I always read theses glASS interviews with some skepticism. Also, I didn't know the OnGoal guys had expressed interest in purchasing the Royals. Interesting.
Link?

This, I need a link!

hope is not a business plan

Are hope AND change a business plan?

They've been asked about it multiple times. Kietzman has interviewed Patterson several times, and he has asked about it several times. Patterson always says something to the effect of "we wish those guys would pick up the phone."

JFC... I wish they'd pick up the phone too!

No kidding.

If it actually IS Jackson, Jackson was left handed. So yeah, that's probably Frank Wills.

I think any Royals fan who is paying attention holds those hopes.

I don't think it would lead to a $200 million payroll, but I do think those guys would make sure KC was running a model organization. And that, combined with a payroll in the $120 million range, is enough to build a consistently good team that has a chance to win at the highest level.

The Onion has historically CRUSHED the Royals. Go here to see their history of stories, pretty funny stuff.

http://www.theonion.com/search/?q=Kansas+City+Royals

They also have plenty of articles about the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers. Probably a host of other MLB teams and teams of other professional sports.

Your point?

The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have claimed outfielder Jimmy Paredes (pronounced: pah-RAY-dis) off Waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Paredes will be placed on the Royals' 40-man roster. In a corresponding roster move, the club has designated right-handed pitcher Maikel Cleto for assignment.

Paredes, 25, has spent the last three seasons in the Houston Astros' organization, playing 118 games at the Major League level since 2011. He hit .192 (24-for-125) with four doubles, a homer and 10 RBI last season for the Astros. The switch-hitting outfielder was originally signed by the New York Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 2007. The Royals will be Paredes' third team this offseason, having been claimed by the Miami Marlins on November 4, 2013, and then by the Orioles Saturday (February 15).

Cleto, 24, went 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 19 appearances for Triple-A Omaha last season.



http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/new...c&ymd=20140217

Are we too poor to resign Santana, or do we simply not want to block prospects? I'm guessing it's the former, but we'll pretend it's the latter.

The Onion has been PARTICULARLY fond of lampooning the Royals' ineptitude.

Be nice if the Royals fans would do this to Glass....

http://cbssports.com/images/collegef...allbird354.gif

Jimmy Paredes - AAA Oklahoma City numbers are very good -
2012 - In 124 games - .318 Average, 13 HRs, 37 stolen bases, playing mainly 2B with some CF and LF.

2013 - In 86 games .287 Average, 8 HRs, 16 stolen bases, playing SS, 3B, and RF.

Majors numbers are pretty unimpressive - In 3 years - 118 games - .234 average, 3 HRs, 11 stolen bases playing for Houston Astros

I really thought Maikel Cleto would be designated for assignment when KC signed Bruce Chen instead of Emilio.

Looks like more AAAA fodder.

I think it's a combination of being poor, liking the internal guys, and being scared of long-term outlook of Santana.

Glass half full (pun intended): maybe they want to see their team make the playoffs at least once before they sell.

Highly doubt it.

Glass has no intention of selling and never will. He just wants to appease the masses by saying he'd be interested.

Maybe, but he has some positives -

6'3", 200 lbs - switch hitter (hits better as LHB) - steals bases - plays outfield and infield, only 25 years old.

See what he can do.

Again as you say maybe AAAA but worth taking a look.

Side note - After this season Astros released him from their 40 man roster, Marlins claimed him and then designated for assignment, Baltimore claimed and then designated for assignment two days later, now the Royals turn.

I suspect they might bring Paredes to camp, see who performs best out of he and Ciriaco/Falu, and go into the season with that guy as their UTIL.

POP/speed from MI guys is hard to find... pretty much no risk here, with a fair amount of upside.

I think Christian Colon will also be given a chance for that role.

Irving Falu is now in the Brewers organization.

Since it's President's Day...
Flashback to 1980!

Good point.

The season needs to start. I'm pumped.

Five minutes after this interview concluded, his back stiffened. He hopes to be back to work by June 1st.

http://tinyurl.com/mm5tzue

I remember they sold those in the K Marts that summer. And T shirts too if I remember right? Did you buy one?

Had a bumper sticker. Wish I knew what I did with it.

Looking like Ubaldo is headed to Baltimore at 4/$48M. That's probably the absolute ceiling for Santana now as well. Kinda funny to look back at the talk in November (whether it was true or rumor we'll never know) about he and his agent wanting a deal for $100M plus.

From MLB.com when Baltimore Oriloles picked him up -

At Oklahoma City over 2 seasons - 56 games in OF, 105 games at 2B, 20 games 3B, 20 games at SS and 8 at DH.

Seems versatile enough

I was hoping to get that draft pick from Baltimore for Santana.

JFC, enough already with your obsession with Mike Sweeney. The way you constantly go on and on about him, I'm starting to think he must have ass raped your wife.

