Moore is also open to dealing prospects for the right long-term fit.
"Always," he said, "if something makes good sense. We’ve got five pretty good left-handed pitchers right now. I’d just as soon hold onto them for a few years and, if we have to deal one or two of them, do so when their value is really high.
"To make a deal, we’d have to get someone in return who is going to be here for a while."
Finding impact right-handed bat heads KC's off-season priorities
Says they're thinking of picking up an RHB OF for long-term to balance out all the lefties. Wouldn't be surprised if one of the minor league pitchers gets traded (IT IS the currency of baseball).
over 1 year ago
BrRoyal
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Dont forget the Kendall line
Jason Kendall’s (shoulder) injury presents something of a gap (at catcher) that we have to address. I’m not going to put limitations on Jason, but you’re looking at a serious injury.
More
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Royals will seek to add a veteran stop-gap catcher to join Brayan Peña and Lucas May in bridging the gap to Wil Myers, Manny Piña and Salvador Perez.
"That’s going to require more evaluation going forward and into spring training," Moore said. "But you’re always looking to be as solid as you can be back there. We’ll see what happens."
More from Moore to support a long term contract for a RH OF
The search for a right-handed bat is not aimed at a short-term fix. The Royals want a complement to Billy Butler in a projected lineup that seems likely to grow increasingly lefty-heavy in coming years.
It probably is a good idea to get a right hander, as most of our prospects are indeed lefties. Im a bit worried who we will sign though.
Werth is from Springfield IL
So he’d be close to home… At least close enough to get that nasty beard some hunting time in Pike County…
Too young.
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
Dayton's words don't mean jack shit.
I expect at least two really, really stupid moves this offseason. Hopefully there are some good moves/non-moves to balance those out.
Killing time until time kills me
POWER BAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Freneau on Sep 27, 2010 3:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Aren't you tired of writing game summaries that include 16 singles?
It will be so much better to talk about the (likely) increase in strikeouts
by Boots 58 on Sep 27, 2010 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Actually, the part of that article I liked the best was this
The Royals fell to 48-7 when leading after seven innings. They are 49-0 when leading after nine.
"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell
Yeah, it's a pretty ridiculous stat
But in years past, that 48-7 after 7 innings stat looked a lot worse.
I don’t even understand why they would throw in the 49-0 when leading after 9. At that point, the game is over. It’s like saying the Chiefs won 100% of their games when leading after the 4th quarter. Just silly. Maybe they meant to use the stat for leading after 8 and just got confused.
They probably mean going into the bottom of the 9th and being away
So we can’t bat but have to get their batters out.
More of a testamant to Soria that anything.
So....we've won at least 49 road games this year??
I don’t quite believe that for some reason….
Killing time until time kills me
Good point!
I was only trying to think of the only thing that could make sense.
I mean, I know we’ve won more than 49 games.
well they've won 10 in extra innings
but still 10+49 < 63, so I think the article means after 8 innings, not nine.
by swing and a miss on Sep 27, 2010 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
But the Royals have lost when leading after 8.
Soria blew a game at the beginning of the year when Miguel Cabrera homered on a 3-2 pitch.
Seriously, though, would you trade a Chris Dwyer for a major league-ready OF prospect?
I’m not overly familiar with other teams’ prospects, so I won’t offer any names, but that’s the kind of thing it sounds like to me.
The search for a right-handed bat is not aimed at a short-term fix. The Royals want a complement to Billy Butler in a projected lineup that seems likely to grow increasingly lefty-heavy in coming years.
This is what Moore talked about when he was hired: building up the minors, especially with pitchers because talented pitchers always have trade value.
So, do you think Chris Dwyer or Danny Duffy (if he continues to impress in winter ball) is enough to get a stud RHB OF who is major league ready? Who would you get (to those familiar with other systems)? Do we need to add a low-level throw in? I like our prospects, but I’d be willing to do something like this. It’s gets a young guy in a little earlier (maybe already a year’s experience), meaning the team will still get young but won’t be full of rookies all at the same time. And we’re not exactly loaded with OF prospects unless Hosmer and Myers move there. I am, however, frightened that it’s Moore who would pull off the trade.
