Cubs Blogger Advocates Trading For Ka'aihue

Al Yellon, master blogger at SBNation's Bleed Cubbie Blue site, makes an argument for acquiring Kila Ka'aihue. This comes in the wake of Derrek Lee's trade refusal. The most controversial part of his post is here:

"How to get him? I imagine the Royals would be looking for young pitching. They don't seem real interested in giving him a chance; mired in last place, they're playing Billy Butler at first base. Butler is a decent player, but Ka'aihue is a better hitter right now, and much more of a possibility to be a future star."

Is Kila better than Butler? As a first baseman, probably. As a hitter, maybe. - TL

almost 2 years ago timlacy 23 comments 0 recs |

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Saying Kila is better than Butler is a stretch at best

If Butler had simply been in AAA all this time, like Kila has, Butler would be CRUSHING the league more than Kila is at a much younger age. Butler is 24 and already a pretty solid hitter with plenty of room to grow, potentially.

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Jul 30, 2010 10:08 AM EDT reply actions

Exactly.

I’d take Butler at 26 than the current Kila any day. But Kila still needs a chance to show his stuff. I’ve been making the point at BCB that the Royals are more likely to find room for Kila than trade him. – TL

"Sir,--It has been wittily remarked that there are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third and most aggravated is statistics." *The National Observer* (June 13, 1891): p. 93-94.

by timlacy on Jul 30, 2010 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

As Royals fans...

… what would you want in return for Kila? I assume the Royals would be looking for young pitching.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jul 30, 2010 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Our GM seems to like young pitching a lot

As he grabs an arm in most of his trades

Personally, and I think a lot of people around here would agree, I do not want to see Kila traded. I would rather see him up in the majors first. If we decide to trade him after that, fine. But I’d rather know if he will be a useful player or not first that we can get better prospects for.

by Boots 58 on Jul 30, 2010 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Blake Parker or Dae Eun Rhee

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 30, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions

DM would probably take a SS and a pitcher.

Both in A ball, but with high upside.

by AxDxMx on Jul 30, 2010 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Outfielder

- "But Frank, that's the worst shortstop in the league."
- "That's what they keep tellin' me."

by hawkinscm87 on Jul 30, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

That would work too.

by AxDxMx on Jul 30, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm amazed that he hasn't been traded.

Either other front offices are convinced he can’t hit MLB pitching or Dayton’s not even listening to offers (which would make zero sense).

Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball...Rock Chalk Talk

by Warden11 on Jul 30, 2010 10:25 AM EDT reply actions

Man, it would be lovely if everyone was that delusional about Kila.

We would probably get something useful in return.

by Dadunca on Jul 30, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

No way Kila is a better overall hitter than Billy, if Billy was playing in AAA he would be

challenging for the triple crown. He’s actually been a better hitter this season despite the dropoff in power, his walks are up and strikeouts down. If he would concentrate on elevating the ball he could be real real good and is only 24. I like Kila but Billy is definitely the better hitter.

Checkout Royals minor league notes at www.14for77.blogspot.com

by kcscoliny on Jul 30, 2010 11:17 AM EDT reply actions

Billy needs to get some tips from a power hitter.

Seitzer has probably done all he can for him at this point.

- "But Frank, that's the worst shortstop in the league."
- "That's what they keep tellin' me."

by hawkinscm87 on Jul 30, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

This is just silly

No response necessary.

by kcdc1 on Jul 30, 2010 11:18 AM EDT reply actions

Which part?

(a) That Kila is a better hitter than Butler? I agree that Butler is better
(b) That the Cubs should try a trade for Kila. That should perhaps be considered, if we could all get inside Moore’s head on his plans for Kila—-provided they even exist. – TL

by timlacy on Jul 30, 2010 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Calling Kila the "better hitter right now" is silly, but...

…if you’re talking about a trade, you have to consider that Billy is arb-eligible next year, and Kila’s service clock is stalled just above “zero.” Also consider that we’re talking about a GM who wanted to swap Billy, back when his service clock said “zero,” for Yuni.

The aging curve also plays out oddly here…in a vacuum, these two had pretty similar numbers at Omaha, but Billy was 3/4 years younger at the time (and remains 2 years younger right now). That rather obviously plays out in Billy’s favor, but he’s currently under team control through the end of his age-27 season: he becomes a FA at 28. Kila, OTOH, is hypothetically under team control from now through his age-32 season.

So, if you were to acquire one of these players right now, you could have Kila at his peak for league minimum or Butler, who will hit free agency just as his likely peak arrives.

So, if you believe that Kila has real potential (and even recognizing that that potential does not equal Butler’s), there’s a reasonable argument that Kila could be the better acquisition right now.

If I ran a team with a hole at 1B looming on the horizon, I’d be looking through my farm system for someone who resembles Yuni and calling Dayton Moore.

by kcemigre on Jul 30, 2010 12:01 PM EDT reply actions

What you mean is...

…someone good who plays Yuni’s position! We don’t want another Yuni clone. That’d be a sorry state of affairs. – TL

by timlacy on Jul 30, 2010 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions

.

If I ran a team with a hole at 1B looming on the horizon, I’d be looking through my farm system for someone who resembles Yuni and calling Dayton Moore.

There is no other player like Yuni. He's Yunique.

Follow me on twitter.com/SteveCusumano

by MizzouCus on Jul 30, 2010 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, maybe I’d just offer someone with ONE set of plus hands.

by kcemigre on Jul 30, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Just one set?

What’s he supposed to do?? Just catch the balls that a normal person could?? I wouldn’t trade Kila for any thing less than three sets of p plus hands

"We don’t have guys with a long history of being effective in the seventh and eighth innings."
~Trey Hillman, master of understatements.

by RoyalPug on Jul 30, 2010 2:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Having them throw in a set of plus legs wouldn't hurt

now that Scotty Pods is gone.

"Never get less than 12 hours sleep. Never play cards with a guy who's got the same first name as as city. And never go near a lady who's got a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick with that, and everything else is cream cheese." -Coach Bobby Finstock

by Sweep_the_Leg on Jul 30, 2010 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions