NFT: Royals Sweeney trade value?
 

Lifetime Chiefs fan here, living in OC Cali I'm also a diehard Angels fan so I want to get a feel for what the Royals fans see as the trade value of 1B/DH Mike Sweeney and what the Royals might be looking for.

The reality of the teams situations are the Angels are hoping at going deep into the playoffs, where the Royals are looking more into the future, where Sweeney would likely be gone by then.

Consider the Angels minor league depth and having too many quality OF'ers on the big league roster, their recent lack of offense, the built in expectations here, Sweeneys local roots , one might think a trade would make some sense.

I know he's on a BIG contract and has been injury prone the past couple of years, but he is a quality hitter who would fit in at DH on this roster between Vlad and Garrett Anderson.

All things considered, do you Royals fans here think a package of a young pitching prospect like a Steven Shell or Joe Saunders together with an outfielder like Juan Rivera or Jeff DaVannon spark an interest?

until Sweeney can prove that he can stay healthy for more than 60 days straight his value is jack and squat ... with the emphasis on squat.



:shake:

He has very limited trade value. Not many teams are going to want to pay $10 million to a guy who pretty much has to be a DH and isn't a power hitter. Any contending or bigger market team that spends money probably already has offense built into the 1B and DH spots. Plus, he's got back problems, and those do not usually go away with age.

Probably less pitching and more OF.

I think that sounds like a fair deal, we would need a quality pitching prospect and a high quality OF that can hopefully step in and play sometime this year.

I like Steven Shell a lot, I think he is a future stud, but I am not that sold on either Rivera or DaVanon.

Would the Angels play him at 1B or DH? Isn't Erstad still at 1st base?

Agreed. I wouldn't be against trading Sweeney if we got a couple of outfielders who can run well, play good defense and have occasional power. Oh, and they need to be able to play in the big leagues now.

Of course, if/when we trade Sweeney, I'll participate in the meltdown with my fellow Royals fans. He's the only big threat in our lineup right now.

I doubt we could get more than one top-level, cant miss guy for him. It isn't like we get two or three players of the future for him like with Beltran. I would send him away for a higher-level corner outfield prospect who can hit for power. We could get another guy or two thrown in, but I don't think his asking price will be all that huge, and we need to sell high on him before the injuries come back in June and July.

I don't think we should feel like we have to trade him, he is the best player on our team and is locked up for the next few years. I wouldn't trade him unless we received a high quality pitcher and OF, if no one offers that then we keep him.

Why should we feel like we have to trade him? Getting rid of Sweeney guarantees that Harvey will be in the lineup every day, something I really don't want to see.

There should be no gripping from the fans if this happens. IMO, a trade makes all the sense in the world, given the direction of this team. If Sweeney wants out of KC (and deep down, I think he really does), he might be willing to restructure his contract in order to make a more pallatable deal from the other team. Highly unlikely, but who knows. I actually think a more likely suitor for Sweeney is NYY. Giambi's a mess, and Tino Martinez is a dinosaur. I'd take a look at Mike Vento, Kevin Reese and Mitch Jones in their AAA organization. They are all about 27 yrs old. In their AA org, I'd take Kevin Thompson - a 25 yr old OF with great speed and good power..Matter a fact, I'd want Thompson in any deal we'd do with the Yanks.

Bottom line, and I agree, we have to get OF prospects in any deal for Sweeney. Pitching is always nice, but we need OF's in the worst way. I also agree that they need to be major league ready. I want guys cutting their MLB teeth right now, and be ready to contribute in 2006.

I'm pretty sure the player's union doesn't allow contract restructuring. I know they didn't allow ARod to do it when he was trying to get traded.

I would rather not trade Sweeney to the Yanks, I would hate to see him play for Steinbrenner. I would much rather keep him give him to NY.

I agree with you from a baseball/business standpoint. Sweeney is our most "negotiable asset." He doesn't truly fit in to the long-term strategy, and we can make the ball club better with the right trade. But as a fan, I would hate to see him go. I realize those two viewpoints are incompatible, but there it is. I felt the same way about Beltran. Knew we couldn't keep him. Knew trading him made the best sense for the future of the ballclub. Hated it when it happened.

I don't think that makes any sense at all. You trade him to whoever you can get the best value from. Who cares if he's playing part time for the Yankees for a couple years?

I hate the Yankees and their farm system sucks.

Again, why do we have to trade him? You would rather see Harvey out there every day?

Yeah, you are correct on the contract restructure. I forgot that about MLB......

