I'm definitely not a conspiracy guy and don't actually think this was rigged, but if it was, Cleveland and Cincy make a ton of sense if you correctly understand what the draft was implemented for. Cincy was awful the year before, got better, and got rewarded with the second pick. This is a dream scenario for MLB, because it shows that there is no reason to tank multiple years in a row. In fact, you might get rewarded by being better.

As for Cleveland, they are a logical pick as a harmless team that won't bring out the conspiracy crowd like the Yankees or Red Sox would, but accomplishes the real goal and why the draft was put in place: to punish bad teams. It's not about funneling players to certain teams, which is why people saying "why Cleveland that's dumb" are wrong in that assesment. They don't really care where the #1 pick goes. They just care that the top 3 teams don't pick #1, and dropping the As and Royals is great for them. I'd bet anything I own that Manfred would want this to be the outcome of the draft every single year, and so would the players union. Don't reward teams who tank, reward teams who spend money and drive up salaries. Again, I don't think this actually happened and it's unfortunate royals had the same odds to pick sixth as they did to pick first basically, but saying "they would never do this for Cleveland and Cincy" isn't any sort of proof that it wasn't rigged.

What? Why would Manfred want salaries of players high? Cincy was just a bit ahead of the Royals in spending and Cleveland was the 3rd lowest in spending. You make 0 sense.

You are missing the point completely which is why it makes no sense to you. Manfred wants salaries high as a byproduct of competitiveness. If hypothetically every team made it their absolute mission to be the best team every year regardless of future plans,then salaries will go up because free agency will be more competitive. This is basic supply and demand. He doesn't care about salaries in and of themselves he wants every team trying as hard as they can, which aligns with the players union complaining tanking teams aren't spending.

It works great to discourage tanking...but it is bad for teams that are organically shitty, poorly run and cheap like the Royals. We aren't tanking, we are just bad from top to bottom with no end in site.

Oh please, we have $30million to spend!!!! Think of the 5 or 6 pieces of shit we'll be able to sign with that kind of coin!

I'm not a conspiracy guy but....

https://media.tenor.com/x0NVZ0edAPkA...-pepesilva.gif

Almost all of their pitching draft picks are. Wonder what Ashe Russell is doing these days? Probably heroin.

Zoloft

I have to admit I liked the Asa Lacy pick, but it was the 2020 pandemic draft so all the teams were going off limited info.

Looking back on it, the whole draft is meh. Reid Detmers turned out to be the best college arm.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Astros Acquire Dylan Coleman From Royals <a href="https://t.co/t6ZiKE8dhW">https://t.co/t6ZiKE8dhW</a> <a href="https://t.co/tUH7WGg5rl">pic.twitter.com/tUH7WGg5rl</a></p>&mdash; MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1732459274020716967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Glad to see JJ has been reading CP
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals reportedly interested in Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill <a href="https://t.co/Sx5u4Ir7ZV">https://t.co/Sx5u4Ir7ZV</a></p>&mdash; Royals Review (@royalsreview) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsreview/status/1732465459184697701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With the second pick of the Rule 5 Draft, the <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Royals</a> select RHP Matt Sauer, No. 25 on the Yankees&#39; Top 30 Prospects list.<br><br>Follow live: <a href="https://t.co/T1J0prPAJQ">https://t.co/T1J0prPAJQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/TyZp1Nyneo">pic.twitter.com/TyZp1Nyneo</a></p>&mdash; MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1732476318892085436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I just don't know what you've got.

I mean I'm not asking for Mariano Rivera here.

But the Cardinals seem to believe they can push themselves into playoff position this year. So they're looking for some reasonably proficient BP arm. Do you guys even HAVE a reliever on the roster who managed an ERA below 4.5 over more than 30 innings last year?

Because a 4.5 ERA in relief is pretty much the bottom rung of roster worthy.

Jose Cuas looks like he might be something worth having in a middle relief role. Missed some bats, didn't walk the ballpark (though a BB/9 over 4 still sucks). If I had to pick somebody off your roster I guess it'd be Austin Cox but really we need a righty more than a lefty. Alec Marsh has interesting stuff but ZERO command.

Is James McArthur a thing? He doesn't appear to be; looks like a AAAA guy.

I mean the bottom line is that I'd spin the wheel and take my chances on Carlos Hernandez. I've always kinda liked Josh Staumont's stuff but if I'm swapping reclamation projects I'm not swapping a Gold glove power/speed LFer for a setup man. The respective degree of difficulties are identical but the upsides are far apart.

I just don't know what the Royals have to get it done. That big league roster is roooooouuuuuugh.

Cuas is with the Cubs, traded last season for Nelson Velazquez.

McArthur, after his first game, was lights out. Staumont is a free agent.

Staumont got Matheny’d. As did Brentz.