I didn’t get too far into the Singer-on-the-Reds weeds but he does a decent job keeping the ball out of the air generally. Except when it’s hit in the air against him, it’s crushed. Tough landing spot for him.
I don’t know how they’re viewing Melendez at this point other than actively looking for upgrades or options. If he’s on the team Opening Day, I expect the leash to be short.
Heck yes, they could have done better. How about getting an outfield bat? Maybe someone at 3rd base? Just not sure 2nd base was the right direction. Meh
I look at the move more from a batting order perspective. They needed OBP and someone at the top of the order. They’ll sort positions later. But that means more moves are coming. As we would expect to say in late November anyway.
I'm in complete agreement with one of your later points: I like Picollo's aggressive moves. He quickly resigned Wacha and now he's quickly filled a hole in the everyday lineup. He's shown a dedication to winning--even if it's not with "his guys"--that we never saw with Dayton Moore. Maybe that's a Sherman tendency, too. The moves might not work, but he's aggressive.
Re Garcia: He strikes me as a classic utility infielder who starts 2 times a week at various positions and is a pinch runner nearly every close game. In short, I assumed going into this off season that the Royals needed a third baseman. Not saying India is it, but just Garcia can't be the answer there.
I’m always hesitant to look at moves through the Moore prism, but you’re spot on. The people who were worried that Picollo would be Moore 2.0 shouldn’t be concerned anymore.
I was optimistic on Garcia at the start of last season, but that’s a spot the Royals just have to address.
I wonder if the current Royals management (Picollo & Sherman in particular) look across the parking lot and think, "That's how you do it: Rigorous self-scouting, no unreasonable attachment to guys you drafted so you can be ruthlessly transactional, lock up long-term your franchise cornerstone, build a culture in which excellence is expected, etc."
I might be reading too much into it, but it can't be a negative if the Royals feel they have to keep up with a standard set by the Chiefs!
I am disappointed that India was the best they could do, although an MLB analyst says KC won the trade. India is a mid .240s hitter, hit a dozen dingers and steal a dozen bags. Is that all Brady Singer was worth?? To me it sure doesn't feel like we won the deal.
It feels rather even to me in that two flawed but potentially solid players are on the move. The Reds need pitching, the Royals need OBP. It works for both.
If we’re seeing the flaws in Singer’s game, I guarantee every team in the majors sees that—and probably more. As I said in my write up, thinking that Singer would net more was probably the bias we have that comes from watching this team. I would’ve thought a solid starting pitcher would net more, but pitching is just so weird these days.
This doesn't seem like a good trade to me. We gave up our best trade chip and didn't really fill a position of need. Even if Massey and India platoon, Massey would be getting more playing time as the LH batter (and you can't give up your top trade chip for a platoon player anyway). And the "sweetener" is another outfielder who can't hit? I thought we were fully stocked on those. If Massey doesn't have the arm for 3B, I'm not sure he has the arm for LF. That might not matter in Fenway, but I think it does at Kauffman.
I hear you, but I keep coming from the side that says the “position” the Royals needed was a leadoff guy with OBP potential. Defensively, it will sort out somehow but as of this moment it’s an odd crew with plenty of misfits. Plenty of offseason left for Picollo and crew. I’m honestly intrigued by what he will do next.
It feels like India is a great add for the Royals but a pretty significant overpay. Yes, Singer is worth 9M in arbitration but he would get double that in free agency. So, the Royals were getting good value on Singer and traded that away. It's difficult to see India or Massey anywhere other than second base. So, I assume India will DH when salvy catches and play second when Salvy or Vinny DH. Judging by the fans comments on the Reds blog sites India is incredibly incredibly popular in Cincinnati. Hopefully, he brings that same energy to KC.
They do seem to love India, so hopefully he’ll be a dude Kansas City will embrace and vice versa. Ultimately, I wonder about the value of Singer. His shortcomings are incredibly obvious.
