The Kansas City Royals will be faced with a decision now, and in the winter and possibly the next two years: do you trade Zack Greinke? We've already gone over the reasons why you would or wouldn't trade and various sportswriters are weighing in. There are definitely some differing opinions out there.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says it doesn't make any sense for Greinke or the Royals to want to part ways.
But why would Greinke, with two years left on his contract, want to leave a team that according to Baseball America, is sitting on the game's deepest farm system?
And why would the Royals, unless they get offered an irresistible package, rush to trade their ace right-hander when they stand a decent chance of breaking through in 2012?
Meanwhile Buster Olney of ESPN.com is hearing the opposite.
Heard this: Some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Zack Greinke this winter.
I think we'll be seeing a lot of varying opinions on this through the winter (and beyond). Both sides have a good argument as to why he will or won't be traded. Will McDonald of Royals Review predicted last week that a trade would be unlikely....at least for now.
When you add it all up, unless the Royals decide that shedding Greinke's salary is really all that matters, a trade just doesn't look likely. The sweet spot, I would guess, for Greinke being traded is during next season, especially if Zack rebounds with a hot April. Cliff Lee's free agency decision could shake the bathtub one way or the other, but a blockbuster Greinke trade isn't exactly something I'm setting a Google Alert for. For now.
The key to it all is how the farm system develops -- who pans out and who doesn't. If they do pan out. maybe Greinke would want to stick around making the decision easier for the Royals.