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Given the state of the Kansas City Royals one can make an argument that the club's first priority could be almost anywhere but number one starter, closer and Billy Butler. That I had to use a comma and the word 'and' to describe areas that did not need upgrades may, in itself, represent progress for this organization!
The basis behind the title of our column today rest not so much in the thought that the Royals are 'set' in other areas, but more based on just how few real options the Royals have in the outfield for the coming season.
Right or wrong, Dayton Moore has set up the catching for 2010 and, sadly, 2011 also with the signing of veteran Jason Kendall. With Brayan Pena backing up Kendall and newly acquired Manuel Pina working in AA or AAA in 2010, the Royals are hoping they can hold the line behind the plate until Will Meyers hopefully rockets through the system.
Barring health issues, the Royals will break camp with Greinke, Meche, Bannister and Hochevar in the rotation. They will have Aaron Crow on the horizon and the likes of Mike Montgomery and Daniel Duffy looming as rotation possibilities as early as mid-2011. Unless they can get a cheap flyer on an Erik Bedard type veteran, Dayton Moore and company would likely be wise to waste resources on this unit.
Any bullpen that has Joakim Soria in it has a chance to be good (even if Kyle Farnsworth is in it, too). Stung by two bad contracts last off-season to the aforementioned Farnsworth and Juan Cruz (who may yet rebound and make us re-think that signing once more), it seems unlikely that the Royals will go hog wild in the reliever market this off-season. To this admittedly 'non-baseball man' the Royals seem to have a number of in-house relievers that are ready to be given a shot in the majors. Really, could Rosa-Hayes-Hughes-Nicoll be any worse than Farnsworth-Cruz-Bale-Mahay were last year?
While many can find plenty of faults in the current array of infielders on the roster, there would also seem to the enough bodies/talent/potential in the mix to let it play itself out over the course of 2010. The Royals have Billy Butler to man either first base or designated hitter and he would seemed poised to become a truly elite level hitter this season. Alex Gordon is at the other corner and will be given at least one more season to become who we thought he was. Plus, he could also slide over to first base with relative ease if the Royals keep and want to play Alberto Callaspo (remember those 60+ extra base hits in 2009) at third.
In addition to those three holdovers, the club also has the hated Yuniesky Betancourt at shortstop. Like it or not, he will play everyday until Mike Aviles can prove that he is both healthy and too productive to keep out of the lineup. Of course, the Royals also added two new bodies to the mix in the trade for Chris Getz (yes, I think he is the next Brian Roberts) and Josh Fields. While Fields will also enter the mix in the outfield, he is a third baseman by trade.
That is seven bodies who all, with the possible exception of Betancourt, could theoretically be better than their past records indicate. Plus, we have not even mentioned the gritty Willie Bloomquist and wily Wilson Betemit. Truthfully, I would almost like Bloomquist if I saw him in the lineup just a couple times a week at second or short. The masquerading Willie as a right or center fielder and everyday type player is what rankles this, and many other, observers.
Ah, Bloomquist in center. That very thought was brought up today in the Kansas City Star as they churned out two whole paragraphs on the Brian Anderson signing. The speculation was that Anderson, Mitch Maier and Bloomquist would be competing for playing time next year in center. Couple that with the spectre of Jose Guillen playing in right and tell me you just didn't get a sick feeling in your stomach.
You could probably find complaint in the fact that I see potential in Chris Getz, but not in Mitch Maier and I have no real defense for that. You could also point out that Maier had a .361 on-base percentage in the second half of 2009, but I would point out that he slugged just .346 over that same period. That is kind of the rub with Mitch: if he could display some of the moderate power he did coming up through the system, I'd be willing to give him center for a year and see what happens. Perhaps playing Maier in center is the prudent course of action: hope he continues to get on-base, finds some of his past power and becomes a low 100+ OPS guy like DeJesus.
For argument's sake, let's say that happens and the Royals have DeJesus in left hitting .285/.360/.440 and Maier in center doing something along the lines of .280/.365/.410. Those two guys will not make you a contender in 2010, but they won't be an embarrassment, either. You know, not like, JOSE GUILLEN IN RIGHT FIELD!
If not Guillen, who are you going to play? Josh Fields and his 180 innings of outfield experience? Willie Bloomquist?
I like Jordan Parraz and David Lough, but they are both in need of pretty much a full year of AAA seasoning. There is occasional talk of playing Alex Gordon in the outfield. Let's keep in mind that I'm pretty sure Alex has not played in the outfield since some time before he got his driver's license. Not to mention the fact that hoping for a player to have a breakout year while at the same time moving him to a new position is probably not logical.
There is the Callaspo factor, too, but I'm wondering just how much more range he has than our pal Jose?
Bottom line, the Royals need an outfielder. Two would be better, but I will settle for one and hope either Lough or Parraz develops into a legitimate major league regular by 2011.
The proposed Callaspo for Felix Pie deal was risky, but probably worth a shot. The Orioles, however, were not biting on that one. Michael Taylor, formerly of the Phillies, would have been nice, but he has been shipped away to greener pastures. While I was not the first to think of it, I have become a big fan of trying to pry Chris Dickerson away from the Reds.
The problem is simply ascertaining the worth of Alberto Callaspo as he seems to be the logical trading chip. Yes, he was outstanding at the plate in 2009 and, honestly, there is nothing in that swing that would make a person think Alberto might not just hit .300 the rest of his life. Still, fielding issues aside, the Royals seem to have committed to Getz at second base, with Mike Aviles, Jeff Bianchi and even Johnny Giavotella lined up behind him. With Gordon at third and now Josh Fields, not to mention Mike Moustakas in the system, the two positions that Callaspo would logical play correspond to the deepest two positions in the organization. Alberto is the guy the Royals can afford to move and probably gamble a little in doing it.
Would you trade Callaspo for a Trayvon Robinson of the Dodgers for example? A real prospect who would likely start the year down in AA? I am not sure the Dodgers are a fit, by the way, I am just using Robinson as an example of a a toolsy outfield prospect a good year away from the majors. It has become apparent that Callaspo alone will not pry a major league ready outfielder away - the Orioles, after all, have about 18 outfielders and still would not trade the thus far underachieving Pie - but could he have enough value to get a very good propect with some development left to do?
If the Royals could get a potential star down the road, I would probably take the gamble and totally punt 2010. Not to the point of watching the statue named Guillen play right, but certainly to the point of playing an outfield of DeJesus, Maier and Fields/Anderson (or even Buck Coats). Especially if I truly believed either Lough or Parraz would force his way onto the Royals' roster come July or so.
Let's assume that Lough duplicates his AA numbers (.331/.371/.517) in Omaha in 2010, how would you feel about a 2011 opening day outfield of DeJesus, Robinson (again, just as an example) and Lough? If all it cost me was Alberto Callaspo and 62 wins instead of 68 in 2010, I would do it.
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Comments
OF: DeJesus, Anderson, Maier, Fields, Guillen
IF: Gordon, Yuni, Bloomy, Getz, Callaspo, Butler
C: Kendall, Pena
One spot left for: Aviles, Betemit, Kila, or a mystery person. Who will it be?
That means the 13th spot is a battle between Aviles, Betemit, Maier, Anderson and, I suppose, Kila. I doubt management will give Kila much of a chance, however.
The problem I see with your scenario of playing Callaspo @ DH is this. That means that you are either going to have Guillen playing RF OR you will have a guy making MM and taking up a roster spot on the bench.
I don't think that we have a better chance to get an outfielder with MLB experience during the season. What contender would trade either one of their starting outfielders or their primary outfield backup to us for Callaspo if they are truly a contender?
Candidates (like looking harder at Lough)
J Schaefer Atl - fits on many levels as Braves may need an offensive minded player
A Cunningham - Oak ML ready and just needs a full shot
Josh Reddick - Bos -
Jose Tabata -Pit - they are not as dumb as they used to be though
Tyler Colvin - Cubs - they may do that
I could see getting Schaefer-Cunnin gham or Colvin realistically
I'm reading where teams are seeing defense as the new obp Seattle, Oakland and Boston all looking defense first, so take Callaspo off those radars
What they don't have is a 3B - rather than Callaspo, why not a Fields for Buck trade? Both highly touted at one time, both needing a chance to play at the major league level. Worst case, Buck is a pretty decent defender in RF, so if he could post a .775 - .825 OPS, his defense will let you take that.