Royals Trade Gregor Blanco to Washington
by Freneau on May 8, 2011 6:30 PM EDT
in Kansas City Royals News
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PrintThe Royals have traded AAA centerfielder Gregor Blanco to the Washington Nationals. In an interesting twist, the Royals will receive a player to be named later. Not, say, "future considerations" or "cash considerations."
Blanco came to the Royals last season as part of the Farnsworth-Collins trade. I've always kinda liked Blanco as a cheap option in center, given that he plays decent defense and does what he can to get on base. He has Juan Pierre like power and isn't a high batting average guy either, but he somehow has posted a .358 OBP in 836 Major League PAs. Melky Cabrera, by comparison, is at .327.
However, despite the Braves pedigree and the fact that he was recently acquired, it became obvious this winter that Blanco had no future with the Royals. He essentially lost the CF job to Melky for no apparent reason, and wasn't preferred to Dyson or even Mitch as the 4th OF/PR guy. Oh, and now Cain is hanging around, waiting to have his existence justified.
So Blanco moves on. He played 49 games for the 2010 Royals as the team played out the schedule. In five years, not a soul in Kansas City will remember him.
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I may not remember his name in five years
but there is no way I’ll forget how much he choked up on the bat.
by Connor Moylan on May 8, 2011 6:41 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
NOOOOOOOO
Now what am I gonna do with a closet full of Blanco paraphernalia?! In other news, he had the least catchy RR nickname of all time (Greg White).
(August 31, 2010 8:34 PM PDT) Jojothebeachbum: "WP FTW"
"That's what speed do." - Jarrod Dyson
Im just bummed that Fransisco Blanco never took off for Frank White
Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
Since 2006: Royals win% = .4218, Chiefs win% = .3625
by averagegatsby on May 8, 2011 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not black like Frank White
But I am white like Bud Black is
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on May 8, 2011 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I thought Blanco should've been our starting CF this year before the Greinke trade...and maybe even afterwards.
Killing time until time kills me
After watching Melky this entire weekend...
I have no doubt who should be starting CF, and batting 2nd.
Oh well.
Nick Swisher is handsome.
Melky?
No, a .358 OBP would be a freaking dream with that guy. Maybe enough to get me to look past his lazy CF work.
Nick Swisher is handsome.
well, at least he wasn't giving up bases/runs on defense, so yeah
he rocked.
Nick Swisher is handsome.
by ChrisCEIT on May 8, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
God speed
Mr. Blanco, God speed.
Maybe now he’ll give us firsthand accounts of what a jerk Bryce Harper is as Harper passes him in the farm system.
Is there a story here
about Blanco and a Royals prospect? If so I’m missing it…
2011 Royals Review NCAA Bracket Challenge Winner, by process of attrition
STRASBURG!
Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
Since 2006: Royals win% = .4218, Chiefs win% = .3625
by averagegatsby on May 8, 2011 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think a fringe prospect is more likely.
You may know me as NYRoyal.
by Scott McKinney on May 8, 2011 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions
The Return Of
Rock LOBster!
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on May 8, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Shouldn't it be Rick LOBster?
Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
Since 2006: Royals win% = .4218, Chiefs win% = .3625
by averagegatsby on May 8, 2011 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Great Granite Head
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on May 8, 2011 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
We'll get two quality overflow girls
and we’ll be happy with that.
by LaFLamme on May 8, 2011 7:31 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
Favorite Blanco stat
This year he’s hitting .196 in Omaha. His OBP: .384
and he was traded to open a spot for Paulo Orlando
who’s hitting 171/247/200 (as opposed to the 196/384/286 Blanco line)..
couldn’t have guys like Blanco polluting the minds of our prospects with that “walks” stuff
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!
After last
year’s “singles train”/“nearly best AVG but no runs” problem, the management clearly favors more power over singles/walks. That’s why MITCH over Blanco I suppose
by Yamfun Cheng Kamfun on May 8, 2011 10:19 PM EDT reply actions
Jesus christ you people just can’t stop bitching, can you?
