As I, the Nostradamus of sports, predicted, the Royals traded Carlos Santana. With how Santana was doing leading up to the trade, it made for great trade capital and the Royals get two excellent pitchers. The question now is, do the Royals continue to play Moneyball (featuring Brad Pitt) and if so, who is next? What guy will be on the trade block? With how bad the Royals have been, surprisingly there's been a few solid individual performances from guys that could potentially be traded for younger guys with potential and better fit for the Royals. Names that come to mind are Benintendi, Barlow, Taylor, and perhaps most controversially yet most expected as well, Merrifield. All guys have seemed to have found recent and moderate success, and in my opinion, none are to be spared. Yes I know that was dark and ominous.
What I mean by that though, is that the Royals aren't done, or at least shouldn't be. The players listed could very well fill the big needs this Royals team has in the trade market, but who goes first and how do the Royals fill these needs? The top two for me are Benintendi and Barlow. Trade Benintendi for more guys that have decent averages that can get on base and drive in runs. Yes he's one of those, however if I'm the Royals I'm looking for potential at this point, and guys that you can develop into great players for cheap. For Barlow, I would either find a Grienke replacement for when he inevitably retires either at the end or middle of this season, OR you find a catcher, outfielder, or shortstop. The rest of the positions are fine and they have young guys that can fill it, however the Royals really don't have a Salvador Perez replacement/sub, they haven't had a shortstop in a WHILE, and the outfield has perpetually needed help since Gordon left. It's that, or find another key pitcher that could possibly fill a touted reliever role or starter. These guys aren't bad to keep around by any stretch, but in order for the Royals to play the long game hard decisions will have to be made. Play the young guys, find guys with potential rather than find immediate solutions that really aren't needed because this season is all but lost unless you develop and find youth, and start thinking about changes that will need to be made to coaching and personnel, because those also will have to be made. You're starting to draw your fanbase back in, continue that effort.
Burn Notice: 8/10 Keep cooking on that hot stove
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