The Royals. What Am I Missing?

[zwiefz]

I just saw that the Royals gave Johan Pino a major league contract.  That doesn't mean that he will definitely make the team, but after they signed Morales recently I have to wonder what they are seeing/doing.

 

Are the baseball gods just reminding me that all teams, not just the Twins make moves that make you shake your head?

 

Are the Royals secretly baseball geniuses who will turn those two into All-Stars? 

 

Maybe they have been trying to copy the Twins blueprint for years going from a joke(the mid 90's) to the point of being the lovable underdogs who had sucess doing the little things right despite the odds/payroll(the mid '00's),  and they have now moved onto the let your key players leave and sign washed up vets phase(the last few seasons).

 

 

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

They also added Alex Rios to play in the oufield for them - taking the spot that had been held by Willingham and Ibañez.

 

Yohan on a major league deal just means he's got a 40-Man spot, right? or is it a 25-Man spot? He's probably looking at the same role for KC that he had in Minnesota. The Royals will still be looking for another Starting Pitcher to take the spot vacated by James Shields... 

[markos]

My guess is that they looked at Pino's high flyball rate and decided he might be serviceable in front of their outfield defense. 

[kab21]

I have no idea how Kendrys got that contract after his injury history and the disaster of 2014 for him.  I would have guessed 1/5 optimistically.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Yohan on a major league deal just means he's got a 40-Man spot, right? or is it a 25-Man spot?

40-man spot right now.  Actually, the 25-man roster ceases to exist during the offseason.

 

A little strange to see Pino get a big league deal, but it just gives him more guaranteed money and maybe a leg up on the competition in spring training.  He could still be cut at any time, and I believe he also has options remaining to be sent to AAA should they so desire.

[Mike Sixel]

No idea why Pino gets a ML deal, but it's cheap.

 

I don't get the Morales signing at all.

[big dog]

Dayton Moore trying to catch lightning in a bottle with ex-Twins?  Morales, Pino- now he just has to get Valencia and Hendriks back from Toronto for another tour.  Maybe Young and Casilla, too.

[nicksaviking]

No idea why Pino gets a ML deal, but it's cheap.

 

I don't get the Morales signing at all.

 

The Morales signing may be the strangest this offseason. 

 

Perhaps it's just a signal that the Royals are ready to go back to their days of terrible decision making. 

[JB_Iowa]

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 9m9 minutes ago 
Still just ... Wow. "@BlairKerkhoff: Kendrys Morales: '15 $6.5 mil, '16 $9 mil, '17 $11 mil or $1.5 buyout on mutual opt w/ $750K per yr ”

[USAFChief]

To me the biggest head scratcher is $10m guaranteed for Brett Anderson.

 

He hasn't reached 100 IP in a season since 2010, and hasn't reached 50 since 2011.

 

I guess what we can take from all this is teams have a lot of money to throw around.

[Otwins]

I mentioned Anderson as being interesting for the Twins but I assumed a low base with incentives. I too was surprised by the 10 Million guaranteed with his injury history. Just glad it was not the Twins

 

Pino is no loss. Just cheap rotation depth. I assume that is how KC got him to sign by offering major league contract. Must figure that it is worth it to pay the minimum and have him at AAA

[PseudoSABR]

The Royals seem to be following the Twins model, by supplementing the club with aging wonders like Rondell White, Roman Ortiz and the like.  They are getting better players, but they are paying more.   

[PseudoSABR]

Looks like the Royals will add Volquez at 2/20; an affordable, if not approximate, replacement for Sheilds.   

[Brandon]

Pino is no loss. Just cheap rotation depth. I assume that is how KC got him to sign by offering major league contract. Must figure that it is worth it to pay the minimum and have him at AAA

Pino could also be their swingman.  I hope he has a couple of nice seasons so he can make some cash.

[drock2190]

Looks like the Royals will add Volquez at 2/20; an affordable, if not approximate, replacement for Sheilds.   

 

Yuck. He's going to be horrible. Going from the NL to the AL and last year was just an abnormally.

[Monkeypaws]

They caught fire at the right time last season - it happens.

