Ervin Santana doesn't really excite me. I don't think he will put up the same numbers he has previously had in Los Angeles. He also lost some velocity on his fastball which could mean he was injured or it could mean that he is suddenly not a very good pitcher. To me Santana just seems like he won't be a very good pitcher for us.
Jeremy Guthrie is good and it is great that we signed him but seriously 3 YEARS! Maybe 2 years with the third year as an option but 3 years is stretching it. At Guthries age anything could happen in those three years. It is also very back loaded at 5/11/9 If the contract was maybe 7/9 with an option on the third year for 7 million I might like the deal but I just don't think it should have been 3 years. Guthrie is going to be good for us but not worth 3 years.
What GMDM needs to do to get the Royals into good shape for the start of the season is non-tender Luke Hochevar, trade away Bruce Chen and Jeff Francouer we would do this by paying for 75% of their contracts and adding in a C prospect like Andrew Triggs, Chris Dwyer, or Justin Marks, trade away Santana with a C prospect and some cash, and add a front line starter like Dan Haren or Brandon McCarthy. THis would make our rotation so much better and could turn the Royals around.
Here is what our Starting Rotation would look like:
Guthrie/McCarthy
Haren/Guthrie
At the end of the year:
Guthrie/McCarthy
Haren/Guthrie
Jake Odorizzi
Next we need to get a second baseman I suggest Jeff Keppinger but anything is better than Johhny Giavottela right now. Here is what our line up would look like:
Alex Gordon LF
Alcides Escobar SS
Billy Butler DH
Wil Myers RF
Jeff Keppinger 2B
Lorenzo Cain CF
Eric Hosmer 1B
That would be a great line up that if everyone in it harnessed their potential then it would be amazing. Our Bullpen is one of the best in the majors and will only get better in the next few years here is what it should look like on day one:
CL: Greg Holland
SU: Kelvin Herrera
I have us with a 7 man bullpen because I hate Francisly Bueno and those are our best pitchers. We even have more relievers on the way. Next is our bench this what it should be opening day:
BC: Manny Pina
OF: Jarrod Dyson
IF: Irving Falu
OF/RP: Mitch Maier
I think that if this is how everything turns out then the Royals might have a winning season.