Agreed, but the "and let Dayton . . ." part gives me pause.

I agree and so do the Royals. I think they've said as much. Also agree about second base. Hopefully Colon will be ready to push Getz for the job nxt season.

Well, if you give Dayton real money he can go get real pitchers. Remember we have to over sign to get who we get. So if you're grading Dayton on the Gil Meche signing, that wasn't a bad signing.

The trade for Sanchez was BAD, but let's face it no one knew it would be that big of a whiff. Everyone knew it was questionable. And to be honest Sanchez has the talent, but not the heart. He's just collecting a check.

So yes give Dayton real money and let him sign some real pitchers, not second rate pitchers. Take off all of the restraints. It's time go for it now (2013) or we'll have to wait another 8 years.

Colon isn't much of a hitter and he's not better defensively. Let Getz be.

I agree.

Getz is a fix for second but he needs to stay healthy!!! You can't call him a fix until he plays atleast a whole season healthy.....

We need 2 starting pitchers and we are good to go!

Interesting and obvious article from ESPN in 2010, pretty much sums it up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5572029

Have we already cashed out on Giavotella?

"So if you're grading Dayton on the Gil Meche signing, that wasn't a bad signing."

it turned out to not be a bad signing, but it was stilll a risky one. meche was trying to shake the injury-proned" label, and had never established himself as a top of the rotation type prior to coming to kc. in fact, he came to kc from seattle with a career 4.65 era.

the guy just happened to have his best years while pitching in kc. jonathan sanchez came to kc with a better resume than meche, and the royals took a substantially lower risk on sanchez than they did meche.

point being, when you're a team like the royals ..... you have to be willing to take big risks, many times unconventional risks. whether it be trade or free agency, the royals are going to have to take chances on guys with red flags.

sometimes the gamble pays off, other times it doesn't -- armchair GMs be damned.

I pretty much think all Royals fans agree whole heartly that
the addition of multiple front line starting pitcher is required
this off season.

A couple of off seasons ago I was pushing for the Royals to sign
Cliff Lee as a FA , when they had Greinke under contract.

If an org. really wants to win they have to commit to pay the very
best starting pitching,

Quality starting pitching is the quickest way to turn a
non winng org. into a winner.

If Cole Hamel s is available I'd love to see them go after
him and bring Greinke back....

There is no reason to believe that a competetive Royals team
could not support a Payroll of $80 plus million or more...

Imo they have to spend a combined 35 million a season on
2 top tiers starters this off season...Either in trade or FA signing.

I'm sure he'll be in the mix in ST for the job...I just dont know if he will ever hit ML pitching well enough to make up for his glove. Imo, he would have to come very close to Melky 2011 numbers to be our starting 2nd baseman.

The real point is that Glass needs to give Moore the ability to sign 2 true aces this off season which means breaking the bank. We would be the talk of baseball if we signed 2 of these 3, Greinke, Hamels, Marcum.

And Glass would have a full stadium every night too and would *gasp* make money from that!

No more risks, just straight guarantees (minus injury).

Contrary to what 75% of the posters on this board think...Glass is a very smart man. I think he and DM think they now have a starting nine ready to compete for the Central Division title. I think he and DM also know they are two HIGH QUALITY starters away from 90+ wins. I really believe if DM signs say Greinke and Marcum, we win the Central and draw 2,500,000 fans to the K in 2013.

No doubt Glass is smart. He's just a donkey's hind end. Also no doubt the starting 9 are solid and that is a tribute to Moore. But I think there is a 5% chance we get 1 true ace this off seasons let alone 2, and that is because Glass won't open the wallet and he won't overpay. In order to get a risky SP we have to pay ace pay. In order to get an ace we'll have to pay moonshot dollars. It's a crappy cycle until we show we're for real. Then it will get easier.

I think the odds are about 100% the Royals go out and get at least one legitimate starter for nxt season and I think its better than 50/50 we end up with at least two new starters for nxt season.

<<I think the odds are about 100% the Royals go out and get at least one legitimate starter for nxt season . . . >>

Define "legitimate." I think they will get a starter, and probably two, but a lot of us would have considered Sanchez a "legitimate" starter when he was aquired.

I really believe DM is going to sign either Marcum or Greinke and will likely take a run at both. Can you imagine the headline in the Star..." Greinke and Marcum come home" If he signs one but not the other then I think he'll trade for another starter of the same ilk or close.

I think they'll take a run at a few big name pitchers, and might get one. But there are also a lot of guys between those big names (Greinke, Marcum, etc.) and ANYONE on this current roster, who should be available either as a FA or without giving up Myers, Odorizzi, etc. If the Rs come out of the offseason with a legit #1/2 starter, and another guy who is a legit #3 (which is what Odorizzi PROJECTS to be, FWIW), I'll be VERYhappy.

Sanchez is definitely illegitimate.

there's no way that the rest of baseball allows the royals to snatch 2 ace types off of the open market. greinke and hamels, for example, would just have to absolutely prefer kc over everyone else for that to happen.

i think that there is a possibility that the royals will push hard for a top of the rotation pitcher on the open market, and somewhat less of a possibility that they trade for 1.

we'd be extremely lucky for both to happen.

with the royals having a few in-house options ready for full duty return by 2014, i wouldn't expect them to make more than 1 long-term commitment to a starter - probably a free agent.

after that, they may trade for the best stop-gapper that they can find in addition.

Obviously starting pitching should be the key focus to the offseason, but there are still several areas where the team can improve. Second base is one. If Chris Getz can stay healthy and play like he is right now, then he's fine, but those are two HUGE "if's" as he's never done so in his career.

We will need someone else in the outfield, as Frenchy is pretty much showing last year was a career year aberration, and I have huge doubts about Cain's offensive ability. Maybe Myers will solve this, maybe he won't.

This team lacks any sort of on base skills outside of Gordon and Butler (and maybe Hosmer if he can get his average back up), so that is an area that definitely needs to be improved upon.

Starting pitching, though, should be far and away the top priority.

"huge doubts about Cain's offensive ability" Why? He had a solid season in Omaha last year and so far this season he's hit very well. The year before we got him he hit well for the Brewers. I know he hasnt done it in ML baseball on a consistent basis but so far has hasnt done anything to give me "huge doubts".