Dutton is just a fact giver and doesn't speculate at all....im fine with that.

FYP

If we trade for Rios I quit.

Its not his job to speculate though...probably comes off that way but ya...leave it to mellinger who can't say if gmdm should be fired. 2 diff jobs types

Two thoughts:

1) "Soft" trade market for starting pitching? Don't give me that b.s. (Which I'm sure Dayton Moore or someone in the Royals is shoveling to Dutton). It's the same as it is every year - the best pitchers get big interest.

Dutton can pooh-pooh the Garza return all he wants, but the Cubs still got a consensus top 30 prospect and one of the biggest helium/risers in CJ Edwards of the season (and a PTBNL, which is either Max Ramirez or ANOTHER pitcher in their system of similar value). That's a HAUL for 2 months of Garza.

2) David Lough vs. Alex Rios. You know, Alex Rios is not a superstar. And he's volatile/up-and-down. And he had a really terrible month of June. But as recently as last year he was an .850 OPS guy who hit .300 and slugged .500 (and that's what he has been outside of June this year).

I wouldn't say, outright, that I hate the idea of acquiring Alex Rios. If the price in prospects is low - or if the White Sox pick up part of that salary - it's worth exploring.

My thoughts exactly on Rios.

But if you're gonna throw that kind of money at 30-year-old OFers, how about signing Shin-Soo Choo in the offseason?

Choo is a great player. Will take more yearly salary and a bigger commitment in terms of years than Rios, but he is a superior player.

Rios at $12.5 million next year is not out-of-control. If things go well, you can get .300/.500 SLG/25 HR from him. I like David Lough, but even if he hits .300, you're looking at a guy who is going to slug around .425.

If they're getting Rios for a song, it's worth the monetary risk, to me. And I'm not sure there is an option KC can obtain that has more 2014 upside than Rios. Could be the position player equivalent of Santana.

Of course, now that I've said that, the Royals will trade for Rios and also trade Santana for a young RF stud who is close to MLB. Rios will suck for a 1/2 while the prospect kills it in Omaha, and the prospect won't get promoted until the Royals are dangerously far behind in the playoff hunt.

I highly doubt the Sox would eat salary. If they would, my perspective changes. However, Rios is a career OPS+ of 102 and hit over 20 HRs in a season only three times in his career. The odds of him significantly underperforming his contract would be very, very high, especially given his age.

Every year we talk about what we can get for our 1-year rentals. It's embarrassing, frankly.

What if the trade price is something a slight tick up from Brandon Sisk?

Say, Jason Adam and Fred Ford.

Then, the money is the only issue. You're on the hook for $12.5 million in 2014.

Unless Glass is willing to up the payroll, that probably takes away the possibility of signing anything but a mid-tier starting pitcher in free agency (probably puts a cap of about $6-8 million on what they can spend in FA on pitching).

Yeah, I just don't know if you're going to get enough production from Rios to justify essentially being inactive in FA because of salary concerns. Personally, I highly doubt it.

This would be a classic DM disaster move, IMO.

Which is exactly why it is going to happen... and we'll probably end up trading a guy like Ventura or Mondesi for him.

We are ****ed as Royals fans... Seriously, we have a bumbling ****ing moron as GM.

But he's got a sweet flattop!

And he's super-loyal!

And he really loves Jesus!

What else could you need in a Midwestern GM?

I'm not sure how much help they can find in FA, though.

Best OF available:

Carlos Beltran (would be cool if he comes back, but he's ancient and probably wants to play for a team that is a lock to contend, rather than a hope)

Jacoby Ellsbury (not gonna happen... too much $$$$ for KC)

Choo (I'd love it, but would KC really go 5/$18 million for a FA OF? And is Choo worth that commitment to KC?)

Nelson Cruz (Maybe you get a discount for the 50 games he'll miss next season?)

Mike Morse (Really can't play RF, but if they're shopping in FA for an OF, he's my favorite option that I think they actually COULD sign)

Jason Kubel (Not a bad mid-tier option, but also not really a RF)

After that, you get to guys like David Murphy, Franklin Gutierrez, David DeJesus, Marlon Steroids, I mean Byrd, etc.

FA SP:
Ervin Santana (too up-and-down for a long-term deal in KC)

Matt Garza (not coming)

Josh Johnson (How's that shoulder, Joshie?)

Ubaldo Jimenez (Yuck)

There's just not much you'd want to commit to long-term on the FA market.

I don't think they're going to find a star RF/2B or SP in FA this offseason. The market is thin, and the only options out there will be expensive and fraught with significant risk.

If they can have a year like Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur had in 2011, I'll take anyone on steroids.