Hot Stove Update: KC Trades Wil Myers for Pitching

One of the unintended consequences of the Information Age is the amplification and, ironically, the siloing of opinion.  While the explosion of sources where people can get their news and read opinions gives the opportunity for exposure to new information and opinion, people have a strong tendency to migrate to a comfort zone.  As people congregate with like-minded believers, the increased ease of direct communication with multiple people at once often creates what has become known as an "echo chamber" amplifying these opinions as the pass back and forth without dissent.   We see it in our polarized political system, the explosion of passionate advocacy groups, religious fanaticism,  and we see it in matters as inconsequential as sports talk.  Herd and even mob mentalities can quickly arise and be difficult to contain.

The reaction to yesterday's trade by Dayton Moore of the KC Royal of uber-prospect Wil Myers along with prospects Jake Odirizzi and Mike Montgomery to the Tampa Bay Rays for James Shields and Wade Davis may be an example of that herd mentality noted above.  Moore has long been derided by the sabermetrically inclined in the  baseball commenting business and the ridicule and outright anger exploded with a vengeance.  The consensus of most internet baseball commenting sites was this is a terrible trade for the Royals.  Even more, the motivation for the trade was ascribed to Moore desperately trying to save his job, something he has since vehemently denied.  The outpouring of ridicule and anger, along with Moore's reaction to it recalls a long ago quote by Brian Sabean, "I am not an idiot!"

To be sure, Myers is the player with the highest and longest ceiling in the deal, which almost automatically makes it a questionable trade for the team giving up such a player.  It's not at all hard to see another Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio here, or George Foster for Frank Duffy, or Jeff Bagwell for Rick Anderson.  If Wil Myers develops into who he appears to have the potential for, Royals fans will be grinding their teeth at this one for a long time.

It's not like the Royals got nothing in return, though.  They have other highly rated prospects who arrived in the majors last year who have the potential to give them a strong offensive team in the near future.  What the Royals did not have was pitching.  It's not like the pitchers they got are both 1 year rentals either.  James Shields is a quality starter who may be even better moving out of the AL East beast.  His contract is controlled for 2 years.  Wade Davis was a top 3 prospect in a fairly loaded Rays system in the past.  He struggled to get established as a starter but blossomed as a reliever last year with a K/9 of 11+.  He has the size and stuff to move back into a rotation and at the very least eat a lot of innings.  At best, he can become a #2 or 3 starter. His contract is controlled out to 2017.  IMO, Wade Davis could well emerge as the key to the deal and nobody is paying him any attention at all.

As for Odirizzi, Montgomery and Leonard, Odirizzi might become a back of the rotation starter while Montgomery and Leonard are relatively low percentage lottery tickets.

Personally, I would have been hesitant to make this trade from the Royals' perspective, but the trade is not as lopsided as the blogosphere is making it out to be.   Baseball America polled 6 professional talent evaluators who disputed the conventional wisdom of the internet and several rival GM's have spoken up anonymously to defend the trade from Moore's position.

Around the League:  Remember Kevin Correia?  He just signed a 2 year contract with the Twins for $10 M.  I find that remarkable.  Kevin Correia has had one of the more anonymous careers I can recall, but he's stayed healthy and kept plugging away at the back end of weak rotations for several years now.  When he's done with this contract, at the age of 34, he will have earned a total of $23 M in his professional baseball career.  Good for him!  I like to see toilers like him take some financial security away from the game.