Buddy Bell to step aside

This whole mess goes straight back to the pure incompetence of the Glass family. There was no reason to hire Bell when they did in the first place. Now they have a new GM who clashes with Bell. The Royals start to turn some things around over the past two months and now they'll wander around aimlessly for the final two months.
Ugh.

 

While I think Dayton knows what he's doing and will probably make KC somewhat competitive, he does have a strong tendency to trust familiarity over anything else. Which is why he keeps going to the Braves for free agents and trades.

 

My first thoughts exactly.

 

I don't think that is that big of an issue. He must have done something right as the No. 2 in Atlanta to basically be considered the best candidate for a GM spot in baseball. After all, he turned down the Red Sox gig before he accepted the Royals job.
But this will be a good measuring stick for him -- does he go get Pendleton because of the Atlanta connection or does he try to lure a Girardi to KC? This is the hire that is going to make or break him.

 

As others have said, I hope Bell is healthy, and hasn't recently received any news that would make him think otherwise.

The KC-Atlanta connects are doubly strong now the Shuerholz and Moore canoodling. I think they needed to get a long-term solution at 2B before getting Davies... and I think Nunez is getting jobbed in the deal. Oh well. Best of luck to Buddy.

 

It's been reported that Bell will be taking a front office position.

 

Senior advisor to the GM, whatever that means. The two don't get along in the first place. KC is famous for its "in name only titles" re: George Brett, senior vice president or Emil Brown, outfielder.

Fact is, Bell made mystifying move after mystifying move for years. He's a horrific manager. Second, I doubt Moore's sanity, choosing KC over ... well ... anywhere else. That's not a crack on KC, a town I love. It's a crack on the Royals' owner who is, by far, the worst owner in all of organized professional sports.

Moore's going to choose Pendleton. We all know why. When a team's top home run threat is a part-time catcher and teams are dangling bona fide power prospects for Octavio Dotel, what does any competent GM do?

The correct answer to that question does not include the words "Kyle" or "Davies" You sure as hell don't demote Leo Nunez.

F'd up team, comrades, an f'd up team. That hurts to say. If you doubt my fanboydom, just take another look at my handle.

 

Before he was in Kansas City, perhaps, but he had improved the Royals gradually.

 

Still laughing about the oh-so-true line about Emil Brown. Well done.

I am curious about the bona fide power prospects you refer to. The only real name I heard in the Dotel rumors was Wilson Betemit from the Dodgers, who went to the Yankees. I agree that the power situation now is unbelievably lacking, but a near-future lineup of DeJesus, Teahan, Gordon, Butler, Buck isn't terrible, especially when the rotation is pure dogshit. I am a Nunez fan and think has a high ceiling. But Davies has a higher upside who just needed a fresh start. I think we'll see good things from him.

 

Cancer, or rot?

 

Not sure why anyone's ripping on Dayton Moore here. The guy's made a lot of moves in the last 12 months to help bring the Royals on the verge of leaving the AL Central -- baseball's toughest division -- by playing some decent ball since June. They might not be perfect or be anywhere close to contending for the playoffs, but he's got them started in the right direction.

Re: Braves, it's not like that's the only team Moore deals with. His first trade came with the Devil Rays (Gathright). He traded dead weight to the Rockies for Shealy, he played well a year ago. He made deals with the White Sox (MacDougal for Lumsden basically) and Brewers (Graffanino for De La Rosa basically). He traded for Bannister from the Mets. Not sure why there's a perception Moore will only recruit players and coaches from the Braves here.

Re: Bell, if he doesn't agree with Moore, then he probably ought to go. It's not like he did a great job with the Royals before Moore came along. I'm sure Moore can find someone who can do just as well, if not better, in that position.

 

One thing Buddy Bell has done is made the Royals better than what they were when he took over. Not sure the last Royals manager to do that. Probably Hal McRae.