MVN: Most Valuable Network

The Winter Meetings open today in Vegas.  

How's that for a dry opening?  I was kicking around all these cliches in my head this morning (believe me, sometimes that's about all that's in my dome.)  Clever stuff like, "Roll The Dice," "Time To Gamble," "Vegas, Baby," and "How Much More Is It If You Bring A Friend?"  Then I checked my favorite web sites and saw most of these cliches were already littering the webscape (I think I just invented a word!) and decided to pass.  Instead I opted for a Rolling Stones song.  I couldn't resist.

But how cool would it to be in Vegas this week?  Gambling, overpriced buffets, gambling, sports books and nightclubs... Now you're throwing baseball into the mix?  How freaking awesome is that.  A lot of people will tell you a ball diamond carved out of a corn field in Iowa is heaven.  Not this week, baby.



OK, I'm trying to push my Vegas envy to the side for a moment and concentrate.  

The Royals have to concentrate, too.  (By the way... I get the distinct feeling that Dayton Moore is probably so focused that he doesn't even realize he's in Vegas.  I can totally picture him walking past the casino in the Bellagio on his way to a meeting and asking someone, "What's everyone doing sitting down at those tables?")  There will undoubtedly be some trade opportunities and there will be an opportunity to flirt with some free agents.  But I'm thinking that these meetings will be a quiet time for the Royals.  

That's because their primary need at this point is bullpen help.  How often do you see middle relievers making a splash at these meetings?  And GMDM's M.O. Is to find a reclamation project or two for the bullpen.  Those guys won't be signing with a team for another month or so.  

We also know they would like to add a middle infielder.  Honestly, I'm not sure what's going on with this.  I've been watching the Furcal Sweepstakes and it sounds like his talks with Oakland have reached a stalemate.  He's the guy everyone is looking to in order to set the market for middle infielders, but right now it looks like he's pricing himself out of that market.  That sounds like a nice buying opportunity for a team that doesn't want to get crazy on payroll.  But again, it's too early for Furcal to move off his demands.  So if a team is going to get him to lower his expectations, that would likely come in January.  A free agent signing for the Royals just doesn't seem likely to me.

Besides, the Royals need to get a feel for how the market is going to shake out this winter.  There's been a ton of talk about the economy and how teams are going to be a little more responsible about spending money this winter.  Personally, I'll believe that when I see it.  But in the meantime, since the Royals don't have the budget to make another free agent signing like they have at the last two meetings, they'll have to remain on the sidelines and wait for another team and player to establish the market.  There will certainly be a flurry of activity, but since the Royals have already made two semi-major moves there's not much left in the Kansas City arsenal for GMDM to fire.  

So, I'm thinking these meetings will be fairly quiet from the Royals perspective.  

ESPN's Jayson Stark is reporting that the Royals are asking for the world for Zack Greinke which means three major league players and two prospects.  Holy crap, that's a package, but what it really means is the Royals aren't shopping Greinke.  They'll listen, but you better come prepared with some quality because he's not going to come cheap.  I love Greinke, but if some team is desperate enough for starting pitching that they come up with a quality package like that, how can you say no?  

Stark is also saying that the GMDM isn't looking to deal Mark Teahen and David DeJesus which pretty much follows the same thing we've been hearing for the last couple of weeks, so there's no surprise there.  I wonder if Stark reads this blog...

Finally, as expected, Mark Grudzielanek declined the Royals offer of arbitration.

"If I was 30 or 29 and had another five or seven years, I'd give it another couple of years and push for it. There's no question they're doing the right thing there and moving along. They're getting better and better each year. It was fun. They treated me awesome, the fans were great, I enjoyed my time there -- I really did."

As I've said before, he was surprisingly productive during his tenure in KC and carried himself with class while exhibiting a professionalism that hopefully rubbed off on the younger players.  It would be nice to see him someplace like Philly at the start of the season for the injured Chase Utley where he could keep 2B warm for a couple of months and then slide over into a utility role for a team that will obviously be a contender.  

Good luck, Grudz.  And thanks.