I'd have no problems trading Sweeney straight up to the Yanks for Kevin Thompson. The kids a player. A look at your 2006 Royals OF

Thompson in LF (plus, he is a legit leadoff hitter) 25 yrs old
David DeJesus in CF (Now, he can bat 2nd) 25 yrs old
Cory Aldrige (Can bat 3-5, but has to get the K's down) 25 yrs old

I don't think we have to trade him right now. But I think he is signed through just next season or the following. It is a similar situation to Beltran. Sweeney will more than likely go at the end of his contract. If you can get some quality young players when he leaves, then it makes sense to do it. We should at least consider it.

People just named a number of good prospects in their farm system. I don't give a damn who we trade with. If the Cardinals have good prospects then take them. If the Yankees have good prospects then take them too. It's madness not to take the best value offered.

It's only silly to trade him if you believe that he will still be helping us in ~4 years, when he's 35 or 36, with the back trouble that has been plaguing him lately, and if he decides to give us the home team discount again like he did last time and signs another deal.

I guess I value Sweeney a lot more then some of you do. Sure, it sucks that he had a couple injuries, but when healthy he is one of the best hitters in the game. Trading him straight up for a minor leaguer in his mid 20's doesn't seem like a very good deal to me, I would at least want another quality pitching prospect. Even then, the thought of Harvey playing everyday at 1st or DH (when Huber comes up) is enough to make me sick. Let's keep Sweeney and pair him with Huber, that could be a great combination.

11 million dollars for a guy who plays half the time and when he plays plays half the game is not much of a ****ing discount

Of course we should consider it, we should consider any trade scenario. However, people on here are acting like we HAVE to trade Sweeney, when there isn't much of a need to right now. He has played great this year and he could form a great combo at 1B/DH with Huber. Trading him away for a minor leaguer right now would be a dumb move, unless we received a few top prospects.

I just gotta ask, but why do you want to keep Sweeney around, when this team won't be ready to make a charge until 2007?

At that point, he'll have 1 yr left on the contract, and absolutley NO trade value for the most part. Mike, with his health issues, has about 2 more really productive seasons in his tank. He's not part of the future, and the only stick in our MLB club that has trade value. Not to mention, we've got a great deal of talent in the minors at 1b (Huber and Pressley in AA, and Kaaihue in A ball is just ripping it up).

Watching Harvey play every day at 1b, while Huber and Pressley get ready, doesn't bother me at all. I mean, really, what are playing for this year anyway?

I'm a big Sweeney fan, so I'm not advocating an immediate trade. He's killing the ball right now.

But taking into consideration the long-term good of the club, there's a point at which he is no longer a valuable trade commodity. If we are willing to forego that because he will be here long-term, then so be it. But if it looks like he will not be here past his current contract, then he falls in with every other star we've traded away. Get something of worth before he leaves and we get nothing.

In defense, I have to ask you how do you know that we have no shot at making a charge until 2007? I know it sounds far-fetched, but this team really isn't that far off. We have the young pitchers, now we just need some offense, which is much easier to find. We have a young nucleus of positional players (Dejesus, Teahen, Gotay, Buck, Huber and Butler on the way), why trade our best player and leader now? I think we could finish this season strong and make a charge next year, it's not like we are getting blown out every game.

I would much rather trade Berroa right now, I think he is worthless and he might get as much in return as Sweeney.

Every single player leaves at some point, does that mean you trade every player away? I don't really get that philosophy, I think Sweeney would be useful over the next few years in shaping our young guys into players while also being one of the best hitters in the game.

I'm with you there. Do the Angels need a shortstop?

No. But there are some you know will bring good value on the trade market. The Royals cannot afford to let them go for free.

If we can keep him and he becomes a KC icon, then we have received good value for our investment. If he stays and he helps us in a pennat race in the next year or two, then we will have received good value for our investment.

But if he is leaving and we aren't competing, then we have to get something of value for him. At some point, we'll know whether we can keep him. That isn't today, but it may be coming soon.

What the Angels want = Mike Sweeney

What the Royals want in return = 3 AA minor league prospects

That's a fair question, and the reply is I don't know. I just know that Mike has a limited shelf life of what he will contribute over the next couple of years. I also know that it takes young players a couple of years to gell together. More than likely, we will have several new pieces to add to our puzzle in 2006 (Huber, maybe Pressley, Aldridge, spossibly Maeir or even Butler).

