Copyright. "The Thought Spigot"
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The first month has come and gone, in Major League Baseball. Along with some great individual efforts (Zack Grienke, Carlos Quentin, Kemp, six stolen bases in a game, by Carl Crawford, and the list goes on and on) and major surprises in some teams records (Kansas City Royals, Seattle, & Toronto in 1st place in the A. L. and the Yankees, Angels, and D-Rays are looking up). There is some great young talent to emerge and solid veterans (like Michael Young) putting up great numbers, where some of the "superstars" (Ryan Howard, Mark Teixiera) who are not worth their salt, at the moment. However, one month into the season, there is not any person (aside from Peter Gammons), who can tell what is going to happen, who will win post season awards, and the World Series winner, so there is only two things ball clubs should be looking at: (1) winning each series (for record and winning their division) and (2) building a great ball club.
Focusing on the second, as the first point (winning each series), is self-explanatory. If a team wins two of three games, or three of four games, they will end with a record of around .700-.750, which will win any division. Therefore, the focus should be on creating and building, from farm system to the "big club." The Oakland A's, have been a staple, with Billy Beane at the helm. Beane, the A's G. M., has become a baseball team building phenom, on a general team salary of "small market team" (Royals, Twins, Brewers, teams who can't have a $200 million pay roll, like the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox). The formula was keeping their own farm system, cultivating all stops in the major leagues, and signing those guys to longer contracts for middle money. Through the late 1990's-2004, the A's and Beane, brought up pitchers from their own system (Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder) and position players (Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez, & Miguel Tejada). They held onto these players, long enough for an impact and their second contract to expire, before they dealt them and became less than their previous selves.
The Royals, in 2009, they should be building for the future, not reveling in today. They have a solid nucleus, of complete farm and draft picks (Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Zack Grienke, Joakim Soria and David Dejesus), all who make under $3.75 million a year. The pick up of Gil Meche, Jose Guillen, and others are stop gaps, and that alone. Look at Mark Grudzelaniak, last years Royals second baseman (soon to be Jose Guillen and Gil Meche next year), is gone in favor of Willie Bloomquist and Albert Callaspo. As it stands, the additions of Mike Jacobs and Willie Bloomquist are not the cornerstones of a playoff team. They are mediocre players, who have a handful of years left.
Therefore, what is the difference between the Royals of today and the A's of the late 90's? Commitment, value of the dollar based on the player being considered, and the fact the Royals (and other teams) can't evaluate and pull the trigger to sign their farm/minor league picks to longer term deals (in the 4-6 year range, after the original draft contract is over). The Royals have to find a way, not only to pay (Gordon, Butler, Soria, Grienke and maybe Callaspo), plus enhance a line up with players who are not past (within 1-2 years) their prime and are assets for 3-5 years. These 3-5 year enhancement players have to be like Coco Crisp (who will steal 25-30 bases, hit .275, and lead off for 4-6 years, if the Royals can do the right thing). They also need to do a better job with the "Rule 5" draft players, free agents in the $5-9 million a year range, and finally David Glass and the "Front Office" must open their wallets. The Royals have made excellent strides with their drafts, but they must focus on signing their big players first, while continuing to add on, with some mid-level talent (especially starting and relief pitching).
This year it is great for the Royals to be in first place, after over a month of baseball. Yet, Royals fans and the people Kansas City need to look to the next three years, not this year. This year the Royals are a .450-.475 winning percentage team, at best. This is not good enough for first place in the Central Division, and they will not sniff the "Wild Card," as the East will have the wild card pick. In three years, the Royals could not only be a cellar dwelling team, but they will have one of these top players left, after free agency and teams picking the Royals apart. Gordon, Butler, Dejesus, Soria, Grienke, Callaspo, Aviles, and even Jose Guillen and Meche will be gone. Outside of the box thinking, for the future, and just a little bit more cash out of David Glass' wallet, will be the only thing to save the Royals. They have no Billy Beane and they continue to lose farm talent, to teams who will pay. Continuing to leave the Royals, every five to seven years, on the brink of going to the top of the Central and being a basement team.
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