Lubanski's a great example of how Baird never got a fair shake.

My memory was that he wanted to take Markakis with that pick but Glass wouldn't pay for it. So he took Lubanski as a 'signability' guy and Markakis went just a couple of picks later.

You know the rest.

Him and Mitch Maier amongst others are failed picks thanks to Glass being cheap. I still love the Colt Griffin pick.:shake:

I always point to Maier as an example of the Royals being both incompetent and unlucky.

Carlos Quentin went the pick before they took Maier and most indications suggest that the Royals were high on Quentin at the time.

http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/

Great update, which is about a week old now. But provides an important perspective on the role of the stolen base.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...yhoo&type=lgns

Are the Royals really going to set the record for losses?

they won't set the record, but they will suck in all ways imaginable

I don't think so.

But we'll be eliminated by the beginning of May.

Are the Royals gonna like, sign anybody good this year?

No.

Although, I do like the signing for the Cuban pitcher. That should pay off in a couple years.

Great signing.

But we really, really need 2015 to get here quickly or for Moore to do something so extreme that he gets fired.

According to TBrown's twitter, Rick Ankiel is a royal :/

TBrownYahoo Rick Ankiel agrees to a one-year contract with Royals worth $3.25 million guaranteed. Second-year mutual option worth $6 million.

It's only one year, and at least we don't have to watch Maier. I'm ok with this.

Royals Reach Agreement With Rick Ankiel
By Tim Dierkes [January 21 at 10:58pm CST]
The Royals reached an agreement with outfielder Rick Ankielon a one-year, $3.25MM deal, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown. The contract has a second-year mutual option worth $6MM. Back on December 10th, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweetedthat Scott Boras wanted three years and "big money" for Ankiel, but ultimately he settled for an unsurprising contract.

Ankiel will try to rebuild value in Kansas City after slipping to a .231/.285/.387 line for the Cardinals in 2009. The 30-year-old's maladies included a sore Achilles tendon, a deep shoulder bruise, and a groin strain. The shoulder injury, suffered in May, came from a headfirst collision with a wall and lingered most of the season.

A converted pitcher, Ankiel has experience at all three outfield positions but predominantly played center field. He'll join Scott Podsednik and David DeJesus in the Royals' outfield, with Jose Guillen presumably serving as designated hitter.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Probably the best signing for the ML club all off-season. But it wouldn't take a whole lot to earn this distinction...(perhaps Thompson, actually, but whatever)

Is he going to be '07/'08 Ankiel? If so, this has potential.

If he's '09 Ankiel, he'll be just another anchor. Meh, worth the risk.