 

Otherwise they've been pretty ineffective at all levels - wouldn't be surprised if they wait another 20 some years for a ALCS.

[jokin]

Yuck. He's going to be horrible. Going from the NL to the AL and last year was just an abnormally.

 

I love the fractured syntax- for some reason, it fits right in with the Royals recent decision-making skills.     Were you going for "anomaly" or "abnormality"?

[Seth Stohs]

Was so happy when he got the call up last year. There was nothing more he could have done to earn it. Good for him. Had a nice debut outing. I think he can be a big league swingman. I'm happy for him. A little surprised at the 40 man spot, but good for him! I'm sure it's still a split contract, but he'll make league minimum (or slightly more) in the big leagues and probably a couple-hundred thousand if he's in the minors.He's got two option years left.

[drock2190]

I love the fractured syntax- for some reason, it fits right in with the Royals recent decision-making skills.     Were you going for "anomaly" or "abnormality"?

 

Something like that haha

[ashbury]

I love the fractured syntax- for some reason, it fits right in with the Royals recent decision-making skills.     Were you going for "anomaly" or "abnormality"?

http://aamcconnell.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/abby-normal.jpg

[nicksaviking]

Was so happy when he got the call up last year. There was nothing more he could have done to earn it. Good for him. Had a nice debut outing. I think he can be a big league swingman. I'm happy for him. A little surprised at the 40 man spot, but good for him! I'm sure it's still a split contract, but he'll make league minimum (or slightly more) in the big leagues and probably a couple-hundred thousand if he's in the minors.He's got two option years left.

 

It was a nice story, and the team did reward him for what seemed like years of toiling in the minors.  Still, it's those kinds of decsions that drive some of us crazy.  The team was out of contention and Pino was clearly not going to be part of the team's future.  The job should have gone to May who should have stuck in the rotation the rest of the year giving the team a much better read on him coming into this year. 

 

I know it's cold, but as people are saying now about the prospects and the rotation crunch, there would have been opporunities later in the year for Pino to get his congratulatory call up.  This team can't be making decisions on what's "fair" for individual players because in the long run, those decisions all too often aren't in the best interests of everone else in the organization. The good of the many outweighs the good of the few.

[Mike Sixel]

It was a nice story, and the team did reward him for what seemed like years of toiling in the minors.  Still, it's those kinds of decsions that drive some of us crazy.  The team was out of contention and Pino was clearly not going to be part of the team's future.  The job should have gone to May who should have stuck in the rotation the rest of the year giving the team a much better read on him coming into this year. 

 

I know it's cold, but as people are saying now about the prospects and the rotation crunch, there would have been opporunities later in the year for Pino to get his congratulatory call up.  This team can't be making decisions on what's "fair" for individual players because in the long run, those decisions all too often aren't in the best interests of everone else in the organization. The good of the many outweighs the good of the few.

 

Truth.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

That's the eternal question of pro baseball, though, right?

 

is the point to win, at all costs?

is the point to maximize profit, this is a business after all?

is the point to have "fun," embrace the unique storylines and operate based on a mix of competitive and compelling moves? 

 

Take the Twins' adding Torii Hunter: was it a sentimental move that happened to also make some baseball sense, or was it a purely financial/competitive move that had a coincidental sentimental connotation?

 

Calling up Pino - it could be viewed as a baseball decision, or a "feel-good story" with some baseball sense.

 

I don't think there are very many moves made in baseball that are purely soulless business decisions.

 

The level of fairness shown to the guys like Pino, Bernier, Colabello, etc is important in the long run, though. The way a team treats its worst players makes the team's reputation.  

[ashbury]

That's the eternal question of pro baseball, though, right?

 

is the point to win, at all costs?

is the point to maximize profit, this is a business after all?

is the point to have "fun," embrace the unique storylines and operate based on a mix of competitive and compelling moves?

If you're looking for a single point to baseball, you're missing the point.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Yes, I agree! That was my point, if I had one.