Gregor Blanco has a career OPS+ in the majors of 85 in nearly 1000 PA. Whatever you think of Melky Cabrera (his OPS+ this year is 112), Blanco is no loss.
And why the Lorenzo Cain hate, McDonald. I know you’re required to piss and moan about everyone and everything, but the kid is hitting .313/.402/.475 in AAA right now.
For the record, Blanco is hitting .196/.384/.286, so should we have called him up and DFA’ed Melky?
The Royals have a winning record and are 4 1/2 games out of first on May 9th when we all thought they’d lose 100 games. Can’t you just be happy and stop bitching about trading AAAA outfielders?
by seelztlb on May 8, 2011 10:22 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Yikes...
I didn’t read that as bitching… Will acknowledged we traded a guy who obviously has no future with the team… And I didn’t see any hate for Cain either?
Cornfused…
by Tracer Bullet 82 on May 8, 2011 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't understand what you're talking about. At all.
"That's fine wood from... somewhere."
by KeepItCopacetic on May 8, 2011 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions
where is the unrecommend button?
Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.
by PhattStairs on May 8, 2011 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
what do you mean "You People"
Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
Since 2006: Royals win% = .4218, Chiefs win% = .3625
by averagegatsby on May 8, 2011 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
perfect
Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
Since 2006: Royals win% = .4218, Chiefs win% = .3625
by averagegatsby on May 8, 2011 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I will offer a solution to this...
read between the lines…I mean this in no way as a pot shot…I mean, literally read some more articles, and get a feel for the writers…there is so much more than bitching going on…and once you find that place as a Royals blogger, where generic name-calling is subdued, enjoy its majestic existence
Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.
We won't get him for Blanco, but
I wouldn’t mind seeing how much Jesus Flores would cost. With Harper coming up soon and Ramos able to hold it down until Harper comes up, Flores seems expendable for them.
I need to go take a Davies and wipe my Elarton. Excuse me.
by royaldaddy on May 8, 2011 11:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
While I do see the BB as the weakest part of Cabrera's game...
I also think that .327 overall OBP is slightly misleading, seeing as Melky has been such a bad contact guy from the right side early. Contact (.209 BABIP) and walking are inter related. The fact is he’d had far more PAs as a lefty and those numbers are fine.
Cabrera as LHB: .326/ .351/ .494 /.845 BABIP: .378 OPS+: 125
Granted the BABIP will go down but so will his RHB BABIP go up, as will his OBP RH. He has more PAs LH by almost double (94 to 53). He faces far more RHP than LHP. Sure, you’d like the on base to be at least 50 points higher than the BA but he just doesn’t walk all that much and he is hitting .326 with eight doubles from the left. He’s a productive player.
He usually isn't a productive player. And overall in his career he hasn't been a productive player
Career .268/.327/.383 hitter for a wOBA of .313. That’s not a productive hitter. That is a poor hitter even for a CFer. And he’s a clearly below average defensive CFer according to UZR, DRS and the FSR. So he’s a CFer who can’t hit and can’t play good defense. But he’s not an awful hitter, nor is he quite awful defensively. So he’d make an ok 4th OFer.
You may know me as NYRoyal.
by Scott McKinney on May 9, 2011 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions
I'd personally prefer
the 4th and/or 5th to be plus defensively, to use as late inning replacement when needed. I’m really down on Melky as anything worthwhile at this point. Maybe he keeps his SLG above .450?
Nick Swisher is handsome.
I so wish that could be the case...
but this past week I swear he’s just playing this contract out. If he can SLG .450, someone will want him, right? Otherwise, ouch, what a waste – I can honestly say I’d rather Mitch Maier out there for starters innings. Gosh.
Nick Swisher is handsome.
