The Royals struck early this low season by re-signing Michael Wacha simply after the World Sequence, and on Friday they made one of many first main trades of the low season by buying second baseman Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer from the Reds for pitcher Brady Singer. The commerce is an audacious one but it surely addresses the most important weak point on the group and displays a brand new aggressive perspective from this entrance workplace that may give them a greater probability of sustaining their success.
The Royals focused Jonathan India as a result of he’s a hitter who can get on base. Transferring away from Nice American Ballpark will depress his already modest dwelling run totals – out of his 15 dwelling runs final 12 months, solely 8 would have been out at Kauffman Stadium. However India nonetheless had a .342 on-base share on the street final 12 months, and the Ok is definitely the most effective offensive stadiums for hits and walks. He might very properly exceed his on-base numbers in Kansas Metropolis, which is able to make him worthwhile even when his energy numbers decline.
As for the place he performs on the sector, it appears seemingly he would be the new on a regular basis second baseman with Michael Massey seemingly transferring to an outfield/DH function, or probably traded for a pitcher or outfielder. The Royals have indicated that Massey’s persistent again points stem from enjoying second base, so transferring to the outfield often is the solely option to maintain him on the sector.
The commerce says just a few issues about the way in which the entrance workplace is approaching this low season. To begin with, they’re not clinging to hope. Final winter they stated they might not afford to attend round for some younger pitchers. This 12 months, they could be having the identical perspective with their younger hitters. Michael Massey is an okay hitter with good energy and a poor OBA who fields his place fairly properly however has hassle staying on the sector resulting from again points. A couple of years in the past, the Royals would have clung to hope that the man might keep on the sector for 150 video games and enhance (that is how Adalberto Mondesi stayed on the group for therefore lengthy!)
Now, the Royals aren’t going to relaxation their future on optimistic pondering, they’re aggressively looking for to enhance the group. The Royals had the third-worst stroll charge in baseball and their .270 on-base share from the leadoff spot was by far and away the worst in baseball. Bobby Witt Jr. had the eighth-most plate appearances in baseball with the bases empty. J.J Picollo rapidly recognized the issue and addressed it. Jonathan India had the fifth-best stroll charge in baseball this 12 months and he has a profession .352 on-base share. The one Royals hitter to succeed in that mark in any of the final three seasons is Bobby Witt Jr.
The second factor this says concerning the entrance workplace is they’re actually transactional now. Being transactional doesn’t simply imply transferring on from gamers which have demonstrated they aren’t good, it means making the commerce that generally hurts. Brady Singer, for all his warts, has been one of many higher pitchers in baseball the previous few seasons. Since he got here as much as the massive leagues, he ranks thirty sixth out of 173 beginning pitchers in fWAR. He is probably not an ace, however he’s a really strong mid-rotation starter in his prime.
However he’s additionally a pitcher they didn’t also have a want for of their post-season sequence towards the Yankees. If the Royals had India as a substitute of Singer final October, they’d have stood a significantly better shot of advancing to the ALCS. Buying and selling from an space of depth to deal with an space of weak point is what sensible groups do. Singer might very properly go on to have nice success – and that’s high quality! The Royals shouldn’t be afraid of constructing trades as a result of a participant they eliminate has success.
Buying and selling Singer hurts the pitching depth, however this can be a significantly better free agent market to seek out pitching than to seek out hitters. Picollo appears to point they intend to fill the lack of Singer by including extra pitching depth.
“We be ok with the blokes who’re clearly established in our rotation, and I’ll say it’s a danger value taking realizing how fragile beginning pitching may be. However we do assume we have now loads of (pitching) choices and the offseason isn’t over.”
The sustainability of Singer’s success has always been questioned resulting from his reliance on simply two pitches. He was terrific this 12 months, however only a 12 months in the past he posted the third-worst ERA in baseball for anybody with no less than 150 innings. Promoting excessive on him is what a wise small-market group would do – buying and selling him for an precise worthwhile big-league beginning participant as a substitute of prospects is what a wise small-market group severe about profitable now would do.
There are different ancillary advantages to this deal. Joey Wiemer is a pleasant throw-in as a toolsy former prime 100 prospect who hasn’t appeared to determine large league hitting but in a restricted audition. He could possibly be a pleasant mission for Alec Zumwalt and his workers to see if they will unlock the terrific uncooked energy he possesses. Even when he hits a bit bit, he has the blazing velocity to be a optimistic on protection and be a bat off the bench or a platoon associate for Kyle Isbel.
The Royals additionally avoid wasting cash within the commerce that would go in the direction of extra pitching or addressing the outfield. Singer is projected to make over $8 million by way of arbitration, whereas India is underneath contract subsequent 12 months on a $5 million wage.
In sum, this can be a enjoyable pure-baseball commerce that has turn into rarer because the gulf between group spending has widened. Each groups traded from depth to deal with a necessity and each may gain advantage from this deal. The Royals might have rested on their laurels and gone to battle with the identical gang that improved by 30 video games this 12 months. This commerce reveals they aren’t content material to get simply this far, and they are going to be aggressive about taking this group all the way in which.
