If you were the GM....

[love_that_reefer]

What would you do to try and get this team on the right track going through free agency? Be realistic as we all know the Royals are very small market.

Here is my ideal lineup:

RF-Emil Brown
CF-David DeJesus
LF-Jay Payton
3B-Joe Randa
SS-Angel Berroa
2B-Mark Grudzielanek
1B-Doug Mientkiewicz
DH-Mike Sweeney
C-John Buck
SP-Paul Byrd
SP-Tomo Ohka
SP-Zack Grienke
SP-Mike Wood
SP-R. Hernadez
RP-Andrew Sisco
RP-Jermey Affeldt
RP-Rudy Seanez
CP-Mike MacDougal

Mientkiewicz's option is not likely to be picked up by the Mets so he would be a good defensive and cheap option to play first. Second choice is Travis Lee.

Jay Payton has really turned things around and has helped the A's get into playoff contention. He can hit 20 homers and and play the position but more importantly not expensive. Second choice is Rondell White.

Grudz would be a dogfight between the Royals and Cards in which I think he would stay with the Cards. If Belliard's option isn't exercised by the Indians, he would be my second choice. Signing Bret Boone to a minor league deal is my third choice.

Randa has had a good year and has played in KC before. It would take some omeny to bring him back but worth it. Nunez is my second choice.

Byrd has also played for KC and would be worth a two year $13 million deal.

Ohka could be non-tendered and if so, he is a cheap option to better this awful pitching. Second choice is Shawn Chacon.

Seanez has been great and he is an under the radar type of guy and would be great setting up MacDougal.

[Providence A's]

being realistic, the current owners don't care about winning

[love_that_reefer]

Would you like me to change GM to Owner?

[Providence A's]

no, but if the owner won't spend the money, then the GM's hands are tied, now aren't they?

[love_that_reefer]

So then you do want me to change it to owner. This was supposed to be a way to see how people would go about fixing this franchise but you sucked it up, no didn't you? Not much to talk about in the KC area.

[Fishercat]

Stairs has been better than Mientkiewicz and Payton combined (and can play the COF and 1B), and Stairs has been better than Payton for the past three years. Not to mention, he'd likely be cheaper to boot. Stairs is likely to fall hard soon, but he hasn't yet.

I never got why teams keep wanting to get rid of a guy who has been a positive influence on offense and is still at the least an average starting 1B, helluva lot better than anything the Sox have used coughMillarcough, well, maybe not Olerud, but still. He's been better than Payton and he's been better than Mientkiewicz for the past couple years, he'd prolly cost a fraction of what they would demand too.

Oh well, different strokes for different folks. Hope Payton's at least signed to a multi-year deal.

[Fishercat]

Although, I like the Seanez, Randa (although Teahen seems to be the future, you want to compete now from what I gather), and Ohka suggestions. Especially if Ohka is non-tendered (I'd be shocked, he's pretty good). Byrd a big-risk reward guy, but I'd love to see Greinke get in a #2 slot.

Nice topic, rep+

[love_that_reefer]

Thanks and I would like to see what you and everyone else would do.

[Killah Sith]

I'm not in the loop of everyone who is going to be available so I can't really put it down like you did. While I'd love to have Randa back and he'd come back for less money than he can get anywhere else, it's not going to happen unless he just decides to go home and play out his career. Plus Teahan is the young player they've brought up to play third and he deserves a shot at developing. And don't forget that Alex Gordon's rights are still owned by the Royals, so I think...umm hope.

Supposedly next year the payroll is going to go way up beyond 50 million, so hopefully they add a few pieces that actually help.

Also don't forget about Miquel Bautista as a starter. He showed flashes of being a very good pitcher before he got hurt.

[Witlon]

I highly doubt this team is going out and spending money in free agency, and I'm sure the Royals fans would rather do it your way, but I like the build from within approach, although I could definately see them adding someone at second.

