Deadline Swap

Deadline Deal- KC Royals trade Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth to the Atlanta Braves for Gregor Blanco, Tim Collins and Jesse Chavez.

Gregor Blanco is a 5'11 170 lbs slap hitting average fielding centerfielder who has hit 3 HRs from '06-10 between the minors and bigs, what does he provide to the Royals? Nothing really, he doesn't run the bases well, doesn't play above average defense which he would need to be worth something, overall he is a below average player who probably does nothing more than move Maier to a corner OF spot where he loses his value. Blanco is the type of player that should be stored in AAA and brought up as an injury fill in.

Jesse Chavez - 6'2 Righty throws a mid 90s fastball with a 90 mph bump slider along with a high 80s change up. His fastball didn't appear to have much movement on it Sunday as he got tagged for a HR but he can throw hard and seems to be another possible reclamation project for McClure who had done well with Tejeda and Farnsworth the last couple seasons.

Tim Collins - Collins was the key to the deal for the Royals, he came into the season ranked as the #10 and #19 rated prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays(part of the SS deal with Braves) by Kevin Goldstein and Baseball America. Collins as I'm sure you've read elsewhere is a short hard throwing lefty with a 94 mph fastball and good 12 to 6 curve. He is only 20 and has dominated every level he has been at never recording a K/9 below 10.5 at any stop. Collins will report to AAA Omaha where he and Louis Coleman will hopefully team up as bullpen stoppers in AAA this season and in KC next.

Overall this trade is a major win for the Royals adding a couple BP arms one of which could be a real contributor with an AAA 5th OF fill in type for two soon to be Free Agents while also clearing room for younger players who need opportunities to play. Dayton Moore deserves alot of criticism for his mistakes with the big league roster in the past but the signings of Rick Ankiel, Kyle Farnsworth and Scott Podsednik turned out to be halfway decent. He got decent play from Podsednik and a half seasons worth from Farnsworth while Ankiel thanks to injury didn't block anyone. He overpaid for two of them but in the end it worked out to 5 prospects and some ok play. If GMDM continued to net those type of results from free agent signings I would be cool with it as should most Royals fans.

Ranking of the 3 deals:
#1 Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith for Alberto Callaspo
#2 Tim Collins, Jesse Chavez and Gregor Blanco for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth
#3 Lucas May and Elisaul Pimentel for Scott Podsednik

Alex Gordon to the Outfield?

When GMDM first made this move the other day I was quite angry. I felt it was just another move one of many the last three seasons that has stunted what looked like the development of Gordon in '08. After reviewing GMDMs quotes and the subsequent side moves that seem to be taking place though I find myself more on board with it, here's why:

#1 Mike Aviles got called up. Yuni was starting to become Yunified going 1 for his last 21 and while the Royals have talked a good game I don't think they were fully on board with his offseason training. Mariners fans and front office have said how lazy he was in the past and while the Royals were gung-ho about him if his laziness was an issue then that could quickly have soured the Royals on him. Scouts and GMDM might have liked Yuniesky but Trey has got to watch Aviles and Yuni play everyday for the last two seasons and one would think that Trey with his job on the line would lean more towards Aviles after his '08 production.

Aviles good start 3-5 with a HR Tuesday.

#2 Alberto out of the middle of the field. Alberto's defense has been horid the last couple years and I don't think it has to do with his hands as much as his feet. The guy has great hand eye coordination but he just isn't quick enough to play in the middle of the diamond. Maybe he is Ryan Braun light and just can't hack it with the glove but I think the move to third initially plays to his strengths as a ball player.

#3 Ankiel won't be here long. I think this definitely signals that Ankiel won't be with this organization long. While Gordon won't play centerfield I don't think they make this move if they thought that Ankiel and Podsednik could both possibly be with this team for long. While I'm not sure they have given up on Podsednik due to his production I do believe Trey and GMDM have already grown tired of Ankiel's Jacobslike performance. Still I wouldn't be shocked if we saw a outfield of Gordon-Pods-DDJ instead of the preferred Gordon-Maier-DDJ.

I don't know if GMDM is really being honest to why he is doing this after years of watching his disasterous moves no one could really no but until proven wrong I'll go along with it.

UP NEXT: Alex in Omaha, I'll take video Thursday and post.