He Gone (Grudz style)

by BlownSave on May 9, 2008 4:30 PM EDT

It is time to trade Grudzielanek. I don’t care what we get for him, but it is time for him to move on. While I understand he is a veteran presence in the clubhouse, he is getting in the way of the success of this organization.

There are three guys right now who ought to be getting at-bats: Alberto Callaspo, Mike Aviles and Esteban German.

Callaspo is not getting at-bats because it is felt he is not a full-time shortstop. But, at the moment, he leads the team on OBP (.400 in 50 PA) and has two fewer hits than Pena in 52 fewer at-bats.

Aviles is hitting .355 (.364 in last 10 games), 6 HR, 29 RBI, 16 doubles, 6 triples and an OBP of .388. Aviles is not on the 40-man roster, which means some maneuvering would be necessary (like trading Grudz for a prospect).

I understand that when German played almost every day last season, he only hit .264. What is ignored is that he was tied for second on the team in OBP (.351 in 405 PA). The guy gets on base, which is critical in scoring runs. German has 22 scattered plate appearances this season.

Callaspo and Aviles are the future of this team and the 2008 version of the Royals are not going anywhere this season. Why not find out what you have in these two guys so that we know what we have? Maybe we find out we have a surplus and we can trade something for pitching? Maybe we find out we have nothing so we can look to add depth? Maybe we’ll find out that when people are on base, it is easier to score runs? I don’t know what the loss is in this situation. It’s time for Grudz to go now.

Good News: Mike Moustakas looks like he’s starting to get into a grove. After starting the season with a .181 BA (16 for 88), 1 HR and 4 runs batted in and no doubles. But since May 3, Moustakas is batting .360 (9 for 25), 3 HR, 5 RBI, two doubles and stolen two bases. It’s obviously not a large sample size, but it is a hell of a lot better than what he was doing. Here’s to his continued success.

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Comments

I don't disagree

Grudz is a solid player, and he has actually outperformed my expectations every year he’s been here, but better to trade someone too early, than too late, and I fear Grudz will hit a wall here before too soon.

Question is, who would want him? I suppose Colorado may have an opening now at 2B with Jayson Nix flaming out. But I can’t see too many suitors for Grudz.

Maybe Grudz for Ryan Spilborghs? Or maybe Grudz for a PTBNL so that we can stockpile PTBNLs with Colorado.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on May 9, 2008 5:44 PM EDT reply actions

Trading "too early" vs. "too late"

If we care at all about what we get for him, then we should trade him when we can actually get something decent for him. That requires a motivated buyer. A motivated buyer would be a team which is clearly in a pennant race who desperately needs a 2B. If we trade him now, we get nothing. There’s no way we’re going to get a good prospect like Spilborghs for Grudz. When was the last time that a trade of a rental of a merely decent aging veteran brought more in return than a project or a mediocre prospect?

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on May 9, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

If anyone wants something decent for Grudz, you will need a time machine set to 1999

NYRoyal is right about his nominal trade value, which essentially makes the “let’s trade Grudz” discussion rather pointless. The return for Grudz is going to be the equivalent of an AA-Ball reliever with one-and-a-half pitches or an A-Ball pitcher who throws hard with poor control. For the Royals, the real value will be moving his remaining salary.

by Gopherballs on May 9, 2008 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I probably way underrated Spilborghs

I had no idea his numbers were that good. Anyway, here’s a blip from rotoworld on Julian Tavarez:

The Red Sox are still discussing a deal with the Rockies involving Julian Tavarez.
Rather than pick up immediate help, the Red Sox would probably want a prospect from the Rockies. Some possibilities could include outfielder Seth Smith, catcher Michael McKenry and pitchers Jhoulys Chacin, Shane Lindsay and Juan Morillo.