[Kwak]

Promoting the "marginal" player to the majors (especially on a bad team like the Twins) makes a statement to said "marginal players":  "sign a contract with us and you'll get a crack at 'the show'."  Admittedly, the probability that said player will make an impact is low, but there are some 1/2-season wonders (Diamond) who just might make a difference.

[Brandon]

I think Pino replaces Chen as their swingman as he is the righthanded version of him.  soft tossing and all. 

[PseudoSABR]

 

I know it's cold, but as people are saying now about the prospects and the rotation crunch, there would have been opporunities later in the year for Pino to get his congratulatory call up.  This team can't be making decisions on what's "fair" for individual players because in the long run, those decisions all too often aren't in the best interests of everone else in the organization. The good of the many outweighs the good of the few.

I think this is a short sighted way to run any kind of organization.  Pino didn't get called up because of fairness or sentimentality; he got called up because he was 1) the most ready and 2) he had earned it.  What you don't want is to pass people over who have earned a promotion for a golden boy who might have more value someday, but clearly less ready at the time of the promotion.  I also reject the idea that prospects overall growth is necessarily deterred by keeping them in the minors, of course growth could be stunted if they are held back wihtout reason, but those aren't the facts we have here.  There's some kind of notion that if pitching prospects can get up to the majors quicker, they can learn quicker, take their lumps sooner, and be ready quicker.   Prospects aren't baked goods, throwing them in the oven at a sooner time, does not mean they'll rise to their ceiling more quickly. I imagine the evidence of players ability to learn at the ML level might be in part found by their habits, discipline, and attitude at lower levels; box score success doesn't speak to this.  I just reject the idea that Twins promotion of Pino or whoever somehow prevented May or Meyer from achieving success sooner; there's no evidence of that, and it's completely speculative.  (Goes back to the ole Pitching Promotion Paradox: if promoted pitcher succeeds at ML level right away, conclusion: should have promoted him sooner; if promoted pitcher fails at ML level right away, conclusion: should have promoted him sooner!)

 

You don't only foster your grade A assets, you foster all of your assets; you don't pass over a potential minor part of success just because you have more invested in particular player.  The team will eventually need aging minor league veterans to contribute on the bench, in the bullpen, at the back end of the rotation, and in place of injury.  If you don't reward those kind players with meaningful promotions on a consistent basis, you might find you lack such players when the organization is closer to success.  Those quality minor league vets will sign else where teams will give them opportunities, eventually the nice-shining prospects will run out or fail, as we begin to win again. 

[Linus]

I think this is a short sighted way to run any kind of organization. Pino didn't get called up because of fairness or sentimentality; he got called up because he was 1) the most ready and 2) he had earned it. What you don't want is to pass people over who have earned a promotion for a golden boy who might have more value someday, but clearly less ready at the time of the promotion. I also reject the idea that prospects overall growth is necessarily deterred by keeping them in the minors, of course growth could be stunted if they are held back wihtout reason, but those aren't the facts we have here. There's some kind of notion that if pitching prospects can get up to the majors quicker, they can learn quicker, take their lumps sooner, and be ready quicker. Prospects aren't baked goods, throwing them in the oven at a sooner time, does not mean they'll rise to their ceiling more quickly. I imagine the evidence of players ability to learn at the ML level might be in part found by their habits, discipline, and attitude at lower levels; box score success doesn't speak to this. I just reject the idea that Twins promotion of Pino or whoever somehow prevented May or Meyer from achieving success sooner; there's no evidence of that, and it's completely speculative. (Goes back to the ole Pitching Promotion Paradox: if promoted pitcher succeeds at ML level right away, conclusion: should have promoted him sooner; if promoted pitcher fails at ML level right away, conclusion: should have promoted him sooner!)

 

You don't only foster your grade A assets, you foster all of your assets; you don't pass over a potential minor part of success just because you have more invested in particular player. The team will eventually need aging minor league veterans to contribute on the bench, in the bullpen, at the back end of the rotation, and in place of injury. If you don't reward those kind players with meaningful promotions on a consistent basis, you might find you lack such players when the organization is closer to success. Those quality minor league vets will sign else where teams will give them opportunities, eventually the nice-shining prospects will run out or fail, as we begin to win again.

Truth.