The Giants and Red Sox are among the teams eyeing Royals players, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Royals GM Dayton Moore is willing to listen to offers, but anticipating the return for the likes of David DeJesus and Jose Guillen is difficult, even for those in the team’s front office.
“I can tell you this much,” one Royals official told Dutton, “nobody is willing to take on payroll. But teams don’t want to deal prospects, either. So it makes it tough to do anything.”
Dutton reports that the Giants have interest in Guillen on the condition that the Royals absorb most of the $6.3MM or so remaining on his contract. Earlier today, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported that the Royals are looking to move Guillen and are willing to pick up most of his salary in a trade, but Moore insists that the Royals are not actively looking to trade. Two rival scouts told Dutton that the Royals say they will take on a considerable amount of Guillen’s salary, so it doesn’t appear that Guillen would be tough to obtain.
If the Royals decide to start selling aggressively, they could discuss Mike Aviles and Willie Bloomquist with the Red Sox, who see the infielders as candidates to fill in while Dustin Pedroia's fractured left foot heals. The Red Sox are considering infielders and had some interest in Adam Everett before Pedroia's injury. One scout said Kyle Farnsworth could appeal to teams as a reliever if the Royals decide to part with him.
04Forever
Sox and DeJesus make sense. He fills in the blanks for the outfield when (name any red sox outfielder) gets injured and needs to take over, and i may be wrong, but he has an option…
JDortmunder
DeJesus is having a career year. But he’s not the answer in RF or Center. And the RS figure to go hard after Werth, and Crawford this winter. He has a reasonable buyout for ’11 so if things didn’t work out RS have the option on next season.
So I’m interested but there’s always Fukudome if KC is asking too much. He is a better arm and maybe the superior fielder.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
no he would play LF and bat 1/2 until/if ellsbury comes back, then he would probably split time with cameron in cf since he will be hurt all year and then spell the other spots, playing like 4/5 games a weekthen if we decide to keep him next year( even with werth/ crawford) or hermida whichever they choose that player takes over the same role next year and they trade the guy thats expendable for bullpen arms, I’d assume
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
no he would play LF and bat 1/2 until/if ellsbury comes back, then he would probably split time with cameron in cf since he will be hurt all year and then spell the other spots, playing like 4/5 games a weekthen if we decide to keep him next year( even with werth/ crawford) or hermida whichever they choose that player takes over the same role next year and they trade the guy thats expendable for bullpen arms, I’d assume
jgmaynard
Well, looking at WAR values (averaged over three years) between Hermida with DeJesus show the Sox would likely pick up 1-2 more wins over the second half of the season by making that replacement. With the AL east going the way it is going (except Baltimore, of course :O) ), I’d do that if I were Theo if it did not cost much in prospects.JM
kcstar
It’s going to cost, brother. DeJesus is a good ball player. Royals aren’t giving him up for a bucket of piss. East Coast teams think the Royals are thier farm club….pay up or go eff yourselves.
jgmaynard
No reason to be rude.
What I should have written (and what I was thinking) was that being a small-market team, they may take cash considerations in lieu of a higher prospect. Wouldn’t you like your Royals to have a little more cash on hand?
And if you don’t like the Royals being used as a farm system, don’t blame the east coast teams, or the fans of east coast teams – blame the Royals ownership. They are the ones who are not spending.
Just food for thought.
JM
KC_Chris
No. The Royals don’t need the cash. They need good players. Glass has opened his pocketbooks to record payrolls and drafts. I agree that you can blame the ownership and mgmt for the current state of the Royals, but you also have to give them credit for changing philosophies in recent years.
Now, I think Dayton Moore is terrible at acquiring major league talent, and I’m leery of him trading anyone of DJ’s caliber (let alone Soria, Greinke, Butler, etc…). I don’t give DM much credit for the drafts since that’s mostly Glass ponying up. Maybe Moore convinced him to do so, so some credit is due, I guess. But giving out contracts to guys like Ankiel, Podsednik, Kendall, Guillen, Farnsworth, Bloomquist, Horacio Ramirez, etc… (I’m going to go throw up now) and trading anything at all for Betancourt? WTF?!?!? Nearly all of the best players on the Royals right now are holdovers from the Baird era… no wonder the Red Sox are looking to get Aviles and DJ… you should ask for Gordon too!
Anyway, I’ll be happy when Moore is out of town. I just hope he doesn’t trade the few good, young players we have for short-term bullpen “help” and cash. We don’t need either.
KC_Chris
No. The Royals don’t need the cash. They need good players. Glass has opened his pocketbooks to record payrolls and drafts. I agree that you can blame the ownership and mgmt for the current state of the Royals, but you also have to give them credit for changing philosophies in recent years.
Now, I think Dayton Moore is terrible at acquiring major league talent, and I’m leery of him trading anyone of DJ’s caliber (let alone Soria, Greinke, Butler, etc…). I don’t give DM much credit for the drafts since that’s mostly Glass ponying up. Maybe Moore convinced him to do so, so some credit is due, I guess. But giving out contracts to guys like Ankiel, Podsednik, Kendall, Guillen, Farnsworth, Bloomquist, Horacio Ramirez, etc… (I’m going to go throw up now) and trading anything at all for Betancourt? WTF?!?!? Nearly all of the best players on the Royals right now are holdovers from the Baird era… no wonder the Red Sox are looking to get Aviles and DJ… you should ask for Gordon too!