Surely Grudz is at least as good as Julian Tavarez, so I’m guessing we could land one of these guys for Grudz. Would you want to make that deal around July? I don’t know much about these guys, but I’m guessing they’re no great shakes, but it would be better than getting nothing I suppose, and we have the added bonus of finding playing time for Callaspo if he hasn’t already won the shortstop job.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on May 11, 2008 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Grudz

Well, the Rockies would be a possibility as they are running Omar Quintinilla out there at 2B right now. Also, the White Sox can’t be happy with the performance they’ve gotten out of Juan Uribe this year but of course they are in our division so you know how that goes. Another option may be Tampa Bay as they are making a run this year and Iwamura is doing nothing to help out with that.

As far as what we could get for Grudz, I’d have to think not much. I’d see him as kind of like Dotel last year, a mid-season rental that a contending team feels may help them in their push towards the post-season. Though I do think Grudz could help a team more than Dotel. I’d be happy with a under-performing Middle IF prospect or another pitcher of the Kyle Davies mold. You gotta figure your gonna score on one of those type of players eventually, right?

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by MileHighKCfan on May 9, 2008 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Let's not let the tail wag the dog

We shouldn’t be rushing to dump Grudz so that we can get Aviles playing time. He’s not the future of the Royals. He might make a decent utility IFer. Callaspo is getting a lot of playing time. He should get more, replacing Pena most of the time. Grudz is not this team’s problem. Playing Callaspo everyday isn’t the solution to this team’s problem. And let’s not overreact to a .400 OBP in only 44 at bats. Think he’ll maintain that? People, let’s not overreact.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on May 9, 2008 6:17 PM EDT reply actions

true -- we shouldn’t be rushing to dump Grudz so that we can get Aviles playing time

We should be rushing to dump Grudz because he’s still got value, and he likely will not in the very near future.

In all honesty, the time to dump Grudz was a year or two ago. But since we missed the boat there, we still have time to atone.

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by marbotty on May 10, 2008 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

So even though there's no market for him right now, his value is at its peak right now?

Yeah…I don’t think so.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on May 10, 2008 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

likely won't get too much higher

we can wait til trade deadline and hope somebody needs a second baseman, and hope grudz isn’t injured by then. i think we should look to jump on the first trade opportunity we get, though.

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by marbotty on May 10, 2008 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

His trade value right now is minimal

The only way he (or any merely decent veteran player) has any real trade value is if some team has a particular need for him. That need is going to come when a team needs a 2B and is confident they are going to stay in contention. That means June or July. Do you think he’s going to be injured throughout both June and July? Someone will be motivated in June or July. The trade should be made then.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on May 10, 2008 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions

There is some...

value in just dumping salary. Plus he frees up playing time for German and Callaspo. Two younger players with upside.

by djk royal on May 12, 2008 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions

callaspo isnt getting enough PT

and german is useless to us getting no PT…if he’d be playing…and playing up to the level of the past two years, we could get something for him as well. i think he’d be a more valuable trading chip then grudz, so id take what i can get for grudz and hope that german builds hsi value back up with semi regular ABs

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 9, 2008 6:36 PM EDT reply actions

I like German, but

a utility infielder with a decent OBP will not have more trade value for a pennant-chasing team than a proven everyday second baseman with a decent bat and gold glove-caliber fielding. Grudz has and will continue to have more trade value than German until German learns how to not suck at a defensive position.

Three-month rentals can bring decent returns. If we can flip Grudz for, say, a prospect who rates a B- on the Sickels scale, I’d be satisfied.

by DarthYoshi on May 10, 2008 3:17 AM EDT up reply actions

grud

Unless we can get something legitimately good for him, we’d probably be better off keeping him and picking up a draft pick in ‘09. So long he maintains his current level of production, he should be a Type B like he was this past off season.

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on May 11, 2008 2:57 AM EDT reply actions

to get a draft pick we'd have to offer arbitration and im not sure we want to do that

the maximum that a salary can go down in arb is like 20% so, if he accepts we’re on the hook for another 3+ million dollar grudz contract.

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 11, 2008 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

sure

But—

1) Under the table deals go on ALL the time. How do you think the Padres got a pick for Chan Ho Park after they just payed him 13 million bucks the previous season?
2) Grudz as a backup isn’t so bad…

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on May 11, 2008 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions