Sun, Nov. 06, 2005
Everybody. That’s the short answer from Royals general manager Allard Baird in regard to what free-agent pitchers he is aiming at this winter in an effort to bolster baseball’s worst rotation.
“Yep, we’re in on everybody,” Baird insisted, before departing for the annual general managers’ meetings, which opens Tuesday in Palm Desert, Calif.
“It just depends on how we match up financially. The priority is to get a guy or two who gives us innings and fits with the direction of the ballclub. A.J. Burnett is a nice (fit)…
“We’re in on everybody. I’m not trying to skirt around the issue. We are.”
Well, nearly everybody.
The Royals seem unlikely to pursue Dodgers right-hander Jeff Weaver, who is best remembered hereabouts as the guy Mike Sweeney turned into a punching bag during a memorable 2001 brawl with the Tigers at Kauffman Stadium.
But Burnett, who is putting out the word that he wants a five-year deal? Yes. Same goes for Kevin Millwood, Matt Morris, Paul Byrd, Esteban Loaiza and, well, scads more.
“We think this can be a good situation for the right guy,” assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson said, warming to his sales pitch. “A young team where you can come in and make an impact right away. A good place to live and play, and the chance to help be part of building a winner.”
For once, Baird and his lieutenants have the financial backing to match dollars in the marketplace. Owner David Glass, tired of watching his club pummeled about, is pledging a franchise-record payroll for 2006.
Specifically, Glass has authorized at least $50 million for the 40-man roster, which provides Baird with roughly $22 million in spending cash to supplement a 56-106 club in what the organization views as the next step in its rebuilding plan.
“What happened last season was unacceptable,” Glass said, “but we’ve given Allard the resources to add some players to what we think is a good young group. I think if we can come up with a couple of starting pitchers, we could get this thing turned around in a hurry.”
The Royals have lots of other items on their offseason shopping list: a power-hitting corner outfielder, a second baseman, a veteran backup catcher and a veteran middle reliever. But prioritizing the need for help in the rotation seems to be a consensus view within the organization.
That’s not surprising. The club’s starters were 33-73 last season with a 6.00 ERA. No other rotation won fewer than 45 games or compiled an ERA higher than 5.62.
“It always starts with starting pitching,” manager Buddy Bell said. “If you don’t have that, nothing else matters. Hopefully, we can add a couple of guys to take the strain off our young guys like Zack (Greinke), Runelvys (Hernandez), (Denny) Bautista and (Mike) Wood.”
The Royals want to add two starters before next season and figure the only way to do so is through free-agency.
“We’re not going to do anything trade-wise,” Baird predicted. “If you have a starting pitcher, you’re not going to give him up. We need an outfielder, and I could see us filling that need through a trade. But a starting pitcher? You’re not going to get that through a trade.”
The Royals are even willing to abandon some long-held guidelines in conducting their search, such as limiting free-agent deals to two years, aiming for clients of superagent Scott Boras and accepting the possibility of sacrificing draft picks as compensation.
It still might not be enough.
Numerous teams are trolling for rotation help in what projects as the thinnest market in years. There are 25 starting pitchers who are eligible for free-agency. None won more than 14 games last season. Only eight posted a winning record.
The soaring price of mediocrity promises to evoke envy from even oil executives. Plus, the Royals quietly acknowledge and anticipate, after suffering 100 or more losses in three of the last four seasons, the need to overpay an already-inflated market to close a deal.
“We can’t be foolish,” Baird warned. “We still have to be fiscally responsible, but we know there are certain positions where supply and demand is going to force the highest bid to get the player.
“We have limits. But for Kansas City, what we’re used to doing, then yes we’ve got to be ready to push the envelope.”
Fact is, the Royals have little choice, even though the risk/reward ratio promises to be just as severe as last season, when a less-extreme seller’s market escalated into hyperspace.
