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Here's something to think about:
Will Myers split the season between AA and AA. He hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI. He doesn't run, throw, or play defense particularly well. He is not Mike Trout, no matter how much we wanted him to be.
In 2008 the Royals had another minor-league player who split his season between AA and AAA. He hit .314 with 37 home runs and 100 RBI. Those numbers are pretty much identical to the numbers Will Myers put up in 2012.
Any Royals fan worth his salt knows I'm talking about Kila Ka'aihue. I'm not saying Will Myers is going to wash out like Kila Ka'aihue did, but the fact is that Myers is an UNPROVEN PROSPECT. Hitting .314 with 37 homers and over 100 RBI in the minor leagues is nice, but it doesn't make you a major league All-Star. Myers might turn out to be a guy who hits 35 home runs a year in the majors. He might turn out to be a guy who hits 20 home runs. And it's not impossible that he could turn out to be no better than Kila Ka'aihue.
Kila Ka'aihue was 24 years old when he had his breakout season in the minors. Myers was 22. In three previous seasons in the minors, Will Meyers hit a TOTAL of 27 home runs, so this is not exactly Babe Ruth we're talking about.
Royals fans (including me) have been overvaluing our minor league players for years, because that's about the only thing we've had to cheer for. I hated the trade at first, but I understand why Dayton Moore did it. You've got to give value to get value, and James Shields is a very valuable starting pitcher. Will Myers' value may never be as high as it is right now.
The Royals gave up minor league players for TWO guys who will be in the starting rotation. Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I don't think it's time to lynch Dayton Moore just yet.
Rany Jazayerli says this trade sucks. Rany also used to tell us over and over and over what a great player Kila Ka'aihue would be if the Royals would just give him a chance in the major leagues.
Rany isn't always right.
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