The Royals

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

I used to read Rob & Rany religiously, but like Rob, I've come to realize there's no hope as long as Glass owns the team.

Dayton Moore is a chump.  And so was Trey Hillman.  But no matter who the GM and manager are, we're obviously never going to be better than the 20th-best team in baseball as long as Glass pinches pennies.  There's too much correlation between salary and Win%.  Glass is 90% of the problem (at least) and it really bothers me when people try to excuse him.

I would assume the Royals spend a lot on draft picks since we are picking high every damn year, but every year the Royals also "reach" to get a lower-ranked guy because they skip over more highly-regarded players with "signability" issues (who will ask for a large amount of money).  For example, nobody had our #4 pick this year higher than #9.  It's Glass, GLASS, GLASS.

[WillieWatanabe]

There were only 3 "can't lose" players in this year's draft.KC was in a bad position sitting at 4th. So they drafted at the position they needed, SS. He was one of the best MLB ready players in a weak draft in a position they are lacking(Yuni).

Give the Royals credit: not only did they make the right pick in the end by taking Colon, but by working out a pre-draft deal with him, they got him playing – Colon is the only guy among the first 12 picks to sign.

After 2008's draft...

So today, give it up to David Glass. Say what you want about his past – I certainly have – but he’s had a pretty flawless 2008. His name has all but disappeared from the newspaper, and that in itself is a good sign. Owners are like umpires – you never give any thought to the best ones.  Ideally, the only input you want from an owner is that he opens his wallet when asked. Glass has opened his wallet for free agents each of the last two winters, and he’s opened his wallet for draft picks each of the last two summers.

They have agreed with Wil Myers on a $2 million bonus, by far the highest in the third round this year and more than five times MLB’s $380,700 recommendation for his slot (No. 91) in the draft.

After 2009...

The Royals spent heavily to lock up their top three picks in the 2009 draft, all of whom had signability issues. Kansas City committed $6.45 million in guaranteed money to Crow, third-rounder Wil Myers and fourth-rounder Chris Dwyer.

I dunno what you have read, but everything i've seen points to things changing.

[kstatefreak42]

Best team in the history of organized baseball.

\

(Screw you Jim Leyritz )

You may be the one person with a wierder combination of teams than I do...

I love the braves

[PandaXpanda]

No more Guillen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

even though we're ultimately getting cornhusked by guillen i still haven't been this happy to see someone out of kc since sweeney.   

[Jeffy]

No more Guillen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

even though we're ultimately getting cornhusked by guillen i still haven't been this happy to see someone out of kc since sweeney.   

Sweeney?  Not even close!  Neifi Perez.  At least Guillen was productive.  Not only was Neifi all the Royals got for Jermaine Dye, and overpaid, he was never productive and somehow got preferential treatment from the manager.

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

WW -

You and Rany are both passionate and informed Royals fans.  I appreciate the back and forth here.  But when people use the phrase "opening up his wallet" for Glass, I get physically sickened.  That's like trying to polish a turd.  We've gone from consistently in the bottom 5 salaries in MLB to the bottom 10 salaries in MLB.  That's NOT "opening up his wallet."

Truly "opening up his wallet" would mean re-signing Grienke again, and EVERYONE knows Glass won't do that.  We're going to trade away our best player ... again.  This is why we'll continute to have no hope of contending as long as Glass is the owner.  And do you think Glass tells Dayton Moore to go out and sign the best piece to help the Royals contend, or do you think he tells Moore to sign the best guy he can that still keeps the team's salary in the bottom 1/3 of MLB?  It's the latter.  That's how we end up with our craptacular free agents.

It's hopeless.  And it's 90% Glass's fault.

[WillieWatanabe]

There are only about 8-10 teams that can go get anybody they wan. After that, it's a crapshoot. Greinke is an interesting case. I believe he would sign again if the Royals are competitive in 2012. Personally, i wouldn't mind trading him then, just so he can get on a winning team.

I've always felt MLB has a competitive problem with payrolls. It's an absolute joke the Yanks can spend 206,000,000 on payroll while the Pirates spend only 35,000,000.

