Q & A with Joe Posnanski
FW: How much does the loss of Coco Crisp hurt the Royals?
Joe Posnanski: Well, sure, it does hurt. Crisp was playing quite well early in the year -- he was walking a lot, chasing down everything in center field and so on. The Royals got off to a good start and he was a big part of that. I don't know if he could have maintained that pace for a full season -- we'll never really know since he's gone for the year (and I can't imagine the Royals picking up his $8 million option). I think the team has some pretty serious problems and a healthy Crisp would not have changed that. But he certainly could have helped.
FW: Is Zack Greinke going to win the Cy Young?
Joe Posnanski: I said before the year that he would win the Cy Young so it would be silly for me now -- after his brilliant first half -- to back away from my good-looking prediction. But I will say that I think the team's struggles seem to be wearing on him. Zack seems to me the kind of guy who wants desperately to be on a winning team, who wants to pitch in meaningful games. Everybody does, of course, but I think that means even more to him. He has already pitched way too many meaningless games for such a young guy. So, the key to me will be how well he can keep his concentration, focus and enthusiasm in the second half. I still think he and Roy Halladay are the two best pitchers in the American League.
FW: Do you see the Royals making any big deals before the deadline?
Joe Posnanski: I'm sure they would love to make big deals but I'm not entirely sure they have the necessary bait. I think it's possible, maybe even likely, that they will deal Mark Teahen or David DeJesus or someone like that before the deadline, and I guess that could qualify as a big deal. But as far as a really big deal -- a trade that would include Greinke, Joakim Soria, Gil Meche or one of the Royals No. 1 draft picks in the minors or a trade where another team takes Guillen's $12 million contract off their hands -- well, I don't see any of those things happening.
FW: Is Callaspo the best young player on the Royals?
Joe Posnanski: No, I don't think so. I think Billy Butler is the best young everyday player on the Royals. I think he has been surprisingly decent playing first base -- the Royals had fully expected him to be stuck as a DH his whole career -- and I really believe the guy's going to hit a ton. He's only 23 and his power is still developing but he's a natural hitter -- I really think he's a potential star in the making. I'm also keeping my eyes on Alex Gordon when he returns from the disabled list just after the All-Star break. Gordon was everyone's favorite prospect just two years ago and he was actually pretty good last year. I wonder if these couple of months away from the game will help him refocus and become the star that most people expected. As for Callaspo, he's a good hitter. He can't run and I think he's a well-below-average second baseman. But he can hit, and he has flashed some power this year and that is a pleasant surprise for the team. He hardly ever strikes out so that's fun too.
FW: What are your predictions for this series with the Red Sox?
Joe Posnanski: I've hope I've learned enough through the years of watching Royals baseball to not make too many predictions about individual baseball games. But, obviously, this series does not look like a good match-up at all for the Royals. Four games at Fenway and no Zack Greinke pitching and the Royals can't score at all ... I think if the Red Sox don't take at least three out of four they'll be kicking themselves over the All-Star Break.
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