GO ROYALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StL_Dan]

GO CARDS

[warwickland]

I created a thread for us troublemakers, Dan...

[KCMax]

Royals trade Melky Cabrera to San Fran for P Jonathan Sanchez and a minor league pitcher.

Looks like a real nice trade. Lorenzo Cain can replace Cabrera, who had a career year, and Sanchez is a nice LH that can strike guys out. A bit wild, and he's a FA at the end of the year, but a huge upgrade for the rotation.

[phuqueue]

I think it's a great trade. Sanchez is a bit of a question mark, but I still say Melky had a career year that he's not likely to repeat, not that he took some permanent step forward. If I'm wrong about Melky and if Sanchez doesn't make a smooth transition to the AL, I might be proven wrong, but this seems like a pretty solid gamble. If Sanchez gets his walks down, even just back down to his usual level (his walk rate was sharply elevated last season), he should be a decent contributor in the rotation.

[phuqueue]

ESPN gives the Royals a B+ (and the Giants a B-) on this trade and calls Sanchez "a worthwhile risk." A few highlights:

The flame-throwing Sanchez has long intrigued baseball people for his arm, displaying flashes of brilliance with a devastating slider and a mid-90s darting fastball. The problem is that his fastball has darted out of the strike zone more often than in it. In 708 career innings, Sanchez has struck out 736 men but also walked 376.

Moore also said he feels Lorenzo Cain can adequately fill Cabrera’s shoes in center field. Cain is faster and more athletic than Cabrera, but Cabrera gets better jumps and takes better angles on fly balls, something Moore is confident Cain will be able to improve upon in time. Offensively, Cain has the potential to at least equal Cabrera’s production.

It is disappointing an arm like Sanchez did not fetch more value, whether that meant an outfielder with more ceiling or more club control, in terms of contracts.

And this is a huge upgrade in the rotation for the Royals if Sanchez can even come close to duplicating the success he had in 2010 when he went 13-9 with a 3.07 ERA and 205 strikeouts. When he has control, he can easily be a No. 2 starter.

Do not be surprised to see the Royals go after more starting pitching. Someone like Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens is a prime example of a pitcher Moore might pursue. He has enough minor league talent to be able to acquire other young, yet seasoned, starting pitching. This will be only the first of several moves Moore will make this winter.

Also notes that the minor leaguer, Ryan Verdugo, is a high-upside lefty who was in the rotation last year but who the Royals plan to use in a setup role. In four minor league seasons, Verdugo has a 3.14 ERA in 243.1 IP, but that looks to be a bit inflated by the 4.35 ERA he posted last season, which was his first time both at AA and in the starting rotation, so it looks like he should be a great arm out of the bullpen. Sanchez has some control issues he needs to work out but this trade really looks like a steal -- even last year's Sanchez is an upgrade for our rotation, and last year was his worst season as he dealt with injuries. Really loving this trade.

[pash]

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[KansasCityCraka]

I think Cain will match or do better than Cabrera in the field. I do not see him being as productive Cabrera was this season at the plate though. The other thing to remember is that Cabrera had his best season ever. I highly doubt he would produce those same numbers or even close to them next year.

[NDTeve]

I think Cain will match or do better than Cabrera in the field. I do not see him being as productive Cabrera was this season at the plate though. The other thing to remember is that Cabrera had his best season ever. I highly doubt he would produce those same numbers or even close to them next year.

Exactly.

[KCMax]

Eh. This trade might work out and it might not, but I don't like it much because it says pretty clearly that the Royals are not prepared to pay for production. If the money they're saving by playing Cain instead of Cabrera doesn't show up elsewhere on the roster in a couple years, there's no hope for this ballclub.

Sanchez could easily end up being the Royals' best pitcher, but I doubt we'll ever see numbers from Cain that are close to what Cabrera put up this year.

Sanchez will make about as much as Cabrera next year. The Royals save no money in this deal.

[WSPanic]

Eh. This trade might work out and it might not, but I don't like it much because it says pretty clearly that the Royals are not prepared to pay for production. If the money they're saving by playing Cain instead of Cabrera doesn't show up elsewhere on the roster in a couple years, there's no hope for this ballclub.

