Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy (Post 12291530)

This year for sure. Dozier and Bonafacio might be future options there as well.

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12291527)

I know it's not apples to apples, but he's got 14 already: 7 at AAA in about a month. Guy has damn good power for his age. He's one of the few guys that passes the eye test and the stats test. He's a very valuable commodity now - maybe our most valuable on the team when you factor service time

Originally Posted by Chiefspants (Post 12291549)

I absolutely agree. If the plate discipline he showed in the minors starts appearing in major league at bats, then we have an asset that our lineup is badly lacking at the moment. Remember the impact Zo's discipline had on our offense? I wouldn't be surprised if Cutty could do the same once he fully adjusts to major league pitching.

As for his defense, he's young and athletic. Before this year they had talked about trying him in the OF as well. It's been a while since I've been this high on a prospect, (there's a reason the Royals made him untouchable at last year's deadline) so if we do decide to trade him, it better be a fleecing.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud (Post 12291506)

I just don't think the Royal can (or even should) go to $25 million per for Hosmer. He's a perfect fit for a team like the Dodgers, as he's a leader and a winner and they have basically unlimited pockets.

It sucks but it's reality.

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12291515)

I don't either, but we need to get a starter this winter. And I mean like badly, even if it's a slight overpay. This rotation resembles one from a 68-94 team, not a playoff contender.

Originally Posted by mr. tegu (Post 12291512)

So about Orlando. Is everyone comfortable with continuing to roll with him in RF this year and beyond?

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud (Post 12291547)

I like Orlando and liked him much better than Alex Rios in 2015.

That said, I'd rather see Orlando traded than Eiber, Bonafacio or Dozier.

Originally Posted by lewdog (Post 12291610)

Fine with me if Hosmer goes to the Dodgers.

That way he can go to LA where no one outside of LA will remember that he went there.

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho (Post 12291580)

I'm not saying it's likely. But it's possible.

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho (Post 12291580)

Can they? I think absolutely, they can. They have very little payroll committed beyond 2017. As I pointed out, if they have cheap internal options at SS and 3B and 2B, they can carry a big salary for Hosmer in 2018 and 2019 and balance it out with pre-arb salaries at the other positions.

They have around $60 million in committed payroll for 2018, and that includes Kennedy picking up his player option (which he likely will). It also includes a starting LF, C, one RP (Soria) and another SP. Kelvin Herrera will still be under team control and probably will add another 8-10 million.

In the scenario I sketched, they'll likely be paying Mondesi around 600k, and around 750k-1m for Merrifield and Cuthbert. Even if they're paying Hosmer 25 million a year, that still leaves quite a bit of room under the current spending threshold (and that's if it doesn't continue to increase), as you're likely still sniffing around $100 million at that point.

If they solve RF internally, that's also likely a cheap position. Leaves KC really in position to only need to "pay" or "buy" CF on the position side of things.

They'd need 3 SP to fill out that rotation. That's the hairiest part, and this whole thing becomes more likely if one of them is filled with someone from the Strahm/Mills/Junis/Fernandez grouping (though I think Fernandez ends up in the pen).

I'm not saying it's likely. But it's possible.



Just don't think they get a return for Moustakas that is nearly as impactful as he is on next year's team. Starting rotation will again get some bandaids and maybe another trade to try to address weaknesses, but I'd believe much more in it being built around minor league assets (Bonifacio, Dozier, etc) than an established one.



I'm fine with him this year... was slow to come around, but he has earned it. As for next year, depends on how he does, but good defense plus a quality bat at a cheap price sounds good for 2017.

Re: Cuthbert playing 2B, they were getting pretty desperate for an answer there and were going to give it a go before the Moustakas injury, which changed the game.

I think he could MAYBE get by for a year or two, while he's young. He's got quick feet and a great arm and could play deep to compensate for what I'm assuming will be below-average range (not unlike Jon Schoop of Baltimore).

But with the way Merrifield has played (both with the bat and the glove), that door may have closed.

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy (Post 12291655)

The inability to develop cheap SP is the killer. At some point it would be nice to hit on a 22-23 year old pitcher that is going to be a consistent middle to top of the rotation guy for a half a decade.
.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud (Post 12291650)

What do you think the percentage that the Royals pay Hosmer enough to keep him in KC? 10%? 5%?

I don't want to see him leave because I really enjoy his leadership, infectious attitude and of course, his play on the field. I may be premature but I'm preparing myself for him to be gone by the end of 2017, if not after the All Star Break.

IF Dayton can trade him for some topline pitching that's controlled for years, I don't see how he could pass that up. We might be looking at another run that may last even longer than 2014-2015 due to the youth in currently on the 25 and in the system.

I may be in the minority but good grief, I'm dying for a real homegrown rotation that can lead this team for the better part of a decade.

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy (Post 12291655)

The inability to develop cheap SP is the killer. At some point it would be nice to hit on a 22-23 year old pitcher that is going to be a consistent middle to top of the rotation guy for a half a decade.

I think we were fortunate for awhile with guys like Santana, Volquez, and Young but it seems lately we arent as lucky with guys like Medlen and Minor. Also Volquez and Youngs bubble appears to have burst.

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho (Post 12291687)

I'd say 10-15 percent chance. If KC can make him a competitive offer, the opportunity to stay and have the prestige around town of being a career star here, it may be enough to sway him.

If some team comes in and offers $30 million/year, I think it's over. But if it's in the mid-twenties, KC may be able to make it work (especially if the primary competition includes paying LA taxes, which narrows the price tag gap a bit).

They are not going to trade him before all-star break 2017, at the earliest. And only then if they are far away from he playoff race.

One in hand is better than two in the bush, and they're not going to blow a huge hole in the talent level of the team and its emotional leadership for prospects. Same holds for Moustakas, too.

The odds of piecing together a decent rotation from Ventura/Duffy/Kennedy/Mill/Vargas/Young/Almonte/Zimmer/Minor/Strahm plus one mid-tier FA are probably better ones than trading Hosmer for pitching prospects and hoping for the best.


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