Zack Greinke Trade Thoughts

Well the day has finally come. The Kansas City Royals have traded 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke, SS Yuniesky Betancourt and $2 Million to the Milwaukee Brewers for SS Alcides Escobar, CF Lorenzo Cain and Pitchers Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi. Being the avid Royals fan I am I feel I should share my thoughts on the trade. Bottom line, I'm good with this. And I have a few reasons why.

First, if a player doesn't want to be there, don't make them. This all started last summer when Zack Greinke said he wasn't happy being on the current incarnation of the Royals. He knew how the organization was building the franchise (Loaded with minor league talent) and didn't see where he fit in. He also admitted to being bored. So that brings into question his effort in the 2010 season. Greinke has legitimate ace stuff, but it was not unreasonable to think Greinke would not be on the Royals after 2012 anyway. At which point Greinke could have left via free agency and the Royals could have gotten nothing in return.

Second, I also understand what the Royals are attempting to do. After years of pinching pennies on draft picks and in Latin America, GM Dayton Moore has convinced Owner David Glass to open up the checkbook in this regard. What has happened with this approach has led to the Royals getting the best available talent rather than just selecting players who would sign for what the Royals were offering. The result is a minor league system that is jam packed with top tier talent. Talent that should be successful at the Major League level, but not for a few years.

Third, the return the Royals got for Greinke fits well with the unofficial Plan 2013. With all the depth the Royals have in their system, Shortstop and Center Field were definite weak spots. This trade not only potentially fills those voids, but adds two more arms to an already loaded minor league pitching array. Hell, the trade at Shortstop is an upgrade just by the subtraction of Yuniesky Betancourt. The idea is to build the team in a similar fashion to the Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays or Texas Rangers. Lots of homegrown talent all developing together. This return advances that plan.

Will the Royals plan be a successful one? I can't say. But what I can say is for the first time in ages there is light at the end of the tunnel for Royals fans. Light that isn't the oncoming train. There has been talk in the past about hotshot prospects coming through the Royals system. Some have panned out (Greinke, Billy Butler), some have flopped (Colt Griffin, Chris Lubanski), and others the jury is still out on (Alex Gordon, Luke Hochevar). But there has never been this QUANTITY of young talent on the way at one time. It's unrealistic to think they will all be stars. But odds are several will hit, and some like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer have superstar potential. But by the time those players reach their potential it will be 2013-2014. By then the Zack Greinke era in Kansas City will have closed anyway. That is why this trade doesn't bother me.