Maybe
I’ll caveat that with two thoughts though.
1. If you look at their track record during the glory years, Atlanta was EXTREMELY successful (lucky?) in targeting which highly-ranked prospects in their farm system were not going to develop into stud MLB players, and trading them for valuable MLB players. If we could do that, then obviously that would be a great idea, but we haven’t shown that uncanny ability thus far.
2. It appears I am in the minority among Royals fans, but I am not at all sold that we are set enough at pitching prospects that we can afford to trade any of our top guys off. We have a solid quartet among Monty, Lamb, Dwyer, and Duffy, but there are questions with each one – it’s not like we have four Greinkes here. So for the sake of argument, two make it, two don’t, and Greinke walks at the end of 2012. End result: our starting pitching still sucks, even during the glory years of the offense behind Moose, Hosmer, Myers, and we are a 70-80 win team.
Tend to agree on on the pitchers
we have some good players, but the idea that the Royals have excess in any area in the minors is flawed given the attrition rate amoung even the best prospects — especiallly pitching prospects.
by Matt Klaassen on Sep 27, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
We have an excess of utility/bloomquist type players and 4th OFers
No wonder we have one of the best farm systems
Heh
Hosmer, Myers, and Moustakas may all be top 10 hitting prospects this offseason — at least one of them for sure, wouldn’t be surprised if two of them.
by Matt Klaassen on Sep 27, 2010 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree with three probably in the top 10 (if one is not, probably Moose)
I just feel we have tons of util/4OF players. Whenever I read who a lot of players project to, that seems like what we have an abundance of.
That’s probably a sign of a healthy system though, as you need a few of these players that can produce at a major league level
Those are called "fringe" MLB players
and every system has them.
The main point is that we have three stud hitting prospects, which is something most teams do not have.
its probably 3 of the top 6 or 7 in all of baseball...
when’s the last time that happened?
Fire Everyone
by billybeingbilly on Sep 28, 2010 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I dont think Moose will be top 7
Probably in the teens. This is based off of the fact he wasn’t ‘seriously considered’ in the player of the year last year from BA, according to their interviews
i was saying top 6 or 7 hitters....
you dont think Moose will end up in their top 15?
Fire Everyone
by billybeingbilly on Sep 28, 2010 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Tommy (KC, MO): I’m having a hard time picking a number one prospect between Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers, who seem to be the most obvious candidates. How would you rank these guys in what order, and why? Thanks, Mr Callis.
Jim Callis: I actually ruminated on that subject in Ask BA a month ago: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2010/2610585.html. The short answer is I’d take Moustakas, because I love that power and he has proven himself at higher levels, but I think you could argue for any of the three. Also talked to a scout today who just might take John Lamb over any of them.
Royals prospects Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers each have had great seasons. Each was a little different in what they did, where they did it, and they’re one year apart from each other in age and pro experience. How would you rank them in terms of who had the best season and who’s the best long-term prospect (assuming Myers moves to right field, like most believe)? I can see a case for ranking them in any order.
Chuck Pattison
Lenexa, Kan.
Moustakas, Hosmer and Myers are three of the best hitting prospects in baseball. Combine them with all the young arms the Royals have amassed, and Kansas City has the game’s best farm system and, finally, some real hope for the future.
I agree that with the two criteria Chuck has mentioned, you could line them up in any order. As prospects, I would rank Moustakas first, followed by Hosmer and Myers. Moustakas has the most power of any of them, and they’re all going to be playing positions where power is at a premium. He also has proven himself at a higher level of the minors and is close to major league-ready. Hosmer and Myers do control the strike zone better.
None of them will contribute much defensive value, as Moustakas will be an average third baseman at best (and may have to move), while Hosmer will play first base and Myers likely will wind up in right field. If Myers was a lock to stay behind the plate and be a solid defender there, I’d be very tempted to rank ahead of the other two.
To me, Myers’ season has been the most impressive. He has hit .310/.423/.496 with 79 walks as a 19-year-old in two difficult Class A hitting environments. By comparison, as 19-year-olds in Class A, Moustakas batted .272/.337/.468 and Hosmer put up .241/.334/.361 numbers.
