Yep that would work. Do it Glass!!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a> have expressed interest in bringing back free agent Joakim Soria, sources say. Talks remain preliminary.</p>&mdash; Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/664563944716148736">November 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I wondered if that was a possibility.

Hasn't the Royals already done this ?

I mean, haven't you heard, aces don't matter?

Might as well bring Greinke back as well. Just get the whole gang back again.

It would be the mist Grienke thing ever for him to come back here and sign a contract well below market value. Come on, ZG...5 years $100,000,000.

All seems to be quiet on the Gordo front.

I'm down

7th Grienke
8th Soria
9th Dotel

Cards just let Broxton go as well.

We are in an off-season in which the executives have earned all trust and benefit of the doubt? What the **** am I supposed to bitch?

They were talking about that on tv. He definitely is heading in that direction.

I'm all for that.

The **** does Joel Goldberg really add?

I told you Alex Rios would pay off. :D

If you meant most, I was thinking the same thing.

He could buy a nice lawn mower for his post MLB career.

Apparently the Braves are legitimately looking to deal Andrelton Simmons. I know they're rebuilding but that's hard to believe. He's signed through 2020, only 25 years old and the best defensive SS in the league. Unbelievable range. Won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award today. Apparently they're talking to an unnamed NL West team.

Make it happen Dayton! Move Esky to 2B. Obviously joking, but we would have the best infield in the world and no one else would be even close. That would be a devastating PR blow to Braves fans.

Offer them the Chiefs 1st round pick for Simmons. Trade a lawnmower to OAK for Billy Butler. Trade Butler to the Chiefs for the 1st round pick that you need to trade to ATL. Billy can lose some weight and play LG or RG.

Chiefs are used to getting nothing from a first rounder anyways. ATL will somehow find some guy who played WR for 3 years and turn him into an all-star SS. Everything works out.

I think I'd rather have Zobrist's bat at second base.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash">#Cubs</a> have interest in Jackie Bradley, per <a href="https://twitter.com/bradfo">@bradfo</a>. Would <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedSox?src=hash">#RedSox</a> break up starting OF? Read more: <a href="https://t.co/d8m8eHMBmE">https://t.co/d8m8eHMBmE</a></p>&mdash; MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/664813927688232960">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/1...ley-trade.html

Interesting.... Bradley is an excellent defender.

Steamer has him at 1.9 WAR next year. Which for a 26 year old making league minimum, is very tasty.

I'm trying to find out how historical of a run Wade Davis has had. I can't recall or find anybody myself that has had a run of two seasons like him at:

72 IP, 1.00 ERA (2014)
14.1 IP, 0.63 ERA (2014 post season)
67.2 IP, 0.94 ERA (2015)
10.2, 0.00 ERA (2015 Post season)

Eckersley? Nope. Mariano Rivera? Nope. Fernando Rodney had the alltime best season but both seasons before and after were not as good.

Josh Sherman reports they asked for DeGrom or Harvey straight up. ROFL

The Bradley interest is... interesting.

Signals to me that perhaps they're planning to move Cain to RF full-time. Not sure Bradley is really much of an upgrade over Jarrod Dyson, other than being younger and cheaper.

LOL at the Braves asking for deGrom or Harvey from the Mets, though the in-division thing may be a factor there. That's pretty silly.

Makes me question how legitimate they are in wanting to trade him. Sounds like they are just trying to find someone willing to do something stupid. Makes sense that they would start with the Mets.

Could a fly ball hit grass with Cain, Dyson, and Bradley in the OF?

The Braves would be nuts NOT to ask for something crazy in exchange for Simmons...having said that, I don't see a team giving up what they want.

I would imagine their trade requirements for teams not in their division would be a bit lower. The Braves traded with the Mets last year, but that was for guys like Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe. A bit different when you're trading arguably the best defensive player in the game, and he's not a free agent until 2021. That legitimately hurts your long term chances to win your division, especially with the Mets pitching.

Bradley will probably go to RF if the Royals do sign him. Cain isn't leaving CF. remember the Royals love defense and speed.

You don't know anything about Bradley I see.

I doubt Bradley really would be an upgrade over Dyson. Doesn't he K too much for Dayton and the rest of the Royals front office to like him? Not high steal numbers either, but I'm just looking at his player card, haven't seen him play except in a handful of games.

Trade for Simmons, and we will win every game this year 1-0. You will have to hit it out of the yard to beat us.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Braves BB Ops don&#39;t want to move Simmons($53M, thruy &#39;20) or Teheran($40.6 thru &#39;19), but may have to do one.</p>&mdash; Peter Gammons (@pgammo) <a href="https://twitter.com/pgammo/status/664849493230252032">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Seriously though, I would be all over Teheran in a heartbeat. That's a tremendous value for a talented 24 year old pitcher. Probably will take a ton to get him though. The Braves are loaded with young pitching but I can't believe they'd trade these guys given the value of their contracts.

Lol Bradley isn't an upgrade to Dyson?

Yes but it would have chalk on it.

LOL at Greinke coming back to KC. He is staying in the NL, where his batting average is higher than the batters that he faces.

Wade has been simply legendary. :clap:

Bradley might actually be a better fit long term in RF. He is only average as far as speed goes. He's got amazing instincts and arm, but there is a rather large disparity in speed between Cain-Bradley.

I love the idea of getting Andrelton Simmons. He's the best SS in the game defensively. You could move Escobar to 2B and when his contract is up, use Mondesi. But that is an outside of the box move, and no way they would do that considering it would hurt Escobars feelings and he just won the AL Gold Glove.

Imagine this line up, and this defense. It wouldn't really even matter who your SP was as long as they threw strikes

Gordon, LF
Hosmer, 1B
Cain, RF
Morales, DH
Moose, 3B
Perez, C
Simmons, SS
Escobar, 2B
Dyson, CF

That would just be sick. SICK.

Nope, not really.

Dyson gets the benefit of platoon playing, but look at his WAR #'s per plate appearances. It's hard to believe he would be below 2 WAR for an entire year, even if he was exposed a bit playing 80% of the time.

Why would you give up so much for a One trick pony like Simmons when you have a kid like Mondesi Jr. just around the corner that brings a Great glove AND other skills.... and he costs nothing? Simmons makes zero sense.

I agree. If we want elite middle infield defense, all we have to do is call up Mondesi. Then we don't have to pay 53MM over five years for a .660 ops bat + elite defense.

Mondesi to me, is at least 2 years away. If you made him play everyday he would probably hit .180 next year. Look, they arent getting Simmons. But it would be fun to imagine and I have no idea what it would take to get him, but his contract isnt bad.

UH, HE'S ALREADY PLAYED IN THE WORLD SERIES. HELLO.

So? Terrence Gore played last year and he was probably 3 years from the show then. Doesnt mean much.

Can't decide which crazy idea is funnier: signing Heyward or moving Escobar to 2B. Gotta love the hot stove season!



Rumor is the Dodgers are making the strongest play for Simmons by offering to eat either Swisher or Bourne (15M for either) in any deal. That's what still sucks about mlb - large payrolls don't just outbid you for FA, they offer stronger trade deals by absorbing contracts you can't

So you take the money and give it to Zobrist. Zobrist at 2B and Escobar (the gold glove winning ALCS MVP) at short makes a helluva lot more sense.

That formula worked out pretty well in the ALDS, ALCS, and World Series.

Then when Zobrist is done, Mondesi will be ready.

Yeah I think that is ideal if Zobrist will take a 2-year contract, but he probably wants 4.

I think he'll get a 3/$51MM type offer. 4 years for a guy that turns 35 in May is not good business. Hell, I don't know that he gets 3 years from ANYONE if he doesn't have the type of success he had after the Royals acquired him.

Not a huge one, necessarily. Dyson has provided great value with his d, similar to BRADLEY. The only separating factor at this point is that BRADLEY is younger and had one great month at the dish.

That, and Bradley can't touch Dyson on the base-path

This lineup is weaker than anything we consistently put out this past season and well below what we fielded when Zobrist got here so I don't see the appeal.

Also, as crazy as trading for Simmons and moving Esky to 2B is, the craziest thing in your post is not having Esky bat leadoff.

and also you have to spell BRADLEY capitalized. :D

Not this shit again..

Just because you've won with using him lead off before, doesn't mean it's the right decision. Batting Escobar #1 and giving him the most at bats on the team is reeruned, it's always going to be reeruned, unless he's one of the best offensive players on your team, which is clearly isn't.

When I mean that line up would be sick, I should clarify, obviously wouldn't be #1 offensively but it's still solid. Just two years ago Simmons hit 17 home runs, and he's a contact hitter who doesn't strike out either. That entire line up puts the ball in play and would just be a grind for any starting pitcher. That would be the best defense in the league, by far. Every single one of those guys could win a Gold Glove next year. Moose is by far the worst defensive player in that lineup, and he's still above avg.

LOL. I was just kidding, man.

I would imagine GMDM would be hesitant to deal much more in terms of depth in the minors. This year's trades diminished the system somewhat (which I'm fine with...it was perfectly appropriate.)

If Gordon departs, what do you think about Rajai Davis? I know he's fast, but don't know what else he brings.

Not a fan. His D is average and his main value is his speed on the bases, IMO. He just turned 35.....Pass.

Good Rolling Stone interview with Hosmer.