I think we could be a decent team in 2006, but I think we could be a very good team in 2007. Teahan, DeJesus and Buck will all be in their 3rd full season, our young pitchers should have worked out many of the kinks they are encountering now. The new acquistions in 2006 will have had a year to adjust. Most importantly, the new manager will have had some time to get used to the team and the young talent. Just a hunch, but I really think our year to make a charge is a couple years a way (2007) with all these young players.

Can't help you there.. the Angels signed Orlando Cabrera to a 4 year deal this past winter. Way too much money, for too long when we had eckstein and a TON of talent at 2nd/ss in the minors.

You and Berroa kinda sound like me and Darren Erstad.

Love to trade him, even though he is considered a clubhouse leader and true gamer. I'd like to have a power guy at 1B or at least at DH (Sweeney).

What exactly are Sweeneys contract numbers??

Big I know, but for how long??

Sweeney gets something like $11 million a year. He's signed through 2007.

He is in the 3rd year of a 5 year $55MM deal. You want some? :)

I'd be willing to bet that the Royals would eat a big portion of this year just to rid themselves of final 2 years of that contract. That said, I think his salary jumps from $11MM/YR to $12.5MM/YR if he's traded.....

A little off topic, but I found this on Royalboard and thought it was interesting. It is Sportsline's take on each managerial candidate for the Royals:

"Frank White: Pros: One of the classiest and most respected names in Royals history. Is paying his dues managing at Double-A Wichita. Offers instant integrity to franchise and one of the few names out there who might help at the box office. Cons: Royals job already has chewed up and spit out one-time Kansas City legend Hal McRae. Please, let's not go down the list besmirching K.C. masterpieces!

Larry Bowa: Pros: Knows the game. Is interested in the job. Doesn't tolerate sloppy fundamentals. Cons: Are you kidding? What kind of person would turn loose a raving lunatic on a bunch of unsuspecting, impressionable kids who haven't even fully learned the game yet?

Jim Fregosi: Pros: Brilliant baseball mind. Every team he has managed has gotten better. Cons: Might be too old-school and too volatile for a long-term construction job.

Jim Leyland: Pros: Wants to manage again after a self-imposed sabbatical from the dugout. Has experience with rebuilding projects (see: Pittsburgh, post-1990-1992 boon). Cons: Cut and ran from Colorado when the going got tough, and that soured some baseball people on him. At 60, does he have the energy to spend as much time instructing as managing?

Bob Brenly: Pros: Won a World Series in Arizona. Is good with the media and will put a good public face on organization. Cons: Mediocre tactician, but Brenly is patient and could be a good fit with Royals.

Larry Dierker: Pros: Knows pitching. The Royals have some good young arms like Zack Greinke, Denny Bautista and Runelvys Hernandez, and Dierker is very good at nurturing starting pitchers and building their confidence. Cons: Hasn't managed in more than three years.

Art Howe: Pros: Experienced and works very well with young prospects. Kansas City is a much better market for Howe's quiet personality than New York, where the Mets job turned disastrous. Cons: Isn't a forceful enough personality to re-energize Kansas City's declining fan base.

Grady Little: Pros: Won 93 and 95 games in his two seasons of managing Boston. The guy knows the game. Before getting his chance with the Red Sox, he managed more than 2,000 minor-league games. Cons: Lots of people think he's an idiot because he left Pedro Martinez on the hill in Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series. But one incident should not mar a stellar lifetime record.

Jimy Williams: Pros: Excellent instructor and man of integrity. The Royals need a teacher for prospects such as Mark Teahen and Ruben Gotay. Cons: He does not have a history of getting the most out of his teams. Exhibit A: The sharp improvement in Houston last season after Williams was relieved of his duties.

Bud Black: Pros: Currently Los Angeles Angels pitching coach, Black is an up-and-comer who is excellent with pitchers, knows the game, is very bright and once pitched in Kansas City. Cons: Might not be ready to manage yet; because of high school daughters he wants to remain close to home in San Diego.

Whitey Herzog: Pros: He's Whitey Herzog! And if Jack McKeon can manage successfully at 74, why can't Herzog at 73? Cons: It would be very entertaining, but would this be the best way to conduct a youth movement?"


I have officially decided that my two favorite candidates are Jim Leyland and Larry Dierker. I think Leyland might be the best candidate, but I am scared off a bit with how he suddenly quit on the Rockies the last time he was a manager. However, if he was serious about coaching again, he would be a perfect fit, IMO. He also said in an interview yesterday that he would take the Royals job if it was offered to him, so take it for what it's worth.