The Kansas City Royals are willing to move on without a trade involving pitcher Zack Greinke, GM Dayton Moore again told reporters on Tuesday evening. The Royals GM talked and said there are a lot more questions with Greinke and a possible trade than answers at this point.
Moore says the trade has to be a must-win for everybody involved.
"If we decide to move Zack, there'll be enough for us to be satisfied if that's what we decide we ultimately need to do," Moore said. "But again, I don't know when that is -- I don't if it's here, if it's at the [July] non-waiver Trade Deadline, I don't know if it's in the [next] offseason."
Ideally Moore has a pretty good idea on what Greinke's value is; when it spikes and when it begins to decline. He can look back historically at other trades -- from his experience and others -- and get a rough idea of what Greinke's value is now versus eight months from now.
What's not known is Greinke's performance next season. That's what represents the risk/reward of it all. If Greinke comes out next year and tanks then the Royals probably lost a lot of leverage in trying to trade him. But if he comes out red hot then maybe they'd be getting a half-season of good pitching from him and then trade him for the same -- or theoretically, more.