The Mets created the first shock wave by retaining Kris Benson for $22.5 million over three years even though he had a history of arm problems and a losing record throughout his five-year career.
The bidding on other free agents soon turned fierce and included the Reds spending $25.5 million for three years for Eric Milton, the Diamondbacks spending $33 million for four years for Russ Ortiz, and the Yankees spending $39.95 million for four years for Carl Pavano and $21 million for three years for Jaret Wright.
And for what?
Benson went 10-8 with a 4.08 ERA. The other four were a combined 22-37 with a 6.05 ERA. Milton was the only pitcher among the five who made more than 28 starts.
These aren’t isolated occurrences.
Royals fans railed throughout last season at watching Jose Lima, their own free-agent acquisition, collect a base salary of $2.5 million while going 6-15 with a 6.99 ERA. Club officials were similarly disappointed, which is why they are seeking help this winter in the free-agent market.
“What we’re looking for,” Jackson said, “is someone to eat innings to save wear and tear on our bullpen. Some guys who have a 4.50 ERA and keep you in the ballgame.”
Even that, based on last year, is a dear commodity.
There were 19 free-agent starters last winter who signed contracts that included a larger 2005 base salary than Lima received. Those 19 pitchers, including the five cited earlier, were a combined 189-185 (roughly a 10-10 average) with a 4.62 ERA while averaging — take a breath — $7.99 million in base salary.
“You have to go through the risk vs. reward process,” Baird admitted. “You do that on everybody, not just pitchers. You look at the issue of previous disability and make a projection on whether someone will give you dependable production.”
That promises to be no easier this winter, when virtually everyone available come attached with notable baggage.
Burnett is this year’s Benson — someone with intriguing potential but a losing record for his career. Even so, he is one of five available Type A free agents, meaning he is rated by the Elias Sports Bureau as being in the top 30 percent of the game’s starting pitchers.
Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, estimated more than 20 teams have already expressed interest. The Blue Jays, who have roughly $30 million to spend, rolled out a red carpet last week in a get-acquainted visit. The Rangers, Red Sox, Mariners, Orioles and others are expected to make an early pitch this week at the GM meetings.
The other four Type A free agents are Roger Clemens, Kenny Rogers, Weaver and Morris. Clemens either will stay with Houston or retire. Weaver is out, and Royals officials say Rogers has indicated he will pitch only for an established contender.
Morris won 14 games last season for the Cardinals after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason, but his 4.11 ERA was the second-highest of his career. Even so, the Rockies and Mariners have already acknowledged interest, and the line figures to get a lot longer.
The uncertainty of dependable production diminishes further in assessing the nine Type B free agents, which are players rated from 31 percent to 50 percent among their position group: Byrd, Millwood, Loaiza, Jarrod Washburn, Jamie Moyer, Shawn Estes, Brett Tomko, Jason Johnson and Al Leiter.
The Royals would love to reacquire Byrd, even though he turns 35 next month and has a long history of arm miseries. But the Angels, who also have plenty of cash to spend, are expected to make a strong bid to retain him.
Loaiza is similarly high on the Royals’ list despite compiling a plus-5.00 ERA in three of his last five seasons. Numerous other clubs are interested, too.
There are other possibilities.
Joe Mays is a former All-Star who has struggled in two-plus seasons to regain his form after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery. Scott Elarton had a solid season last year at Cleveland, where he seemed to blossom after exiting Colorado.
Also available: Byung-Hyun Kim, Pedro Astacio, Ismael Valdez and even Kevin Brown.
Somewhere in all that, the Royals are hoping to hit the lottery. Twice.
“We’re realistic,” Baird said. “We understand it might not happen. But we’re going to be in on everybody. You can’t win unless you play.”
Who’ll listen to Royals’ pitch?
The Royals want to bolster their starting rotation for the 2006 season and will have plenty of players to choose from. Here are eight well-known pitchers who are free agents who may be on their radar.
Source: http://www.kansas.com/