We don't get the pick of the team that signs the player.

They sacrifice their first-round pick (Unless it is protected). Everyone else slides up a spot. The team that lost the player gets a comp pick at the end of the first round of the draft.

So Baltimore signing a guy with a QO is great for KC... as it moves them up from No. 18 to No. 17 in the draft order.

Now, just need someone to sign Santana... and get a pick in that comp round.

If Santana ends up signing 4/48 or 4/50, I understand the reticence from the KC front office. It's if he lands somewhere on a 3 - or especially 2 - year deal, that's when it really stings.

Preparing for the sting.

Ubaldo Jimenez to the O's on a 4-year deal. One less option for Erv.

No, he just ass raped the Royals.

Riyals are projected to have the best defense in MLB in 2014.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/...&vkey=news_mlb

4/$48 million

Santana more or less?

I'm sorry if Q but ESPN has a headline thing on the MLB tab of their website... it's title...
"Royals: Playoffs?"

Basically the read is talking about how we upgraded our offense this season which is a key point for our success this season. 31% odds of making it to playoffs with 23% playing in a divisional series.

Thanks for the clarification.

How does this work for a team like the Yankees that signs multiple "Qualifying Offer" free agents? They signed Brian McCann (12/02/2013), Jacoby Ellsbury (12/03/2013), and Carlos Beltran (12/19/2013).

They lost Robinson Cano (12/09/2013) to Seattle and Curtis Granderson (12/09/2013) to the Mets.

I assume NYY lost their 1st round pick when they signed McCann. Atlanta would then get a comp pick after the 1st round. NYY sign Ellsbury and give up a 2nd round pick? Does Boston get a comp pick after the 1st round? Seattle* signs Robinson Cano, so now instead of NYY giving up a 2nd round pick they give up their Cano comp pick, which is higher. Mets* then sign Curtis Granderson, so Yankees get a comp pick. Then Yankees sign Carlos Beltran so they give up their comp pick.

So as long as the Yankees sign no more QOFAs they are down their 1st round draft pick.

If the Yankees sign Ervin Santana, do the Royals get an after 1st round comp pick and the Yankees give up a 2nd round pick?

Also didn't these new rules just start in 2013?

* Since Mets and Seattle were in the bottom 10, they only give up 2nd round pick.

The Yankees gained comp picks for Cano and Granderson and lost picks for signing Ellsbury, McCann and Beltran.

So they lose their first and both of the comp picks they got for their own FA. If they sign another FA, they will lose their second round pick.

2014 Royals Repository
 

Opening weekend is going to be awesome. The Royals start their march to the playoffs, Game of Thrones starts back up, and it is Final Four weekend. Awesome.

When do single game tickets go on sale?

March, I believe, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

Edited: Checked Royals.com, and it says "Single Game Tickets will be on sale Saturday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m. (CT)."

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/tic...me.jsp?c_id=kc

March 1st.

Maybe a clue in why Florida Marlins claimed and then released Jimmy Paredes. After they claimed him, he played winter ball in the Dominican League and batted .176 in 20 games and 68 at bats.

Baltimore only kept him for 2 days. Not sure why they bothered.

Maybe give him a chance in Omaha and see if he can do anything.

Thanks!

He's just the latest in the line of whipping boys for GBF. He clearly hates the Royals.

When the O's signed Yoon, someone had to go and Paredes was the obvious choice because he was never really there to begin with.

But yeah, your point stands, I don't know why they wasted the time and effort either.

I would wager that neither Santana nor his agent thought he would not have a job this late into February. Stunning turn of events.

he has an option... 40th guy on the roster... good for Omaha.

"Día Bueno, Señor. ¿Me daría usted un trasero atractivo roza?"

Mike Sweeney settles into new role during first day back with Royals
February 17
By ANDY McCULLOUGH
The Kansas City Star

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Yordano Ventura swiveled in his seat and stared into the former face of the Royals.

“ Buenos dias, Señor,” Mike Sweeney said. “How’s your body feeling?”
“Good,” Ventura said after they clasped hands.
“I’m rooting for you,” Sweeney said as he continued his greeting tour through the clubhouse he once called home.

He walked into a hallway where his name is painted five separate times, an affirmation of his All-Star appearances as a Royal. He showed up at 5:30 a.m. for his first official day as a special assistant to baseball operations. He compared it to the first day of school: Unsure of his surroundings, unfamiliar with all the new faces.

When Sweeney last wore this uniform, he was the team’s captain. “Now I’m just a deckhand,” he said.

Sweeney, the 40-year-old former first baseman and catcher, played 13 years for this organization. His name is inked throughout the franchise record book: Second in career homers (197), sixth in hits (1,398), sixth in runs (700) and second in on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.861). His second chapter is just beginning.