After Myers, I’d give Moustakas’ 2010 performance (.321/.370/.614 between Double-A and Triple-A) the edge over Hosmer’s (.341/.407/.573 between high Class A and Double-A). Moustakas destroyed Double-A for an 1.100 OPS, though again, Hosmer has controlled the strike zone better.
Fire Everyone
by billybeingbilly on Sep 28, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
In case you didnt see the other fanshot
2006 Diamondbacks: Justin Upton (2), Stephen Drew (5), Conor Jackson (17), Carlos Quentin (20), Chris Young (23), Carlos Gonzalez (32), Dustin Nippert (67).
On the other hand
some could spin that very idea as a reason to get more of a “sure thing” (ML-ready RH bat) for a pitcher who may or may not develop into a ML-ready arm. Not saying I believe it, just saying that some might.
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them. -- Albert Einstein
by The Ol' Perfesser on Sep 27, 2010 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the Royals have something like 5 stud lefty prospects and 5 stud righty prospects.
There’s plenty of talent there that if only 3 of the 10 pan out, you are looking at buying 1 free agent and pulling a #5 from somewhere. That sounds ok to me.
Stud must mean a different thing to me than to you
When I think of a stud pitching prospect, I think King Felix, Kershaw, Lincecum. I think our four lefties are all very good pitching prospects, probably 4 of the top 20 or so in all of the minors.
Who’s the other stud lefty prospect?
And I’m really scratching my head at the 5 stud righty prospects. Crow? Melville? Sample? Sure they all have potential, more than we can say before, but none would fit my definition of stud.
we dont hjave any stud RHPs above the A level right now
We have guys who need to prove themselves. Crow and Melville. I think Crow will bounce back but is he a pen guy long term?
by 306008 on Sep 27, 2010 5:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Lefties
Monty
Lamb
Dwyer
Duffy
Arguelles (forgot about his injury)
and add 3 more lefties in Crawford Simmons, Tim Collins, and Will Smith, though I wouldn’t consider them studs.
Righties
Crow
Melville
Sample
Robinson Yambati is also getting significant buzz lately.
So I guess we don’t have 5 here. I don’t know who I was thinking of. And these righties do have something to prove like 306008 says. But the ceiling on at least Crow and Melville is stud.
I’m no prospect follower by any means, but I don’t think it is a stretch to ask 1 of these guys to become a stud, and 2 more to be a #2-#3 type.
Here's the type of trade that would make sense:
DDJ, in his walk year, + one of the lefties (Dwyer or Duffy, but not Montgomery or Lamb)+ maybe another one or two Grade C prospects for somebody like Colby Rasmus (or the RH equivalent of him)
"We're gonna win with pitching and defense" General Manager Dayton Moore, circa winter 2009
"Where did all these Indians come from?" General George Armstrong Custer, circa summer 1876
cards were going to give away rasmus...
if he has a rough first month, they could look to move on…
You could get Rasmus for DDJ straight up I would imagine.
The STL org would have packaged him for DDJ earlier in the year I believe.
i dont see any way they do that deal
then or now
Fire Everyone
by billybeingbilly on Sep 28, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
What is horrible is that if Moore traded some of the Royals prospects, it wouldn't be for another prospect or young player
It would be for an overpriced 32-year-old who Moore thinks is in his peak. Instead, we’d be getting his Jose Guillen years.
This is one reason why the argument that Moore isn’t a bad GM because he drafts and develops well. In the next few years we’re going to see what Moore does with those prospects. Don’t be surprised when he trades prospects for vets so the Royals can “go for it.”
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 11:11 AM EDT reply actions
I think I'll just stop paying attention til he gets fired if that happens
and then hold my own Plaza parade.
