6-5 260?

This will allow us to trade Butler and platoon Maxwell and Peguero at DH.

:evil:

He slugged .558 and .562 in AAA ball in 2011 and 2012.

.427 career milb slugging man and a shit ton of strike outs to walks

#WINNING!!!!



/ except for teaford.

Hey, maybe he can provide a game winning double to the wall like Patrick Lennon

i will see your patrick lennon, and raise you one kevin mcreynolds.....:rolleyes:

From a KC Star article today:

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/29...#storylink=cpy

Nothing wrong with picking him up, but he'll never see the field

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 5m

Source: #Royals re-sign Bruce Chen.

That is interesting, and I'm happy to see it actually.

Duffy just has too many question marks in terms of durability. The Royals really would love to plug him into the 4 slot and get him 25+ starts but he is just too much of a wild card. Chen is the ultimate safety blanket.

I suppose this means no possibility of Santana?

That works for me. I've been a big fan of Chen. He's a great #5 pitcher or long bullpen guy. His only problem was the first couple years he had to be a front line starter because of a weak rotation.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>to clarify chen gets $3.25M &#39;14 salary plus $1M buyout on $5.5M &#39;15 option for $4.25M total <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal">@Ken_Rosenthal</a> 1st had <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23royals&amp;src=hash">#royals</a></p>&mdash; Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/statuses/428952160810708992">January 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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That seems like a pretty reasonable deal to me.

I'm OK with signing Chen...

But Chen money + Hochevar money + Davis money gets you Ervin Santana.

From what I heard Moore say the other day, they knew he had a good offer on the table. 3-year deal makes sense in that case. KC might have to go 4 years to get it done, which is understandably risky. Especially if you're offering $12-14 million/year.

But still... I'd rather have one Ervin Santana than all three of those guys. Even with the long-term risk.

Yeah, but at the end of the day I'd rather round up all that money and make one offer to Shields. Even though that's a longer shot.

But as I've said before... we aren't winning anything unless we develop starting pitching. We just aren't. The rest is just hoping on a prayer. I guess that's why I'm not too worked up over Santana yet. We have to get at least 2 starting arms out of the current group. Pair them with guys like Guthrie and Vargas, and make a serious run at Shields and we are legit.

I would love to have Santana on the team, believe me. But I think its smarter to have 3 healthy arms instead of one who has pitched a ton and could easily slide back to his pre 2013 stats.

Greinke money for a guy who's 34 before the first pitch of that contract?

Hard to see that being a fit for KC.

Agree on developing star pitching internally. Must do a better job of that.

completely agree

The good news on the pitching front is that there is help on the horizon. This year - and how Ventura develops - is a big indicator year for him.

Best case scenario:

Ventura pitches well and is in RotY consideration.

Zimmer and Manaea both have strong minor league seasons, and the Royals have a pair of top 15 prospects knocking on the door to start next season.

Miguel Almonte continues to develop and remains a top 50 type.

Could go really well... but TINSTAAPP

This also allows Davis to stay in the pen while we hold Ventura out for a few months to keep an extra year of control.

If we're truly going "all-in" this year, it may be more beneficial to give Ventura as many starts as possible.

I kinda like the idea of keeping Ventura down and limit his innings to begin the season, then bring him up after the all-star break for the playoff push. Hell, maybe even bring Zimmer up at the same time if he's pitching well.

Ventura pitched 150 innings last year. Means he probably is good for 190-200 this year at most.

I wouldn't keep him down that long, as I think they need him pitching to his potential to make a really strong playoff push this year. But I could see limiting him a bit in Omaha to start the year and then bringing him up in early May.

When two of those healthy arms are Luke Hochevar and Wade Davis, I disagree.

Neither of those guys provides value that can't be found somewhere else. Bullpen pieces are easy to replace, especially with Moore around.

I'm leery of a long-term deal with Santana. Four years and $50 million or so would make me nervous. But it also gives much higher upside for this season than the alternative.

Obviously not as many years... but $20 mil or so a year? I mean is that any worse than giving $14 million to Santana? I don't think it'll happen but it's not completely outrageous. I think Shields is more consistent than Santana, and more important to the success of this pitching staff. He's a fastball/changeup guy, he stays in good shape, so he might age well.

I'm not sure Shields is getting $25M a year. We'll see though. It also makes sense from DM's perspective because it also helps justify the Myers trade.

Why should Ventura start at AAA? He's already proved he's a MLB-caliber starter last year. He has to be in the rotation day 1.