I love guys with juice, so I will miss Singer. Did he overperform b/c of his fiery attitude, underperform? Who knows. But the kid was as fun to watch as he was frustrating which is far more than most of the Royals pitching staff over the last decade.
That said, I like the trade. The Weimer throw-in should not be ignored. a #3 prospect in any system almost certainly slides into our top 10 if he doesn't make the roster. But the big win is India; his obp isn't worldly, but were also talking about a kid just figuring it out. And the cascade effect in the lineup is exponential. I'd guess the move alone adds 20 or better rbi's or more over the course of the year.
Who replaces Singer? A smarter Marsh? I'm hoping for a healthy Wright which would be a significant upgrade over Singer IMO.
And CB: OH NO YOU DIDN'T say 'innings eater' did you? The Moore legacy lingers on lol...
Wiemer isn’t a prospect anymore, but I get the point about the rankings.
At this point I think Bubic moves into the Singer role at number four with competition for the last spot. Marsh, Wright (which is a play with upside but there’s a lot to prove) and Lynch.
“Innings-eater”… Gotta pull out an old standby every once in a while. :)
Singer.... maybe there was a reason why in his draft year he profiled as a top three pick then dropped all the way to 18 where the royals snapped him up... I hope he fins his additional pitch in Cinci... obviously KC felt it was not going to happen with them. Good trade...and India has 2 years of controllabilty vs. Singers 1. They had to either extend him...or trade him...and they did the right thing...in my opinion.
Maybe the way to get the most out of Singer is to move him to the bullpen. But if the Reds believed this, I don’t see how they make that trade.
Singer is under team control for 2 more seasons. The Royals sent him down early in ‘22 to get stretched back out as a starter. He still would’ve had that full year of service time but was placed on the inactive roster when the team went to Canada.
I'm, lukewarm on India vs Singer. Even as a slightly mediocre starting option, he keeps the team in the game for the offense to win it. Also, we now have a Massey/Melendez problem. Might they be platooned? I haven't looked at the stats, but sooner or later, somebody is getting traded. Joey Weiner is indeed a Drew Waters clone. Except he bats right,and with more power, and Waters is ambidextrous but apparently hits better from the left. That could mean a platoon in right, where either can cover c.f. in case of injury. Weiner, like Waters, still has potential and the competition may bring it out in improved OBP and total bases.
Also, trading Singer opens the door to a Lorenzen signing, which maintains the rotation's depth and long relieving quality.
3b remains a hole in the batting order. Maikel can field tbe position, but .280 with 25+ homers is beyond him. I still think that converting a AAA catcher would serve that purpose. So would taking a flier on Yoan Moncada. Actually, doing both would be the way to address present and future needs.
So, with India at leadoff, who bats second? With the idea of Witt and the meat of the orderfacing "man on first and third" at bats...
Weiner may end up being what makes the trade a winner.
I don't think 280 is beyond Garcia at all. He tore it up in the Venzuelan league last year and feeds off the high stakes/energy games. He may not have the power for 25+, but i dont think it is impossible, a little beefing up could go a long way. Garcia may be my favorite Royal (always root for the underdogs), I think he just went through a sophomore slump. But y, his 23 numbers aren't going to hack it
There’s still plenty of work to do. Third and the corner outfield spots need to be addressed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hit the free agent market looking to strike starting pitching gold again.
As long as Quatraro is managing, he will be hitting Witt second.
i guess? this was a good trade. Without a doubt the royals needed a legitimate leadoff hitter. I can't imagine that a guy who can only play 2B was their ideal, just best option in their crystal ball. Chances are Massey will miss some time on 2nd with that wonky back, so they need someone who can play there. I get the trade, but don't like it, as one of Massey or Garcia will probably go. I will really miss that Witt/Massey fielding chemistry that I think only starts cooking when Massey is the everyday guy. Hate that they have to downgrade defensively and lose a little pop just to get on base, but its a necessity. I guess it could work if India was the de facto DH, but I really don't want to see him in the OF.