One highlight:

:clap:

"At GM meetings, everyone wants to be the Royals"
http://www.foxsports.com/kansas-city...-royals-111015


I'm pretty sure I'm being trolled badly by some supreme being when I read shit like that.

I love it when sports writers act like Miami and Houston are small market teams.

Yeah, someone is going to have to explain that to me. In what ****ing world is HOU a small market team? I can see why someone might consider Miami a small market team due to population in Miami proper, but that still doesn't really jive with me, because the Miami metro area is +5MM.

I must be missing something. Miami (28) and Houston (30) had two of the three lowest revenue totals last year. Of course they're "small market" as we know the term In baseball. If that term bothers you then use small revenue. Same ultimate message: they're broke.

Royals were 16 by the way at $231m vs Hou at $175m

Here's an interesting option. Passan references his profile as "Royals type" at the end.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources: Another top Korean player, outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim, plans to play in MLB next year. News at Yahoo Sports: <a href="https://t.co/oCFUYsgKwZ">https://t.co/oCFUYsgKwZ</a></p>&mdash; Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/664925174886588417">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Looks like Rany agrees with me that we should sell out for the next couple years.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I almost hope Alex Gordon gets a 6/$120M offer he can&#39;t refuse. Because if he gets 5/$80M and the Royals don&#39;t match, I&#39;ll be annoyed.</p>&mdash; Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) <a href="https://twitter.com/jazayerli/status/664907005203718145">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/dirkchatelain">@dirkchatelain</a> I&#39;d be comfortable with 5/$80 or 6/$90. When you consider the explosion in revenue I could be convinced for 5/$85 or 6/$96.</p>&mdash; Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) <a href="https://twitter.com/jazayerli/status/664909383701278720">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And given that the roster will be devastated by free agency in 2 years, I&#39;m okay with overpaying in 2018-20 for a good player in 2016-17.</p>&mdash; Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) <a href="https://twitter.com/jazayerli/status/664914654255255553">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If you're going to go for it, you go all in. GMDM has demonstrated that he clearly understands this.

Either they're going to go balls to the wall while the nucleus is together (Gordon + Zobrist + really good SP), or make moves to position themselves for a smoother transition when these guys leave, meaning that 2017's trade deadline could be heartbreaking.

Yeah well we've seen how well the "let's be indefinitely mediocre and hope everyone has a career year at the same time" strategy has worked for the Chiefs.

Heyward/Gordon/Zobrist/Latos

Go for Royals 14/15/16/17 Dynasty Status.

$200MM payroll? Sounds legit

Royals could do that with 150/160.

Again, this team was able to sustain a payroll of $125m this year after last year's performance.
This year, we averaged 9,000 more people PER game. At $29.76 for the average ticket price x 9,000 x 81 home games. That's $21,695,040 extra.
We also had 8 playoff games which brought in something along the lines of $4.9m per game. Basically $40m extra.

This team could easily operate at a payroll of $160m.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Colon: &quot;I guess the trick up their sleeve didn&#39;t work. We don&#39;t have to go to NY, they&#39;ll come to us and watch us get our rings!&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheDrive?src=hash">#TheDrive</a></p>&mdash; 610 Sports Radio- KC (@610SportsKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/610SportsKC/status/664943466632228865">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Season ticket sales should be off the hook next year, and they'll probably raise prices significantly - which no one will mind if they somehow keep Gordon and Zobrist.

Rany? As in "Dayton Moore should be fired for trading Wil Meyers" Jazayerli?

That Rany?

Rany is an excellent writer and a knowledgeable Royals fan. But he's not really that good at evaluating talent. Remember how he used to idolize Kila Ka'aihue?

This isn't really about evaluating talent. It's about whether we should sell out the future to be good for 2 more years. No one thinks Gordon or Zobrist is going to decline significantly in the next 2 years.

Rany disapproved of the Shields/Myers trade because he didn't think we'd be good enough to compete by 2014. He was dead wrong on that.

I doubt anyone on either side of the debate thinks we won't be good enough to compete next year. So it's really more about priorities.

I guess I don't want them to completely strip the farm system and have this team lose 100 games in 2018 and beyond. Dayton Moore's philosophy is to build a strong farm system with a continuous pipeline of talent to the major leagues. I trust the process.

I want to have my cake and eat it too. I think they can sign Zobrist for sure, and hopefully Gordon. If they do that, they've got a pretty good team. No need to trade away ALL of the prospects.

worthless

I'm glad Esky got his one gold glove this year. Andrelton Simmons to the Angels is done.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Complete deal <a href="https://t.co/RrYK1oZj00">https://t.co/RrYK1oZj00</a></p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/664951807169462276">November 12, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rasmus back to the Astros


1 year/15.8 million