Leake was the worst FA contract this year. I can't believe STL fell for it.

Concussions could end his career out of nowhere :(

Salvy refuses to wear the full head gear

His feet are constantly getting beaten up too


I cringe every time he get hit with a foul ball

This.

Chen is a no-shit #2 and really a fringe #1 if you get him away from Camden (to get his HR rate under control).

If you're giving up the pick anyway, Chen's easily the guy to pursue.

This sends a message that no longer is every good player a la Damon, Dye, Beltran are just biding their time.

That's why all the so-called National guys reported as if they had inside information and kept "reporting" KC had no chance to re-sign Alex = bullshit!
Even dumb enough to claim the Royals offer was 4 years $50 million. That was an outright lie. Dayton isn't dumb, and the organization knows a range he's going to get salarywise.

You don't enter into negotiations by putting out an insulting number and create acrimony. I'm sure there offer was originally probably a 3 year deal to see if they could get it done. They knew full well that like Zobrist, some club could have overpaid and there's little to do if that was the case.

After the flurry at the start of FA died down, I have little doubt that discussions got more serious because teams, including the Royals, had a better feel for what and who they were competing with and ballpark numbers. So, Gordo probably got a 4th year conditional on a little less per year, and deferring a good amount until after the new TV deal as well as allowing the club to free up some available money to pursue FA now while the team is a contender.

Alex got his 4 years, overall more money, and his 1st choice of remaining a Royal, and coming back to play for a contender that just won a WS and have been there in back-to-back years.

The Royals fill their major hole in 1 of the corner outfield spots, get a structured friendly contract that doesn’t completely tie their hands until the new TV deal, and send a significant message to both the fans and the players in the clubhouse as well as potential free agents that the club is serious about winning and investing in talent.

Dayton really put the cherry on top, because having a more than likely lifer like Alex is a great ambassador for this community and the Royals place in it for the future. Is he Brett ? On the field, no, but as a face and recognizable icon on the 2015 WS team, definitely, and the younger fan base needs that so they have something to identify with and a desire to take their own kids to the park and cultivate the future Royals fans.

Ultimately, the money and years, and even if he doesn't earn every penny in the last year or two of his contract, doesn't mean a thing. What the Royals just acquired by him re-signing was a reprieve from the 90's and early 2000's. A ghost ship at sea with no captain, after Kauffman died, and everyone jumping overboard at first chance because it had become a glorified AAAA organization.

Probably. 4 years is a long time, but somewhere in the $54-60 range would be worth it IMO. At this point, you ride the wave and worry about a possible tear down later. Those flags in the outfield are worth it.

Said it before, losing a 1st sucks, but if he helps you defend a pennant is it worth it?

Anyone missing the guys we traded to get Zobrist and Cueto?

Didn't think so.

Ageed.

I'm toying with getting a 'Yosted' jersey. Maybe, 15 for the jersey number.

Seen it, but still hilarious.

I'm still really surprised no one offered Alex 5. I really wonder if it was because they expected him to sign with the Royals anyway.

Don't love it. That said, at least there's not a ton of risk in it.

There are few guys who are more 'sure bets' than Leake. That's not to say he's good - it's to say that you know pretty much exactly what you'll be getting out of him; a 4th starter that's going to give you about 2 WAR and 200 innings. Blah.

To me, they paid $15 million/season for a $12 million/season pitcher. It's an overpay, but one where I suspect they'll at least get solid production from him for the length of the deal and he's young enough that by the last 2 years of that deal, it's probably going to be below market given where salaries are trending.

Samardzija's is worse in that there's a better than average chance that he's a bullpen quality pitcher. His ceiling his higher than Leake's but man that floor is truly a crash point. I think Kazmir's is worse as well as I just don't see him holding up; the guy is a ticking timebomb, IMO.

I also look at the Cubs deal to Heyward that amounts to a 3 yr/78 million deal if/when he exercises his opt out as being absolutely insane. He's essentially the exact same player as Gordon and they just gave him $8 million more/season. Admittedly, its hard for me to be objective there, but that deal is just !@#$ing crazy to me.

There are some other nutty ones in there, but not as long term. Seriously, how the hell did Mike Pelfrey convince a team to give him 2/$16 million?

Taking a successful pitcher away from a home run park has Moore written all over it.


http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/1...-contract.html
Wei-Yin Chen Seeking Five-Year, $100MM Deal
By Zach Links | December 17, 2015 at 12:10pm CST

Free agent pitcher Wei-Yin Chen is searching for a five-year, $100MM contract, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). At that price, Kubatko adds, it’s clear that the Orioles have moved on to other offseason targets. At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that Chen would land a five-year deal worth $80MM. Apparently, the Scott Boras client is aiming higher.

Bottom line, Infante, and Rios in the regular season gave you zero. Literally, anything from those 2 spots ultimately means the club is better than last year in the regular season.
Not better than when you had Zobrist, admittedly, but I'm almost at the point where I feel Ben has taken only this mythical unicorn status.

I fully admit that my mancrush for Zobrist was big, and no doubt he was a fantastic pickup. Now reality is he's 32, and there absolutely no chance he earns his contract. The Cubs are serious contenders, and if he's part of them winning a WS, not a single **** will be given by the Cubs organization or fans. KC wasn't in that position moneywise, and unless they had a top 5 payroll in baseball, it's not a wise signing.

In light of our own pending free agents, who almost are still young and entering their prime typically, sinking that money instead of aggressively trying to ink Hos, Moose, Cain (maybe), Esky (maybe), and extending Sal, is doublely foolish.

Does no one think that come the trade deadline that if needed that a few guys who may potentially make this team more potent in the postseason won't be available?

Let's remember, Fallball and regular season baseball are 2 different animals. One's a marathon and you have to balance not fall behind the pack without leaving nothing in the tank. The other's a short track event. Get out of the break fast, warmed up and loose, and lean. There's no days off, you trim your rotation, and if you go on short rest it doesn't matter because the finish line is in sight right around the last turn.

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Great day for Kansas City!