Like Singers fire and glad he got to celebrate the postseason, and I have no doubt Singer will have a legitimate third pitch now he is no longer playing for the Royals
I'm a Garcia booster too, but my take is that his bat plays better at 2b than a corner. He could try to become a total bases type... Something like a slightly less effective Rod Carew. That might work, but for that many bases, he needs to hit around .300. Hypothetically, if he were hitting 6th with a slugging bat in front and a problematic hitter behind, he might see enough good pitches to do it, but for that, the entire lineup must offer a problem for the pitcher.
I agree with you that this past season might be a hiccup, but Moncada is enticing as a potential comeback of the year candidate. In a worst case scenario, he becomes a super sub. Personally, I'd like Maikel at 2b and maybe Carter Jensen at third next year. His bat would benefit from the position switch.
A Rod Carew mention! As a 2B! But I have to sadly disagree about Garcia’s potential even as a “less effective” Carew. I would agree though that getting Garcia out of the leadoff spot is the first step in unlocking whatever potential he has. At this point, I just doubt there’s much to unlock anymore. And I was bullish on him at the start of ‘24.
I'm pretty bullish on this move. It lands a 7 or 8 on the trade scale for me. A high OBP guy with a proven track record that can now leadoff in front of BWJ/Vinnie/Salvy. Those 3 almost each had 100 RBI with one of the worst leadoff combos in the majors in 2024. I think this is a huge move.
I 100% agree that if Singer wasn't going to add another pitch after 2 years with our new staff, it was time to move on. Some guys refuse to change. Singer seems like that guy.
As much as I love this move to get India, it does look to me like Massey is a guy without a spot on this roster. I hope not. I really like the chemistry between Massey and BWJ around the bag. I like Massey hitting in the 5/6/7 hole with his power potential. I hope they will try India at 3B and it is a success.
Can you please define for me the difference in grades between a strong, average, and weak arm? Does a strong armed 3B throw 90 mph, 87mph? Or is it some other metric. Because if the difference between strong and weak is 3mph, then excuse my ignorance but who cares? If it is 15mph and it then becomes more infield singles then I understand. I just don't know the metrics to understand how big of a difference the arm makes.
Thank you for bringing up the Massey/Witt double play combo. I’ve written about this a lot over the last couple of years, but damn do those to have some kind of connection. They’re always on the same wavelength and so fun to watch.
There’s data at Baseball Savant that shows India’s average throw was recorded at 76 MPH. The best among second basemen was Andrés Jiménez who was a true outlier at 86 MPH. Average for 2B seems to be around 78 MPH. The average at 3B looks to be around 85 MPH. It’s not perfect science but it’s what we have.
"There’s always the danger that a guy will move organizations and make the adjustments to become a better player. I would have definitely been concerned about that had the previous pitching regime been in place."
And I would've definitely been concerned if we made this trade without having just made the playoffs. But I think JJ & Co. realize that if we just improve in certain areas here & there we can be a much more solid team. Hence the need for an OBP bump. Like you said, that production from the leadoff spot was just completely unacceptable last season. This helps. Not everything has to be "all or nothing/savior" move. Not every trade has to be "won".
This does feel (and I saw several national writers refer to it) like a “old fashioned baseball trade.” Major league talent for major league talent that addresses the immediate needs of two teams. It may very well work out that way.
I agree with you on Picollo and his approach. He’s taking a step back and assessing the weaknesses of his current club and seeking improvement. Again, just a total change from how the previous GM went about business.
I really like this deal. If India even bring a .335 or .340 OBP to the top of the lineup that should drastically improve the consistency of the team. I also don't feel like they're done. Picollo did promise TWO bats. And after this trade he mentioned needing to bolster the rotation a bit. If this was all the Royals could/would do, it wouldn't be enough (though I'd still think they were slightly better heading into 2025) but since it seems very unlikely to be everything, but just an appetizer, I'm getting excited.
I didn’t get too far into the Singer-on-the-Reds weeds but he does a decent job keeping the ball out of the air generally. Except when it’s hit in the air against him, it’s crushed. Tough landing spot for him.
