Author Archive

How the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies Can Help Each Other

One team was a dark-horse contender for a World Series appearance, the other continues on its long road back to respectability. Neither team lived up to expectations this season, but perhaps they can help each other along the way.

The Colorado Rockies were expected to win the NL West and compete for a spot in the World Series. The Kansas City Royals were expected to improve and start to show the promise that their rich pipeline of prospects has many industry experts drooling over.

It didn’t work out for either team. Colorado suffered through injuries and inconsistent play and while their standard early September run had them within spitting distance of the division title, another run on inconsistent play has dropped them seven games out, while losing 10 of 11 games.

The Rockies have had their bright spots this season, Ubaldo Jiménez won 19 games and both Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki will garner some MVP votes. Kansas City started off strong but faded badly as the youth movement struggled.

The key component is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Zack Grienke.

Greinke has put together another stellar season for Kansas City, even if his 10-14 record doesn’t reflect it, but his frustration with losing is growing by the day. When asked about the future, Grienke replied that “the problem (with the Royals’ prospects) is that it’s not like as soon as they get here that it’s going to be instant (success). Maybe by 2014.”

That doesn’t exactly sound like a ringing endorsement from the face of the franchise, especially since his contract expires in 2012 and few expect him to stick around to see the rebuilding process through.

Here is where the deal can get done. Dayton Moore and Dan O’Dowd need to have a conversation, one that centers on a Grienke to Colorado in exchange for Dexter Fowler, Chris Ianetta and some combination of top prospects Tyler Matzek, Rex Brothers, etc.

Fowler & Ianetta fit perfectly into the Kansas City youth movement and give them additional flexibility in both the OF and behind the plate. Kansas City has a ton of young talent coming up the pipeline and has the time and luxury to see if Fowler and Ianetta will develop and round into form. This is a classic “change of scenery” trade.

Both teams could get really creative and you have a potential blockbuster trade if Kansas City is willing to include Billy Butler in a deal with Grienke. Butler is only 24 years old and has made it clear he wants to play first base and not DH.

The Rockies need a young first baseman and Butler would fit into their budget for the next three years.It would also give the Rockies a potential starting rotation of Jiménez, Greinke, De La Rosa, Chacin and Hamels.

Dealing Grienke would be a huge risk for Kansas City, but if management doesn’t feel that his is invested in the rebuilding effort and won’t be around to see the end result, it may be time to move him and grab more young, athletic prospects.

For Colorado, adding Grienke would be the big move they need to further compete in the NL West and create a formidable rotation.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


From Rocky Mountain High To Rocky Mountain Low

Dan O’Dowd has a lot to think about this offseason. With roughly 40 games to go, the preseason baseball darlings, those dark horse Colorado Rockies were touted by many to be World Series contenders, instead find themselves 11 games out of the division lead and trailing Philadelphia by six games for the Wild Card.

What went wrong this year?

Well for starters, I believe the Rockies were slightly overrated going into the season, and while injuries have taken their toll its been the maddening inconsistency and lack of timely hitting that have left us with a team hovering just above .500

It may be time to cut bait with some of the “cornerstone” pieces of this team that were in the World Series just three short seasons ago, though even that historic run screamed overrated.

Todd Helton is done, period. You can see it in his demeanor and you can hear it in his bat, there is no thunder left there. Watching Helton this season brings back memories of Mattingly in 1995. Both players were true franchise players, but back injuries hastened their downward spirals.

Dexter Fowler is a talented athlete playing baseball, but he is not a baseball player. He is a dynamic defensive player, but in reality he is a .240 hitter that strikes out too much, doesn’t hit for power and for all his speed is not a particularly good base-stealer.

Chris Ianetta is not the future. He’s 28 years old and has had ample opportunity to claim the every catching job, but can’t get by the Miguel Olivo’s of the world.

Ian Stewart is a platoon third-baseman. He kills righties and gets killed by lefties.

Houston Street is as inconsistent closer as you’ll find in baseball and the bullpen has been a sore spot for Colorado all season.

Aaron Cook is a No. 4 or No. 5 guy at this point, but if he can’t get his sinker going in Coors Field, he might as well throw batting practice.

For all this complaining, I’ll offer a few practical solutions.

Step One: Trade Fowler & Ianetta to Kansas City in exchange for Billy Butler and Aaron Crow. Butler is currently hitting .312-11-59 and has been exiled to DH for Kansas City as they try to make room for their first baseman of the future in Kila Ka’aihue. Butler is only 24 years old and has made it clear he wants to play first base and not DH. The Rockies need a young first baseman and Butler would fit into their budget for the next three years. Crow, the 12th pick in the 2008 draft is/was a highly thought of pitcher who has already worn out his welcome in Kansas City, recently being demoted to “A” ball.

Kansas City has a ton of young talent coming up the pipeline and has the time and luxury to see if Fowler and Ianetta will develop and round into form. This is a classic “change of scenery” trade.

Step Two: Deal for Colorado native, Kevin Kouzmanoff to platoon with Stewart. Kouzmanoff is hitting .336 vs. lefties this season and plays a decent third base, plus at age 29 his career is likely that of a platoon player.

Step Three: Talk to the Yankees about a deal for catching prospect Gary Sanchez if currently prospect Wilin Rosario doesn’t look like he’ll be ready soon. Sanchez is a raw power hitter, with a good arm and good defense. He also happens to be blocked by Jesus Montero, the top prospect in the Yankee system.

Step Four: Add some OF power this off-season. Short of Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitski, there is no one in the lineup with consistent power.

Finally, the most difficult step is going to be shoring up the pitching staff, but starting and relieving. Maybe Aaron Cook finds a home in the bullpen and some of the younger prospects start to show their worth. Pitching is the key, but its the key for every team in baseball, but for the Rockies to realize their potential, they need to objectively look at what they are considering their foundation and realize that at least part of their foundation needs rebuilding.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Copyright © 1996-2010 Kuzul. All rights reserved.
iDream theme by Templates Next | Powered by WordPress