[sterlingice]

That's the question. I think someone on RoyalsReview had this one pegged perfect. Just like the Jacobs deal, it looks good viewed in a vacuum- take a reliever, the most inconsistent position, and trade for a position player with some useful attributes. However, again, like Jacobs- Crisp has as many flaws as he has strengths so maybe it's just a wash.

But what has become quite evident is that this is a prelude to a larger move which is a shame because I think Teahen has value as a super-sub at all 4 corner positions and DeJesus is my favorite Royal, and one of the few "professional" hitters on the team who actually knows how to take a walk, work the count, and hit for a little pop.

For the Red Sox fans out there- Ramirez was a great reliever for us last year and will be a good addition to the pen. He's a little homer prone but otherwise, pitches well. Look out for injuries as the reason we got him for a song was because he had arm issues. But, he's young, under club control for quite a while, and someone you can trust in the back of the bullpen.

As a side note, I'm sure the fans will grill these trades next year when the bullpen isn't great like it was last year. However, that's more a product of it being an inherently volatile position to begin with.

SI