If you would have told me at the beginning of the season that Kansas City Royals first basemen, Eric Hosmer, was more of a sure out than Chris Getz was at the plate, I would have not only called you crazy but down right out of your mind.  But, like a lot of things in life times do come that people are wrong.

Now I was on the side of people that thought Hosmer would go through a little bit of a sophomore slump but nothing to this magnitude.  It just does not make sense to me anymore why he is slumping so bad for so long.  I mean even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile but he is not even close.  For the first few weeks of the season, everyone was saying that he was hitting into hard outs and that it would come around but lately all he has done is roll over pitches and ground out to the right side of the infield.  The problem that I had with this analysis was the fact that he was still getting out.  Now when a guy hits the ball hard in his first at bat of a game you might say that he is on this guy and has a chance to do something later on in the game but Hosmer is not doing that.  His power throughout a game diminishes as the night goes on.  And the bigger problem with the “Atom” ball argument is the fact that he is not doing that anymore. He is getting to far in front of his swing with his hands, making his timing way off therefore, grounding out in most of his at bats.

Now, that being said, I do believe that Hosmer will come around this season I just think that that will have to be accomplished in a way that fans nor Hosmer want it to.  Either he has to become the first option off of the bench to pinch hit or he needs to be sent down to AAA.  There are two problems with sitting him for a couple of games.  One, he will not be getting enough at bats to maybe swing himself out of a slump and two, when he does get those at bats he is going to press even more than he may already be pressing.  Now the other side of things would be to send him down.  This could work one of two ways in Omaha.  It could either send his confidence straight to the basement or it could get his confidence back in his swing and back into major league like form.  The likelihood of the Royals actually sending Hosmer down are pretty slim.  Nothing says it is not “Our Time” like sending one of the cornerstones of your future team down to the minors to figure things out.  Or they could take their medicine and send him down and say to not only Hosmer but to current and future Royals that the ceiling a player has is not the most important thing in the game.  Baseball, like I say all of the time, is all about results and results are not coming out of Hosmer at all right now.

This all being said, I am not too down on the guy because I look at the player that he may be one day and want it for him just as much as any other fan.  No one wants to watch a guy fail time after time at the plate.  But if this continues over the next week or two the Royals are going to have a big decision on their hands when it comes to putting Hosmer in the lineup night in and night out.

Patience is truly a virtue.  For Kansas City Royals third basemen, Mike Moustakas, there is no statement more true.  Known as a notoriously slow starter, Moustakas seems to finally becoming the Major League baseball player that he looked to become while he was in the Minor League system. It just takes some getting used to before success comes around for Moustakas.

Photo Courtesy of Minda Haas

He struggled at the beginning of every level in his career including his start in his rookie year in 2011.  But just like the Moustakas of the past it seems that after getting used to playing at the level that is needed for success with the big club, he is beginning to come into his own.  All everyone had heard about was this Moose-something kid that was hitting the cover off of the ball at every level that he had been at but that he was not the greatest defensive third basemen in the world.  Well that, so far in 2012, has yet to be seen.  Moustakas continues to dazzle us all with his plays that he makes at third base.  Not only does he make the plays at third base but it also helps to have as sure-handed of a first basemen as the Royals do in Eric Hosmer.  Hosmer, whom Moustakas continues to give credit to after every question that is asked about his defense, is like a vacuum when it comes to making plays at first base.

Last season, Moustakas began to show that his bat would have a little bit of life in the big leagues.  After a horrible start to his career he had about as good of a month and a half as a rookie could have at the plate, but the speculation was still there.  Not anymore, Moustakas is currently hitting a very respectable .318 with 4 home runs and 15 RBIs, 3 of which came in Thursday night’s win against the New York Yankees.  In that game not only did Moustakas seem to put the team on his back at the plate but made a game winning play at the third base on a short ground ball of the bat of Alex Rodriguez.  The play was tremendous but it was a play earlier in that game that showed that Moustakas is becoming a Major League baseball player.  On a ground ball similar to that that resulted in the final out of the game, Moustakas charged at instead of making the play with his bare hand as he should have he went for it with his glove and could not get the ball into his mitt. Now of course for the last out of the game he would have a play that he could not make earlier in the game but he recognized that is was identical and adjusted his route to the ball making a bare handed play and strong throw to end the Royals home losing streak at 10.

Playing in the Major Leagues is all about the results.  But beyond that it is about not only the long term adjustments that have to be made but also the in game adjustments that may go unnoticed that matter.  The fact that he is a slow starter is not what people will begin to see, but the fact that he has made the adjustments necessary to lead a young Royals ball club to the success that everyone wants is what people will notice.  And again, patience is a virtue, and no one in Major League baseball knows that more right now than Mike Moustakas.  The “Moooooose” battle cry could be ringing through Kauffman Stadium for a long time coming.  A cheer that fans will never get tired of.

Last season the Kansas City Royals were able to put together arguably one of the best collective performances, both defensively and offensively, by an outfield committee that fans have seen in the organization’s history.  Some may say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but the Royals had a different plan.

They needed some help on the pitching staff and that is what they got in the trade with the San Francisco Giants, sending center fielder Melky Cabrera to the Giants in exchange for left hander Jonathan Sanchez.  The reason that Cabrera was an expendable asset is because of the confidence that the Royals have in their young center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Many regard him as being a defensive upgrade in center since his speed will allow him to have a great amount of range in the oversized outfield of Kauffman Stadium. He will not make the amazing diving catches that can be seen in highlights because he will take a page out of the Willie Wilson handbook and get to balls in the gaps that other outfielders simply cannot get to. His offense in the past has shown that contact will not be a problem but the power will need to continue to develop and get stronger which will come as experience sets in.

It is not arguable that the increase of speed will help him to fill the shoes of Cabrera in the outfield but the offensive production is where the shoes are a little bit bigger to fill.

In 2011, Cabrera set career highs in many categories including batting average (.305), hits (201), doubles (44), home runs (18), RBI (87), and stolen bases (20) to name a few. Now to say that Cain will be able to pencil in all of these statistics in his first full season in the Majors would be a bit hasty. While he could develop into this kind of player in the future, the present is what the organization and fans are about.

In his minor league career of seven season, Cain averages 7 home runs, 47 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and a .295 batting average.  The stolen bases will come with the speed that Cain presents but the power, which has been low at best, is where Cain will need to improve to be a perennial player that the Royals need in center field. More power would equivocate to more run production and the more run production that he can bring to the table the less the pressure that hitters in the top half of the lineup will have to endure.

Manager Ned Yost has already revealed what his Opening Day lineup will look like and with history on his side he does not waiver much on the lineup throughout a season.  So Cain will have the lessened pressure of the bottom half of the lineup which will allow him to continue to get on base, steal bases, and score runs in front of hits from the batter in the top of the lineup. With the pressure off of his back he can develop that power and in years to come be a huge run producer for this team.

The positive that can be brought from this is a little bit of Billy Beane and Oakland A’s style.  The question is not whether Cain will have to fill the offensive hole that Cabrera leaves but can two or three players make up for the loss of offensive production.  This is a task that can be accomplished with the improvements of the young “sophomores” on the team.

No doubt not having Cabrera in the lineup again this season could hurt this team a little since he left such big shoes to fill with his production in 2011.  But will Lorenzo Cain be able to fill those shoes and become the resident citizen in center field will be a question on the future can answer.

Now that the euphoria has subsided a little bit, it is time to take a look at the next team standing in St Louis’ way, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Philadelphia finished the regular season with the best record in baseball. Their vaunted starting rotation performed as advertised, more than making up for their average offense. They are the odds-on favorite not only to win the National League, but the World Series. Let us take a closer look.

St Louis will face Roy Halladay (19-6, 2.35 ERA, 2.71 xFIP, 220 K), Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.79 ERA, 3.02 xFIP, 194 K), and Cliff Lee (17-8, 2.40 ERA, 2.68 xFIP, 238K) in the LDS. The best part of this rotation is the Cardinals faced Halladay and Hamels, and beat both, barely 2 weeks ago in Philly. The other starter, Lee , has faced St Louis twice this season. The Cardinals beat him in May, with Lee returning the favor in June. So their top three, who were a combined 50-25 this season, have all suffered a loss at the hands of these Cardinals this season. They’re good, but the Cardinals know they can defeat these three.

