Kevin Slowey is a non-tender candidate

28 years old.

xFIP by year:
4.58
3.96
4.15
4.24
4.36

I'd take a flier on Slowey.

7 months ago davekemp 16 comments 0 recs |

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I just posted the same thing.

I’ll delete it. But my thoughts were send him to Omaha and see what happens. Not a K guy, gives up to many hits. See if he can do okay working in the bottom of the zone. Better than SOS.

Scouting the Royals
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by 306008 on Nov 2, 2011 12:39 PM EDT reply actions

There is a good chance that Slowey could not be sent to Omaha

He technically has at least one option left, but because it has been more than three years since MLB debut (2007), he would have to clear waivers before the Royals could exercise the option.

by Gopherballs on Nov 2, 2011 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Seems like it would be worth the waiver risk,

assuming they want him in AAA at all. If the Royals don’t want a guy pitching for their MLB roster, I doubt anyone else wants to claim him.

Kila's slash for Apr 20 to May 4, 2011, right before he was sent down: .276 / .344 / .448

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Nov 2, 2011 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I think multiple teams would have interest in Slowey given his price, peripherals, and past success

The Royals should only bother if they are willing to keep him in the majors (at least to start the year).

by Gopherballs on Nov 2, 2011 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

My origional thought was a MiLB contract...

but with the interest from here, he’s probably got at least a 1 year $1M deal. Would we take that?

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by 306008 on Nov 2, 2011 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

If Slowey was non-tendered and a free agent, he would get more than that and probably more than he would get in arbitration

In arbitration, he would get maybe $3 million or so (MLBR has him at $2.7 million getting no raise), and because he has another year of club control, the team signing him would effectively have a no risk team option on him for 2013. He would only have to pitch above replacement but below average to earn that investment back, but he has a decent shot at producing around league average, so I would expect some team would be willing to give him $4+ million as a free agent.

by Gopherballs on Nov 2, 2011 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe I underestimated Slowey's expectations.

I see what you mean now.

And for 306008, I think Slowey’s going to want to be in a ML rotation and not happy if the first thing the Royals do is try to send him to AAA, even if he did have an option left.

Kila's slash for Apr 20 to May 4, 2011, right before he was sent down: .276 / .344 / .448

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Nov 2, 2011 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I've always been a fan of Slowey's because of his awesome walk rates.

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Nov 2, 2011 12:50 PM EDT reply actions

If he hits the market, I'd pick him up

Here’s an interesting comparison to Cliif Lee: http://www.twinkietown.com/2011/7/17/2280420/giving-up-on-slowey-during-his-age-27-season

by Loose Seal on Nov 2, 2011 12:50 PM EDT reply actions

No-brainer pickup, IMO. He’ll be under team control for another year too, I think.

by WURoyal on Nov 2, 2011 1:17 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Slowey should draw enough interest that the Twins should be able to trade him for a spare part or two

The Royals would likely need to give the Twins something small and shiny for him before the non-tender deadline. Slowey comes with some big yellow flags in that he is about as an extreme of a flyball pitcher as you can get so HRs will always be a problem with him. But he never walks anyone (career 1.42 BB/9) and can post a near average strikeout rate (career 6.67 K/9). He made $2.7 million this year, but should only get a small raise in arbitration due to his horrible traditional numbers this year (0-8, 6.67 ERA, 59 IP). He should get less than Bruce Chen in arbitration. He also would be under club control for two years, so he would not necessarily be a one-year rental.

by Gopherballs on Nov 2, 2011 1:55 PM EDT reply actions

So GMDM

is already all over this, that’s why he said we’d not sign anyone, just trade.

Scouting the Royals
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by 306008 on Nov 2, 2011 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Slowey being an extreme flyball pitcher, as you mentioned,

might not play all that poorly in Kauffman.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Nov 3, 2011 2:29 AM EDT up reply actions

It would help HRs

but the K ends up playing neutral because it allows extra 2B and 3B. The net effect may not all be that great, especially if the same three outfield returns: Melky is horrible in CF, Frenchy’s range is poor (although he makes up some of it with his arm), and Gordon’s range has been merely average (again, his arm makes up for it).

by Gopherballs on Nov 3, 2011 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions

He's the dreaded 1 WAR starter

but if we can get him for next to nothing we might as well. Who knows, he might improve. He also might suck. Low-risk, medium-upside deal, and we desperately need anything resembling a starting pitcher.

"All the boys think she's a guy
She's got crazy Frenchy eyes."

by Juancho on Nov 3, 2011 6:53 AM EDT reply actions

Until last season

Slowey had been a 2-3 WAR pitcher when healthy (even after adjusting for the fact that he seems to be the type that does not perform quite as well as his peripherals). He suffered from an abdominal injury last year, and the Twins messed with him by moving him to pen (in favor of Nick Blackburn for goodness sakes). But I think you are right that with uncertainty from how he will bounce back, a team should view him as 1.0 WAR starter but with a pretty good chance of returning to league average.

by Gopherballs on Nov 3, 2011 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions