Quote:
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho
Two of the Royals top five prospects are SS at AA or higher (Mondesi at Omaha, Nicky Lopez at Northwest Arkansas). KC would actually match up fairly well there if the Cardinals are interested in Lopez.
Lopez is a college guy from Creighton with above average OBP skills. Not a ton of pop, but good speed and a good defender who will stick at SS.
I don't think the Cardinals can offer a larger contract and get the QO compensation, though I may be wrong. Believe it has to be the one year, $18 million qualifying offer.
Don't think Lynn would take that at this point, but who knows?
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They can't 'formally' do it, no. But they can offer the QO and then back-channel an offer to him. If he turns down the QO and goes the FA route, the Cards can still stay in the game and offer him the long-term deal that hits the 'magic number'. That way he either takes their offer and they get a relative bargain at a low AAV or he takes less term than he wants and stays under that $50 million threshold elsewhere.
Is Lopez a genuinely GOOD shortstop? Because I see a guy that's holding his own when he's at/over age but hasn't demonstrated that he'll be a genuine offensive asset. In other words, I see a lot of Greg Garcia in that boy.
If he's a no-pop middle-infielder who gets on base but is probably better served at 2b than SS, I don't see a ton of value there. If he's a guy that at least profiles as an above average defender and 'true shorstop' that the Cardinals haven't had since...shit, Renteria, then maybe there's grounds for discussion.