poppysox

The Twins would take Kelly in my dreams.

I would love to have Kepler on our team. Plays with energy.

Yep...Tony sucked the life out of this club.

I was in agreement up until the .500 team part. I'm feeling good about Pedro pumping some life into the team. Upgrades to RF, 2nd base, and SP don't need to be high priced to make a big impact. I'm thinking the WS will have a payroll of about $200 and that is enough to get the job done nicely.

I certainly don't mind them looking in another direction, but Clevenger is no sure thing and will cost more than Cueto. If looking for moderate priced innings, Q might be as good as any.

Cueto would seem to be a no-brainer after what we saw last season.

I agree. The new coaches with a fresh approach will make a big difference IMO. Moderate upgrades at 2nd, RF, and SP and we will be looking good. Have players in their natural positions will also help a great deal.

If there is only $20 million available, we will be looking at Sheets in RF and one of the Mendick types for 2nd. The SP alone will cost close to $20. I would bet this payroll will be very close to $200 even with losing Jose.

We have three areas of need in RF, 2nd base, and SP. It is believed that we have minimal resources with which to fill those needs. Players like Kepler and Wong upgrade two areas of need while leaving more money available for that SP. These rumored deals don't bother me in the slightest.

Yep...remember TLR explaining that Leury isn't a utility player but rather a regular that can play different positions.

We don't really know what amount of money JR will spend for the right player. The FO bugs me frequently but spending the money isn't the problem IMO. My hope is that with a new on field staff...they support them with the needed players. Many teams win with much less money than JR has provided. I take their willingness to part with Jose as a sign they are taking this in a new direction. Usually, they cut bait a year late rather than a year early.

Yep!

Grandal is our backup catcher and should never see DH at bats. LaRussa over used Grandal and Garcia making them both look more pathetic than they are.

Leury is money already spent. He's expensive for what he is but used sparingly he's fine.

Pedro is showing signs of being a good motivational communicator IMO. His phone call with Eloy was quite good. I am aware that it was in all probability staged...but lots of people couldn't have pulled it off as well.

I don't know what motivates a 25-year-old millionaire. I do know that many companies hire the individual I am speaking about to do motivational presentations to their executive adult employees.

Goodbye old friend.

I will trust Pedro and his coaches until they prove that trust to be undeserved. It's simply a lot more fun to have a positive attitude than b**** and moan all day long.

I guess you could say Tony wasn't a very good manager. Who would have thought?

I know a high school coach who has won many state championships. If you were to watch his practices and the manner of talking, motivating, and kicking butt...you would know his team goes all out each and every day. Some coaches can get the most out of their athletes. Others...not so much.

A new manager and coaches being able to create a culture of playing to the max is the only way we can expect a championship type team next year. Money already allotted to many underperforming players keeps us from the flexibility to go outside and acquire much help. Pedros remarks about looking over at the White Sox players at 7:10 pm on gameday was how he knew which team the Royals would be playing that night...very telling IMO.

I loved that Eloy/Pedro conversation. This guy is a keeper.

Yep...that's why a guy wins manager of the year one year and is fired two years later.

Mucho good!

Let him manage...it's already a sunk cost.