St Louis will counter with Kyle Lohse, Edwin Jackson, Chris Carpenter, and Jamie Garcia for Game 4. Lohse (14-8, 3.39 ERA, 3.31 xFIP, 111K) beat Halladay on 19 September. That victory was his first over Philadelphia since 2008 and snapped a 3-game personal losing streak against the Phillies. Lohse has been the best Cardinal starter during their September surge. Jackson (5-2, 3.58 ERA, 4.03 xFIP, 51K) gets a much deserved playoff start. He has allowed 3 or fewer runs in all but two of his starts since joining the Cardinals. Chris Carpenter (11-9, 3.45 ERA, 3.31 xFIP, 191K) pitched St Louis to the playoffs with a dominating start against Houston, but the price is his unavailability until Game 3. In 19 starts since June 23 he is 10-2 with a 2.73 ERA.

The Cardinals are not grossly outclassed, but the statistically the Philly starters are better. Starting pitching advantage: Philadephia.

Statistically Philadelphia’s bullpen was better than St Louis’, but with a difference of less than 1 fWAR it is a minor difference. Philadelphia’s best 2 relievers are Ryan Madson (currently the closer) and Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo was pretty close to lights out for the first 2/3 of the season, but has faded noticeably down the stretch. Their bullpen will be bolstered with the presence of starters Roy Oswalt (although he could start Game 4) and Vance Worley. Michael Stutes has also seen significant work out of the Phillies bullpen.

St Louis remade their bullpen in the Colby Rasmus trade, and have turned a liability into a strength. Jason Motte comes in for high leverage situations late in games but is not the ‘closer’ per se. Kyle McClellan, Octavio Dotel, Mark ‘Scrabble’ Rzepczynski, and Arthur Rhodes will all see action out of the bullpen. This bullpen blew 2 of the last 7 games this season, but without them the Cardinals don’t close on a 23-8 tear.

Cardinal bullpen improvement since the trade deadline makes this a dead heat. Bullpen advantage: Even.

Offensively, Philadelphia boasts a formidable lineup of aging stars. Only trade deadline acquisition Hunter Pence is under 30. Still, one takes Philadelphia lightly at their own peril. They were the sixth best offense in the NL (12th overall) this season, again by fWAR. Shane Victorino had a career year hitting mostly out of the leadoff or #2 slot. St Louis’ ability to keep him in check will be a key to winning this series. Pence, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmie Rollins, and Carlos Ruiz all posted wRC+ of 106 or better. They are capable of scoring a lot of runs, but they don’t need to with the starting pitching they have.

The Cardinals field the most potent offense in the National League, anchored by Albert Pujols and the resurgent Lance Berkman. However this offense will not be the one Philadelphia saw two weeks ago. Matt Holliday is hurting, his status uncertain; he was to receive a cortisone shot for his ailing right hand. Rafael Furcal, a catalyst who hit 7 home runs after coming to St Louis, is probably out for the year with a hamstring injury. That’s the bad news. The good news is Allen Craig has stepped into Holliday’s shoes and capably replaced him, hitting .303/.329/.606 since August 25. St Louis will probably platoon at short, with Nick Punto, Ryan Theriot, and Tyler Greene seeing some time. Furcal’s defense was shaky down the stretch, so there won’t be a large drop off there, but there will be a big offensive drop.

Even without Holliday this lineup has not lost a beat. Offensive Advantage: St Louis.

Defense is the Phillie Achilles heel. Using Bill James’ Team Runs Saved as the metric, Philadelphia had the third-worst defense in the NL this season, grading below average at pitcher, catcher, first, left, and right, and exactly average at short. St Louis’ defense was below league average, but graded out 3 spots higher than Philadelphia. Their weakest positions are (worst to best) short, catcher, third, and second. The Cardinals were exactly average at first.

So basically the Phillies have the better infield, and the Cardinals have a better outfield. Defensive Advantage: Even.

Summary and Prediction

Does good pitching stop good hitting or good hitting stop good pitching? This series will be a case study. Good hitting stopped good pitching back in mid-September, but that series did not have the pressure this one will. Sure, the pressure was there for the Cardinals, but not for Philadelphia; they came in with a magic number of 1 and clinched with their lone win. Philadelphia will play at a higher level starting Saturday then they did back then.

That’s not to say the Cardinals should not bother to show up. There is no more confident team in the NL than St Louis as this post-season starts. They were all but eliminated from the post-season 5 weeks ago, yet here they are. The team is playing with house money and they know it. All the pressure in this series resides in the dugout and clubhouse of the team anointed as World Champions before spring training started. If any team can upset the Phillies, it is the Cardinals.

