No need for the Auld Lang Syne, though, because we're referring to the reopening of the Royals' offices, which, according to Megan Stock, happened yesterday. And nary a day has passed before, lo and behold, this revelation:
The Royals are moving toward signing [former Cy Young Award winner] Bartolo Colon.
That sentence was from MLB Trade Rumors, via the FanHouse. IDWT is on the record as calling Colon "Bartolo McFatty Colon," but we'll be more than happy to issue a mea culpa if he signs with the Royals. He's been injury-plagued, but if healthy, he can be a very productive -- if not dominant -- starter, the kind of No. 2 that would take the pressure off Zack Greinke and Brian Bannister.
Is there a risk involved? Of course there is. But when you're a team trying to improve your lot, you have to take chances. The upside to signing Colon is too great to pass up -- the man did win the Cy Young, however undeserved -- and, look, when things have gone against you for so long, risks are bound to pay off sooner than later.
If you need more convincing, go back and reread this feel-good article by Yahoo's Jeff Passan concerning last winter's Gil Meche signing. An excerpt:
Free agents of the world: Kansas City is the place to be. Believe it.Why the Royals?
"I think my dad actually asked me the same question face to face for the first time last night," Meche said. "I had to make a decision. And, you know, a lot of it came down to comfort.
"I know it looks like the money, but the first conversation I had with my agents (Greg Landry and Casey Close) was that if I felt comfortable with a team, I would go there. It wasn't about the money. I know a lot of athletes say that, but it's the honest truth. I really feel like we're going to win in Kansas City. It might not be this year. It might not be next. But it will happen."
...
Talks progressed, Meche whittled his list and three teams were left: Kansas City, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago Cubs. It was Dec. 7, the last day of the winter meetings, and Meche was ready to sign. At the beginning of the offseason, he figured he'd get a three-year deal. Now it looked like he was guaranteed four, at $11 million apiece. Nitty-gritty discussions with the three teams were imminent when Moore called.He recalled his own interview in May. Glass, who built Wal-Mart into the world's largest company, talked about the risks he'd taken as a businessman, all in the name of winning.
"I was comfortable in Atlanta, and it would've been easy to stay there," Moore said. "But here, we have the chance to do something special. And the conversations with Gil let me show him that."
...
The number [55] is Meche's scarlet letter. It will identify him and define him until he does so himself. Because right now, Gil Meche is nothing more than a betting man whose bet hinges on himself. If one goes right, the other likely will follow.
"I believe," he said, and in Kansas City, that's as good a way to start as any.
No comments:
Post a Comment