Sanchez could easily end up being the Royals' best pitcher, but I doubt we'll ever see numbers from Cain that are close to what Cabrera put up this year.

You're free to read into it what you will, but in no way does this trade communicate what you stated above to me. We're pretty much trading salaries with Sanchez and Cabrera - this is, in no way, shape or form a cost-saving measure.

And Cain's production at Omaha was fantastic last year (.380 OBP w/.877 OPS). Combined with his superior play in CF, it's hard to argue against going for youth in this case.

I was disappointed when it looked like Frenchy and Cabrera would be in the OF again. This makes the Frenchy signing a lot easier to take in my mind.

[phuqueue]

I doubt we'll ever see numbers from Cain that are close to what Cabrera put up this year.

I doubt the Giants will ever see numbers from Cabrera that are close to what Cabrera put up this year.

[pash]

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[KCMax]

Sanchez will make about as much as Cabrera next year. The Royals save no money in this deal.

In other words, the Royals have made another move that says, "Our budget is $40 million." That's what displeases me.

Well, its about two weeks into the offseason and no big FA have signed and no big trades have been made. They still have a lot of time to add payroll. Not that I think they should add payroll just for the sake of adding payroll. But I think if there is a youngish pitcher available that costs some money, they'll make a run at him. I don't think they'll go after big time FA, and I don't think they should - the bust rate is just too high. But I wouldn't be surprised to see them add an expensive good pitcher like Wandy Rodriguez, James Shields, or Chad Billingsley.

In any case, they took an area where they obviously had a surplus (outfield) and used it to fill a glaring need (pitching). I'm not sure how you can really fault that.

[KCRoyal]

Hosmer finishes 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting. Jeremy Hellickson won with Mark Trumbo as the runnner-up, followed by Hoz.

Thought Hoz deserved the award, but he's going to be a heck of a ballplayer for years to come.

[KCMax]

Royals sign former Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton to a one year deal. Some speculate Soria could be dealt now with rumors the Royals are interested in Blue Jays OF Colby Rasmus, but I think this just means Broxton is the 8th inning setup guy with Aaron Crow moving to the rotation. Broxton has been terrible/hurt last year, no way they're handing him the closing job when Soria is still effective.

[beautyfromashes]

I wouldn't mind the Royals putting Soria as part of an offer for starting pitching. Perhaps, Soria and Cain for Rasmus and either Henderson Alvarez or Kyle Drabek. Might even get Ricky Romero. He would would be our ace and could be locked up long term.

[KCMax]

I wouldn't mind the Royals putting Soria as part of an offer for starting pitching. Perhaps, Soria and Cain for Rasmus and either Henderson Alvarez or Kyle Drabek. Might even get Ricky Romero. He would would be our ace and could be locked up long term.

I think Romero would be way too much to expect. Soria and Cain for Rasmus and maybe a pitching prospect or mid-rotation guy like Brett Cecil.

[beautyfromashes]

I wouldn't do that deal. Closers are at a premium this year and we already have a ton of mid- rotation guys. If Cain, a premium position player and a couple prospects can land Greinke last year, then I think Cain, Soria and a moderate prospect or two should get us a #1 or #2 at the least this year.

[KCMax]

I wouldn't do that deal. Closers are at a premium this year and we already have a ton of mid- rotation guys. If Cain, a premium position player and a couple prospects can land Greinke last year, then I think Cain, Soria and a moderate prospect or two should get us a #1 or #2 at the least this year.

Yea, if you throw in a good prospect in that package (Myers or Odorizzi or Cutbhert), you may get Romero (although I don't know why Toronto would want to trade Romero). I'm just saying Cain and Soria alone don't land you a #1/#2 type pitcher. You don't trade a good 200 innings pitcher for a good 60 innings pitcher.

[beautyfromashes]

Blue Jays need a first baseman/DH. How about Cain, Soria and Butler for Romero and Rasmus? Too much?