And they probably should. This is around a .500 team, and I think it would take an epic collapse by Detroit for the Royals to actually have a shot at things in September.

The Royals are starting to put some legit pieces in place, but '14 looks more and more like the year, not '13.

All this said, I'd still be willing to push all of our chips in for Stanton.

Who is our Rotation next year? Shields and thats it?

June's rotation could look like...

Shields
Duffy
Guthrie
Davis (Ick. Paulino is a possibility, but I'm not taking his return for granted.)
Ventura

I wouldn't go all in on Stanton based on his production this year. Maybe Stanton is just sick of playing for the Marlins, I don't know. He's having a pretty bad year so far. I might trade a few prospect's excluding Ventura.

I think Ventura is going to be an ace in the future.

I would love to see billy's numbers if he played the field. I think it gets real old for him just hitting.

He might be, but "pitching prospects" don't exist, and I'd gladly trade any of them, particularly when they're listed at 180 lbs.

I agree pitching prospect's don't exist, but Ventura has shown plenty to be given a shot. I think he has great potential as a front of the line starter.

All of this is correct, and this is exactly why he has good value right now. If he can be flipped for proven, controllable ML talent, particularly a position player, I'd do it yesterday.

No one ever asks Yost why Esky continues to bat in the #2 spot?

Nope, but at least we know that Davies actually pitched well tonight. That's a relief.

So we should keep trotting out Davis, Chen and Mendoza next year? Who's to say Paulino and Duffy make it back ok? Hell, Santana might leave next year also. I would like to see Ventura called up soon to see what he is actually capable of in the majors.

Lol, I'm sure he's attempting to save face after leaving him in with the bases juiced with no outs in the sixth.

Good ol' Barnhead Ned.

Santana is as good as gone next year...

I just don't see GMDM trading anyone off this roster unless it better this team this year. He's out to save his ass....the smart thing is that the Royals won't win this division and trade Santana for a ML hitter.

I would trade the minors for Stanton

This is where Deez and I fly off the rails in different directions. I don't know if there are pitching prospects... but most teams need to develop a pitcher or two on their own to compete. Unless you're gonna pull Dave Duncan out of the weeds and go win titles with guys like Suppan and Jeff Weaver. Of course the Royals have probably developed young pitchers worse than young hitters, which is saying something.

We're allowed to use FA and trades to acquire pitchers, too. I'd say that, statistically, the odds of Duffy being a legit starter are stronger than Ventura developing into this because there's a bit more history with the former.

Just because you want to keep Ventura doesn't mean that you have to create a false binary; advocating trading a "pitching prospect" isn't the same as advocating keeping Davies in the rotation.

Santana is a one-year deal. Trade him. Or...trade the shit out of the farm to get viable pieces now.

How much productivity have we seen from "the greatest farm system in baseball history?" Answer: not enormous amounts, which proves exactly what most prospects should be used for: trade chips.