14 replies to this topic

[autodrummer]

Ok When does FA start and are there any prospects that we should be interested in?

[warthog]

autodrummer, on 09 December 2009 - 11:37 PM, said:

Ok When does FA start and are there any prospects that we should be interested in?

It's started already and the Royals have already made a big splash by securing Cuban pitcher (see next post) and are looking at another.


Royals express interest in Mulder
Kendall reportedly offered deal; Chapman on radar

By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Left-hander Mark Mulder, once a 21-game winner but out of baseball last season, is being given a once-over by the Royals.

complete winter meetings coverage

Mulder, 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, is on the comeback trail after missing 2009 because of shoulder surgery. The Royals would like to bring a left-handed starter into their all-right-handed rotation.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore acknowledged on Wednesday that the Royals have interest in the two-time American League All-Star.

Mulder posted a 21-8 record for the A's in 2001 with a 3.48 ERA and was named to the All-Star teams in 2003-04. He was in the AL playoffs with Oakland in 2001-02 and in the National League playoffs with the St. Cardinals in '05.

But he hasn't pitched a full season in the Majors since then.

"Last year and the year before, he was trying to do something," Moore said. "I think he'll try to come back and pitch. He went through the rehab process, I think two years ago, and he just couldn't quite make it back. Some guys push it too fast."

The Brewers also have interest in Mulder. They could have an edge because of Mulder's relationship with the Brewers' new pitching coach, Rick Peterson. He worked with Mulder when both were with the A's.

"We'll go through the process like everybody else," Moore said. "I'm sure it'll be a low-base, incentive-type deal predicated on him making the team or getting to the Major Leagues, so we'll see."

Mulder has a Major League career record of 103-60 and a 4.18 ERA in 205 games, all but two of them starts. But he missed all of last season.

"In deals like that, players [sometimes] choose the opportunity where they can progress at a slower pace," Moore said. "Maybe our situation's right, maybe it's not for those types of players. You just evaluate them as they come."

The Royals' search for a catcher yielded nothing new Wednesday.

"In that particular market, things are moving slow, which leads me to believe that the clubs that are seeking players that we're seeking are all consistent with their approaches and nobody's really winning the negotiations," Moore said. "Everybody's probably pretty similar."

Kansas City is reportedly looking at, among others, free agents Rod Barajas, Jason Kendall and Jose Molina.

There was a report on Wednesday night that the Royals had offered Kendall a two-year contract, but Moore declined to comment.

"I can't comment on people that we've offered contracts or haven't offered contracts to," Moore said. "Someone told me that, too, but I just can't say anything about that."

Nor was there any progress on a center fielder or pitchers. By late Wednesday afternoon, the Royals had made no deals at the Winter Meetings, which close Thursday.

"It's unpredictable," Moore said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we got something done or if we didn't get something done and two weeks from now, we're in the same boat. It's just unpredictable."

The Rule 5 Draft comes at 8 a.m. CT on Thursday, and the Royals have the fourth choice. But they'd have to clear a spot on their 40-man roster to use it.

Just before the Winter Meetings began, the Royals agreed to spend about $7 million on Cuban left-hander Noel Arguelles. Next week in Houston, another highly-regarded lefty from Cuba, Aroldis Chapman, will have a showcase event in Houston for Major League clubs.

Moore indicated the Royals would take a look. Chapman, however, has been rumored to be looking at a signing bonus of $15 million or more.

"I don't know," Moore said. "Arguelles was rumored at $14 million at one time, so you don't know. You just do the work."

http://kansascity.ro...xt=.jsp&c_id=kc

[warthog]

Cuban Arguelles agrees to deal with Royals

By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports Dec 5, 11:06 pm EST


The small-market Kansas City Royals are betting big on a free agent they’ve seen pitch only a handful of times.

Noel Arguelles, a 19-year-old left-hander who last year defected from Cuba, agreed to a five-year, $7 million major league deal with the Royals on Saturday, according to a club source. Arguelles can earn up to $2 million in incentives as well. An official from another team interested in Arguelles said he had been informed a deal was close.

The contract is contingent upon Arguelles passing a physical. He remained in the Dominican Republic on Saturday and was expected to fly to Kansas City this week. The Royals still must clear a spot on their 40-man roster to make room for Arguelles.

Along with shortstop Jose Iglesias, Arguelles left the Cuban junior national team while in Canada last year. Iglesias signed a four-year, $8.2 million deal with Boston and impressed scouts in the Arizona Fall League. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Arguelles got into pitching shape, worked out in front of more than 100 people in the Dominican and had at least a half-dozen teams interested in signing him.

Kansas City pursued him hardest and continued its commitment to building a strong player-development program, particularly on the pitching side. The Royals have a half-dozen young arms who project to be major leaguers, including top prospect Mike Montgomery and this year’s first-round pick, Aaron Crow.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore spent the first decade of his career with Atlanta, where he watched the Braves dominate the NL East with superior pitching. Kansas City hopes to build around AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke(notes) with a farm system that has been infused with talent after years of skinflint draft budgets.

