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Originally Posted by jbwm89
Spot on as always. Another angle would be signing a guy like Marcum and holding the prospects for a possible trade mid season or next offseason. Either way there has to be 1 more guy added somehow.
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Signing Marcum to a one-year deal would be a nice finish to this offsesaon. Not mind-blowing, but OK. Nice. I have long been an Anibal Sanchez fan, but if he really is demanding 8 years, he's probably going to get 6 or 7. And the Royals can't afford to have huge payroll tied up in a guy like him for 6-8 years.
Next offseason will interesting, too. The Royals' system is currently probably in the 5-8 range, with a ton of talent/depth at the lower levels.
By this time next year, they could be better positioned to go get an ace. Yes, Myers and Odorizzi are going to graduate to the majors, but there are a lot of guys who are big prospects at lower levels that should be more attractive trading chips by then.
I'm talking about guys like Orlando Calixte, Jorge Bonifacio in terms of bats (both of whom I think will spend decent time at NWA this year, and put up big numbers). Pitching prospect depth (TINSTAAPP, I know Deez) should be built back up (Zimmer, Ventura, Lamb are all potential high-end guys who should be very close to the majors, and Adam, Almonte, Baez, Selman, Smith, Brickhouse will be closer, too). And then there are guys like Bubba Starling, Cheslor Cuthbert whose stock could either skyrocket or plummet.
And let's not forget Aldaberto Mondesi, who is my favorite prospect in the system (And might be my favorite true SS prospect other than Jurickson Profar).
I think they'll be very well positioned to make a move for the Gio Gonzalez/Mat Latos/etc. person of 2013. It wouldn't shock me if in November 2013, we're talking about the Royals putting together a package for a familiar name: David Price.