Wouldn´t being a Basball GM be fun, really what other professional sports executives get to have more fun with their Jobs. It is just like the good old days of trading my Topps Barry Bonds rookie card for your Score Don Mattingly - only you get paid, put up in hotels, eat steak dinners and get to hang out with your buddies all night (mom can´t tell you it is time for dinner).
With the seeming calm before the storm (winter meetings) the best thing we've got are rumors and things we as fans would like to see (deep down we´re the best GMs for our team)
So far the Royals have actually been fairly prominent in the rumor mill despite having such a limited arsenal to play with. Lets explore the best rumors and then take a look two flawless trade options that could make the Royals dominant next year.
The best rumor - in terms of Royals' benefit - was the proposed Jose Guillen to the Mets for Angel Pagan. Would any one have honestly objected even if the Royals had to pay $11 of the $12 Mil owed to Guillen this year in order to get a seemingly serviceable and possibly a very valuable young center fielder? This could have erased all of Dayton Moores hiccups from last year but...it was too good to be true (see story)
Alberto Callaspo has been in more rumors than Roy Halladay ever since the Royals acquired another young second baseman. Now Dayton had to come out with the standard "we are not shopping him" SuperGM-tough-guy-statement right before the meetings to try and get max value for a player that they have almost forced themselves into trading (see story). That everyone knows the Royals need to trade him for something of equal value makes this the most interesting wait and see trade they have pending.
The Royals are in hot persuit of Erik Bedard (no lefty in rotation equals death) an oft injured former quality starter who might have some potential upside. Basically a more expensive Bruce Chen. If he really is healthy, no way the Royals outbid other clubs (see story).
The best one - in terms of what the hell are you thinking - is the team's interest in Pudge. Seriously Royals, Dayton please see Benito Santiago from a few years back (see story).
Now, drum roll please, here are the two trades that would change the team, with as much upside and as little downside as possible, based on the realistic conditions of the trade market (no Pujols for Guillen tomfoolery) and keeping it interesting no minor league deals here we want to see something on Sportscenter:
Trade #1:
Royals give/Cubs get: Jose Guillen, John Buck, Alberto Callaspo
Cubs give/Royals get: Milton Bradley, Geovany Soto, Sean Marshall
Result: Teams swap problem children, Royals lose money but might get what they pay for in the end as well as getting a catcher with lots of upside and possibly the lefty they want for the risk of the extra money. The Cubs get cheap offense from Callaspo and Buck might hit 30 homers in Wrigley, not to mention getting rid of a player they can't keep without having to eat his contract.
Trade #2:
Royals give/Mets get: Gil Meche, Josh Anderson, Mike Jacobs
Mets give/Royals get: Oliver Perez, Angel Pagan
Result: Teams swap expensive contracts (Both are owed 2yrs/$20+ mil), the Mets get the benefit because Gil is much less risky than Ollie but for that they have to give up Pagan and sweep up the Royals trash. The Mets can then decide if they want to experiment with Jacobs at 1B and get a very good #2 starter behind Johan for a couple of years. The Royals possibly get the steady-Eddie CF they desperately need and a potentially dominant lefty starter behind Grienke.
The Odds of these happening are a million to one but with these trades the Royals might actually resemble a professional ball club and wouldn't really be any worse for the wear. Dayton please contact the Powder Blue Room if that assistant GM jobs becomes vacant.
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