Bob Levey - Getty Images
8 months ago: HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 23: Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff #15 of the Colorado Rockies fields a hard hit ball by Chris Johnson #23 of the Houston Astros in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park on September 23, 2011 in Houston, Texas. Houston won 11-2. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Chris Truby. Josh Fields. Pedro Feliz. Every year the Royals bring in a veteran third baseman for seemingly no reason other than to give Omaha fans something to cheer about. This year, that man is Kevin Kouzmanoff. The Royals signed the 30 year old third baseman to a minor league deal early Saturday morning. Kouzmanoff will make $1 million in Schrute Bucks if he is on the MLB roster, with incentives reaching up to $1.3 million. He also has an opt-out if he is not on the MLB roster by May 1.
Kouzmanoff seemed promising once upon a time when he mashed in the Indians organization. He was dealt to the Padres for second baseman Josh Barfield in a challenge trade of promising prospects. As Barfield was busting, Kouzmanoff was proving to be a league average third baseman in San Diego. Then he was dealt to Oakland, where hitting careers go to die. He posted a .666 OPS in a season and a half in Oakland before being let go and latching on with Colorado. Overall he hit .235/.284/.372 last year in 257 PAs.
Kouzmanoff gives Moustakas some competition and provides some insurance should Moose be totally overwhelmed by Major League algebra problems.
We cannot have enough depth. Those intra-squad games played in Arizona in February are what is key to post-season drives.
1 recs | 46 comments
Depth move.
Cool.
Jack Marsh - January 14, 2012
they need someone to back up Yuni!!!
DickHowser4ever - January 14, 2012
Seems like the Royals are doing everything possible
to either push Moose or put him back in the minors.
Karte - January 14, 2012
It's a depth move.
Unless they have some reason to doubt Moose’s work ethic…and from what I have heard, it’s an attribute of his.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
obviously
this means Moose's days are numbered<code>Home Run Tony Cogan - January 14, 2012
sarcasm fail
Home Run Tony Cogan - January 14, 2012
There was a lot more in that post that failed than just the sarcasm... haha
MVP-Gordon - January 14, 2012
thanks
Home Run Tony Cogan - January 14, 2012
Back to back spring training champs
splitty - January 14, 2012 via iPhone app
Beat me to it...
Cactus League dominance. I would totally pay for a 2011 cactus league champions shirt if they existed.
PhattStairs - January 14, 2012
GMDM is all in
tiquanunderwear - January 14, 2012
Not a bad depth pickup
Kouzmanoff complements Moustakas fairly well as a right-handed hitter and very good defender.
Gopherballs - January 14, 2012
I'm too lazy and ignant to look
I thought he had a rep for being a good glove guy, do the various fielding measures support that?
Nighthawk at the Diner - January 14, 2012
Yes
Scott McKinney - January 14, 2012
how valuable is having a defensive replacment at the corners for overall strategery?
Nighthawk at the Diner - January 14, 2012
Not very
And they aren’t going to put in a defensive sub for Moose anyway. He’s strictly a 3B backup, or a poor pinch hitter.
Scott McKinney - January 14, 2012
I was just curious what his splits looked like.
Career wRC+ of 107 against lefties.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
Unfortunately his hitting has cratered in the last couple of seasons. Looks like he can’t hit anything well anymore.
Scott McKinney - January 14, 2012
Yeah.
That split is above average because of numbers he put up more than 2 years ago. 96 and 89 vs lefties in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Very small sample though.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
Their names are also very complementary
KOOOOOOZE!!!!
Loose Seal - January 14, 2012
Can he pitch?
buddyball - January 14, 2012
Mitch can
tiquanunderwear - January 14, 2012
Am I wrong to think this puts Getz on notice?
I could see keeping Kouzmanoff and Yuni while dumping Getz. Hasn’t he played in the outfield too?
royaldaddy - January 14, 2012 via mobile
A nice thought.
But I’m not sure if Kouzmanoff is an upgrade over Getz except in respect to his defense at 3B. Which leaves everything else. He’s right-handed? We already have a ton of right-handed hitters though.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
If this means a bench of Kouz, Yuni, Dyson or Maier and C
I’d be ok with that cause Getz would likely be in Omaha.
kcscoliny - January 14, 2012
Kouz provides a RH bat off the bench with a decent power numbers. An idea that Yost is in love with...
if Kouz is even remotely servicable at SS and 2B, then this might even put Yuni on notice…..of course this just might be me dreaming again.
DickHowser4ever - January 14, 2012
I would rather have Kouzmanoff on the 25-man than Getz.
Old Man Duggan - January 14, 2012
I wouldn't.
I think the team is better equipped with Getz’s skillset off the bench, and that’s saying something. Very importantly, Getz hitting left-handed.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
Getz Doesn't Hit
RHP as well as Kousmanoff.
philofthenorth - January 14, 2012
Are you basing that on his career numbers?
Because he hasn’t hit nearly as well in the last 2 years. Just checking.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
Even Then They're
Roughly the same, with Kouz occasionally hitting the ball out of the infield. For his career, Getz has a reverse split. Some people were just done with Aviles; I’m done with Getz.
philofthenorth - January 14, 2012
Also, Kouz spent four years in
the pitcher friendly parks of SD and Oakland, which tip things ever so slightly in his favor.
KeepItCopacetic - January 14, 2012
Well, what is odd about that...
In 2008, in Petco, Kouz hit about an equal number of HRs home and away, but his batting average was much better away from Petco. Seems very odd. Just not sure if there’s a conclusion that can be made either way.
hawkinscm87 - January 14, 2012
He Had A
Pronounced reverse platoon split that season, whereas he usually was a lefty masher before and after.
philofthenorth - January 14, 2012
Can anyone tell me
What happened to Yamaico?
LaVacheBeadsman - January 14, 2012 via mobile
Fell into a strange and mysterious land
Known as Pittsburgh
RoyalsRetro - January 14, 2012
is that anything like Portlandia?
DickHowser4ever - January 14, 2012
don't pickle things as much in pittsburgh
BeauJackson - January 14, 2012
I love that show
But its SO OVER!!!
RoyalsRetro - January 14, 2012
thanks for ruining shell art for me bro!!!
DickHowser4ever - January 15, 2012
Say What? Germans
Pickle fuckin’ near anything.
philofthenorth - January 14, 2012
When Germans start pickling jewel cases and parking tickets, come talk to me.
Old Man Duggan - January 15, 2012
Looks like a softball pitcher.
Warden11 - January 14, 2012
Now we can have a starting infield
of Kouzmanoff, Betancourt, and Getz. This way we’ll have a lot of veteran experienced players when their combined WAR of -4.5 leads us to the playoffs.
Juancho - January 15, 2012
Russie X. Gload
Is a FA.
philofthenorth - January 15, 2012
Playoffs!!!
Cap Midnight - January 19, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Royals Review to post a comment.