Right now, following the Royals is mostly just an intellectual exercise for me
It’s not fun to watch them play. It’s not fun knowing that they are going to lose 60% of their games. It’s not fun knowing that Dayton Moore doesn’t have what it takes to add the right players to the upcoming prospects to turn this team into a genuine contender. So I’m just left with seeing if I can predict some of the horrible acquisitions Moore will make this offseason and seeing which prospects he chooses to trade away for a bag of non-magic beans. And of course guessing how many Royals games Yuni will play next year (my money’s on 150).
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree, except
Right now, following the Royals is mostly just an intellectual exercise for me
It’s not fun to watch them play. It’s not fun knowing that they are going to lose 60% of their games.
Right now there’s a bunch of young (in Moorean terms) guys that are trying to find their way: Kila, Aviles, Dyson, Blanco, Gordon, Pena, May, and even Betemit, Fields, and MITCH. They may not collectively set the world on fire, but it’s interesting to watch them and find out if they’re going to sink or swim.
The only people who really know where [the edge] is are the ones who have gone over it.
by SagehenMacGyver47 on Sep 28, 2010 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but like NYRoyal, I lost interest in this team about the start of June.
I’ve been to a game or 2 since then, but haven’t watched anything on TV. It’s been nice to come here and get what I need. The prospects are our only real hope, and we need all of them to come out like Ryan Braun did in Milwaukee or I fear that Dayton will make huge mistakes.
I wonder which veteran catcher we’re gonna put behind the plate next year, and I wonder which team we’ll get fleeced by for Brayan Pena.
I wonder if Willie Boom Boom will actually get another contract here, a la HoRam.
But most of all, I wonder if Power Bat is the code name for 32 year old Jayson Werth and his 5 year $70M contract that DM is contemplating?
I wonder if Willie Boom Boom will actually get another contract here, a la HoRam.
That kind of thing is going to be the “fun” of this offseason. Every week or two, we’ll get another Royals signing. They’ll mostly be in their thirties and have one tool (for pitchers, usually a power arm, and for position players, speed or the occasional HR).
But while the weekly roll-out of another horrible offseason felt like a series of gut punches in prior years, this year I’m punch drunk. Nothing surprises me anymore. And I have to expect the worst. Not so much as a defense mechanism, but because Moore has trained me that the very worst I can imagine is probably what is going to happen. I think it will start early with Francoeur, but I don’t think it’s going to get much better after that.
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Very much unfortunately
Frenchie has been hitting well in Texas the past few weeks
Speculation.
Yes, Moore has shown an appreciation for crappy 30-somethings in the past, but the only trades I remember of young guys for old that Moore has made are the RamRam-for-Crisp and Nunez-for-Jacobs. Neither of those guys were Moore’s top prospects. Ramirez was a talented reliever under long-term control, but Nunez is simply young and useful. Not top prospects. I don’t think Moore would look to do the same thing.
I’m disappointed that you’re throwing out speculation without evidence. It’s very unlike you.
Yeah, I don't get the previous post either
Where is the evidence that Moore will “trade prospects for vets”? I don’t believe Moore has traded any prospects that were deemed to be high priority; it was mostly fringe prospects or guys that had lost their luster, such as Cordier and Cortes.
Yeah, some prospects are going to have a down year and "lose their luster" and they'll be the first to go
And we’ll lose more Cortes’s and gain more Yuni’s. World Series here we come!
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh no, not more Cortes's!
Whatever will we do!!!!111
Moore has been on the job for four years and has not traded a top prospect. Speculation indeed.
Hmmmm, what constitutes "top"?
Top 10? Cortes certainly was one of the Royals top 10 prospects. And, as I explained, the particular nature of his mistakes will in part be governed by the team’s situation. So far, he’s been rebuilding, while wasting money on vets in the hopes that it keeps the big club respectable (consider that a fail both in conception and execution). But as the team improves, he will eventually (and undoubtedly prematurely) think the team is close and just needs some key vets to put the team over the top.
Now, my speculation my prove to be incorrect, but do you think Moore will not do this? If so, why? Because it would be a big blunder, evincing fundamental incompetence? Doesn’t that sound just like Dayton Moore?
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, Cortes was top 10.
Hmmmm, what constitutes “top”?
Top 10? Cortes certainly was one of the Royals top 10 prospects.
