Royals - Signed Meche, Acquired Bannister

Kansas City Royals - Signed P Gil Meche to a 5-year contract; acquired P Brian Bannister from the New York Mets for P Ambiorix Burgos.

The Meche signing is being reported as between $55 and $60 million.  That is a lot of money.  On the plus side, the Royals are absolutely desperate for starting pitchers, and by not dividing the money up among mediocre free agents, they’ll be fiscally unable to block some of their better young prospects.  Starving the beast never works for government, unfortunately, but Moore seems like he’s got some brains in that skull.  Still, $11-$12 million a year for Gil Meche?  I’m simply out of ways to say “sort of useful player, way overvalued.”

Burgos-for-Bannister is more likely than not a nothing trade.  The Royals are simply taking a flier on a guy who might help the rotation one day, a definite need, while the Mets are talented enough that they can afford to stash a guy who has bullpen upside.  One thing that still bugs me - why have there been 5 hispanic professional baseball players named Ambiorix born in the late 70s-mid 80s?  Was there a Schoolhouse Rock featuring the History of the Belgic Gauls that I missed?

2007 ZiPS Projections
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Player         W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA
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Bannister      4   7  17  16   94  108   61  14  35  52  5.84

Burgos         4   5  69   0   74   67   38  13  38  81  4.62

2007 ZiPS Projection -  Gil Meche
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            W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA
——————————————————————————————-

Projection  8  10  30  29  167  171   91  24  75 125  4.90

2008        8  10  29  28  162  168   89  23  73 118  4.94        

2009        8  10  28  27  158  165   89  22  72 110  5.07

2010        7  10  28  27  156  165   89  23  70 106  5.13

2011        6  10  26  25  146  157   85  22  64  94  5.24
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Opt. (15%) 11   9  33  32  190  179   83  21  74 146  3.93 

Pes. (15%)  5  10  25  24  135  147   68  24  71  99  5.87
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