Arguelles’ talent is unquestioned. While his fastball during workouts wasn’t at the 94 mph it reached during his national team days, his changeup remains a potential out pitch and his curveball projects above average as well. Control is Arguelles’ biggest pitfall.

Scouts who saw his workout believe Arguelles will start the season at Class A. Because he is on a major-league deal, like Crow, his timetable could be accelerated once he acclimates to American baseball.

Aroldis Chapman, the 21-year-old left-hander who throws 100 mph and defected from Cuba in July, remains unsigned. Executives believe he could receive anywhere from $15 million to $30 million this offseason.

http://sports.yahoo....pe=lgns&print=1

[penguin]

Bale and Jacobs were cut today.

[Coach]

penguin, on 10 December 2009 - 08:27 AM, said:

Bale and Jacobs were cut today.

F**k yes on the Jacobs getting the axe.

And I surely hope the Royals aren't giving Kendall a deal. Kendall really sucks as a defensive catcher, and he's not that good offensively.

[HG]

Coach, on 10 December 2009 - 12:37 PM, said:

F**k yes on the Jacobs getting the axe.

Awwwww.. I thought you and Jacobs were bestest buddies

[Coach]

HG, on 10 December 2009 - 12:52 PM, said:

Awwwww.. I thought you and Jacobs were bestest buddies

Hardly.

[warthog]

Posted on Tue, Dec. 22, 2009
Royals sign outfielder Anderson
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

The Royals and outfielder Brian Anderson on Tuesday agreed to a one-year contract worth $700,000.

Anderson hit .243 with four homers and 18 RBIs in 86 games for the Red Sox and White Sox last year and figures to have a good chance at being the Royals’ starting centerfielder along with Mitch Maier. Willie Bloomquist could also get some time in center.

Anderson turns 28 in March, and never found regular starts in Chicago or Boston. He started a career high 106 games for the White Sox in 2006, batting .225 in 405 plate appearances for the world champions.

Anderson’s .328 on-base percentage last season was a career high, and advanced defensive metrics indicate he’s average or below defensively.

The Royals now have 39 players on their 40-man roster.

http://www.kansascit...ry/1646339.html




PLAYOFFS!!!!!

[autodrummer]

What happen to Coco is he still with the team?

[warthog]

autodrummer, on 23 December 2009 - 01:22 AM, said:

What happen to Coco is he still with the team?

Coco is an Oakland A, as of this week.

[autodrummer]

Did we let him go or trade???

[warthog]

autodrummer, on 23 December 2009 - 03:41 PM, said:

Did we let him go or trade???

He was a free agent, apparently we had no interest in him.

[warthog]

Report: Royals sign Ankiel for $3.25 million
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

The Royals agreed to a contract with another outfielder, this time with Rick Ankiel for one year and $3.25 million, according to a report by Yahoo Sports late Thursday night. The contract includes a mutual option for 2011 worth $6 million.

Ankiel came up as a pitcher, debuting for the Cardinals a month after his 20th birthday in 1999. He was 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 2000, but came undone in the playoffs that year — he threw five wild pitches with two hits, four walks and four runs during the third inning of his first start.

He was never again an effective pitcher, but worked his way back to the majors as an center fielder. He hit .264 with 25 homers in 2008 before falling to .231 and 11 homers in 372 at bats last season.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said this week that Colby Rasmus would be the team’s center fielder, and mentioned holes in Ankiel’s swing. Ankiel, 30, is considered a good defensive centerfielder, particularly with one of the best arms in baseball.

In 2007, Ankiel confirmed a New York Daily News report that he took HGH, but said it was under a doctor’s supervision. Major League Baseball investigated, and did not issue punishment.

Ankiel’s agent, Scott Boras, was seeking a deal similar to the three years and $15 million Marlon Byrd got from the Cubs.

Ankiel’s arrival in Kansas City further complicates an already crowded outfield. Earlier this offseason, the Royals added Brian Anderson and Scott Podsednik, with incumbents David DeJesus, Mitch Maier and Jose Guillen still in place. Only Anderson has options remaining.
http://www.kansascit...ry/1699932.html



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PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!

[Dom]

Ankiel, thats interesting

[warthog]

Posted on Mon, Feb. 08, 2010
Royals sign reliever Marte, infielder Bianchi

The Royals reached one-year contract agreements Monday with reliever Victor Marte and minor-league infielder Jeff Bianchi.

Terms were not disclosed, but both deals are believed to split contracts with the major-league portion at or near the $400,000 minimum.

Marte, 29, made his major-league debut last season with eight appearances following his Sept. 5 promotion from Class AAA Omaha. He allowed 12 runs and 13 hits in 12 innings after compiling a 2.24 ERA in 39 games at Omaha and Class AA Northwest Arkansas.

Bianchi, 23, batted .308 last season while splitting 128 games at Northwest Arkansas and Class A Wilmington. He had 41 extra-base hits, including nine homers, while scoring 74 runs and driving in 70.

The two agreements leave the Royals with 11 unsigned players on their 40-man roster.

http://www.kansascit...ry/1735129.html

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PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!