home runs. He signed for $2.2 million, a raise from the $440,000 he made in 2007.

De La Rosa went 8-12 with a 5.82 ERA and signed a deal for $1.025 million plus performance bonuses.

These players all got more than I thought they'd get. I did a horrible job of estimating arbitration awards. This takes the projected payroll up to $63.2M, $3.8M under last year's payroll. The Royals also signed former Padre starting pitcher Brian Lawrence to a minor league deal. He was a pretty good, reliable starting pitcher until he torn his labrum and rotator cuff, which kept him from pitching the last two years. He's a nice no-risk signing to see if he can come back from his injury.

0 recs | Comment 30 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

the gload deal

is the club option for the 2nd year, or for a third?

why was he being a jerk at fanfest? he just got paid

Hillman, you're on notice.

by FireBell on Jan 19, 2008 12:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm going to dismiss...

the report of him being a jerk at Fanfest...I figure if I'm in that position I have no clue what to do...I really wanted to meet him, so I could tell him how much fun it is to watch him bust his balls...if he really said some crazy stuff I mean, damn I'd be wrong on my analysis, but for now...GLOAD WILL EXPLODE!!!

Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.

by PhattStairs on Jan 19, 2008 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

2-year contract, team option for a third year

2yrs/$3.2M. Big team option for the third year.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 12:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

EFFF YEAH...

Gload for 2 more years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!maybe 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GLOAD WILL XPLODE

Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.

by PhattStairs on Jan 19, 2008 12:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The Gload contract

No 2yr/$3.2M contract is disastrous, but I think the money is somewhat wasted on him. He's a pretty mediocre player. As much as I don't share the prevailing Huber love, I'd rather have Huber for league minimum than Gload for $1.6M per year. Gload is a better defender than Huber, but I don't know that it is worth the $1.2M difference. And why two guaranteed years for Gload. He's not a particularly good hitter. He's not a particularly good defender. He's not particularly versatile. He's an ok hitter with an ok glove (at first base) and he can play COF/1B/DH and that's it.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 12:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I'm cool with keeping him, but he should be on a year-to-year basis, fighting for his job every year. You'd like to think that Shealy will bust out, or Butler will get decent at defense, and Gload will not be needed in 2009.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 19, 2008 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

the Gload signing seems pointless

Hillman, you're on notice.

by FireBell on Jan 19, 2008 2:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder why Gload was so sour at Fanfest

A couple of people wrote that Gload was not friendly with the fans at Fanfest. This is odd. Afterall, he just was given life-long financial security earlier that day by the Royals. And he knows he is going to be here for another two or three years. He was already sent packing by three clubs before the Royals made a commitment to him. I would have expected him to feel like King of the World yesterday.

Rock Chalk Talk for pretty good KU College Baseball Coverage

by James Quinn on Jan 19, 2008 5:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe a part of him wanted a 1 yr deal

since he's so sure he's a badass

I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me

by LeoBloom on Jan 19, 2008 6:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A few thoughts,

I guess the Royals are sold on Gload. Which is odd. I guess he is the first baseman for the next few years. Or at least the 1B/OF/DH backup guy for the next few years. The Royals bought out his first year of free agency and have an option on his second year. This is NOT the long term deal I was looking for this week. I thought Teahen would get the big pay day. This deal is not good news for Shealy and Butler fans.

Buck's number is much higher than I thought. I expected over a million, but not $2.2M. NY is being too generous regarding my arb guesses. I was a bit closer, but certainly far off the mark regarding Buck and Gobble, and this Gload deal complete catches me unaware.

NY puts the team payroll at $63M now, and I think they still need to pay German, Teahen and Greinke. Those three will earn a bit under $5M between them. That leaves the Royals with about $10M still on the table. There is no reason the Royals cannot spend $80M next year and still earn profit. I don't see the free agents out there now to spend this extra money. Maybe Kris Benson can still be signed. That would cost about $5M I expect. I hope they sink a bit of this extra money into locking up Teahen for the next four or five years. I also wouldn't mind the money going into international scouting and signing bonuses for next year.

