James Shields isn't here if that happens, and the Royals aren't anywhere close to what they are without him. Not just on the field, he is a huge reason the pitchers have all been better this year in the clubhouse as well. Its why when the Royals were in Tampa they did a pregame salute to the guy.
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- Thread starter Wesley
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James Shields isn't here if that happens, and the Royals aren't anywhere close to what they are without him. Not just on the field, he is a huge reason the pitchers have all been better this year in the clubhouse as well. Its why when the Royals were in Tampa they did a pregame salute to the guy.
He has turned into a great trade deadline pickup! This is so awesome watching great baseball in August. Can't wait to get out to the K tonight, hopefully it is packed.
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We're tracking towards a capacity crowd tonight. If you plan to head to The K, please purchase your tickets ahead of time! #FillTheK #Royals
To be fair, you also have to acknowledge that Wade Davis has been horrible. If the trade didn't happen, they'd also have had somebody like Chen in the rotation for the whole year instead of 21 craptastic starts out of Davis. For all of the value that Big Game James has added, Wade Davis has almost sucked all of that benefit into his swirling vortex of suck.
This really really hurts. :frown:
If the Royals make the playoffs one of these years, I'd guess I could say the trade was passable, but they still have a long row to hoe this year, and who knows what could happen next year.
I have to give Dayton Moore some credit for identifying Myers as a first round talent, and then getting him in the 3rd Round, but I would have rather they have overpaid for a free agent then trade that talent. They'd probably be a couple games worse this year, because they couldn't have afforded Santana and Chen, but also couldn't have afforded Francouer, which would be a plus.
The problem with overpaying a free agent, is that he wouldn't be as tradable as Shields will be if the Royals falter next year. Still, it'd be nice to have a cheap Wil Myers in RF.
If the Royals weren't a small market club and/or didn't have Wal-Mart running the team, overpaying for free agent starting pitching would have been the best option. But because of Glass' unwillingness to spend money and the fact that they have to actually have to watch their budgets, they had to trade for front of the rotation pitching. You can't trade for talent without having to give up talent.
I'm okay with the trade because Shields may end up fetching the Royals some talent next year (if the Royals falter) and his leadership in the clubhouse and on the field is evident. Davis is probably better suited for the bullpen and probably will move there once Duffy is fully back.
Now, GMDM needs to stop giving contracts to anyone that has been in the Braves system and needs to cut ties with Getz. He also needs to offer Hochevar middle reliever money if they plan on keeping him for the bullpen and if Hochevar turns it down, let him walk.
No decent pitcher was coming to KC no matter how much you were willing to overpay him. Lets repeat that, no pitcher worth having was coming to KC on a FA deal. That is fantasy land to think they could have gotten a front line starter and kept Myers. Myers fell to the third round because he had already commited to South Carolina, it wasn't like he wasn't viewed as that level of talent all along. I'm no GMDM fan, but thinking any pitcher that would have made us dramatically better was coming to KC on a FA deal is crazy.
I would like to see your evidence for this. Guthrie and Meche signed with KC when they overpaid or offered more years. Greinke was a special case, but he signed an extension with the Royals. It's not like guys want to avoid Kansas City so much they'll turn down much more guaranteed dollars. I don't see why that wouldn't transfer to higher-priced FAs.
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Very few do and you mention 2 free agent pitchers in the last TEN years. And Guthrie is not a top-line pitcher like Shields. I think that may change with the way the Royals have pitched this year because the Royals are building a perception as a very good pitching and defensive team and may NOW attact some top-line pitchers. But they had to make moves like this first to build that perception.
Will Myers will probably be a great player, but the reason the Royals have been horrible in the past has been really bad starting pitching. Now they have good starting pitching and with good starting pitching, it helps keep a bullpen rested, and they are not overworking the best bullpen in the league.
What evidence do you need? Scott Elerton and Luke Hocheaver starting Opening Days? Guthrie is barely a number three starter the past couple of years and was traded here, and liked the organization so he stayed. He was not offered more money else where. The Royals were the only ones that guaranteed him more than two years. He took an extra year guaranteed to stay. Meche took the highest offer he had, once again the Royals threw in the extra year on a guy when he was signed was considered an insane deal. He pitched up to the deal, but when it was originally signed most people considered it a mistake, and it handcuffed the organization (much like the Mike Sweeney deal years before) for years to come. Trey Hillman ruined Meches career, but, two barely made a splash nationally signings in ten years does not give you evidence to the contrary that FA's wont come to KC. The weather is terrible, the team has been terrible for the last two decades, the owner is a cheapskate that has never really done anything to prove he wants to win, the stadium is usually empty by August and its an extremely small market. The Royals HAD to make a trade to bring a starter in.
Shields has pitched very well, another good start today to lead us to the win. Myers is going to be a stud so we most likely need to make the playoffs this year or next for the trade to be good for us. Yet another series win today, taking 3 out of 4 from Boston is impressive. I guess we just traded for Jamey Carroll to replace Tejada at 2B.
Royals just traded for Jamey Carroll of the Twins to fill in at 2nd base...for future considerations or cash
That is good. Was worried that Getz was going to be back out there tomorrow night. (And he can even pitch if needed.
Not sure, but guessing just until the end of this season...Tejada's injury must be worse than 15-day DL. Elliott Johnson is a good defender, but what an offensive liability. He might get cut?
Carroll .690 career OPS vs. Getz .622 career OPS. Not huge difference but better.
However, Carroll has .747 OPS vs. lefties, so he does provide a good bat against lefties.
However, Carroll has .747 OPS vs. lefties, so he does provide a good bat against lefties.