Flipped for a guy worth less than Gregor Blanco.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
Yeah, me too. And this is why I think it will be hard to trade him at the deadline
I think if a contender is looking to upgrade their 4th or 5th OFer spot, they are going to be looking for someone with at least one plus skill (either a pretty good hitter, or a good fielder or maybe even a really fast guy who can pinch run). Melky has no plus skills. He’s still in baseball because he’s just not horrible at anything. But that isn’t exactly what a contender is looking to add for a stretch run.
You may know me as NYRoyal.
by Scott McKinney on May 9, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
the best targets for Melky dealing?
teams that randomly lose outfielders in the stretch run.
Plus, the Royals are kind of competing against themselves because teams who think Melky Cabrera is an upgrade for them in left field might rather put Wilson Betemit in left field instead. It’s not like Betemit would be the worst left-fielder in the National League.
Hopefully Moustakas will continue improving so that Dayton doesn’t snort bath salts before making a Wilson Betemit for Juan Uribe deal. How did Juan Uribe get $21M/3? no wonder that the Dodgers can’t meet payroll. It would not shock me if the Dodgers made a few deals that coincidentally shed payroll this year.
But seriously, if the MLB actually did YouTube, they should just post highlight videos of Juan Uribe swinging at pitches. It’s only not-funny when he’s on your team.
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!
He has plus hands at the post-game buffet
And plus hands
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
Hey Zero..
He hit .391 in an ALCS and helped his team win a World Series.
He’s your CF.
Deal with it. He doesn’t like you, either.
by Leche Rising on May 10, 2011 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
We're trying to deal with it
But it’s hard, considering he really isn’t any good.
You may know me as NYRoyal.
by Scott McKinney on May 10, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah except UZR is basically a made up crock of shit.
My point was he’s a productive hitter this season left-handed for the Royals. Cabrera is a solid outfielder. He gets excellent jumps and has better range than given credit for. I’ll take a guy who gets a good jump and good reads over a guy with plus speed who can’t get off the ball quick and is a poor tracker.
by Leche Rising on May 10, 2011 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Fielding metrics, and scouting
Is Dewan’s Plus/Minus (DRS) also a made up crock of shit? And Total Zone with Location (TZL)? But let’s put the stats aside and get to something really meaningful: our subjective amateur evaluations of him. He’s not very fast and has poor range to my own amateur scouting eye. The Fan Scouting Report (which is a conglomeration of amateur scouting opinions like ours) over the years also shows Melky to be a below average defensive CFer. He really doesn’t have good range. He tries hard. But his speed really limits him. Maybe that’s why both the stats and the fans say he’s a below average defensive CFer. Really the only question is how far below average he is.
As far as hitting goes, he’s been a decent hitter so far this season. Not good, but decent, especially for a CFer. But there’s absolutely no reason to believe he’ll hit that well for the remainder of the season. Yes, Melky is “solid” in much the same way that Mitch Maier and many other 4th OFers are.
You may know me as NYRoyal.
by Scott McKinney on May 10, 2011 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions
All fielding "metrics" are entirely suspect...
You cannot quantify defense, and I’m not going to take some derivative person who after all is making a “judgement” on what is/isn’t a catchable ball, over my own 3-D perception. Cabrera is not a below average CF. He has reasonable range and is excellent on backflight. I saw him play nearly every home game since 2005. I have more than a small sample to go on, nor am I recalling one or two “great moments” and allowing them to color my overall impression. Great defense is not just speed, it’s several factors. Getting a good jump is also an innate talent. UZR and its suspect bedfellows have no way to evaluate “getting a good jump” in quantitative terms. Pseudo science.
by Leche Rising on May 10, 2011 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions
CF
To me, if Cain doesn’t pan out, this is one of the places some free agent dollars could be spent in the future.
Right now, I can see solutions in place for 1B, DH, SS, LF. I also see solutions on the way for 2B (Colon), RF (Myers), C (S Perez), and 3B (Moustakas). That leaves CF (and of course the entire rotation) as possible places to spend some of Glass’ money in order to complete The Process.
"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
LF
I question Gordon as a long term solution in LF, actually.
by BlueEyes_Austin on May 10, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
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