I am very unhappy with him in certain ways, but overall I think he has done much more good than harm. I think a simple test works here. Think back to the state of the franchise in 2005, and look at it now. The Royals are much better on the field now, and their minor league system is in much better shape. Sure, Moore has more money to work with than did Baird, but I think there is more going on here than just having a larger budget.

So I’ll give him a gentleman’s C. He’s done quite a few things right and quite a few things wrong during his tenure. Unfortunately I think the Royals need a genuinely good GM to get them over the top. I kind of think that his largely poor track record with free agents is really going to make it difficult for him to get the Royals to a division title. A whole lot of prospects are going to have to pan out.

A-Convincing Glass to open the checkbook
A-Development (internationally and amateur draft)
A-Changes to front office
C- Trades
D- Free Agency

I would rank Moore somewhere between a ‘B-’ and a ‘C+’ This offseason has been murky at the absolute best, and that’s including the Arbuckle acquisition and Greinke extension, among other less significant positive moves (Cruz, Waechter, et al). Money distribution and evaluation of offensive talent in MLB, thus far, have been Moore’s glaring weaknesses (especially the latter). However, his rebuilding of the MiLB system, drafts, ability to convince Glass to open the checkbooks have been outstanding. Added emphasis should be placed on the fact that this is perhaps the most difficult market to yield a winning product in sports. Moore certainly has as monumental of an uphill battle to fight as any G.M. in baseball. 6-7 game improvements each season, and evaluation of pitching. Taking over a less than expansion-quality baseball team and forcing near .500 baseball 2 1/2 years later is a minor accomplishment.

So, yeah. ‘B-’ for now. Perhaps ‘C+’. Even if 3-5 of NYRoyal’s ‘worst case scenarios’ come true, that may be enough to force the grade downhill, unfortunately.

Excellent on pitching: straight A
Excellent on the draft: straight A
Free Agents: C, but all GMs have a few bad contracts
Coaching staff: C+/B-, the jury’s still out, but all signs are good. Retaining McClure was big.
Locking up our own: Soria, Greinke. The trend is good. B+, based on future indications.

- TL

but Mahay almost certainly would have returned Anthony Reyes, who was not exactly a hot commodity, but younger, cheaper, more talented, and at a more valueable position. I’d much rather have Reyes in HoRam’s spot, and granted that spot should be for Bannister/Hoch, but had the Reyes deal been done HoRam could be in Mahay’s spot, where he’d be serviceable, with Reyes competing with Banny and Hoch for the last spot in the rotation.
If you went with the most talented 5 as starters, then Banny seems like a good long-relief type. Not really basing that on anything, but he’s got a bit of control, and seems to be heady when “on”. You know, generic mostly nonsense positives people use to optimistically describe pitchers whose ineffectiveness as starters leaves them in long relief roles would loosely apply.
Of course, the management has very misplaced judgment on the intangible “value” of having a left handed starter, of which we are all to aware heading into the second consecutive year of some a-hole being given a starter’s role solely based on handedness.

C———-|—-C+
Dayton, of course being represented by the break in segmentation
Eye-balling it looks to be about C.778

because I said so

Dayton Moore clearly has the RR vote of confidence. 96 positive vs. 7 negative appraisals.