by Jason Martinez
The Kansas City Royals, a team that could probably compete in the AL Central in 2012 if they can upgrade their starting rotation this offseason, have acquired left-hander Jonathan Sanchez from the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Left-handed starter Ryan Verdugo, who had a 4.35 ERA in 25 starts for Double-A Richmond, was also sent to Kansas City in the deal. Here's a breakdown of how each roster is affected by the trade:
San Francisco Giants
Cabrera, 27, is under contract for one more season and is projected to make $4.4M in arbitration next season, according to Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com. After a subpar season in 2010 when he hit .255 with 4 HR, 27 2B, and 7 SB for Atlanta, the switch-hitter rebounded after signing with Kansas City last offseason by setting career-highs in just about every category across the board, including batting average (.305), HR (18), 2B (44), RBI (87), and SB (20). Even a slight decrease in production should be enough to boost a Giants offense that struggled badly for most of the 2011 season. Considered a below-average outfielder (-8.6 UZR in '11), his lack of range in center field could be a problem in the NL West, which is known for it's spacious outfields.
Center fielder Andres Torres, who had an .822 OPS in 2010, spent two separate stints on the DL in 2011 and ended up with a .642 OPS. Eligible for arbitration, he's due for a slight raise on his $2.2M salary and is a non-tender candidate. Cabrera should be an upgrade offensively, although it's not certain he'll end up in center field. Nate Schierholtz and Brandon Belt are penciled in, by me, as the starting corner outfielders. GM Brian Sabean might not be done acquiring outfielders, however, and Cabrera's versatility allows him to pursue either a center fielder or corner outfielder.
 |
| The trade opens up CF for Lorenzo Cain Picture courtesy of Icon Sports Media, Inc. |
Kansas City Royals
Major League-ready center fielder Lorenzo Cain's presence made it a near certainty that he or Cabrera could be traded to upgrade a pitching staff that is simply not good enough to compete at this moment. Although Sanchez can be tough to watch at times because of his inability to throw strikes consistently, he's also no fun for hitters that have to face him. The 28 year-old has legitimate top-of-the-rotation stuff but rarely makes it through the sixth inning because of high-pitch counts. Opponents hit just .220 against him but he also walked 66 hitters in 101.1 innings. While the Royals are still without a true ace, there is no question that their rotation is better after the Sanchez acquisition. They are reportedly trying to re-sign Bruce Chen and could still pursue other trade options in the coming weeks.
Now that the speedy Cain will be roaming center field, the defense should also improve. The 25 year-old, who has a career .302 BA in 181 big league plate appearances, has adequate power and base-stealing ability. The right-handed batter hit 16 HR, 28 2B, and 7 3B this season in the Pacific Coast League while stealing 16 bases. He did strike out 102 times but his .380 OBP is a good sign that he's capable of replacing Cabrera at the top of the lineup in either the leadoff or #2 spot.
Tweet
Posts
2 comments:
So I take it the Royals are no longer interested in Jair Jurrjens?
They still need to find another starter or two so I wouldn't completely rule it out. Cain may have been their best trade chip, however, so there's probably less of a chance it happens now.
Post a Comment