🏀 KuBuckets Archive

We started winning with fresh blood. Guys who were having fun to be there and play. This team wasn't having fun in April. They are having fun and winning again.

By some miracle, the Royals are only 6 games back. And only 7 games from getting back to even.

If Gordo and Esky could get on a little roll too we might actually get on a serious streak.

But, with Karns out another week and Duff out another 7 weeks we are still looking at a long shot.

With the division in reach, I have officially changed my mind on selling... for now. Wait until the deadline or 10 games out of first place. Whichever comes first.

I also think, that if we are within 5 games at the deadline, we don't sell. Screw it. Everyone here would rather see an exciting August and September than crap for the next 3 seasons regardless of who we trade.

Final thought, Mondesi has been hitting like a maniac in AAA. Here is his line:

• .319 BA
• 4 HR (HR per 28.25 AB)
• 3 3B
• 7 2B
• 17 RBI
• .361 OBP
• 12 SB

Problem stats:
- 25% K-Rate
- 5% Walk rate

If we are still in it, and he continues this for another month and Esky continues sucking for another month, it'll be time to bring Mondesi up. If we are out of it though, let Esky have his last tour with KC. That way Mondesi can have a full season of hitting the ball well and get a little swagger.

I like your optimism but the fact is that this not a very good time, extremely inconsistent. They haven't put together a good run the entire season and I just do not see it happening. If I was Dayton I will be looking at all trade deals. This division will be won by Indians.

@AsadZ Didn't say don't trade. Just said don't trade yet. Wait until the deadline and then unload everyone if you're out of it.

I see your point. I feel that if we get a good offer right now go for it.

@AsadZ Problem is, what are you really going to get? Hosmer, you could argue, is better to just let finish the season. We would get a compensatory pick for him. The way Moose is hitting HR's he probably would get us one as well. Cain and Vargas are the only two guys you would 100% get rid of as they won't fetch you anything in the offseason.

Midseason trades for prospects rarely work out well, to be honest. Royals lucked out with Cain and Esky and Odirizzi who we flipped for Davis and Shields. But, that was for a Cy Young level pitcher. We don't have that value to sell right now. We would be looking at mid-tier prospects years away from playing most likely for almost anybody we offer. Vargas being the exception. And his value is most likely to skyrocket at the last minute as teams in the hunt get in a bidding war, not to get him, but to keep him from going somewhere else.

@Kcmatt7 we were still grieving Yordo in April. They played like I felt when I had loved ones die. The fog of grief is real and I think we saw it shroud our team. It is remarkable we were not further out out first.

@Kcmatt7 Hosmer is hitting much better now, he has raised his average quite a bit in one month. We may get some prospects for Cain too.

@AsadZ Cain is a good guy to trade.

Hosmer though just basically is proving he deserves a huge contract. Which is good for us. I'd rather have an extra pick at the top of the 2nd round than get prospects for him. Only way I would move him is for a can't miss prospect. I could see a Hosmer-Vargas, Cain-Vargas or Moose-Vargas combo deal with a team for 2 or 3 stud prospects.

What I hope to see is Moose getting crazy hot and being worth a $50m contract. If that is the case, you may only trade Vargas at the deadline and let the everyone ride it out. That would be about as good as we could hope for prospects. Most mid-season trades don't workout. There is a reason the prospects that get traded for aren't in the pros yet...

@Fightsongwriter I wholeheartedly agree with the grief issue. Many of these guys are (were) like family to each other. But I also thought that was pretty special, almost magical even, when Eddie pitched the no-no on Yordano's birthday.

http://www.kansan.com/sports/twitter-reaction-edinson-volquez-dedicates-no-hitter-to-yordano-ventura/article_f87c0dc8-4a22-11e7-9119-371472590a8c.html ↗

@globaljaybird I miss you!

@Crimsonorblue22 Got to see Mike Brooks yesterday-He stopped by on the way home to Nawlins. Good visit & about the first official exercise after we got back to my kitchen ... Was have that 33 degree cold one we waited on for 4 years. And it was one shy of frozen...

@Crimsonorblue22 Don't look now but Cain just broke up McCullers no-no with a triple & Moose swatted him in for da tie now in top of the 8th. Only now Sorry-uh is pitching for KC.

@Crimsonorblue22 But @globaljaybird wouldn't show me his fishing expertise so we may have to question any bragging he does. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: And he only gave me one :beer: . Guess he didn't want me to get too comfortable.

@brooksmd http://www.hutchpost.com/2017/06/08/kansas-man-catches-giant-catfish/ ↗ should have gone here

@Kcmatt7 I hope we can package Chris Young in any deal, please please

@AsadZ Not a seller's market there, unfortunately. One of the really nice guys, but gets lit more than anyone would want.

Meanwhile, the latter 2/3 of our once impregnable HDH combo is saving games right and left in the National League. I really wish the Royals would have taken a chance on Holland and aggressively kept him rather than playing this up/down/ game with Omaha pitchers.

@mayjay I am hoping Boston & Baltimore will become aggressive buyers as their battle heats up for WC spot.

@AsadZ I would take cash for young at this point, anything. Might want to pay a team to take him!