Not wanting to disappoint, here you go...
Quietly I was rooting for Dayton Moore. I want to root for this guy. He has a good head for prospects and I was hoping another year would change my perception of him as a General Manager. I like the challenge that low payroll GM's face and it's fun to follow along and see if they make moves that we approve.
As said before, Moore has built a strong minor league system. Last year, I chided that Omaha should be eternally grateful. The truth is that with Moore's incredibly lack of decision making at the Major League level, Omaha will still be the big beneficiary. I can pick on Moore and all his bad signings at the pro level, but I'm not going there. I don't need to, because he has a larger problem.
Let's compare him to a General Manager who has an even lower payroll than Kansas City, the Tampa Rays. And I compare him to Andrew Friedman because they have both tried to build from within. They both use free agents to patch up shortcomings on their respective teams. Tampa has a closer through free agency in Kyle Farnsworth and added Carlos Pena to man first base.
Kansas City has Jeff Francoeur and an entire pitching staff that comes from free agency , not counting Duffy, who is still at a stage of his career where it is unknown if he is a maker or a faker and Luke Hochevar who has never pitched up to expectations.
This all to common for lower payroll teams. Mix and match with free agents.
But, here is the rub.
Friedman believes in his prospects. He's signed Carl Crawford. Ben Zobrist, Evan Longoria, James Shields, and Matt Moore to long term contracts. To me, THIS is what a low payroll team has to do. The only way to keep from losing a prospect early is to believe in your system and sign them long term. Dayton Moore misses the boat here.
Matt Moore has all of 19 innings in the Bigs, yet Friedman is convinced in his talent.
Enough to sign him for many years at a price a low payroll team can afford.
Dayton Moore has let Alex Gordon blossom and signed him for one year. Gordon has probably outplayed a multi-year contract that Kansas City can afford. Dayton Moore waited too long on Gordon.
Last year, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas started their clocks. No long term offers.
Moore is running his low payroll team like a mid level team, year to year. When bringing up prospects that he's poured his heart and soul into, he'll let them prove to him that they're worthy at the big league level before thinking of an offer.
When General Managing a small market club, one needs a little poker player in them. They have to take a few chances and they have to believe in the cards that were dealt to them.
A lot of folks think that Hosmer is a can't miss prospect. It is still in question, meaning NOW is the time for Moore to strike.
Instead, Hosmer could have a great year and drive his price beyond what Moore could afford.
With the one year contract system that Moore embraces, Kansas City becomes a minor league team for the high payroll teams.
Some writers are 'excited' that the Royals could be a .500 team this year.
Is this the bar of excellence for the Royals? I hope not.
But, the Royals going year-to-year can not aspire to much more.
Baseball America, for the last two years has proclaimed the Royals as having the best of minor league talent.
They heartily believe in the prospects that the Royals have grown.
Now that these prospects are at the major league level, Moore needs to do the same.
