Roster Moves in the last week

by daveyork on Mar 22, 2008 10:00 PM EDT Comment 20 comments

It is that time of year when the roster moves will be made - players sent down, released, DFA or traded. KC always seems to come up with a guy on opening day roster that hasn't been with the team for long.

What are the predictions for player moves in the last week?

Here are a few of mine:

Leo Nunez sticks with the team as the last reliever in the pen. Musser, Lawrence, Maroth, Davies, Hochevar, and Tsao go to Omaha.
Nomo is given release.
Huber will not make the final roster.
Dark horse for the opening day roster is Matt Tupman since Olivo will be suspended.
Ryan Shealy begins season at Omaha since he has options.
The Rose is traded to a team in need of starters like Washington or Florida. Not much in return comes back to KC - a minor leaguer at best.

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go tupman!

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

by LeoBloom on Mar 22, 2008 10:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

All of those are very plausible

2.
I hope so. However, they are continuing to give him a fair number of A Game innings and unfortunately, he appears to be doing well in a relief role. I have no idea what his stuff looks like. None of the articles seriously analyze or even describe how he is really pitching. Just a lot of platitudes and vaguely positive comments from Hillman. I hope they are just giving him a good look so he has a decent shot to catch on somewhere else. We probably don't have enough open roster spots for there to be room for him. The only way I can see him possibly fitting is in the following scenario:

Meche
Bannister
Greinke
Tomko
Bale
Soria
Yabuta
Mahay
Gobble
Peralta
Nunez
Nomo

And then DLR traded/waived/released, with Hochevar optioned to Omaha. That wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'd still rather DLR or Davies get that spot than the rapidly deteriorating Hideo Nomo.

3.
I think you're right about Huber. If they were seriously considering keeping him, they'd be giving him more playing time in A Games. After some good playing time earlier in ST, he's been relegated to occasional sub status. I think he'll be traded or put on waivers. He has a good shot of clearing waivers though.

4.
The numbers game problem for Tupman is that while Guillen's suspension does not count against the 25-man roster, Olivo's does. So we'll be down to 24 players. With the roster so tight, I don't know if they'll try to shoehorn a second catcher into the 24-man roster when it will only be 5 games.

5.
Regardless of how he looks in ST, Shealy may well be going to Omaha. It all depends on a potential trade of a position player. If no position player who is a current lock for the 25-man roster is traded, there'll be no room for Shealy. But if one of them is traded (most likely German), then there would be room.

One additional variable is that for the past week, Hillman is saying that he's undecided if they will go with 11 or 12 pitchers to start the season. If they go with 11, that might make room Shealy.

6.
DLR could definitely be traded. Right now I think it is a toss up between a trade and him taking the last spot in the bullpen.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Mar 23, 2008 1:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tupman

I thought I read somewhere that they told him it was likely that they will keep him around the first week. I could be wrong.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Mar 23, 2008 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Could be

I haven't seen it, but they may well see two catchers as necessary, even for a 5-game period.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Mar 23, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It seems unfair for the Royals to be punished

because of incidents with other teams. Of course, I've been calling for Watson to be fired for years. He's one of Selig's worst legacies.

by jbrocato on Mar 23, 2008 6:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, FWIW Hochevar has been optioned to Omaha

It's down to Bale, Tomko, Davies, JDLR for the last two rotation spots

"I'm tired of all these stupid a$$ questions every day. Why the f**k would I hit Brett for Miller?" The rest is history.

by DC Royal on Mar 23, 2008 6:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

trade JDLR NOW

Hillman, you're on notice.

by FireBell on Mar 23, 2008 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Already ignoring Nomo-mania?

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Mar 23, 2008 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With Hochevar optioned to Omaha

Now the pitching staff is down to:

Meche
Bannister
Greinke
Bale
Tomko

Soria
Yabuta
Mahay
Gobble
Peralta

The final 1 or 2 spots will go to some of:

Nunez
DLR
Nomo

At this point, it is really hard to guess who will stay and who will go.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Mar 23, 2008 8:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ugh Nomo

I really hope its Nunez or DLR. Nomo can NOT win a spot with this club.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Mar 23, 2008 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would be a bad decision to keep

Nomo at the expense of Nunez or The Rose. This type of short sided move is one I would expect of the Baird regime, not GMDM. Nunez is a hard thrower and has upside. DelaRosa has the potential and could be a trade chip. Nomo retired for two years and won't be in KC by end of year.

The Royals have to be smarter than keeping Nomo. It doesn't matter how good a ST he has had.

by daveyork on Mar 23, 2008 9:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The only way there might be room for Nomo

If they go with a 12-man pitching staff, they can keep Nomo and Nunez. Then they would have to trade/waive/release DLR. That wouldn't be the end of the world. But it would still be a poor choice.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Mar 23, 2008 9:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can We Send

Nomo to Omaha? If so, and if he would accept it, he might not be bad to have in case of injuries. We also could call it Nomoha, which would be fun for a minute or two.

I'm not getting older....oh, wait, yes I am....and slower.... and weaker. God, this is great!

by philofthenorth on Mar 23, 2008 10:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I assume he has a minor league deal

...which would mean the Royals could send him to Omaha. But he might have either a written or verbal agreement that the Royals would release him if he's not on the major league club by a certain date. That is not uncommon for veteran NRI's, for players who want a shot at a major league team, but have no interest in playing minor league baseball.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Mar 23, 2008 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tell me the tigers wouldn't love to have Nomo

In their pen right now. He looks really good, I have a friend at ST who's seen his last few outings and was extremely impressed. We need to find a way to get something of value for Nomo / JDLR / Nunez.

winning records follow good bullpens

by slayor on Mar 23, 2008 11:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would trade Nomo to Detroit in a heartbeat

Detroit is in the win now mode and Nomo could be effective in relief. They also need the help and he has looked good in ST. If KC could get a prospect or two with some upside, what a bonus for a NRI who seemed like more a caddy for Yabuta than a legit candidate.

With a situation like Nomo's, I'd take a chance on a low A guy with tools but is raw or a power arm who has the stuff but is a long way off. If it is a bust, not a big loss. If the kids put it together, looking like a genius.

by daveyork on Mar 24, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My take

I don't see Nomo as a huge contributor, but if he is usable, why would we trade him to a division rival (if you can call it that at this point) for an A-ball pitcher with upside? It seems like if we're going to help the Tigers get better at our expense, we'd better get something in return - not just wishful, hopeful, "X's going to be great in 2011" kind of thinking.

One question, can we even trade him at this point? What are the rules on trading FA acquisitions? I know he's a NRI, so maybe that's a different situation than Mahay, Tomko, etc... which I believe can't be traded until June. Is this correct? Ok, that's more than one question.

And one last question... do they have anybody left to trade us?

by KC Chris on Mar 24, 2008 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs