Boxing Day Tidbits

by Jesse on Dec 26, 2005 2:43 AM EST in News

This has been discussed in another thread already, but here are the definates for those of you who haven't read it.

Accoring to Baseball America Jacque Jones was qualified as a type B free agent, meaning the Twins get a fourth round pick from the Cubs (pick 120). This leaves Kevin Millwood (B), Al Leiter (B), Rich Aurilia (B) and Jeff Weaver (A) as the only free agents remaining that would require draft compensation.

From everything that I've read, the only one of these players who are having intense discussions with any club is Millwood. ESPN reports the Red Sox have contacted Millwood's high-flying agent Scott Boras. Luckily for the low-budget Sox, Boras is known to sell his agents at below market value.

Does anyone know what the Royals are doing? Anyone?

Reggie Sanders signs a 2-year, $10 million dollar deal. Joe Mays signs a 1-year, $1 million dollar deal. Mark Grudzielanek, Doug Mientkiewicz, Scott Elarton and Paul Bako also choose to play in one of the most beautiful ballparks in baseball. I suppose you play somewhere, anywhere, if you love the game. Was Kansas City the best offer on the table for these guys? Is there any way they sign with the Royals thinking "Yeah, we've got a chance to be competetive..."

Sweeney's there (still), there's some young pitcher by the name of Greinke, and there are...water fountains...behind center field. Which is good.

It's not that I even dislike Kansas City. How can I dislike a team so lost within our own division? Sadly it's just to the point now that I feel a little bad for them. They came so close to being competetive in 2003, but the last +.500 season they had prior was in 1994. Do Royals fans long for glory days of Wally Joyner, David Cone, Kevin Appier and something named Bob Hamelin? There was a young Tom Gordon, a nearly finished Greg Gagne, a still useful Gary Gaetti, and a faded Dave Henderson. Those were the days...

...says the guy whose team was nearly contracted due to the impotence of the mid and late 90's...

So much for entertaining thoughts of Troy Glaus manning third base...

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported that, pending a phyical today in Toronto, Troy Glaus will be shipped from Arizona to the Jays in exchange for 2B Orlando Hudson and RHP Miguel Batista. Glaus has apparently decided to waive his no-trade clause.

While this does close one door, it opens yet another, which I've alluded to in the survey. Many others have posted their thoughts on the idea as well. Behind this door is Shea Hillenbrand, due to Toronto's suddenly overstuffed infield. He's been discussed at length in other threads, and upon the completion of this deal I expect to see much more of it here. In fact I'm sure I'll get to it myself.

Interception

Here's a copy of a note obtained through secret meetings and meaningful winks and gestures:

Dear Tony,

The secret in being first to the post-game buffet is in the motivation. Find something that moves you, that makes your mouth water with anticipation, and use it!

For me it's been a number of things. Cheese dip and donuts. Frosting and steak. You may want to try pudding-drizzled chicken.

We've always had a great spread. I'm sure you'll have no problems. Good luck!

Anonymously,
Matthew L.

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Comments

Kansas City

I think Kansas City is being smart, even if some signis (like Sanders) were marginal.

A> All the contracts were basically only for the next two years. This is very imprtant later.

B> Pretty much all these players do represent a marked improvement over who they have now, and at a low price.

C> Most importantly, they can actually keep their young players in the minors now. For the last few years, teh Royals have been so strapped for players that they've had guys who should still be in AA two years from the bigs starting. This is really bad for two reasons:

It is much tougher to develop in the majors. There is much more pressure and the players aren't competing against players at equivlant skill and development levels. Their growth can be stunted (a la Zach Grienke).
When those young players finally do come through their trial by fire, in say, 2 years, instead of having spent those years in the minors, they allready have two years of ML experiance under their belt. So in a few years when their talents are really ready to go and cause havoc, they are allready arbitration elligable, when they should be in their second year of serfdom. You can't afford to keep a group of player together that way.

So yeah, I think the Royals are being smart. They both improved their team in the short run (it still is going to be pretty bad, but hey) and are better managing their prospects.

by AdamOnFirst on Dec 26, 2005 4:51 AM EST reply actions

Re: KC

My concern (not the right word) is that this is what they've been doing for the past few years. Graffanino, Stairs, Santiago, Lima...they've done the "cheap vets" signings the past few years to supplement the roster until the kids were ready. It hasn't panned out. Whether that's due to marginal signings, or due to lack of talent in the farm system, or most likely a combination of both, the signings in recent weeks give me no reason to believe their situation will be any different in 2006.

You're right--it's going to be pretty bad...unless something drastic changes. Maybe it's just some empathy on my part due to those dark years in the late 90's, but I imagine it's tough to be a Royals fan these days.

by Jesse on Dec 26, 2005 8:37 AM EST up reply actions

Trades

The other thing KC might be able to do is trade those players at some point during the season. Think about what the Twins did in the late 90s with players such as Kelly, Hollins, Aguilera, et al. Perhaps this is the first step, along with developing the good players have in the minors, to returing the Royals to respectability in 2-3 years.

by snuessle on Dec 26, 2005 3:27 PM EST up reply actions

Royals never really very close...

Despite how close they might have seemed in 2003, that was an illusion. Almost all of that success hinged on the fact that, as a team, they hit a whole lot better with runners in scoring position than they did without runners in scoring position. While "clutch" hitting is possible to a certain degree for individual players, entire teams just don't sustain RISP splits like that. Just like every other fluky team before them, the Royals stopped hitting so well with RISP in the second half, and they went back to being a mediocre-bad team. There demise was entirely predictable.

The thing that I see as their biggest hurdle is finding good pitching in a particularly good hitter's ballpark. Recently, it seems that teams in extreme hitter's ballparks (KC, Cincinnati, Colorado, Texas) can't find a good pitching staff, even after adjusting their stats for park effects. I'm not sure what the breakdown is exactly, but I think it's harder to win consistently in a high-scoring environment than it is to win consistently in a low-scoring environment. You can do it with a high-scoring type of team (see 2004 Red Sox), but those teams seem to generally be the outliers.

At any rate, I'm more worried about the Royals (as far as them being more difficult to beat) than I was before they made their moves. They're no contender, but they aren't quite the joke they were last year.

by ubelmann on Dec 26, 2005 4:51 PM EST reply actions

Too damn bad, really

Nice baseball town, but when you're so close to St. Louis you really need to offer fans more than a great, older stadium.

Sanders is a signing I like. Great guy. Excellent player. My first choice as Twins DH.

Lots of failed pitching prospects have kicked this team in the behind.

Dunno what the Twins have done against K.C. in recent years, but seems as though they have had their struggles. It actually could be a grand baseball rivalry, because the history is there.

by Firpo Marberry on Dec 26, 2005 5:24 PM EST reply actions

KC

Allan Baird was recently interviewed on XM radio after the two long name signings. He commented that last year they brought up a bunch of young players to see who could make it. He says some did, and some didnt. This year, they are bringing in veterans to buy time where their younger players need more time in the minors. He also commented that long name 2nd base was more willing to sign once Minty was going to also (or vice versa - I forget), suggesting that some free agents were only willing to sign after they knew the team would be somewhat improved. He also stressed the importance of defense with their young pitching staff.

I think they will be better - but their pitching staff will still do them in.

KC is a beautiful ballpark. My wife is from that area and I see quite a few twins games there every year. Good seats are easy to come by. There are always lots of TWINS fans there who make the trip from Minnesota. I actually see most of my games in KC or Chicago now. Never new what I was missing growing up watching baseball at the DOME. What an experince to see baseball outside at a stadium built for baseball. I will enjoy watching Doogie and Joe get beat by the TWINS next season.

by RJTWIN on Dec 26, 2005 5:25 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

People bitch about the new Commie on the south side, but I'd take it in the Twin Cities in a minute. It's little wonder Twins' fans go to K.C. Not a bad drive and a nice yard. If I were a K.C. hotel, I'd be advertising specials in the Tribune a week before the Twins came to town.

It's had to be a long, brutal spell as a K.C. fan, teased by a half-season of aberration. Injuries, lack of money, money misspent, talent misjudged. It has not been a model organization.

Getting 33 games out of JuanGone for $4 mil in '04 didn't help.

They had a kid named Chad Durbin in '01 who they had high hopes for. Didn't make it.

Chris George was a first-round pick, and expected to be a factor by '04, if not earlier. He threw hard.

Jose Rosado threw hard. Got hurt in 2000 and we never heard from again.

They had Endy Chavez, and although he's nothing special his '04 season would have helped K.C. He was gone from there then, but would have been better than David DeJesus.

And if there's any light at the end of the tunnel now, it's just a 60-watt bulb.

by Firpo Marberry on Dec 27, 2005 1:21 AM EST up reply actions

Tony Pena

He ruined that team. It was a team not unlike the 2000 Twins, which, with a little restraint could still be competitive in a tough division. Instead, he treated al those young arms (and some old ones) like meat and destroyed any hope for future success in the process. In his two years, he used up 40 pitchers, some of whom will never pitch again.

One more thing: Am I the only one who thinks Grienke is the most overrated pitcher in baseball? Aside from a few exceptional starts, he's been shelled in the majors and has only gone backward as a starter. He could have been Brad Radke, but now he looks more like Roger Erickson.

Joe Mauer for MVP.

by cmathewson on Dec 27, 2005 12:31 PM EST reply actions

Not in all of baseball...

It's only been legal for the dude to drink for a year now, and he has a career K/BB ratio of around 3/1. He also plays in front of a terrible defense in a park that it's difficult to pitch in. He was brought to the majors too soon, for sure, but I doubt he's the most overrated pitcher in the majors, in fact, he's probably a bit underrated after last season.

Jeremy Bonderman is another guy who might turn out to be just fine, even though the Tigers really brought him to the majors when he still had stuff he could learn in AAA.

It's tough to give up on a pitcher with 2 years major league experience when most of the guys in his age group are pitching at AA or below.

by ubelmann on Dec 27, 2005 3:38 PM EST up reply actions

Joe Mays

I have to say getting Joe Mays for $1 million seems like a smart move for KC.

It's not like they're risking they're chance at a pennant by playing him. At worst he saves the arms and futures of their young guys. And at best, he could turn out to be a huge bargain.

Pitchers aren't supposed to recover from Tommy John surgery till their second year back. You could argue that by being good even some of the time last year he was ahead of schedule. This is a guy we kept pitching all year, when we still had hopes of a wild card spot, based on his history. Now his arm is a year stronger, and he's virtually free. If you're KC, what have you got to lose?

I think this is a good match both for him and for them. They're bad enough that they'll give him every chance to work his way back and prove he's worth a real contract next year. And for KC, he's probably a step up from what they had, for less than we're paying Juan Castro.

I know he was frustrating to have around, especially with that contract, but I'll be rooting for him. And I wouldn't rule him out for comeback player of the year.

by by jiminy on Dec 28, 2005 1:12 AM EST reply actions