The Royals have acquired right-handed pitcher Stephen Ridings from the Cubs in exchange for Donnie Dewees, the team announced (via Twitter).
Ridings, 23, was an 8th round draft pick of the Cubs in 2016. Last season for the Eugene Emeralds, the Cubs short season A-ball club, he went 3-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 34 2/3 innings across 22 relief appearances. In his short professional career, the 6’8″ product of Haverford College has shown the classic power-pitcher profile, missing bats (11.4 K/9) while struggling with command at times (3.9 BB/9).
The Royals originally acquired Dewees from the Cubs in February of 2017 in exchange for right-hander Alec Mills. Currently competing for a spot in the Cubs bullpen, Mills produced solid small-sample results for the Cubs in a swing role last season, a role he’s angling to reprise in 2019 – though he’s likely ticketed for the Triple-A rotation at least to start the season. In two starts and five relief appearances for the Cubs in 2018, Mills, 27, earned a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings at the big league level.
Dewees returns to for his second stint with the Cubs after struggling to hit for much power in the Royals system. The lefty outfielder hit .258/.310/.383 in Double-A and Triple-A last season. The Cubs selected him in the 2nd round in the 2015 draft, topping out in Single-A with a strong .282/.337/.414 with 15 doubles, 12 triples, and 3 home runs in the season before the Cubs sent him to KC.
He can capably handle all three outfield positions, though without a standout offensive skill, the 25-year-old lefty will probably begin the year in Triple-A. He’ll have a chance to crack the 25-man roster, as the Cubs don’t have a natural 5th outfielder on the roster. They are, however, flush with outfield options, as Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ, Jason Heyward, Albert Almora Jr., Ben Zobrist, Kris Bryant, David Bote, and Daniel Descalso have all seen time in the outfield. Johnny Field, Mark Zagunis, Jacob Hannemann, and Jim Adduci fill out the next tier of outfielders that will compete with Dewees in his second stint with the Cubs.
Works for me, DeWees was never going to be a big leaguer for us, so might as well get a big arm and see if he can ever find the strike zone.
How do you pronounce your last name, Donnie?
Dee-Weeeeezzyy!
Wrong! Duweez.
When you trade crap for poop….
Exactly
So, in summary, the Royals traded Alec Mills for Stephen Ridings, while providing the Cubs with two years of minor league playing experience for Donnie Dewees.
Dayton Moore, not always great at his job.
I see nothing wrong with it. Ridings has the potential to be a back end of the bullpen power arm. Alec Mills will never be much.
Since Mills has already shown he is at least a viable MLB bullpen arm, maybe even a fairly good one, you have to consider him of more value than Ridings who is at best a fringy prospect at low-A ball. And kinda long in the tooth for that level. I can’t give him even a one in ten shot at ever making it into an MLB game.
Obviously this is not a big deal transaction. But my point remains, Dayton Moore, not always great at his job.
you have it backwards, and I think that may be due to your bias
I think it was a valid trade both ways. The Royals have a loaded 40 Man with 7 outfielders. All are better than Dewees. The Royals get a hard-throwing reliever.
Alec Mills has a 0.3 WAR on BBRef. Ridings has played two full minor league seasons, with no pitches in full-season ball. Dewees will get plenty of at-bats in the Cubs system, as the Tennessee and Iowa outfields aren’t impressive-looking.
Dewees has a rep with very good personal makeup, and could eventually be a coach.
Both sides get what they wanted.
Dewess was not on the Royals 40-man roster.
I can’t see how the Royals got what they wanted out of this. The Cubs end up with two players who can be of limited value in the major leagues right now. The Royals end up with nothing but a glimmer of hope at low A.
I am a Royals fan, but am awake enough to recognize out how poorly KC came out in this whole transaction.
Ridings seems to have more of a future than Dewees. And like JDC said, this all stemming from a transaction where Alec Mills is the main piece. So not really worth picking a part Moore here imo.
Donnie is totally out of his element this time
I. Am the walrus?
Some guys break out a fidget spinner when they’re bored. Theo makes random trades.
Dumpster Divin’ Theo!
Theo just traded for a Dweeb in exchange for 2 Nerds to be named later…..
eh, i still like Dewees. probably still only a 4th OF at best, but better then some A ball rando with an ERA of 4.00 out of the pen.
Dewees was odd man out in KC’s upper minor leagues. It is possible that Phillips, Bonifacio and Starling start at Omaha. Along with Einer Hernandez and Anderson Miller moving up. No room. Take a lottery pick from Cubs.
The notion that Dewees has a shot to crack the 25 man roster is silly. He will be at AAA. Their position player roster is full.
Yeah, I also feel like no one will remember this trade by June