Royals Trade Melky Cabrera to Giants for Jonathan Sanchez, Prospect Verdugo
by Justin Bopp on Nov 7, 2011 1:13 PM EST
in MLB Breaking News
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PrintBob Dutton is reporting that the Kansas City Royals have traded Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Jonathan Sanchez and a minor league pitcher:
#Royals trade OF Melky Cabrera to San Francisco for P Jonathan Sancez and minor-league pitcher Verdugo.
This clears up speculation on why the Royals wouldn't move either of their top prospects, Will Myers and Lorenzo Cain, for Atlanta's Jair Jurrjens as rumored earlier this week. With Melky gone, that clears the way for the Royals to bring up Cain -- an immediate defensive upgrade in center field.
This also shows why Dayton Moore signed Cabrera to a relatively friendly deal with a logjam in the outfield, as he was able to sell high for Sanchez. The 29 year old Sanchez had a down season in 2011, fighting off injuries and only logging 101 innings. However, just one year earlier he maintained a 3.07 ERA and fanned 205 in 193 innings -- not a bad clip.
Cabrera is coming off one of his better seasons, too, hitting .305 / .339 / .470. He's scheduled to make $1.25M in 2012. The Royals will be adding Sanchez' 2012 salary of $4.8M, a $3.5M difference. My initial take is that this is great, relatively harmless move for Dayton Moore, adding another arm at a low cost while moving a trade-able piece to clear the way for a prospect in need of promotion.
Update: Here's the official release from the Royals, noting that Sanchez has the 3rd highest K/9 of anyone in baseball since 2006 (behind Lincecum and Kershaw).
Comment starter: who got the better end of the deal, Kansas City or San Francisco?
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Love this trade for Kansas City. They basically took an excess piece and acquired an upside starting pitcher for him. This move allows them to plan on Lorenzo Cain starting the season in CF between Francoeur and Gordon.
Trade isn’t great IMO for SF, but they got a solid outfielder at least in return.
Definitely like it better than the rumored ATL-KC trade.
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Royals win this deal. They sold high on Cabrera and got a top end starter.
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Well, top-end for KC. He's a #3 in a perfect world, I think.
The thing I like about the deal for KC is the timing — probably the best possible scenario that Royals fans could’ve hoped for after DM signed Melky right after (that was afterward, right?) acquiring Cain via Greinke.
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The Giants did need a center fielder
but was Cabrera really worth Sanchez? They got a pitching prospect too, but that was all they could get? I just thought they could do better.
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by Marisa Ingemi on Nov 7, 2011 5:03 PM EST up reply actions
Better like who?
I’ll definitely listen to alternatives; I’m just not sure KC gets rid of a logjam AND a slightly-to-much better pitcher in the process.
If you’re looking for examples, you’re probably looking for a mid-aged disappointing pitcher with remaining upside, one contract year under $5M.
Managing Editor at Beyond the Box Score and MLB Daily Dish. Follow me @justinbopp
KC did very well
They got a good pitcher, and like you said, they fixed a log jam.
I know the Marlins want a left handed pitcher, maybe they could have got someone like Couglan? And the Red Sox were interested too, Ryan Kalish or Josh Reddick? And if the Giants added somebody else, maybe even Jacoby Ellsbury?
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by Marisa Ingemi on Nov 7, 2011 7:05 PM EST up reply actions
But the Giants likely view 2012 as a win-now season
They wanted someone who they believe is in his prime, like Cabrera. They don’t want to wait while someone like Kalish develops at the MLB level, they need immediate improvement. Maybe you can argue that they pursued the wrong in-his-prime hitter, but the Giants were never gonna trade Sanchez for prospects. They’re all-in while they still have both Lincecum and Cain.
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by Satchel Price on Nov 8, 2011 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
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