DMIT - #4 vs. #13 and #5 vs. #12

Again, vote in the comments for the worst transaction in each matchup.  We'll knock out the four #4 vs. #13 matchups and the four #5 vs. #12 matchups here.

 #4 Scott Podsednik signs a 1-year contract vs. #13 Bryan Bullington signs a minor league contract and eventually makes it to KC.

Before the 2010 season, Moore signed Podsednik to a one-year $1.75M contract.  It was less than unnecessary, but Pods performed ok.  He was eventually traded for a couple minor leaguers.  Bryan Bullington was signed to a minor league deal, got promoted and pitched poorly for a little while.

#4 Rick Ankiel signs a 1-year contract vs. #13 Horacio Ramirez signs a minor league contract and eventually makes it to KC.

Before the 2010 season, Moore signed Ankiel to a one-year $3.25M contract.  It was less than unnecessary, foolishly expensive, and he was promised to start at his worst position.  He was injured a lot, and didn't play very well.  Eventually he and Farnsworth were traded for one decent prospect and some scraps.  Before the 2008 season, HoRam was signed to a minor league deal, was promoted to KC and actually performed pretty well as a reliever before being traded for Paulo Orlando.

#4 Jeff Francoeur signs a 1-year contract with a mutual option vs. #13 Ned Yost hired as Royals manager.

Moore signed Francoeur to a one-year $2.5M contract plus a mutual option for $4M.  Enough said.  During the 2010 season, Moore fired Hillman and hired Yost.  You either like him or you don't like him, or you really don't like him.

#4 Trey Hillman hired as Royals manager vs. #13 John Bale re-signed to a 1-year contract.

After Buddy Bell was fired, Moore hired Trey Hillman.  He didn't play the right players, he liked small ball and he overused some pitchers.  He wasn't good.  After a not so great 2008 season, Moore re-signed Bale to a one-year $1.2M contract.  The signing was defensible based on Bale's peripherals, but he didn't perform well the following season.

#5 Sidney Ponson signs minor league deal and is eventually promoted to KC vs. #12 Gaby Hernandez claimed off of waivers and is eventually promoted to KC

Going into the 2009 season, Dayton Moore thought the Royals rotation needed a veteran presence.  So he dragged Sidney Ponson off of the scrap heap of baseball history and quickly slipped him into the Royals rotation.  He really stunk and was eventually DFA'd.  Gaby's stay in KC was cheap, brief and ugly.

#5 Ramon Ramirez traded to for Coco Crisp vs. #12 PTBNL traded for Luis Mendoza

Moore traded Ramirez coming off a great season for Coco Crisp, his contract and his fragile body.  Crisp was pretty good for the brief period he was healthy, but spent most of the season on the DL.  Luis's stay in KC was cheap, brief and ugly.

#5 Ron Mahay signs a two-year contract vs. #12 Hideo Nomo signs a minor league deal and is eventually promoted to KC.

Mahay was an overrated, aged LHP and Moore gave him too much money and too many years.  He performed well for half a season and then tore his plantar fascia and stunk for the remainder of his contrct.  Nomo was an ill-advised signing, followed by an ill-advised promotion to KC.  The good news is that he only pitched 4.1 innings.

#5 Jeff Keppinger traded for Russ Haltiwanger vs. #12 Lenny DiNardo signs a minor league contract and is eventually promoted to KC.

Keppinger made a wise trade to acquire Keppinger for Ruben Gotay.  After a brief stint in KC, Moore then gave him away for a crappy prospect.  Now there wasn't much reason to be optimistic about Keppinger's prospects, but Moore really screwed up becaue Keppinger turned into an all-hit, no-defense middle IFer who has been pretty good, albeit inconsistent in the majors since then.  Dinardo is another crappy pitcher signed to a minor league deal who ended up pitching too much in KC.