I don’t know how they’re viewing Melendez at this point other than actively looking for upgrades or options. If he’s on the team Opening Day, I expect the leash to be short.
Heck yes, they could have done better. How about getting an outfield bat? Maybe someone at 3rd base? Just not sure 2nd base was the right direction. Meh
I look at the move more from a batting order perspective. They needed OBP and someone at the top of the order. They’ll sort positions later. But that means more moves are coming. As we would expect to say in late November anyway.
I'm in complete agreement with one of your later points: I like Picollo's aggressive moves. He quickly resigned Wacha and now he's quickly filled a hole in the everyday lineup. He's shown a dedication to winning--even if it's not with "his guys"--that we never saw with Dayton Moore. Maybe that's a Sherman tendency, too. The moves might not work, but he's aggressive.
Re Garcia: He strikes me as a classic utility infielder who starts 2 times a week at various positions and is a pinch runner nearly every close game. In short, I assumed going into this off season that the Royals needed a third baseman. Not saying India is it, but just Garcia can't be the answer there.
I’m always hesitant to look at moves through the Moore prism, but you’re spot on. The people who were worried that Picollo would be Moore 2.0 shouldn’t be concerned anymore.
I was optimistic on Garcia at the start of last season, but that’s a spot the Royals just have to address.
I wonder if the current Royals management (Picollo & Sherman in particular) look across the parking lot and think, "That's how you do it: Rigorous self-scouting, no unreasonable attachment to guys you drafted so you can be ruthlessly transactional, lock up long-term your franchise cornerstone, build a culture in which excellence is expected, etc."
I might be reading too much into it, but it can't be a negative if the Royals feel they have to keep up with a standard set by the Chiefs!
I am disappointed that India was the best they could do, although an MLB analyst says KC won the trade. India is a mid .240s hitter, hit a dozen dingers and steal a dozen bags. Is that all Brady Singer was worth?? To me it sure doesn't feel like we won the deal.
It feels rather even to me in that two flawed but potentially solid players are on the move. The Reds need pitching, the Royals need OBP. It works for both.
If we’re seeing the flaws in Singer’s game, I guarantee every team in the majors sees that—and probably more. As I said in my write up, thinking that Singer would net more was probably the bias we have that comes from watching this team. I would’ve thought a solid starting pitcher would net more, but pitching is just so weird these days.
This doesn't seem like a good trade to me. We gave up our best trade chip and didn't really fill a position of need. Even if Massey and India platoon, Massey would be getting more playing time as the LH batter (and you can't give up your top trade chip for a platoon player anyway). And the "sweetener" is another outfielder who can't hit? I thought we were fully stocked on those. If Massey doesn't have the arm for 3B, I'm not sure he has the arm for LF. That might not matter in Fenway, but I think it does at Kauffman.
I hear you, but I keep coming from the side that says the “position” the Royals needed was a leadoff guy with OBP potential. Defensively, it will sort out somehow but as of this moment it’s an odd crew with plenty of misfits. Plenty of offseason left for Picollo and crew. I’m honestly intrigued by what he will do next.
Intrigued indeed!
It feels like India is a great add for the Royals but a pretty significant overpay. Yes, Singer is worth 9M in arbitration but he would get double that in free agency. So, the Royals were getting good value on Singer and traded that away. It's difficult to see India or Massey anywhere other than second base. So, I assume India will DH when salvy catches and play second when Salvy or Vinny DH. Judging by the fans comments on the Reds blog sites India is incredibly incredibly popular in Cincinnati. Hopefully, he brings that same energy to KC.
They do seem to love India, so hopefully he’ll be a dude Kansas City will embrace and vice versa. Ultimately, I wonder about the value of Singer. His shortcomings are incredibly obvious.
I love guys with juice, so I will miss Singer. Did he overperform b/c of his fiery attitude, underperform? Who knows. But the kid was as fun to watch as he was frustrating which is far more than most of the Royals pitching staff over the last decade.
