Originally Posted by duncan_idaho
Step 1: Fire everybody. Starting with Ned Yost. Jack Maloof has been a failure as a hitting coach and considering the struggles of Hosmer and Moustakas and Maloof's previous role as minor league hitting coordinator, you have to wonder how much that moron f***ed up.
Step 2: Hire new staff. Understanding of advanced stats and a blended approach required.
Step 3: Give the new staff some time with Hosmer and Moustakas before giving up on them. Talent is still present there. It's possible they can be fixed. Moustakas sent to Omaha to work things out.
Step 4: Give younger minor league guys time. The Royals have a lot of talented prospects at the A+ and lower levels. It's a matter of developing that correctly. Starling, Bonifacio, Cuthbert, Mondesi, Zimmer, Almonte, Baez, Selman, Smith are key guys.
Step 5: Explore a deadline trade for Ervin Santana. Acceptance based on ability to find return that would exceed his compensation on a qualifying offer. Any pitcher in the bullpen also available.
Step 6: DFA the dead weight. Francoeur and Getz out. Instantly. Move Hochevar into rotation in place of Wade Davis, in prep for letting him walk at the end of the year (or potentially salvaging a smidge of trade value this season)
Step 7: call up two of Giavotella, Seratelli and Colon and play everyday at 2B/3B.
I'd hang on to Shields, Gordon, Butler, Perez and Escobar. That's a decent core to build around for a short-term turnaround. I would explore a 2-3 year extension for Shields, if he's amenable.
Long-term, draft approach focuses on highest-upside talent. If in position to take polished college starters, those are a high priority. High power bats are next priority. Basically, draft the best guys you can and develop them the best you can. Be less rigid in developing guys (for instance, if a guy is a slider pitcher - like John Lamb - let him throw the slider rather than forcing the curveball on him).
In 2014, a lot of money comes off the books... $12 million for Santana, $6.5 million for Francoeur, $4.5 million each for Hochevar and Chen, $1 million for Getz, $1 million for Tejada. Take this savings of nearly $30 million and use it to purchase at least one bat (Mike Morse? Kelly Johnson? etc) and a solid SP (AJ Burnett? Scott Feldman?)
Short-term success is still built on at least one of Hosmer/Moustakas figuring it out, but there are enough pieces there that I take a stab at it in 2014.
Rotation:
Shields
Scott Feldman (just for kicks)
Jeremy Guthrie
Danny Duffy
Luis Mendoza/Wade Davis/Yordano Ventura
Only other thing I can think of is being open to trades, especially if a young, controlled player can be obtained in return.
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