So long as Halladay does not no-hit them tomorrow. Cardinals in 4.

Mike Metzger is a life-long Cardinals fan currently based in San Diego. He blogs about the San Diego Padres, and you can follow him @metzgermg

The urgency for the Royals to find outfielders seems to have lessened considerably.

Perhaps the highlight of the season for the Royals has been the surprising play of its three primary outfielders. Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur have been hitting, running, fielding and throwing like they mean to stay in KC for some time.

That is good news for a team searching for answers. But it may mean those angling for outfield spots in the future will have a battle on their hands.

Before the season, there were some overly impatient fans calling for Wil Myers to be given one of those outfield spots at some point in 2011. As it turns out, Myers will have to wait his turn. And he’ll have to prove that the lofty accolades accorded him were deserved.

Currently listed as the number one prospect in the KC farm system, as well as the number four outfielder and number 18 prospect in all of minor league baseball, Myers hasn’t exactly played a starring role this season.

In fact, he’s struggled at the plate and hit for little power, while developing slowly into an adequate corner outfielder, having shifted there from catcher during the off-season. Reputed to have an “advanced bat” for his age, Myers is hitting just .251 with only five homers.

But Myers isn’t about to call the season a failure just yet.

“I’ve dealt with some injuries early on, but so far it’s been a good learning experience for me. I’d like to have a little bit better average than I have right now, but so far it’s still been a good season.”

One particular injury threw Myers off track early in the summer, and he may have yet to fully recover. In late April he suffered a severe cut on his knee in an off-the-field accident – one that required two stitches and four staples. More than three months later, he says he is still dealing with soreness and swelling.

At this point, Myers says the injury is no longer affecting his hitting or running, but rather his comfort in times of inactivity.

“It’s not affected my baseball, I don’t think, but it just gets sore a lot of times like when I’m driving or just sleeping at night. It just has some aches and pains in it. So it’s not when I’m running or anything, but more like when I’m just doing nothing.”

Though Myers has struggled at the plate, he’s not blaming the injury.

“I don’t think it’s slowed my development,” he said. “I’m just learning the game at this level, learning the pitchers. I don’t think it’s really hurt me at all.

“It’s just about making the adjustments at every level. There’s better pitching, better players at this league, so it’s about making those adjustments.”

Myers rocketed through two levels of the minors last season. Therefore, he won’t turn 21 until December, and he is one of the younger players in the Texas League. He does admit he’s facing significantly better pitching at the Double-A level.

“That’s definitely different. These guys are more developed. These guys have more good pitches and they can throw them for strikes. So it’s definitely different to be up there knowing that those guys can throw any pitch at any time.”

The Naturals have brought Myers along slowly this season. In addition to time off due to injury, Myers has been given plenty of days off – he’s played in just 81 of the team’s 117 games. Perhaps the play of the trio of outfielders in KC has made Myers’ development seem less urgent. But his struggles have shown it would be wrong to rush him at this point.

Expectations were so lofty prior to the season that anything short of spectacular was bound to be a disappointment. But Myers is doing his best not to let those expectations affect his performance.

“I try not to worry about those things,” he said. “I don’t feel any added pressure. I just try to go out and get better every day, get key hits when I can, work with my coaches, and make adjustments along the way.”

Compounding the difficulty of recovering from injury and adjusting to tougher competition, Myers has added a position change to his workload. Prior to this season, Myers had played only catcher in the Royals system. But so high was the opinion of his work with the bat that it was decided he would advance more quickly if he were an outfielder.

“Switching to outfield was a good switch for me,” said Myers. “I don’t think it’s helped or hurt my development (at the plate). They just moved me out there so that hopefully I could move a little quicker.

“I played a little in the outfield growing up. In high school I was a shortstop/pitcher guy. I never even caught in high school. So they switched me this year to the outfield and I think I’m taking it well.”

Tall, strong, and relatively fast and athletic, Myers has the potential to be a well-rounded outfielder. He knows he has a lot to learn, however,

“I think it’s one of the easier positions, honestly, to learn. But it’s harder than what people think. Reading the ball off the bat, knowing the spins, knowing how hard people are going to hit it, getting jumps off it.

“I’ve had the coaches stick with me and they’ve helped me out a lot.”