That said, I like the trade. The Weimer throw-in should not be ignored. a #3 prospect in any system almost certainly slides into our top 10 if he doesn't make the roster. But the big win is India; his obp isn't worldly, but were also talking about a kid just figuring it out. And the cascade effect in the lineup is exponential. I'd guess the move alone adds 20 or better rbi's or more over the course of the year.
Who replaces Singer? A smarter Marsh? I'm hoping for a healthy Wright which would be a significant upgrade over Singer IMO.
And CB: OH NO YOU DIDN'T say 'innings eater' did you? The Moore legacy lingers on lol...
Wiemer isn’t a prospect anymore, but I get the point about the rankings.
At this point I think Bubic moves into the Singer role at number four with competition for the last spot. Marsh, Wright (which is a play with upside but there’s a lot to prove) and Lynch.
“Innings-eater”… Gotta pull out an old standby every once in a while. :)
Singer.... maybe there was a reason why in his draft year he profiled as a top three pick then dropped all the way to 18 where the royals snapped him up... I hope he fins his additional pitch in Cinci... obviously KC felt it was not going to happen with them. Good trade...and India has 2 years of controllabilty vs. Singers 1. They had to either extend him...or trade him...and they did the right thing...in my opinion.
Maybe the way to get the most out of Singer is to move him to the bullpen. But if the Reds believed this, I don’t see how they make that trade.
Singer is under team control for 2 more seasons. The Royals sent him down early in ‘22 to get stretched back out as a starter. He still would’ve had that full year of service time but was placed on the inactive roster when the team went to Canada.
I'm, lukewarm on India vs Singer. Even as a slightly mediocre starting option, he keeps the team in the game for the offense to win it. Also, we now have a Massey/Melendez problem. Might they be platooned? I haven't looked at the stats, but sooner or later, somebody is getting traded. Joey Weiner is indeed a Drew Waters clone. Except he bats right,and with more power, and Waters is ambidextrous but apparently hits better from the left. That could mean a platoon in right, where either can cover c.f. in case of injury. Weiner, like Waters, still has potential and the competition may bring it out in improved OBP and total bases.
Also, trading Singer opens the door to a Lorenzen signing, which maintains the rotation's depth and long relieving quality.
3b remains a hole in the batting order. Maikel can field tbe position, but .280 with 25+ homers is beyond him. I still think that converting a AAA catcher would serve that purpose. So would taking a flier on Yoan Moncada. Actually, doing both would be the way to address present and future needs.
So, with India at leadoff, who bats second? With the idea of Witt and the meat of the orderfacing "man on first and third" at bats...
Weiner may end up being what makes the trade a winner.
I don't think 280 is beyond Garcia at all. He tore it up in the Venzuelan league last year and feeds off the high stakes/energy games. He may not have the power for 25+, but i dont think it is impossible, a little beefing up could go a long way. Garcia may be my favorite Royal (always root for the underdogs), I think he just went through a sophomore slump. But y, his 23 numbers aren't going to hack it
There’s still plenty of work to do. Third and the corner outfield spots need to be addressed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hit the free agent market looking to strike starting pitching gold again.
As long as Quatraro is managing, he will be hitting Witt second.
i guess? this was a good trade. Without a doubt the royals needed a legitimate leadoff hitter. I can't imagine that a guy who can only play 2B was their ideal, just best option in their crystal ball. Chances are Massey will miss some time on 2nd with that wonky back, so they need someone who can play there. I get the trade, but don't like it, as one of Massey or Garcia will probably go. I will really miss that Witt/Massey fielding chemistry that I think only starts cooking when Massey is the everyday guy. Hate that they have to downgrade defensively and lose a little pop just to get on base, but its a necessity. I guess it could work if India was the de facto DH, but I really don't want to see him in the OF.
Like Singers fire and glad he got to celebrate the postseason, and I have no doubt Singer will have a legitimate third pitch now he is no longer playing for the Royals
I’m not so sure about Singer and that legit 3rd pitch.