I agree.

Speaking hypothetically, if you're concerned about an innings limit with him and want to limit his innings and pitch count but keep him on a starter's schedule, that might be easier to do in Omaha/the minors.

I wouldn't do it, personally. You can probably get the same effect by having him on the Opening Day roster, making him the 5th starter, and skipping some starts early in the year. But I'd probably just come out of the gate blazing with him and let him do what he can.

As a Latin American signing who did NOT sign for a big bonus immediately, Ventura is the type of guy who might fit in with a Perez/Escobar-type extension.

I'd rather have Ventura's arm at play in the playoffs than at the start of the season, if that's the internal choice that the organization has to make. I like better the idea of having him called up from day 1 & just skipping some starts.

Have to start with all pieces in place because this team's margins for trying to win the division will be razor thin.

If that's the plan, then I'd focus on trying to save 5-8 starts by skipping him at the start of the year, maybe skipping a start at the ASB.

If he averages 6 IP/start, keeping him around 26-27 starts probably leaves you within enough breathing room to use him without limitation in the playoffs.

They also should look to do the quick yank in games in which the runs have a big lead. Hopefully, with Ventura pitching at the 4 or 5, there will be some chances to do that!

Hate to say it but we have to make hay this year. There is no future after 2014. We need to have this mindset. If Dayton's plan was ever going to work it must be now. Or else his GFTOAT (greatest farm team....) was meaningless as was the Shields deal as was the Aoki deal as was bringing Infante in etc. small markets need to be patient until its time to not be patient and this is our window.

Det made a bunch of goofy moves, Cws-Minny are in the dumps. It's really puzzling to me if Cleveland again finishes higher. Exasperating even.

Royals are 33-1 to win the World Series. Yankees are 10-1, which is third behind Detroit and LAD, which is free money for Vegas and they know it.

Yep, there is no rational reason to put the Yankees as the 3rd-biggest favorites other than the knowledge that you'll get money from reeruned New Yorkers.

No need to repeat yourself

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/172...playoffs-o.gif

Royals come to a deal wil Crow, avoiding arbitration.

good to hear. numbers?

1.475 million

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...aron-crow.html

cool, the original projection was 1.9MM, so it came in less than expected

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Royals&amp;src=hash">#Royals</a> James Shields tells me that Peter Gammons report that he&#39;s seeking a Zack Greinke-type deal after season is &quot;totally inaccurate.&quot;</p>&mdash; Jeffrey Flanagan (@jflanagankc) <a href="https://twitter.com/jflanagankc/statuses/429353947799638017">January 31, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Jeffery Flanagan tweeted:

"#Royals James Shields tells me that Peter Gammons report that he's seeking a Zach Greinke-type deal after the season is "totally inaccurate."

Kerkhoff on Shields:
"Open to talking extension with KC"

Possibility still there. Especially if the Royals put together a winner this season.

Thats..... interesting. Its not every day that you see a player publicly undermine his value. Even if no one was going to give him a Zack Greinke deal, his "ask" in any negotiations now must be significantly less than that before the haggling begins.

I love when guys say they are "open". Of course they are. Who wants to eliminate bidders? Of course there is zero chance we re-sign him, and that's ok. We knew it was a two year run.

I still don't think he's getting a Greinke type deal anyway, so this is probably accurate.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/r...estions-013114

The MLBPA is starting to grumble quietly about the FA market for SP's, but they are nowhere close to filing a grievance yet.

According to Yost, our #4 SP right now is Chen.

**** the union.

Yost says as of right now, #5 will be a 6-man competition between Hoch, Ventura, Duffy, Davis, Penny, and Zimmer.

That is stupid...i'm hoping it is to light a fire under Ventura and Duffy

Ventura gets a little more control on that fast one, he'll be fun to watch

Ventura will start in AAA to get the service time. I'm still holding out hope that GMDM is playing the game and still trying to shop Hoch or Davis. Part of Chens deal was a bonus if he reaches a certain number of starts so that's why he'll open up in the rotation, with the team knowing Ventura will take it over.

He's allready fun to watch. One of my top 3 memories from last year was him getting pulled in his MLB debut. He was electric that night.

He hit 102 a couple times on the gun that night IIRC.

****ing nuts.

That's what Spring Training is for. I don't think it'll be a big deal, more competition should be a good thing. Throw everyone you can into the mix and see who steps up.

