The Royals Continue to Show Baseball Why They Are Embarassments...

A few days ago I destroyed the Kansas City Royals for their decision to trade two prospects (who were considered more than just fringe prospects) in exchange for Yuniesky Betancourt. Now, I show you why this will embarassment them even more, and I did not even know it at the time. You see, the Royals could have acquired a vastly superior shortstop (although not great by any means) for two seasons at the league minimum rather than part of Betancourt's $10 million dollar contract.

Julio Lugo.

The Red Sox were reportedly telling teams that they would pay all of his contract and all they would require was basically nothing. (Basically, they wanted a bag of baseballs.) They needed to add Jed Lowrie to the roster and they couldn't DFA Nick Green (who has done a respectable job this season), so they just designated Lugo for assignment, meaning unless he was claimed (not happening), the Sox would be responsible for the rest of his contract, less the amount he signs with another team for.

Had they traded for Lugo, they could have had him for two years at basically the minimum, But it now appears, since he will be a free agent, that Lugo will sign with the Mets to be a temporary replacement for Jose Reyes.

Lugo cannot really field, but is hitting .284 with a .352 OBP. He's nothing special clearly, but I'd rather have "Cheap, Mediocre guy that can't field" rather than "Expensive, Terrible guy that can't field."