Agree 100% with your assessment
I'm a Garcia booster too, but my take is that his bat plays better at 2b than a corner. He could try to become a total bases type... Something like a slightly less effective Rod Carew. That might work, but for that many bases, he needs to hit around .300. Hypothetically, if he were hitting 6th with a slugging bat in front and a problematic hitter behind, he might see enough good pitches to do it, but for that, the entire lineup must offer a problem for the pitcher.
I agree with you that this past season might be a hiccup, but Moncada is enticing as a potential comeback of the year candidate. In a worst case scenario, he becomes a super sub. Personally, I'd like Maikel at 2b and maybe Carter Jensen at third next year. His bat would benefit from the position switch.
A Rod Carew mention! As a 2B! But I have to sadly disagree about Garcia’s potential even as a “less effective” Carew. I would agree though that getting Garcia out of the leadoff spot is the first step in unlocking whatever potential he has. At this point, I just doubt there’s much to unlock anymore. And I was bullish on him at the start of ‘24.
I'm pretty bullish on this move. It lands a 7 or 8 on the trade scale for me. A high OBP guy with a proven track record that can now leadoff in front of BWJ/Vinnie/Salvy. Those 3 almost each had 100 RBI with one of the worst leadoff combos in the majors in 2024. I think this is a huge move.
I 100% agree that if Singer wasn't going to add another pitch after 2 years with our new staff, it was time to move on. Some guys refuse to change. Singer seems like that guy.
As much as I love this move to get India, it does look to me like Massey is a guy without a spot on this roster. I hope not. I really like the chemistry between Massey and BWJ around the bag. I like Massey hitting in the 5/6/7 hole with his power potential. I hope they will try India at 3B and it is a success.
Can you please define for me the difference in grades between a strong, average, and weak arm? Does a strong armed 3B throw 90 mph, 87mph? Or is it some other metric. Because if the difference between strong and weak is 3mph, then excuse my ignorance but who cares? If it is 15mph and it then becomes more infield singles then I understand. I just don't know the metrics to understand how big of a difference the arm makes.
Thank you for bringing up the Massey/Witt double play combo. I’ve written about this a lot over the last couple of years, but damn do those to have some kind of connection. They’re always on the same wavelength and so fun to watch.
There’s data at Baseball Savant that shows India’s average throw was recorded at 76 MPH. The best among second basemen was Andrés Jiménez who was a true outlier at 86 MPH. Average for 2B seems to be around 78 MPH. The average at 3B looks to be around 85 MPH. It’s not perfect science but it’s what we have.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/arm-strength?type=player&year=2024&minThrows=50&pos=arm_2b&team=
"There’s always the danger that a guy will move organizations and make the adjustments to become a better player. I would have definitely been concerned about that had the previous pitching regime been in place."
And I would've definitely been concerned if we made this trade without having just made the playoffs. But I think JJ & Co. realize that if we just improve in certain areas here & there we can be a much more solid team. Hence the need for an OBP bump. Like you said, that production from the leadoff spot was just completely unacceptable last season. This helps. Not everything has to be "all or nothing/savior" move. Not every trade has to be "won".
This does feel (and I saw several national writers refer to it) like a “old fashioned baseball trade.” Major league talent for major league talent that addresses the immediate needs of two teams. It may very well work out that way.
I agree with you on Picollo and his approach. He’s taking a step back and assessing the weaknesses of his current club and seeking improvement. Again, just a total change from how the previous GM went about business.
I really like this deal. If India even bring a .335 or .340 OBP to the top of the lineup that should drastically improve the consistency of the team. I also don't feel like they're done. Picollo did promise TWO bats. And after this trade he mentioned needing to bolster the rotation a bit. If this was all the Royals could/would do, it wouldn't be enough (though I'd still think they were slightly better heading into 2025) but since it seems very unlikely to be everything, but just an appetizer, I'm getting excited.