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The Royals still have enough minor-league talent to pull off a major trade, but indications are...

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The Royals still have enough minor-league talent to pull off a major trade, but indications are that they’ll mostly hold back — and that’s the right move. The Royals have spent too much time and money to get to this point. Eroding one of the deepest collections of young talent in baseball would be a mistake if it didn’t bring back a potential ace with three or four years of club-controlled contract. High-end prospects are currently the most valuable commodity in baseball, and spending too much of that capital on a flawed big-league pitcher (Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens, for instance) would be the kind of mistake the Royals wouldn’t be able to make up for. As intriguing as the trade market’s better pitchers (like Gio Gonzalez and James Shields) may be, the Royals have to use their bullets carefully. Taking Hosmer’s projected free-agency of 2016 as the general definition of the Royals’ championship window, it would be reckless for them to push it now. Sam Mellinger: Sanchez trade is right move for the moment