Offseason is underway: Marlins send Mike Jacobs to Kansas City

[Tom Servo]

for Leo Nunez. per rotoworld:

Royals acquired first baseman Mike Jacobs from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Leo Nunez.

Florida was willing to deal Jacobs because he's in for a big raise via arbitration and he'd have been a decent enough pickup for a contending team, but the Royals seemingly would have been better off simply handing first base to Kila Ka'aihue and Ryan Shealy. Jacobs smacked 32 homers this season, but it came with an ugly .299 on-base percentage and he's a 28-year-old with a career .262/.318/.498 hitting line that's mediocre for the position.

[OnBaseMachine]

This deal doesn't make much sense for the Royals IMO. Nunez isn't great, but the Royals really don't have much need for Jacobs. They already have Billy Butler and Ryan Shealy at the major league level ready to play first base or DH. Plus they have 24-year old Kila Ka'aihue at AAA, where he's coming off a season in which he hit .314/.456/.628 - 1.085 OPS with 37 homers in only 401 atbats. He also walked 104 times and struckout just 67 times. If given the same amount of atbats, I think Ka'aihue would outproduce Jacobs in 2009.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

This deal doesn't make much sense for the Royals IMO. Nunez isn't great, but the Royals really don't have much need for Jacobs. They already have Billy Butler and Ryan Shealy at the major league level ready to play first base or DH. Plus they have 24-year old Kila Ka'aihue at AAA, where he's coming off a season in which he hit .314/.456/.628 - 1.085 OPS with 37 homers in only 401 atbats. He also walked 104 times and struckout just 67 times. If given the same amount of atbats, I think Ka'aihue would outproduce Jacobs in 2009.

Maybe they plan to trade one or two of Butler, Shealy or Ka'aihue?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

This deal doesn't make much sense for the Royals IMO. Nunez isn't great, but the Royals really don't have much need for Jacobs. They already have Billy Butler and Ryan Shealy at the major league level ready to play first base or DH. Plus they have 24-year old Kila Ka'aihue at AAA, where he's coming off a season in which he hit .314/.456/.628 - 1.085 OPS with 37 homers in only 401 atbats. He also walked 104 times and struckout just 67 times. If given the same amount of atbats, I think Ka'aihue would outproduce Jacobs in 2009.

Spot on. There is just no reason KK shouldn't see at least 300 AB's in the majors next year. I have a feeling someone will be targeting him this offseason as someone to acquire.

[camisadelgolf]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

This deal doesn't make much sense for the Royals IMO. Nunez isn't great, but the Royals really don't have much need for Jacobs. They already have Billy Butler and Ryan Shealy at the major league level ready to play first base or DH. Plus they have 24-year old Kila Ka'aihue at AAA, where he's coming off a season in which he hit .314/.456/.628 - 1.085 OPS with 37 homers in only 401 atbats. He also walked 104 times and struckout just 67 times. If given the same amount of atbats, I think Ka'aihue would outproduce Jacobs in 2009.

I agree. It seems like the Royals are just trying to "win" a trade, even if it doesn't mean improving the team. Then again, I remember having a similar thought when the Reds acquired Brandon Phillips.

[Mario-Rijo]

Perhaps Butler will play LF/DH for them and they might platoon Shealy and Jacobs at 1st. Kila could also need some work defensively who knows.

[BRM]

The Fielding Bible tagged Mike Jacobs as the worst 1st baseman in baseball in 2008 by the way. Maybe he's the new DH for the Royals.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Spot on. There is just no reason KK shouldn't see at least 300 AB's in the majors next year. I have a feeling someone will be targeting him this offseason as someone to acquire.

After looking at his #'s both in AA & AAA that someone should be us. My goodness this kid is a freaking monster at the plate. Are his #'s too good to be true? In AA he had 80 BB's and 41 K's! In addition to 26 HR's and 11 DBL's in 287 AB's. And then he followed that up with a very similiar stay in AAA. He's Adam Dunn without the K's and at 1st base!

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by BRM

The Fielding Bible tagged Mike Jacobs as the worst 1st baseman in baseball in 2008 by the way. Maybe he's the new DH for the Royals.

Yeah good point about his defense, they definitely have been power starved in KC.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

After looking at his #'s both in AA & AAA that someone should be us. My goodness this kid is a freaking monster at the plate. Are his #'s too good to be true? In AA he had 80 BB's and 41 K's! In addition to 26 HR's and 11 DBL's in 287 AB's. And then he followed that up with a very similiar stay in AAA. He's Adam Dunn without the K's and at 1st base!

He's a lefty but I hear ya. Move Votto to LF and put Kila at 1B.

[Highlifeman21]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

This deal doesn't make much sense for the Royals IMO. Nunez isn't great, but the Royals really don't have much need for Jacobs. They already have Billy Butler and Ryan Shealy at the major league level ready to play first base or DH. Plus they have 24-year old Kila Ka'aihue at AAA, where he's coming off a season in which he hit .314/.456/.628 - 1.085 OPS with 37 homers in only 401 atbats. He also walked 104 times and struckout just 67 times. If given the same amount of atbats, I think Ka'aihue would outproduce Jacobs in 2009.

When was the last time the Royals did anything that made much sense?

[RichRed]

Originally Posted by Highlifeman21

When was the last time the Royals did anything that made much sense?

I don't know but I think George Brett was involved.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by BRM

He's a lefty but I hear ya. Move Votto to LF and put Kila at 1B.

I'm hesitant to move Votto to LF. But for a bat like that I would give it a shot to see if the kid is for real or not.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

I'm hesitant to move Votto to LF. But for a bat like that I would give it a shot to see if the kid is for real or not.

Same here. I'd much rather leave Votto at 1B if at all possible.

[Spring~Fields]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

I'm hesitant to move Votto to LF. But for a bat like that I would give it a shot to see if the kid is for real or not.

Yes, I agree. Wow.