Prior to the season, many thought Cabrera and Francoeur were just keeping outfield spots warm for Myers, Lorenzo Cain, Jerrod Dyson and David Lough. But the two veterans, still in just their mid-20s, have shown they still can play and have expressed they want to do so in KC.

That’s good for KC. And it might just be good for Myers, as he appears to need a good deal more seasoning.

He will most certainly be promoted to Triple A Omaha for next season. But it would be nice if he could finish off his Double-A career worthy of his lofty reputation.

Royals fans are no strangers to watching rookies this season. Many teams are starting to give young players a chance to prove themselves but there are a few players that have been hanging around all season that are starting to turn heads.

As we enter the end of the season and look forward to the playoffs for some teams and towards 2012 for others, it is time that the rookies of this season start getting some recognition and find the spotlight falling on them.

Here are three offensive players and three pitchers in the American League that qualify for the Jackie Robinson Award given to the top rookie in each league. If you are not watching these guys by now, it is time to start.

The offensive rookies in the American League are a bit more clear cut. The Royals own Eric Hosmer is putting together a solid season with a balanced attack and showing Royals fans that first base is a position they can get behind. Angels fans would tell you that first base is definitely the position of the future for them as well as Mark Trumbo is killing the ball in Anaheim. Toronto, on the other hand, has a catcher that is showing the he can handle the bat as well, and J.P. Arencibia is getting noticed quickly.

The Odds On Favorite For Rookie Of The Year
Sorry Royals fans, it is hard to argue with what Mark Trumbo is doing for the Angels. He leads the American League rookies in Games Played and At Bats but there is a reason for that. His .261 batting average and .301 on base percentage leave some room for improvement, but his power numbers are nothing to sneeze at. With 20 doubles, 22 home runs, 63 runs batted in, and a .495 slugging percentage have him well in place to grab the Jackie Robinson Award in the American League this year.

The Runner Up
Royals fans can relax a little bit as Eric Hosmer is not too far behind Trumbo. Hosmer is posting a .282 batting average while knocking 10 home runs and driving in 47 runs batted in. Add in 19 doubles and a total of 93 hits and you can bet that the future has arrived in Kansas City and the future looks bright.

He Deserves A Look
Toronto’s young backstop, J.P. Arencibia may not be hitting for a good average, his is only .216, but what he is hitting is going a long way. He is second to Trumbo for the most home runs by a rookie in the American League with 18 and pairs that with 52 runs batted in. The drop off from there is tremendous, however, as he only posts 13 doubles and 3 triples, leaving him with a .452 slugging percentage. His on base percentage plunges below .300 and he is striking out at an alarming rate. The Blue Jays have a solid power hitter on their hands, they just hope he can learn some patience.

If it seems the offensive rookies are a bit sparse in the American League, the pitching prospects across the league are enough to get any baseball fan excited about the future. The Royals put their share of pitchers into any conversation with Aaron Crow, Danny Duffy, and Tim Collins. Jeremy Hellickson and Ivan Nova are both posting double digit wins for the Rays and Yankees, respectively. Jordan Walden, meanwhile, is closing games at a solid pace for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Up north in Seattle, Michael Pineda is racking up the innings, and strikeouts, at a rapid pace.

The Odds On Favorite For Rookie Of The Year
Speaking of Michael Pineda, he is running away with this category in 2011. He leads all rookies with 130 innings pitched and 133 strikeouts. He has only walked 43 batters and given up 12 home runs. He is posting a 3.53 earned run average and has won 9 games for a team that is struggling to win games as it is. Pineda is showing some dominance at times and not showing any signs of slowing down, at least until his pitching arm falls off.

The Runner Up
It is Jordan Walden of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim that is equally as impressive as Pineda. Walden has posted 25 saves in 32 chances, posted a 3 wins, 3 losses record. Over the course of 45 innings pitched, he has struck out 48 hitters and only walked 18. With only one home run allowed and a 2.80 earned run average, the Angels have a closer they can count on for a long time to come.

He Deserves A Look
Call me old fashioned, but I still like a pitcher that wins games without giving up a ton of runs, even if he is not striking out everyone he faces. For that reason, take a look at the Rays’ pitcher Jeremy Hellickson who has won 10 games over 7 losses while posting a 3.15 earned run average. He is going deep into games with 122.2 innings pitched and has struck out 79 hitters while walking 45. He will not bring home any hardware, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.