Rock Chalk Talk for pretty good KU College Baseball Coverage

by James Quinn on Jan 19, 2008 1:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

A few of my thoughts

While I don't support giving Gload $1.6M a year for two years, I don't think this makes him the presumptive 1B of the future. That is still backup money. If Butler proves himself at first base, he'll be the man. If he can't and Shealy proves himself at the plate, then he'll be the man. I think Gload has locked up a role on this team for the next few years, but that role can and will be fluid.

NY is being too generous regarding my arb guesses.

We were both right on some, but you were much closer than I was. Some of them were so high that they overshot both of us by more than a little.

NY puts the team payroll at $63M now, and I think they still need to pay German, Teahen and Greinke.

The $63.2M figure includes arbitration estimates for German (1M), Teahen (2.5M) and Greinke (1.5M).
That leaves us $3.8M under last year's budget. Clearly they could easily afford to increase the payroll over last year's figure. They may sign a SP or not. Regardless, with revenues going up, money coming from MLB going up, Berroa's $5.25M coming off the books and some other money coming off the books (Smith+Duckworth+Bale=$3.3M), this team will be able to afford a genuine top tier FA next offseason.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 1:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BTW

A long-term Teahen contract is still possible. I would be surprised if they had pulled it off today. Typically the easier, lower level arbitration guys get taken care of early because they are quick and easy. Teahen and Greinke are probably going to take some time.

The reason I don't think any long-term deal for Teahen is going to happen this offseason is because it wouldn't make sense for Teahen. If he signs a long-term deal now, he's selling himself low. Right now, he's got one good season under his belt and that's about it. If he thinks he'll do better than average in 2008, then he'd be wise to hold off and try to get a long-term deal next offseason.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 1:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it makes much sense

For the Royals yet either. His career has been pretty up and down and its hard to gauge which is the real Mark Teahen - 2006 or 2007 or something else.

You could probably say the same about Greinke.

Personally, I think long-term deals for players not eligible for free agency are overrated. These players are under reserve anyway, so all you're really buying is avoiding arbitration and perhaps one year of FA if you're lucky, and the downside is you get Angel Berroa and you can't non-tender these guys without eating money.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 19, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

These numbers

Are more than I thought they'd be as well.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 19, 2008 12:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How old is Lawrence?

by Gordon Roy on Jan 19, 2008 5:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

31 years old

Hasn't really pitched in two years.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lawrebr02.shtml

by raefzilla on Jan 19, 2008 6:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

that doesn't include minor league stats.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/L/brian-lawrence.shtml

by doublestix on Jan 19, 2008 6:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Supposedly

His fastball tops out now at 81 mph. Awesome.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 19, 2008 7:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Rowdy Hardy needs a mentor

So send Lawrence to Springdale.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 10:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Colon

It appears he is one again favored to land in KC.

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2008/01/19/royals-the-favorites-to-land-colon/

by ET90210 on Jan 19, 2008 10:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Interesting

Given that we just made JDLR a millionaire, I am wondering why we are still interested in Bartolo Colon. I've typically been a proponent of GMDM's strategy of stockpiling as many arms as possible, but $1 mil would be an awfully lot to shell out for someone who may just end up riding the pine as a long reliever.

by DarthYoshi on Jan 19, 2008 10:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Please no Bartolo Colon

A one year deal wouldn't be a problem. A two-year deal would suck bigtime. Everything I've heard about him this winter has been bad. Low velocity on the fastball, held out of some starts (probably due to soreness/pain/injury). This is a once great pitcher who has eaten his way to crappiness and doesn't have the will power or work ethic to effectively rehab himself back to 100%.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 10:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Its amazing

Colon won the Cy Young Award as recently as 2005.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 19, 2008 10:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

which was a joke

I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me

by LeoBloom on Jan 19, 2008 10:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Joe Cowley

So I finally read the Joe Cowley piece which everyone is referring to. He doesn't talk about a source for this information or if he even has one. He just says that the "Royals appear to be the front runner" to land Colon. I don't know if I'd stake too much on one throw away sentence from Cowley. We'll see if it happens, but I wouldn't bet on it (or against it) at this point.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 10:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The only way a two-year deal would make sense

...for Colon is if it is two years the the base salary very low for both years. I'm talking $1M or $2M per year base salary. He could then get significant incentives based on games started, games pitched or innings pitched. That wouldn't be too bad. However, something like 2yrs/$8M would be freaking awful.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jan 19, 2008 10:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs