DMIT - #6 vs. #11 and #7 vs. #10

While there have already been some significant upsets, things are really going to get interesting now.  Again, vote in the comments for the worst transaction in each matchup.  We'll knock out the four #6 vs. #11 matchups and two of the #7 vs. #10 matchups here.

#6 Alex Gordon is demoted to Omaha in 2010 and converted to an OFer vs. #11 Josh Newman is claimed off waivers

After a 2009 season lost to injury, Gordon got off to a poor start in 2010.  So Moore demoted him to Omaha and had him converted to a LFer.  This decreased Gordon's value as a player and seemingly marginalized one of the Royals more talented players.  Josh Newman was claimed off of waivers and played pretty crappily for the Royals.

#6 John Buck is non-tendered vs. #11 Luis Mendoza acquired by trade.

After the 2009 season, John Buck was due for an arbitration raise.  Even though the Royals were losing Olivo to free agency as well, Moore non-tendered Buck.  Buck went on to have his best season playing for Toronto and Moore went on to sign Jason Kendall to a two-year deal.  I've already dealt with Mendoza.  Why is he on the bracket twice?  Because the Selection Committe screwed up.  The party responsible has been fired.

#6 Brett Tomko is signed to a one-year contract vs. Noel Aguelles is signed to a five-year contract

In January 2008, Dayton Moore thought the Royals rotation needed a veteran presence.  So he signed Tomko to a one-year $3M deal.  Tomko didn't pitch well and was DFA'd I believe sometime in June.  Last December, Moore signed Noel Arguelles to a 5-year, $6.9M contract.  He was touted as the second best Cuban FA pitcher of that offseason and he was supposed to be a pretty good pitcher and wasn't too old.  But Arguelles was injured for the entire 2010 season and his health and baseball future are in question.

#6 Carlos Rosa is traded for Rey Navarro vs. #11 Jamey Wright is signed to a minor league deal and is eventually called up to KC

While the KC bullpen flloundered, Rosa languished in the Omaha bullpen.  Instead of promoting him, Moore traded him for an all-defense, no-hit shortstop, Rey Navarro.  Navarro has never hit well at any level in his minor league career.  Jamey Wright seemed like a decent minor league contract acquisition based on his skills and prior performance as a reliever.  He started the season pretty well, but then turned to crap and was really awful for the Royals.

#7 Miguel Olivo is signed to a one-year contract (second signing) vs. #10 Ryan Freel is acquired by trade

After a meh 2008 season, Datyon moore re-worked Olivo's contract to effectively pick up his mutual option and add a mutual option for the next season.  This amounted to a new one-year contract for a guaranteed $2.5M.  This was just as pointless as his first signing (for $2.15M) because the Royals already had Buck who was just as good and cheaper.  But Olivo went on to have a decent season.  Freel was acquired in a low-cost PTBNL trade (maybe just ended up being cash).  He had been awful and came to KC and was just as awful.  It was a pointless, silly acquisition which predictably failed.

#7 Juan Cruz signed to a two-year contract vs. #10 John Bale is signed to a two-year contract (first signing)

At the start of the 2009 spring training, Moore signed Cruz to a two-year $6M contract.  He had pitched pretty well for Arizona and his peripherals looked pretty good.  But he was kind of expensive and as a Type A FA, he cost the Royals a draft pick.  And then he pitched very poorly in 2009 and only for 5 innings in 2010 before being DFA'd.  The Royals have had to pay for his entire contract, including his $500K buyout which is on the 2011 payroll.  After a good-but-not-great few years in Japan, Moore signed John Bale to a two-year, $4M contract.  He was injured most of 2007 and pitched poorly in 2008.  Turns out it was too much guaranteed money for too many years for Bale.