He plans to spend the week in Surprise. He’ll make two similar trips in March. His itinerary for the regular season has yet to be decided. General manager Dayton Moore described Sweeney’s role as a blend of scouting and advising. He will observe the minor-league clubs, visit Kauffman Stadium and dabble in other areas.

Manager Ned Yost described Sweeney as a positive influence, and valuable to “pitch in where he needs to pitch in.” For 20 minutes on Monday, Sweeney huddled with Billy Butler. Sweeney sees Alex Gordon and James Shields as this team’s leaders. He believes Butler can join their number.
As they sat on chairs by Butler’s locker, Sweeney explained how baseball players fit into two categories. “They’re either a fountain or a drain,” Sweeney said. “They’re either sucking the life out or pouring life in. I was just challenging Billy: ‘You’re one of the best hitters on the planet. Be a fountain.’”

As this season progresses, the organization hopes Sweeney finds a more exact niche for the coming years. For now, he is a resource this team’s youthful core can draw from. Another prominent former Royal, Jason Kendall, is here as an instructor. Asked about Kendall’s formal title, one team official cracked “Sir.”

Sweeney projects a slightly less intimidating presence. His 20-minute conversation with Butler was interrupted by various greetings. Sweeney kidded Mike Moustakas for carrying a skateboard into the clubhouse. He called Luke Hochevar “my brother.” He introduced himself to reporters by saying, “Hi, I’m Mike.”

He last played for the Royals in 2007. Only three teammates from that year are still with the club: Butler, Gordon and Hochevar. Butler was 21 then. Gordon was 22. Hochevar was the eldest of the bunch. He was 23.

Sweeney marveled at how the group had grown. He praised the front office and ownership for assembling this club, which won 86 games in 2013 and intends to top that amount this coming season.

“They’ve assembled a great machine in this locker room,” Sweeney said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting them to be their best.”

During the morning’s workout, as pitchers and catchers headed toward the first official session of live batting practice, Sweeney hung back from the group. Then he jogged across a tan walkway that connects the various diamonds. He slowed as he caught up to Yost and the rest of the group.
“This team has nothing to do with an old, broken-down guy like me,” Sweeney said. “It has everything to do with them. I just want to be of service.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/17...#storylink=cpy

You missed a question Sweeney asked Ventura
"Sabia usted que soy una legenda en el baisbol?"

"Ouch, mis daños traseros!"

Que?

Ubaldo Jimenez got 4/48 which is a bit below what Garza got. So the market for Santana seems to be coming into clear vision now. I would suspect he'll end up getting a year less, something like 3/33 or such.

How many outfielders will we keep on the 25 man roster?

Gordon, Cain, Aoki, Dyson, Maxwell?

Royals are right: Ervin Santana’s terms remain too rich, and risky
February 18
BY SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

The Royals have spent the last two decades training their fans to expect the worst. Always the worst.

So there can be no complaining on their part that The Best Royals Team in a Generation (on paper, anyway) is greeted with some skepticism and second-guessing. To that end, the Orioles sent the Royals’ front office a bit of a pick-me-up by signing right-handed starter Ubaldo Jimenez to a four-year, $50 million contract.

The lingering criticism of an otherwise very solid Royals offseason is that right-hander Ervin Santana remains a free agent, available to the highest bidder, and a lot of fans have a hard time with the fact that the highest bidder almost certainly will not be the Royals.

The Royals won their most games since 1989 last year with the league’s best defense and ERA, which they achieved in no small part because Santana gave them 211 innings with a 3.24 ERA. Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy could each have terrific and long careers and never match those numbers in one season.

Industry insiders were generally split on the Jimenez-vs.-Santana debate going into the offseason, and Jimenez’s contract is basically identical to the one that right-hander Matt Garza signed with the Brewers. So if these deals are an indication of the remaining market, and provide a framework for Santana’s next contract, the Royals will look better for not joining the most serious bidders for Santana.

There are two simultaneous, somewhat conflicting truths here: 1) the Royals misread the market for Santana this offseason, and 2) even if they hadn’t signed Jason Vargas to a four-year, $32 million deal, they still probably would not go to four years and $50 million for Santana.

And justifiably so, no matter what many in Kansas City say.

Free-agent contracts for starting pitchers are always risky, and that’s true even if the starting pitcher didn’t just turn 32 with a history that includes both a lot of mileage and some questions among scouts and executives about how long his elbow can hold up.

When Santana is sharp, he is a joy to watch and a nightmare to swing against. He is smooth, relentless, and aggressive — according to FanGraphs, only David Price threw a higher percentage of first-pitch strikes among qualified American League pitchers last year. The lasting image of Santana in a Royals uniform is him striking someone out on a 1-2 slider, and then eating a banana in the dugout on days between starts.