Thinking back on that game, what the hell would have Ned done if had gotten the K? What if Salvy calls for a changeup? Does he send Ventura back out? Does he send him back out and yank him after one warm up?

http://m.mlb.com/video/v30697945

Royals Designate Emilio Bonifacio For Assignment
By Charlie Wilmoth [February 1 at 10:57am CST]
The Royals have designated infielder Emilio Bonifacio for assignment, according to a team release. The move clears space on the Royals' roster for Bruce Chen.

Bonifacio, who will be 29 in April, hit .243/.295/.331 in 461 plate appearances divided between the Royals and Blue Jays in 2013. In mid-January, the Royals agreed to a one-year, $3.5MM deal with him to avoid arbitration, so it comes as a surprise that they would designate him for assignment two weeks later.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Seems like a strange move.

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/new...=pr_kc&c_id=kc

Royals Press Release

2/1/2014 11:52 A.M. ET

Royals sign veteran left-handed pitcher Bruce Chen




The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has signed left-handed pitcher Bruce Chen to a one-year contract for the 2014 season, with a mutual option for 2015. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. In a corresponding roster move, infielder Emilio Bonifacio was designated for assignment.

Chen, 36, completed his fifth season with the Royals in 2013, going 9-4 with a 3.27 ERA (44 ER in 121.0 IP) in 34 appearances (15 starts). The veteran southpaw worked out of the bullpen worked out of the bullpen the first three months of the season, before earning a spot in the rotation on July 12. He posted a 5-0 mark and a 1.62 ERA (13 ER in 72.1 IP) from the start of the year to August 17. Chen held right-handed hitters to a .224 average (67-for-299), which was the third-lowest season total by a left-handed hurler in club history, trailing only Vida Blue (.220 in 1982) and Larry Gura (.222 in 1981).

Chen will enter his 16th Major League season in 2014 with Kansas City being his 10th stop. He has also pitched for Atlanta (1998-2000), Philadelphia (2000-01), the Mets (2001-02), Montreal (2002), Cincinnati (2002), Houston (2003), Boston (2003), Baltimore (2004-06) and Texas (2007). The lefty is 80-76 in 385 big league outings (218 starts). He needs three more wins to pass Mariano Rivera (82) for the most Major League wins by a pitcher born in Panama.

Bonifacio, 28, was traded to the Royals on August 14 of last season, batting .285 (45-for-158) with 16 stolen bases in 42 games with Kansas City.

Odd move to get rid of bono now. This better be more of a Bono wants to start only move but reeks of $$$ move

Who's the utility now? Not as much depth now

This is kind of a WTF move. Don't understand it much. Must have something to do with $ or they have something in the works.

Don't understand this move.

I as well don't understand this move. Valencia is a utility but only against lefties does he make sense to be in the lineup. I like Ebono for another utility option in case Moose/Esky tank. What am I missing here?

This isn't a strange move; it's a ****ing stupid one.

Who is our backup middle infielder now? Valencia can't play shortstop or 2B. I don't get this, unless we're working out a trade.

Sorry for the ignorance but does DFA mean he can't come back? Just seems strange that they would be cutting him this early.

Surely they jest if they think Gio is still a viable option!?

DFA means he's off our 40-man roster, and we must do one of 3 things within 10 days:

1) Put him on waivers, and if he clears it we can send him to the minors. There's no chance he clears waivers.

2) Trade him

3) Release him

edit: since he has more than 5 years of service, he can't be sent to the minors without his consent, so #1 is not really an option. But as I said, there's no chance he clears waivers anyway. So, we are either trading him or cutting him.

Thank you for the info. A bit baffling at this point.

That's weird

another move about to happen?

They like Ciriaco

he doesn't play SS. I guess Infante could move over for says when Escobar needs a break, but I doubt we're going to carry Gio just to backup Infante.

Yes and more to the point a cheapskate move

The only way it could make sense as anything other than a straight-up payroll dump, is if DM thinks Ciriaco can pretty much do what Boni can do, and he can get a decent prospect for Boni.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sitting on stage with broadcasters as Royals officially announce to Fanfest crowd that FSKC will air 150 games this season</p>&mdash; Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc) <a href="https://twitter.com/goldbergkc/statuses/429681943869800449">February 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Clearing up payroll to accomodate Chen's deal. Makes sense. If you can get a rotation guy for the price of a utility guy, you make that deal every time. They were probably just working out details with Chen the past month or so.

Christian Colon or Pedro Ciriaco would be the likely replacement at this time.

It would seem that a trade was in the works. Why bother with the recent $3.5MM contract if they were just wanting to dump?