Around the league there are pitchers and hitters that will look to capitalize on solid rookie seasons and avoid the Sophomore Slump. While these players are showcasing themselves around the American League, it is important to take a look at one player that is not on this list that will mean something more to our i70baseball fans. Here is our honorable mention.

i70baseball Honorable Mention
The honorable mention here goes to a player that is pitching impressively despite not being in a key role, which will keep him out of discussions based on stats. Aaron Crow may be the closer of the future in Kansas City after pitching his way to an earned run average below 2.00 and striking out 49 hitters in 51.1 innings pitched. Crow has allowed five home runs this season. He has scattered 37 hits over his innings of work and taken the mound 43 times. Crow will keep fans excited to see the bullpen doors swing open in Kansas City for many future seasons.

As the season comes to an end, keep an eye on these seven players and their impact on their teams and the league when the dust settles. One of these players will take home a Jackie Robinson Award and etch their name into the history books. The rest will attempt to build on a solid rookie campaign and make a career out of it. Time will tell how well these names will become known.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Do you ever have a dream that is so fantastic and real, that when you wake up you are very disappointed? That’s how it is for many of us lately when we think of the possibility of the Royals making a push to sign potential free agent Albert Pujols after the 2011 season.

There are several ways to look at it and I cannot think of a single negative for making the offer. Even if the offer is rejected the Royals should shout it from the rooftops and issue a press release. The buzz that just the offer would make would be a nice topic of conversation in offices, homes and ballparks all over the Midwest. The Glass family would be given credit for putting their money on the table for the best player in the game. For once you would not have the “what players are you going to surround him with?” negative responses. The Royals will have the players to build a team around him, for 2012 and beyond.

#5 then and #5 now

As long as I can remember, it hasn’t made any sense for his team to go after a top free agent. Most would not even consider talking to Kansas City since they have put such a horrible product on the field. The Royals could not even make offers without being laughed at. There are those that would laugh at this dream as well, but once you lay out your case, and they actually seriously think about it, they seem to not be as firm in their ridicule.

30 million dollars a year, for 10 years. During interviews from Florida on Thursday, Albert was saying that what is being reported is not even close to reality. What actually is reality when you are talking about numbers like that? It’s amazing what baseball has become isn’t it? Dream with me for a little bit. To make the payroll easier to make, and with the Royals youth being fairly low dollar the next 2-3 years, you could heavily front load the contract. Maybe like this, 3yrs@40, 4yrs@30 and 3yrs@20. This way, while the young players are at their lower salaries, you would pay the most to Pujols. Then when service times start hitting the salaries for players like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, Albert’s pay would be less. And if after 3-4 years, the grand experiment is not successful, the front loaded contract makes it easier to find a trade partner that would take on his contract.

I am sure you may have heard this topic or similar proposals. I even heard the ESPN Baseball Today podcast from 2/15 where Eric Karabell said that it’s looking like Pujols “…doesn’t want to come back to the Cardinals, it’s starting to look like he wants to be a Cub or a Royal or whatever else he wants to be.” It is nice to hear a Royals reference on ESPN, without negativity being the driving factor. Still the thought that amazes me is that the Royals are even in this position. They could actually consider making a run at the best player in the game. Also amazing is the fact that even for the skeptical observers it is hard to shoot down. Sure it can be done, who would have thought just 1 or 2 years ago that the Royals would even be close to being mentioned as a possible factor in the biggest sports story this spring.

Perhaps the smarter solution would be to go after some other top tier free agents next off season and maybe some top starting pitching. Among those who would be free agents after the 2011 season include Rich Harden, Roy Oswalt, or Scott Kazmir. Talk of pursuing one of the players from that list would also generate excitement, especially if the Royals’ highly touted prospects perform well for the organization during 2011. If the Royals, one year from now have not made a splash of some kind via free agency, I will be surprised. The fans are very hungry while some of them are still asleep to be honest. In this dream, they would wake up and begin to see that light at the end of the long dark tunnel which is October baseball in Kansas City.

For almost 20 years, the Royals DID have one of the best players in the game at the time in #5 George Brett. The town buzzed about the Royals. It bled Royal blue because Kansas City had a winner. The Royals were among the BEST. That number 5 made history here in Kansas City, who would have thought that Kansas City would perhaps have a chance at another “one of the best” in the game, another number 5?