There is a dark side to Santana’s history, too. The elbow is certainly part of it — last year, 38.5 percent of Santana’s pitches were sliders, by far the biggest percentage in baseball.

But even if you trust the elbow — it should be noted that Santana has made 128 starts and pitched 840 1/3 innings over the last four years, both among baseball’s top 20 — there are wild inconsistencies in his performance that make a long-term deal especially risky. He has five good seasons among his nine in the big leagues. In the other four, he has missed starts and has a 5.16 ERA. Those are red flags when teams are investing $50 million or so in a 32-year-old pitcher.

None of this takes into consideration that the baseline for any large free-agent contract to a starting pitcher is a success rate of less than 30 percent.

Looking at various projection models and talking to several scouts, the long-term expectation for Santana is a drop-off from very good to good in 2014, followed by the normal decline you would expect from a starting pitcher in his mid-30s.

So while the Royals won’t be able to replace Santana’s production from 2013, it’s also unlikely that Santana will be able to replicate his success of 2013.

From the Royals’ side, the math is further complicated by the fact that they stand to gain a draft pick (and the proportionate spending allowance under MLB’s new draft rules) if and when Santana signs somewhere else.

Now, none of this means the Royals played this perfectly. Vargas and Santana are the same age, so the same disclaimers about regression apply here (though there is less in Vargas’ history to suggest either major risk or reward, and he will benefit from the Royals’ strong defense). The Royals went longer with Vargas than they would’ve liked with four years, but the $8 million average salary is a fine tradeoff.

The whole key to the rotation, besides health, remains Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy. So the Vargas deal is a measured gamble. The Royals are purchasing (at a lower cost) the kind of stability they don’t see in Santana, in exchange for a better environment for the bigger potential of the young, homegrown starters (Kyle Zimmer could join this discussion after the All-Star break).

With a higher cost, Santana will almost certainly outperform Vargas this season. So in this way, even in a critical season to make good on the blockbuster trade that brought James Shields to Kansas City, the Royals are sacrificing some now with the long-term in mind.

The plan has its positives, especially in avoiding the risk of a big deal with Santana. But the plan will look a lot better if someone signs Santana to a contract similar to Jimenez’s.

To reach Sam Mellinger, call 816-234-4365, send email to smellinger@kcstar.com or follow twitter.com/mellinger. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.

In case anyone is wondering, we'll still get the draft pick if someone else signs Santana soon after the season starts. He'd have to go unsigned until after the draft is over for the compensation to drop off.

I thought that deadline was June 15? Haven't looked it up since last year, though.

This year the draft is June 5-7

He ran out of things to spam the forum with so now he is going to continue to be obsessed with something as dumb as this.

Ah, gotcha.

Which will happen first: A team caving or Santana caving? Honestly, I can't decide. He'll sign somewhere, just can't decide which situation I think is more likely.

What are you hearing about which teams still have an interest in Santana?

He'll just wait until some dildo hurts himself in spring training, and then a team will get desperate to sign him.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2ch0z1w.gif

I fully expect "Deckhand Mike" to teach this team how to win. I'm holding him to his word, dag nab it.

"Be a fountain, not a drain!"

Blue Jays, Orioles (probably out of it now that they signed Jimenez), Mariners, Indians, Rockies, and Royals have all been mentioned recently.

Blue Jays, Indians, Mariners would be my guess at this point.

Honestly I'd laugh if the Angels through an insane amount of money to bring him back and he collapses again. Although I love Santana, he'd have his money and would still be fun to have on my Twitter feed.

Baseball America's Top 100 is on the MLBN tomorrow night.

8 - Red Sox
7 - Cubs
7 - Pirates
6 - Astros
5 - Rangers

Wonder how many Royals?

Funny that we were talking about this yesterday, but here's a podcast from 810 (it's KK, be warned) with Robb Heineman, the CEO of SportingKC.

Flip forward to the 18:30 mark for Heineman's comments about SportingClub (formerly OnGoal) buying KC.

I would guess 5-6.

I think 4.

I think (at least, I hope) Glass is getting that feeling Mike Ilitch had about 8 years ago. There is a pretty clear difference with how the Tigers operated from 1992-2005 and 2006 on.

Baseball Pro had them with 7 in the Top 100 and I think will end up having KC as the No. 4 or No. 5 system.

BA seems to indicate they're going to be top 7-8, which means it has to have them pretty close to where BP does.

Or... they're getting close to being ready to sell and want to inflate value as much as they can?

no kidding, I coincidentally got the same thought and clicked to this thread to post something similar.

If you are Glass and a year or two ago you knew you'd have a local buyer, it would make a lot of sense for him to wait until the stadium renovations finish, start winning, maybe break 2MM tickets sold and get a little closer to the end of the current TV deal before you finally sell.

Just got a notification from the ESPN app on my phone that said that the Blue Jays are unlikely to sign Santana.