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Rany Jazeryli doesn't like the third year, but thinks the financials were fair.
I was a little upset that the Royals caved and gave Jeremy Guthrie 3 years...but $25 million is actually not so terrible.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) November 20, 2012
Put it this way: if the pitching market goes in the direction that I think it will, this contract could look a lot better 2 months from now.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) November 20, 2012
Rob Neyer at SB Nation thinks Guthrie should be a dependable and healthy upgrade for the Royals.
Guthrie's nobody's idea of an ace. But combined with the signing of free agent Ervin Santana, the Royals should have at least two starting pitchers next season who are capable of pitching decently and staying healthy. Now, to find that ace ...
Sam Mellinger thinks the Royals still have more work to do to add an ace like Tommy Hanson, James Shields, or Rick Porcello. One of these things is not like the other.
This is where general manager and owner must work together, to trust in each other. If Moore has to dip into the team’s wealth of prospects to acquire a frontline pitcher through a trade, then it’s his job to find the right guy. Tommy Hanson, James Shields, Rick Porcello. Someone.
And if Glass has to bump the payroll higher than he’s completely comfortable with, then he should understand that his chances are running out. Fans have been more patient than should be expected through basement payrolls while Glass has steadily said he’d pay more when the time was right.
Well, the time is right. A fan base is burning through its patience.
Dave Cameron at Fangraphs hates the Guthrie signing.
Durable innings eaters have value, especially to big revenue teams that are close to contention and need to minimize their downside at the back-end of their roster. The Royals aren’t that team, though. They don’t have a huge payroll — which is why they backloaded this contract to begin with — and they don’t have the kind of talent in place where they can justify spending a significant chunk of their available cash on one small piece to put them over the top.
Mike Axisa at Fangraphs thinks Guthrie is underrated. But if the Royals are to add another pitcher through a trade, Billy Butler is not the player they should use as bait.
If Moore wants to add a young high-upside arm to his rotation, using Butler as trade bait wouldn’t be his best plan of attack. Gordon would bring a much greater return given his contract and two-way game, plus Moustakas and Hosmer offer more upside and years of team control. A good DH is more of a luxury than a necessity these days, further limiting what already figures to be a limited trade market for Butler’s services.
Jayson Stark says the Royals are not done improving their rotation.
Teams that have been talking to #Royals say they're not done shopping for starting pitchers but now more likely to go young than another vet
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) November 20, 2012
Bob Dutton says that any further move will require shedding payroll.
#Royals GM Dayton Moore says any further additions will likely require corresponding payroll-clearing moves.
— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) November 20, 2012
Buster Olney thinks the Royals are done looking at free agent pitchers and will seek to improve the rotation through a trade.
KC is two-thirds of its way to acquiring the veteran starting pitching it aimed for. Their plan is to trade minor-leaguers to get last SP.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 20, 2012
Ken Rosenthal is okay with the Santana and Guthrie acquisitions but thinks the Royals still need an ace, and he mentions James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson.
Santana, 29, and Guthrie, 33, are mid-rotation pieces at best, pitchers who would look far better if slotted behind someone such as the Rays’ James Shields or Jeremy Hellickson.
Whether the Royals are willing to pay the necessary price in talent for such a pitcher remains to be seen. But as evidenced by the Blue Jays' 12-player deal with the Marlins, the pressure is mounting on a number of low- to mid-revenue clubs to contend sooner rather than later. If the Athletics and Orioles can reach the postseason, then others can, too.
He also says Aaron Crow and Greg Holland are attracting a lot of interest, but are unlikely to move unless the Royals can attach Jeff Francoeur's contract to them.
Joel Sherman think the Blue Jays and Royals are ideal trade partners for the Mets should they part with R.A. Dickey.
The key element — the one that is obvious, not imagination — is the current state of the free-agent market and/or the hunger to compete next year by many teams such as the Jays and Royals could create a market for Dickey that the Mets, at the very least, must explore thoroughly.
David Lesky at Pine Tar Press gives the Guthrie signing a mild thumbs up, but wants more additions.
I cautiously like the move as long as Guthrie isn’t the number two starter next season. My fear is he will be.
And most important of all, Billy approves.
Excited for KC and @therealjguts on reaching a deal...Always feels good to get a great player and good man for a teammate! #pieceofthepuzzle
— Billy Butler (@BillyButlerKC) November 20, 2012