I don’t think anyone would argue that he had particularly high value, though. He was struggling mightily and didn’t have a high pedigree to begin with. The guys we have now are much more valuable in a possible trade.
He was struggling mightily and didn’t have a high pedigree to begin with.
Yeah, like J.P. Howell.
But seriously though, yes the Royals have better prospects than Cortes. They also have some Cortes-like prospects. Hell, Duffy, Lamb, Dwyer and others are one mediocre minor league season away from the same kind of swoon Cortes had before he was traded. I don’t know if Moore will ever trade Moose, Hosmer, Myers or Montgomery, but I could easily see him trading some of the #6-#10 guys. And, of course, the status, ranking and value of any and all prospects could be very different 10 months from now than it is right now.
In short, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Howells and Cortes’s traded for more Gathrights and Yuni’s. And with the large number of good and pretty good prospects the Royals have and the fact that the team should improve over the next couple of years, I think the likelihood of such trades only increases.
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve got to give DM a pass on Cortes. Maybe he becomes a lights-out reliever…but he was one of those cases where the potential damage his five-cent head could do to the guys you really care about just isn’t worth the risk.
by BlueEyes_Austin on Sep 29, 2010 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Cortes would have damaged who?
And I don’t think anyone is really upset that Cortes was traded…just the return.
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
Your faith in Dayton Moore is well founded.
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions
lol
I don’t believe Moore has traded any prospects that were deemed to be high priority; it was mostly fringe prospects or guys that had lost their luster, such as Cordier and Cortes.
R.I.P. cwhitman412, Frederick0220, & Mets2k9
I Can't Think
(And I could just stop there) of anyone acquired in the deadline deals this year who is older than 26 or so, and certainly no one over 30. That was a pleasant surprise, but he was in the restocking mode, though, not the final pieces of the puzzle mode. Most of the crappy older players he has acquired have been FA’s, not trades. Not that that’s any better……..
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on Sep 28, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
It is definitely speculation
We certainly don’t know he’ll trade prospects for vets. I’m just speculating based on his track record. Time and again, Moore has chosen to go with older, more expensive, worse players over younger, less expensive, better players.
Yuni over Aviles
Kendall over Pena
Podsednik over Maier
Guillen over Kila
Yuni over Cortes and Saito
This is just a short list of the recent examples. There are many more. Does this mean he’ll definitely be trading prospects for vets? No. But I think it likely. If the Royals improve to near .500 in a year or two, with more prospects on their way up, I think Moore will think it is time to “go for it” and he’ll trade some good prospects for one or more poor vets. I don’t think he’s going to sell out all or even most of the top prospects, but I think he’ll trade too many, and he’ll trade them for the wrong players, and he’ll do it at the wrong time. I mean, except for drafting, Dayton Moore has done almost everything wrong. There’s hardly a possible GM mistake that he hasn’t made. I see no reason to expect that he’ll avoid this mistake.
The immoderate moderator
by Scott McKinney on Sep 28, 2010 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions
And all of your speculation is quite possible. However,
Moore is in a position with the Royals that he hasn’t been in yet. He’s had little opportunity to obtain high-quality young talent outside of the draft. The only means of doing so is through trades or signing a guy to his first FA contract. Those first contracts are expensive, even for questionable guys, as we’ve seen with Meche. Now, though, Moore has the opportunity to get quality young guys who are under team control for a long time. (He was unable to do so through trades before because the vets we had were not good enough to bring back high-ceiling guys, except DDJ.) I’m not particularly optimistic that Moore will do well, but I’m intrigued.
i expect very little activity this offseason
in the way of FA signings…if moves happen it think it will be trades, which could be quite active…i still believe that he will make deals that fill holes and help the team.
there is no doubt that he has made many poor signings over the past few seasons, but i think that dries up as prospects arrive…still, prospects alone are not going to get us over the hump; dayton has to make some good FA signings and trades over the next couple of seasons to get the roster where it needs to be…whether or not he can execute will be his saving grace or downfall IMO.
BOOM YOSTED!
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Sep 28, 2010 11:12 PM EDT reply actions
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