Anyway, I’ll be happy when Moore is out of town. I just hope he doesn’t trade the few good, young players we have for short-term bullpen “help” and cash. We don’t need either.
not sure
for cash? … you can’t be serious. go ahead and pass on him, good luck.
not sure
for cash? … you can’t be serious. go ahead and pass on him, good luck.
0bsessions
He’s a good player having a career year in a position of value in a weak trade season. That’s the only reason the Royals will net good prospects, but don’t kid yourself, he’s not exactly Matt Holliday.
While he won’t be given away for “a bucket of piss,” he also isn’t worth a top prospect. A quantity over quality package should be enough to land him.
OldJohnnyStork
Are you saying Fukudome is a superior fielder between he and DDJ? No way. DeJesus is a very talented defensive player. If I recall correctly, he hasn’thad an error since 2008.
Paul White
DeJesus can handle all three outfield spots. He can play center adequately in a pinch, but slipped enough there that the Royals moved him to the corners, where he has been excellent. He’d fit that clubhouse too, good guy, high energy, always ready to play. But the Royals initial asking price is two good prospects, largely because DeJesus is slated to be a Type A free agent after 2011, meaning the Royals would get two high picks for him if he’s offered arbitration and signs elsewhere. They see no reason, for now, to ask for less, and I don’t blame them.
JDortmunder
Are you saying Fukudome is a superior fielder between he and DDJ.
__________
I’m saying Fukudome is close but his arm is far superior. If the RS would pick up his salary without Cubs paying some portion, they could get him for nothing. As has been mentioned KC needs a few good players to send DeJesus to the RS or anybody else.
JDortmunder
Are you saying Fukudome is a superior fielder between he and DDJ.
__________
I’m saying Fukudome is close but his arm is far superior. If the RS would pick up his salary without Cubs paying some portion, they could get him for nothing. As has been mentioned KC needs a few good players to send DeJesus to the RS or anybody else.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
a deal with KC seems likely IMO aviles, dejesus, bloomquist, and farnsworth all fill roles we need BADLY, and we have been frequent trade partners in the past.
maybe something like:
to Bos :
dejesus, aviles
to KC :
reddick, your choice of one of our AAA arms ( doubront, bowden, etc ) and maybe a mid tier prospect?
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
a deal with KC seems likely IMO aviles, dejesus, bloomquist, and farnsworth all fill roles we need BADLY, and we have been frequent trade partners in the past.
maybe something like:
to Bos :
dejesus, aviles
to KC :
reddick, your choice of one of our AAA arms ( doubront, bowden, etc ) and maybe a mid tier prospect?
Quest2b1
Things could get interesting if the Dodgers become sellers. I think teams in general are trying to wait out the next few weeks. Kemp has been discussed, but I do not see the Dodgers selling low. Guys like Kuroda, Furcal, Manny, Blake, and maybe even Broxton could get shopped.
Furcal would be a great fit in Boston…do not see them pursuing Manny however 🙂
Quest2b1
I think a lot of teams are holding out making any moves in anticipation of other teams falling out of the hunt. Dodgers could be sellers if they continue to play the way they have over the past two weeks. Not sure who they would put on the market, but Furcal, Manny, Blake, and Kuroda seem like likely candidates. Furcal would make sense for Boston, doubt they would go after Manny tho 🙂
matchmade
I hope they can move Guillen before the deadline. I’m sure the Royals are planning on eating a chunk of the salary he has remaining and hopefully they can get something in return for him. Maybe a B or C prospect that could crack the bigs by 2012 since I believe that will be the first look we get at the talent currently in our minor league organizations.
Trading Guillen frees up a spot for Kila to get the call up from Omaha. While he is not the “savior” of this team he certainly has earned a shot at the bigs, and I think fits better in the cleanup spot AND first base than Butler. Butler should be DH and batting like 6th.
I think if we see DeJesus moved by the deadline we will see Alex Gordon in Left. Pods and Maier would then round out the starting outfield, unless Ankiel gets healthy. Which whether Rick likes it or not should be planted in Right Field where his arm will be more valuable.
Bloomquist moving on would just mean more at bats for Betemit which certainly gives the Royals more offensive potential.
I wish they would move Meche, or cut him. He was a useful starter until this year, but he has always left us waiting for that 100 pitch start that he would get lit up and then complain about shoulder or back or leg problems and go to the DL. Maybe they could convince the Cards to take him, Duncan has worked magic on far less quality arms than Meche.
matchmade
I hope they can move Guillen before the deadline. I’m sure the Royals are planning on eating a chunk of the salary he has remaining and hopefully they can get something in return for him. Maybe a B or C prospect that could crack the bigs by 2012 since I believe that will be the first look we get at the talent currently in our minor league organizations.
Trading Guillen frees up a spot for Kila to get the call up from Omaha. While he is not the “savior” of this team he certainly has earned a shot at the bigs, and I think fits better in the cleanup spot AND first base than Butler. Butler should be DH and batting like 6th.
I think if we see DeJesus moved by the deadline we will see Alex Gordon in Left. Pods and Maier would then round out the starting outfield, unless Ankiel gets healthy. Which whether Rick likes it or not should be planted in Right Field where his arm will be more valuable.
Bloomquist moving on would just mean more at bats for Betemit which certainly gives the Royals more offensive potential.
I wish they would move Meche, or cut him. He was a useful starter until this year, but he has always left us waiting for that 100 pitch start that he would get lit up and then complain about shoulder or back or leg problems and go to the DL. Maybe they could convince the Cards to take him, Duncan has worked magic on far less quality arms than Meche.