Melky Cabrera Agrees to Deal with White Sox
By John Viril
Outfielder Melky Cabrera agreed to a 3-year, $45 million contract with the Chicago White Sox Saturday night, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The move ends hopes of the Kansas City Royals adding Cabrera to fill their need at right-field.
Royals general manager Dayton Moore is—once again—bargain shopping despite winning the American League pennant last season. Obviously, the team’s numerous arbitration-eligible players have soaked up most of the revenue increase that the team can expect from their 2014 playoff run.
Or else owner David Glass wants to pocket some profits.
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I must confess, it is hard for me to watch the Twins, White Sox, Indians, and Tigers make aggressive moves, while the Royals run in place. At this point, the Royals have lost talent relative to the team that played in the World Series two months ago, and their division rivals have improved.
Kansas City still needs to find a starting pitcher to fill the hole that James Shields will leave at the top of the Royals rotation, and a right-handed bat to replace free-agent right fielder Nori Aoki. While both are still available, the Royals do not seem willing to pay going market rates for either free-agent talent, or to land a substantial player on the trade market.
Meanwhile, Kansas City has watched division rivals sign their best fits for both positions: Ervin Santana to the Twins, and now Melky Cabrera to the White Sox.
The only area that is arguably stronger than last season is the bullpen, after Moore signed Jason Frasor, Luke Hochevar, and dealt for rule 5 draftee Jandel Gustave with the Red Sox.
While intriguing because of his triple digit fastball as a starter in the Houston Astros system, Gustave is raw. He hasn’t pitched above single A. For the Royals to keep him, they will have to carry him on the roster for an entire season. Or else they will have to offer him back to the Astros.
The Royals might be able to hide Gustave in mop-up duty given their bullepn depth, but it’s an odd move for a team coming off a World Series appearance. One would think that the Royals have enough minor-league talent that they do not need to carry a rule 5 player. Besides, can a team with legitimate playoff aspirations afford to spend a roster spot on a guy that really isn’t ready for the big leagues?
Who knows, maybe Moore is constructing a 5-headed bullpen monster so that Royals manager Ned Yost can pull his starters after 4 innings. That might seem like the newfangled way to win playoff games after both Yost, and Giants skipper Bruce Bochy, regularly exercised an early hook during the Fall Classic. Yet, the Royals will have to get back there first.
You can’t swap out relievers during the regular season like you do in the playoffs—or else you will end up with a broken bullpen by July.
Perhaps there is a method to Dayton Moore’s madness. I, however, can’t see it.