Not to speak for Mike, but I believe what he typed. Mike said the Royals weren't a playoff caliber team when they made that trade. They had just finished a 72-90 season, minus 72 run differential. I think Mike was mostly correct. I would say, though, that they also gambled on the players in their system also maturing and developing. A leap of faith, if you will, rather than waiting till they were sure before adding.