Next Year's Lineup
C- John Buck
1B- Justin Huber
2B- Donald Murphy/Free Agent
SS- Angel Berroa
3B- Mark Teahen
LF- Shane Costa
CF- David Dejesus
RF- Emil Brown
DH- Mike Sweeney

They need to look at some young players, especially Huber(who's ready) and Costa. Donnie Murphy should play 2B, and probably bat 9th for the team. I see the batting order as...Dejesus, Berroa, Sweeney, Huber, Brown, Costa, Buck, Murphy, Teahen.

Pitching wise, they have a nice start for the core. Maybe a #3 starter would fit in here, such as a Kip Wells.

Ace- Zach Greinke
#2- Mike Wood
#3- Kip Wells
#4- Runelvys Hernandez
#5- Denny Bautista

And the pen should be left the same, it's the strong point of the team this season.

Closer- Mike MacDougal
Setup- Jeremy Affeldt
Setup- Ambriouix Burgos
Middle- Andy Sisco(also a Rotation canidate if Bautista isn't ready.)

[Fishercat]

First of all, I would try to keep that outfield together. The Red Sox they're not, but all three OF (if you put Stairs out there) are productive, above average players. The COF may not continue the production, but this works.

LF - Matt Stairs
RF - Emil Brown
CF - David Dejesus

OK, for the infield. I'll let Sweeney stay at 1B for now, he's sucking up money, but other than the Sox and Mets, who would take him as a 1B (and the Sox have Olerud, who isn't half bad)? I think Teahen still is given time until he busts or breaks out. That takes care of 3B. Berroa is really hit or miss, but he's young, keep him there. Same with Buck at catcher. It is a shame they got rid of Graffanino, but he is a BoSox right now, so they need to find a FA there. Not many big name 2B, although if they could get a player like Todd Walker, it's a nice addition. Let's say he was traded for/signed

1B - Mike Sweeney
2B - Todd Walker
3B - Mark Teahen
SS - Angel Berroa.
C - John Buck

DH, simply find the best hitter available in the price range. The team has a nice 2-3-5-6 hitter combo (Brown-Sweeney-?-Dejesus-Stairs), but I'd love to see them add a nice cleanup hitter. Someone like an Alou from last year's crop (who I was dead wrong about). Tony Clark would be a big risk, but I assume that he wouldn't require that much for his big year, but if he isn't locked with Zona, we could see it.

DH - Clark

Whatever random benchies you want can work.

As for pitchers, I still believe you have to keep Greinke at the high end of the rotation and hope he finds his groove. Mike Wood should also have a rotation spot too. For the other three: Runelvys, Carrasco, and Gobble/Lima would be my choices. Not great at all, and they should be persuing cheap, effective options in free agency (if not cheap, at least effective, the rotation needs help). The pen, I'd put Sisco at closer, if not for Street, you could almost (but not quite) argue Sisco for ROTY. MacDougal, Burgos in set-up. Then they need some new pen guys, look where CLE's unspectacular but effective pen has gotten them. Three quality RP to round out the bunch can save a team from a mediocre start often.

This team needs to let the young talent develop...but keep the fans interested, but a 70+ win product on the field. I think that grabing 2-3 effective FA (2B, SP (2), RP (3) are just potentials, any combo) could go a ways.

[love_that_reefer]

The Royals IMO can't afford to keep this develope within approach. They have their good share of young guys but to be successful you need veterans in the lineup. When I say veterans, I don't mean Juan Gone and Benito Santiago. I mean good players.

[Killah Sith]

That's the problem, they can't afford the good players and settle for over the hill vets that they hope mesh in with the young talent and can produce one more good year. Obviously it hasn't worked for them at all other than with Stairs. Chuck Knoblauch had to be their worse signing, even worse than Jaun Gonzalez IMO.


I hope the money they are saving now gets put back in the team as needs be. People complain that they aren't spending it now, but I'd rather hang on to it and use it when they truly have a shot at contending. The owner has said it will happen, I hope he practices what he preaches.