Can the Royals be next years Tigers?

[tk13]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't say that Grudzielanek fits in either long term...he's 37? now...and you seem to forget that this is about next year's team...look at the thread title. I'm not saying that Shealy can't be a good hitter, I'm saying that expecting him to produce next year is asking too much, just like expecting anyone on that team to actually produce at an all-star level is asking too much.

So in another one/two years when Butler, Shealy, and Gordon are *ready* (provided that they all actually *do* produce at a major league level which is by no means certain) you've got guys like Grudzielanek, Sanders and Brown whose holes need to be filled.

Your expectations require all of their upper level prospects to pan out, but we all know that does not happen. You are going to have busts along the way, especially given that many of these people weren't exactly drafted by the best scouting department to ever be assembled.

You realize Shealy played nearly a third of the season in KC don't you? And he already was producing... and it was the first time he's ever gotten regular duty really. If you project that out, it would've been a .280/22 HR/114 RBI season.

Grudz isn't a long term solution but he looks okay so far. As long as he keeps playing D and slaps it around a little I'm okay. Plus there are two guys in German and Jeff Keppinger that could be long term solutions. I'd say both Teahen and Shealy were producing pretty high levels. Teahen definitely was at All-Star level.