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Originally Posted by eazyb81
Not sure what you're trying to say with the first part. I think it's common sense to trade one month of Hochevar at 24 years old for an extra year when he's in his prime in his late twenties. He hasn't done nearly enough to warrant an extension; hell, we just gave Greinke an extension after a year with a sub 4 ERA.
There's just no reason to push him up here right now. Just let him continue to improve and gain confidence, and hopefully he'll be ready to contribute meaningfully this summer. It's not focusing on the bottom line - it's being patient with players and not rushing them. THAT is old school Royals bullshit.
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Rushing players was also part of the regular MO, so I also agree with your final sentence. Not sure if this was the case with Hoch, though. Of course, the reason players had to be rushed was that there were no viable alternatives at the ML level, primarily because Glass wasn't spending any money. So, it's a vicious cycle.
As a college pitcher with a year of semi-pro experience, Hochevar should have been ready to compete at the start of the season. Perhaps it will end up being the right move in the long term, but I have a hard time believing he didn't give the club the best chance to win.
Whatever, though. Water under the bridge, with the team still competitive and about to reap some practical value from the move. For the record, the team was late in getting that extension to Greinke, IMO.