Broxton wanted $6M?

That's almost $20,000 per pound!

I'm pretty surprised that the Red Sox weren't in on Broxton if his price tag was that low.

I'm surprised a lot of teams weren't in. I wonder if his health reports are that bad.

I'm surprised Broxton would sign in a place where he doesn't have a clear shot at the closer's job.

Unless KC is resurrecting the Soria to the rotation idea?

Great news for Arthur Bryant's; we'll wait and see regarding the Royals.

Jonathan Broxton was a free agent already? How time flies.

I'm pretty surprised that the Red Sox weren't in on Broxton if his price tag was that low.

I'm sure they can have him later this summer.

Royals outfielder and fellow Georgia native Jeff Francoeur played an active role in recruiting Broxton, baseball sources said. Francoeur, Broxton and Kansas City manager Ned Yost recently went on a hunting trip together in Georgia.

Everything at BTF always relates to Frenchy somehow.

I'm pretty surprised that the Red Sox weren't in on Broxton if his price tag was that low.

I'm sure they can have him later this summer.

I predict the Royals will be buyers at the deadline this year.

I predict the Royals will be buyers at the deadline this year.

Sure ... it'll be time to re-stock the hot dog supply.

I'm pretty surprised that the Red Sox weren't in on Broxton if his price tag was that low.

From the Boston Herald;

According to a baseball source, the Red Sox expressed interest in Broxton, either as a setup man or a closer option. But the former Los Angeles Dodgers closer wanted to sign before the winter meetings, which begin Monday in Dallas, and his timetable was “a little quicker than they were comfortable with” given his medical history, the source said.

Francoeur, Broxton and Kansas City manager Ned Yost recently went on a hunting trip together in Georgia.

Man: The most dangerous game of all.

They both suck?

Something has to be up with Soria right?
Broxton surely feels he's signing as a closer, and Kansas City doesn't seem like the kind of team that has $4-5 mil on a non-closing reliever.

Soria had some shaky moments last year and has battled some nagging minor injuries that the team can't seem to diagnose. He's owed $6 mill next year then gets pretty pricey the next two years ($8 mill and $8.5 mill in '13 and '14, but club options). I guess it wouldn't shock me if they moved him, let Broxton close for a year and let Greg Holland ease into the closer's role for 2013. But that doesn't seem like Dayton's MO. I think he thinks he is close to contending, sees the talented young pen as still unproven and wants to satisfy his fetish for "eight inning guy" (e.g. Kyle Farnsworth, Juan Cruz).

But it makes you wonder why Broxton signed when he probably had chances to close elsewhere. Money? Seems a bit similar to Rafael Soriano a year ago, except at least he had a chance to pitch for a contender.

Broxton can't survive at 92-95. He needs that really fast fastball in order to be effective.

It seems like an odd place to drop $4 million for the Royals. The bullpen has a lot of young, cheap arms already, and their real need is for a starter.

The Royals finished 24 games behind the Tigers in 2011.

...but just 11 games behind using their Pythag record (the Tigers were very lucky, the Royals very unlucky).

If I were Dayton Moore, I would be making decisions this offseason with an eye on competing for the AL Central title in 2012 (and beyond, of course).

If they can get Kelly Johnson to a 1 or 2-year deal, DO IT.

For these type of deals, if I'm a team I really try to push for a second year option with a bump in pay based upon appearances or just a team option. He's coming back from surgery, it's likely he won't be in great form until half way through the season if ever, and he may not even be a viable trade candidate at that point in time.

In a world where Joe Nathan is good for a 2-year, $14.5MM deal, getting Broxton for 1 and $4MM is a steal.

When I saw the headline, I knew exactly what to post. [12] beat me to it.

2011 AL Central standings (using pythagorean record):

1. Detroit Tigers 89-73
2. Kansas City Royals 78-84
3. Chicago White Sox 75-87
4. Cleveland Indians 75-87
5. Minnesota Twins 62-100

Royals outfielder and fellow Georgia native Jeff Francoeur played an active role in recruiting Broxton, baseball sources said. Francoeur, Broxton and Kansas City manager Ned Yost recently went on a hunting trip together in Georgia.

So it wasn't so much the recruiting skills of Francoeur and Yost as it was the likely scenario that Broxton ate all of his beef jerky early in the trip and agreed to sign with the Royals in exchange for some of Francoeur and Yost's jerky stash.

Even in Broxton's best season as a closer, he only converted 85% of save chances. I'm glad to see him gone.

Even in Broxton's best season as a closer, he only converted 85% of save chances. I'm glad to see him gone.

I hope this is a jab at the silliness of the msm and their obsession with save percentage.

No, it's somebody who watched the games.

If they can get Kelly Johnson to a 1 or 2-year deal, DO IT.

Meh. I like KJ, but I want to see what Johnny Giovotella can do, and they also have Christian Colon waiting in the wings (although he has sucked in the minors). I can see the case for getting a utility infield type with some on-base skills as a backup, but I don't see the need to bring in a guy like KJ. I'd rather they use those resources for starting pitching, although I wish the answer to how to get more starting pitching wasn't "re-sign Bruce Chen."

I'd argue that $4-$6 mil. is high for any team signing Broxton. For that amount, you can usually get a pretty good set-up reliever--that seems like a much better use of the money than a probably injured, out-of-shape closer (see Bobby Jenks).

It seems like an odd place to drop $4 million for the Royals.

Moore drops some curious $$ sometimes does he not? ...Broxton wanted to sign somewhere near home is what a report was saying in the last couple days, and ta da, look where he signed, thus not Boston, Minnesota, Toronto, etc.

[22] http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/big_game_hunter_ZaWc1wdbuP8lzxC6uDexeM

"NYPOST: Francoeur sways Broxton away from Mets"

Francoeur recently went bow-hunting with free-agent closer Jonathan Broxton in Georgia on the property of comedian Jeff Foxworthy, along with Royals manager Ned Yost, and helped convince the big right-hander that Kansas City would be a much better landing spot than the Mets or anywhere else.

Broxton loved the sales pitch, and yesterday agreed to sign with the Royals. He must pass a physical today to make the deal official. ...

[The Mets] even had David Wright make contact with the former Dodgers closer, who will be a set-up man for the Royals. ...

[Francoeur] jokingly added, “Make sure you tell David that I’m a better salesman than he is.’’ ...

Francoeur said he did not bash New York to Broxton and even told Broxton he loved the experience of playing for the Mets, but cautioned the reliever that with the Mets he would have to be ready to go right from the start of the season. In Kansas City, everyone would be a little more patient with Broxton’s comeback. It’s just a different baseball world.

That turned out to be one quality sales pitch.

No, it's somebody who watched the games.

ok, but did you watch every single closer in baseball over the prior 5 plus seasons to determine if 85% is actually a good or bad number?

I mean considering the stupid ass comment which was factually wrong in 2009 he converted 86% by the stupid math method(saves divided by blown saves+saves) and that he converted 88% in 2011...and over his career his true save percentage has been 81%.... it's hard to understand the people that argue for save percentage while ignoring holds.

What do you honestly think is the average save percentage in baseball?

in 2011 the average reliever converted 73% of the save opportunities. the fact is that a closer hitting 80% of true saves is pretty decent.
Broxton is pretty decent by the standards set in mlb.

@29: Broxton would have been the closer on the Mets, with exactly no one on the 40-man threatening to take over the job. I doubt there's going to be much pressure for Mets players this season. Is anyone anywhere expecting anything from them?

Bow hunting??? you'd think millionares could afford a rifle or something

Killing nature's creatures for sport just feels more manly when that thrum from an arrow loosed vibrates in your groin.