Shields is a top of the rotation pitcher. Will he be enough to make the Royals contend in 2013?
The Kansas City Royals have had just one winning season since 1995. After the revenue explosion created a large gap between the Royals and most of the rest of the league, the Royals have been struggling to catch up ever since. First, they signed veterans who couldn’t get a job anywhere else. After that didn’t work, the organization began to revamp their Minor League system under General Manager Dayton Moore. The farm system improved, but Moore continued to make bizarre Major League deal after bizarre Major League deal. Moore asked fans and analysts to trust the developmental process, saying that it would take time.
Rebuilding does take time, but as the Royals’ farm system began to produce, the worry that really began to surface was whether or not Moore could add pieces to a young, talented core at the Major League level. From his track record of signing the likes of Jeff Francoeur and Yuniesky Betancourt, there were legitimate worries.
Those worries seemed to come to fruition late Sunday night as the Royals sent their number one prospect, outfielder Wil Myers along with Minor League pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Mike Montgomery, and Minor League infielder Patrick Leonard to the Tampa Bay Rays for starting pitcher James Shields and reliever/starter Wade Davis. The Rays will also send a player to be named later.
Read the rest at FCP on OS