What’s that you say? Oh yeah… I need to let the dog out. I hate mornings!

He was one of the first acquisitions when Dayton Moore took over as General Manager in 2006. The son of former Major League pitcher Floyd Bannister, also a former Kansas City Royal, Brian Bannister was a highly touted prospect in the Mets’ organization that Moore had targeted as a future key to the Royals success. Ambiorix Burgos was sent to New York in December of 2006 and by the following summer would find himself entrenched in the Royals rotation and finishing third in American League Rookie Of The Year voting.

Bannister roared on to the major league scene pitching in 27 games and posting a 12-9 record with a 3.87 earned run average and a 1.212 WHIP over 165 innings pitched. It would be the only season to date that would see his record be above .500, his earned run average below 4.00, and would be his second most innings pitched of his career behind 182 2/3 in 2008.

This season, Bannister’s name was tossed around the various rumor mills but to no avail. He was not moved at the deadline and finished 2010 with the Royals, compiling a 7-12 record, a 6.34 earned run average and a 1.629 WHIP over 127 2/3 innings pitched – all career worsts.

Bannister finds himself in the final arbitration eligible year of his career and has to be a bit nervous as to whether the Royals will offer arbitration or cut ties by not tendering him an offer. It is assumed that Moore will actively seek to trade him to another team that hopes a change of scenery can help the tall right handed pitcher regain the form from his rookie year.

In all honesty, a trade would be the most beneficial situation for the Royals as well. Obtaining something in return for a player that just cannot seem to put it all together while wearing powder blue would help the organization save a little bit of shame and help a still serviceable player hold his head high on his way out the door.

Who knows, maybe he will end up on the other end of I-70 before all is said and done?

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
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If you did not hear the news, the Royals have traded Willie Bloomquist to the Reds for a player to be named later or cash. I am normally a fan of the Royals trading players that are in the last year of their contract. It is always good to see a Royals player who has put in his time without crying get a shot at the playoffs. I also have stated that Bloomquist should have been traded earlier in the year, but this trade is anything but pleasing in my eyes.

Bloomquist was traded after the trade deadline so he will not be able to enjoy a playoff run on the field with the Reds. Secondly the Royals are getting nothing in return basically once the dust settles. A few dollars off the books or a low level prospect is not going to change this team one little bit. So, I just kind of have to shake my head at this deal. I guess the Royals thought that they could save some cash and at the same time open a roster spot for some young talent. But if they were going to trade Bloomquist for a player to be named or cash that could have been done at either deadline so at least the man could have a chance to play in the playoffs.

This trade seems like it is a day late and a dollar short on all accounts. The only thing that could make this trade seem logical is if Bloomquist was causing a problem in clubhouse due to his lack of playing time. Earlier in the season it was rumored that he was wanting an everyday spot next season if he were to stay in Kansas City. If this was the reason for the trade then I guess it was a good move but without knowing the details behind closed doors it is hard to really make a judgement.

The Kansas City Royals have traded Jose Guillen to the Giants. The trade has long been rumored as the number one possibility and today the rumors became truth. Guillen should be in uniform for the Giants tonight as they start a series with the Padres.

The Royals will get back a player to be named later and will be paying cash to the Giants to offset some of Guillen’s remaining contract. The move comes as a get out of town trade for the Royals. They did not have a place for Guillen in the organization any longer and all trade attempts for any real value had already fallen apart. The Royals get Guillen out of the city and get a few dollars off the books. The move will allow the Royals to let some of their young talent take the field on an everyday basis for the rest of the season.

Guillen overall was a bust in Kansas City making $11 million a season and never really putting up the numbers that were expected of him. Guillen will be joining his 10th team when takes the field for the Giants.

The Giants are getting a little bit of pop added to their lineup for a hopeful late season playoff run and are really not giving up much of anything. The Giants also are not tied to Guillen past this season so any personality problems should not be that big of an issue because Guillen will not be in town long enough to really get on anyone’s nerves.

The deal is a good deal for both teams. Each side was able to get into a place that would seem to make both teams better on paper.

I personally am glad that the drama is over in Kansas City because I was tired of hearing about Guillen.

The early rumors indicate that the Player To Be Named Later in this deal is a player from the Giant’s major league roster that will have to clear waivers before they can send him to Kansas City. Check back here at I-70 Baseball for details as they emerge.