I'd add Hosmer and Melville to the untouchable list at least for the next two years. This Royals team has a bright future ahead of it. I still see us beating them for the next couple of years, but when Gordon, Hochevar, and Butler finally pull it together they're going to come on strong.

Edited November 19, 200817 yr by Thunderbolt

I'd add Hosmer and Melville to the untouchable list at least for the next two years. This Royals team has a bright future ahead of it. I still see us beating them for the next couple of years, but when Gordon, Hochevar, and Butler finally pull it together they're going to come on strong.

Those two can't be traded yet anyway. I was talking more of guys they might deal this year, but yeah, they've definitely got some keepers in their system, and they have the overall depth to be able to acquire very good players without giving up the very best they've got.

I'd add Hosmer and Melville to the untouchable list at least for the next two years. This Royals team has a bright future ahead of it. I still see us beating them for the next couple of years, but when Gordon, Hochevar, and Butler finally pull it together they're going to come on strong.

 

No offense to you specifically Thunderbolt, but people have been saying that about the Royals for years. I think they're improving more by adding some major league talent to the team (Crisp, Meche, even Guillen) rather than just waiting on the young guys. However, I'm still in the "believe it when I see it mode" on the Royals being a legit contender for even a wild card.

Maybe they'll now give us Billy Butler, who will make up for our losing out on Viciedo.

 

Immobile but the potential to rake.

 

I still think DeJesus, Teahen and Gathright are likely casualties. The problem is that Guillen is really a DH, masquerading as a RFer. I do think that things are really changing economically in baseball when the Royals can afford to take on Meche, Guillen and now Crisp with the downturn we're in. And the Red Sox are the ones shedding salary here.

 

Maybe Maier in LF/CF.

 

Do you know something that has not been reported yet?

 

Nah, no offense taken. You’re absolutely correct. Wait and see has been the Royals mentality pretty much since Brett left and it seems to of lulled them into complacency. I really do think, however, that they can really make something of their developing offensive core. In the past, they’ve really mangled this, but I think their new Gm Moore, while not a genius does seem to have a decent idea of what he’s doing. What that idea is exactly I don’t know, but he does seem awfully possessive of some of these young kids.

Nah, no offense taken. You’re absolutely correct. Wait and see has been the Royals mentality pretty much since Brett left and it seems to of lulled them into complacency. I really do think, however, that they can really make something of their developing offensive core. In the past, they’ve really mangled this, but I think their new Gm Moore, while not a genius does seem to have a decent idea of what he’s doing. What that idea is exactly I don’t know, but he does seem awfully possessive of some of these young kids.

With a team like the Royals, that's exactly what they need to do. They need to be willing to trade their veterans about 2 years or so before they hit FA, so that they don't lose people for draft picks and can save money on those last 2 arb years, and they need to be ridiculously possessive of their kids, until they reach a point where they are literally 1 player away. That's the only way they're going to get out of the basement with those type of salary constraints. Even if their young guys disappoint, until they start hitting arbitration, they're cheap and you have to play them.

I'm just thankful Crisp won't be on the Sox.

I'm just thankful Crisp won't be on the Sox.

He has an .845 career OPS against the Sox. The only team in the AL he's been better against are the LAA.

 

I didn't want him with the Sox, but I didn't want to have to play him either.

Why did someone say we lost out on Viciedo?

Why did someone say we lost out on Viciedo?

I frequent nearly every MLB Rumor site there is, and I have heard nothing on this kid since his workout. So, I don’t where Caufield is getting this information. I believe it’s just as assumption as last we heard interest was growing throughout the league. And we all know what they say about assumptions…

Sorry, just waking up here in Thailand. Shouldn't have said it in that way...no, I don't have any "insider/Cuban" information on Viciedo. Just speculation like everyone else.

 

Although if we do trade Dye for Victorino, move Quentin to RF and Viciedo is our new LF/3B platoon, it would be interesting to say the least.

 

Apparently KW didn't show any interest in Crisp at all. Darn. I had him pegged for bringing in Blake and Crisp at the start of the off-season.

 

Crisp had a .392 on-base percentage after the All-Star break this past season and played very well in a season in which he and Jacoby Ellsbury exchanged the roles of starter and extra man because of injuries to J.D. Drew and Manny Ramirez. He is one of the better defensive center fielders in the game, and his .751 OPS in 2008 and his stellar defensive play are upgrades for the Royals -- whose center fielders had an OPS of .638 this past season.

 

The Red Sox surveyed what was a surprisingly small market for Crisp -- Cincinnati was the other club with the most interest -- and decided that with Jeremy Affeldt starting out the 2008 free-agent market by signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Giants, it likely will be easier to find another outfielder than secure a low-cost power reliever. Peter Gammons

Edited November 20, 200817 yr by caulfield12

Traded for a good reliever in Ramon Ramirez. Thankfully, we won't see Crisp playing on the southside now. I wonder if this means Cubs will target DeJesus.

 

 

The asking price on Crisp has gone down a lot. Didn't Boston want a lot more for him from us a couple of years ago?

The asking price on Crisp has gone down a lot. Didn't Boston want a lot more for him from us a couple of years ago?

 

 

There was even talk they wanted Buehrle for Crisp, although that was ridiculous to Sox fans.

There was even talk they wanted Buehrle for Crisp, although that was ridiculous to Sox fans.

 

yeah I never remember that talk...

Good analysis by the KC Star today:

 

KC Star Link

 

 

Thankfully, we won't see Crisp playing on the southside now

 

I agree. I didn't want Crisp. Royals have changed two of their nine everyday lineup guys. I don't think they've upgraded much with Crisp and Jacobs.

It also depends on what they get back for DeJesus and Teahen....among other things. Also, they might deal Jose Guillen if they can find a taker for that ill-advised contract.

 

They're going to get better production out of Jacobs than some kind of combination of Gload and Shealy.

 

The OPS of their starting centerfielders last year was .600. That will go up, undoubtedly, with Crisp.

yeah I never remember that talk...

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...=52975&st=0

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...=52975&st=0

 

I definitely did not remember that. The Red Sox are dumb as hell.