It’s a weird thing. I don’t know if it’s Moore or Glass or what.

But the money is spent. Might as well try to turn it into some surplus value.

They’re not contending next year unless it’s a miracle/fluke, so they could move him and cycle a few more cheap vets through the closer spot if needed.

I guess maybe their offseason plan is to go spend $40-50 million in free agency to buy two starters and left handed bat, but I have a hard time seeing how that works, too.

I mean, maybe in this market that could buy something like this:
3B Mike Moustakas 3/36
SP Kyle Gibson 3/30
SP Julio Teheran 3/30

But even assuming those guys could be bought for a combined $32 million, would that be enough of a P staff to really go compete?

Merrifield
Mondesi
Dozier
Moustakas
Perez
Soler
Phillips
Starling
Lopez

Looks like a pretty intriguing lineup that could produce.

But does this really inspire a ton of confidence?

Gibson
Duffy
Keller
Teheran
Junis

And then... there the bullpen...
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It's hard to decipher any real plan at all from what Moore is doing. We're doing no better than treading water. We had one of the best farm systems in recent memory and the majority of the players in that system still never developed. With a bottom half farm system we're going to see the majority never develop and those that do won't be nearly enough. Moore is being lapped by the competition.
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I think between Teheran and Gibson you can probably add at least $5 million in AAV there. I think Teheran's gonna get a nice deal; maybe in the $15-16 million per over 4+ years.

Besides, the Braves will almost certainly pick up his option, if for no other reason than to trade him.

Gibson, if he can continue to K guys and take the ball every 5th day, is probably sitting near $12 million on a possible offer.
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Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but this is pretty typical of even the best farm systems.

This doesn’t excuse Moore from his plan 2018-onwards though. I have no idea what his aim was with Kennedy at the deadline (unless that was a mandate from above).
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Sad, now I hope the Astros lose in the first series. I want to see greinke retire without a ring.
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I don't think he phrased it right, None of the Royals elite prospects became true stars, the Astros for example have a much better return in all their guys.
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Alex Gordon at his peak was pretty close to a star. He just didn't have the name recognition. There was a like a 5 year period where he legit was one of the top WAR players in baseball leading up to the World Series win. That's not a small sample size.

Salvador Perez is one of the best catchers in baseball too.

Honestly Whit Merrifield is an elite player and Mondesi looks like he will be too.
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I won't bargue they developed some high level guys but Hosmer and Moustakas didn't bring the value of Correia or Springer or Bregman, I just think they got a higher return on their guys.
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No clue what the market will bring for those guys - market has been so unpredictable the past few years.

Whoever pays Teheran that will regret it, hard. But even still... let’s say your estimates are what it takes. That gets you right around $40 million a year in additional commitments (probably back-loaded a bit into a mutual option, but still).

That would the Royals 2020 payroll in the 105-115 zone.

Maybe that’s what Moore is thinking in holding Kennedy. That they can compete next year.

I don’t see it... would still be a TON of question marks and too many to really think they had a chance at much more than lucking into a wildcard.
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What are you guys putting the chances of Whit being dealt in December?
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25-30.

I could see the Padres or Dodgers matching up really well. The Twins, too, as well as the Giants or Phillies.
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Royals have to be one of the worst ran organizations in the league. DM is completely clueless, someone had to have called about Kennedy and nothing gets done. Not even a lottery ticket player. You're telling me teams called about Diekman and his 4.75 ERA, but no one called about Kennedy? You literally take any deal you can. Dayton is clueless.
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I like this post on the 24/7 Royals board:

The 5 worst teams in baseball are pretty clearly Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, Toronto and Miami.

Baltimore has very little of value. Detroit, Toronto and Miami flipped everything not nailed down getting some interesting parts.

KC kept everyone but spare parts, presumably to wave a magic wand and improve by 25 games next year.
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I think they should have just moved Kennedy because his stock probably isn't going to be higher.

That said, the idea that we're going to trade Kennedy for anyone who is going to help us improve by 25 games next year is crazy. Zach Greinke got one surefire prospect. You trade Kennedy just to maximize the value of his terrible contract and pick up whatever lottery ticket you get out of it.

If this team succeeds it's because we get a couple legit starters out of this group of elite prospects in AA/A ball and we can turn guys like Zimmer and Lovelady into good relievers, along with Dayton actually making some good FA moves with the bullpen.
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On another note, why the fuck is Hamilton still here? Give Phillips a chance.
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