Here's to Cuban buying the Royals. 

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

 

[JD Thundercat]

Here's to Cuban buying the Royals. 

Somebody please convince Glass he needs to sell! Maybe Cuban will be so pissed about missing out on the Rangers that he'll buy the Royals. I personally despise the man, but as a Royals fan I'd love to have him throwing money all over the place for us.
Royals fan now=
If Cuban buys the Royals=

[Winters]

 

[jtksu]

Just a little FYI-  The Royals opening day payroll was less than 500K less than Tampa Bay's.  You can be competitive with a 71 mil payroll.  They just need to actually receive decent prospects in return for the studs they farm up and then trade.  They seem to draft fairly well, (except for the last 3 drafts or so) they just don't seem to judge other team's prospects very well.  Or they just get totally raped in the trade negotiations.

[BigCat]

Just a little FYI-  The Royals opening day payroll was less than 500K less than Tampa Bay's.  You can be competitive with a 71 mil payroll.  They just need to actually receive decent prospects in return for the studs they farm up and then trade.  They seem to draft fairly well, (except for the last 3 drafts or so) they just don't seem to judge other team's prospects very well.  Or they just get totally raped in the trade negotiations.

This. There IS parity in baseball despite what the moaners and groaners would have you believe. Not to say the dads and their $38m payroll are going to be as consistently good as teams like the yankees, but with shrewd dealing almost any amount of money can put a quality product on the field at least intermittently.

[WillieWatanabe]

Just a little FYI-  The Royals opening day payroll was less than 500K less than Tampa Bay's.  You can be competitive with a 71 mil payroll.  They just need to actually receive decent prospects in return for the studs they farm up and then trade.  They seem to draft fairly well, (except for the last 3 drafts or so) they just don't seem to judge other team's prospects very well.  Or they just get totally raped in the trade negotiations.

are you talking about the Royals?

[jtksu]

I was saying the Royals need to do those things.  Not surprisingly, teams like the Twins and the Rays do those things and are at least able to remain relevant.

[jtksu]

Also, the Reds payroll is about 300k more than the Royals and the Rangers is about 16 million less than the Royals.  Course, the addition of Cliff Lee probably added to that.

[PandaXpanda]

No more Guillen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

even though we're ultimately getting cornhusked by guillen i still haven't been this happy to see someone out of kc since sweeney.   

i was out of town so this reply is a little late but needed to be said.  guillen and sweeney are bot pos. 

[Havs]

Mark Cuban buying the Royals would scare me. I don't wanna know how he'd react to a called 3rd strike or a controversial 'safe' in the middle of a no-hitter.

[The42Yardstick]

Brandon Phillips = American Hero

[get_HIT]

Brandon Phillips = American Hero

 

[jtksu]

Yeah, Phillips got worked last night.  Really looks like a dumbass now.

[cas4ksu]

Brandon Phillips = American Hero

totally agree. might go get some reds merchandise just to do it.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Whoever complained about the Royals drafting for signability hasn't followed the draft in the last few years.  KC has been among the top few spenders in drafts in that time.  Last year they were 2nd, only because Washington shelled out ridiculous money for Strasburg.  They paid for essentially 2 first rounders in Aaron Crow and Wil Myers. Myers was taken in the third, but received 1st rd money to lure him away from college ball.  From reports so far, it was worth it.

Right now their system is so stacked that there are guys not even in the teams top 10 prospect list that would be in the top 3 or 4 of many other teams lists.

Trouble is at this point no more than a couple of them will be ready before the AS break next year, several 2011 and 2012.  Then they have to actually pan out.

[jtksu]

The Royals have never had trouble finding talent.  The trouble begins when that talent has played about 3 years in the majors and wants/deserves big money so they Royals trade him and get jack crap in return.

[get_HIT]

Yeah, Phillips got worked last night.  Really looks like a dumbass now.

 

[JD Thundercat]

Brandon Phillips = American Hero

Not a big Jim Rome fan, but loved this email on his show yesterday... "When have the Cardinals whined about anything?-signed the '85 World Series"