KC with the parts the Braves need?

Looking for a serviceable closer? Want a lefty specialist? How bout a flame throwing youngster? KC is your one stop shopping mecca and they're looking to deal. What's even better is that Moore knows the Braves farm system and isn't afraid to ask for what he wants. Why is this so good? Well, in short Moore is not going to ask for the same prospects as other teams (in general, but it's a limited type of thing). This makes trades with him much more attractive as what we give up doesn't impact what we have to sell much. This makes getting that great young starter AND that relief help much more plausible.

Let's take a look at what these two teams might want to trade.

Royals Have:

Zack Greinke: The Good: By far the highest ceiling of all the Royals relievers. His stuff is filthy at times and his fastball can hit tipple didgets. A converted starter (yes, it works that way too), Greinke can go long innings and has the stuff of a future closer. On top of that, he's only 23. The Bad: He has been troubled by confidence issues (isn't everyone these days) and has seen his ERA balloon up due to the occasional bad outing. Have i mentioned everyone and their brother is calling about him?

Jimmy Gobble: The Good: He has decent stuff and has a track record of getting lefties out. He also has a few years left before free agency. The best part is that it won't take much of an effort to come up with a good nickname. I will call you Bubba. The Bad: Righties light him up. They're hitting .350 against him this year Vs. lefties that are hitting a tiny .239.

David Riske: The Good: A solid reliever with blowup tendencies. In several years with Cleveland he was an effective setup man but could never move to closer. He has struck out about on an inning over his career. The Bad: if ever you wanted a man who can have a breakdown on the mound, David is your guy. Cleveland fans didn't need a nickname for him, they just moaned his last name whenever he was announced.

Braves Have:

Middle Infielders: Prospects, ML ready players, the braves have so many middle infield prospects they're considering moving one of their Minor League all stars to the outfield. Moore has already picked off one (Pena) and i'm betting he'll want another.

Young pitching: Moore helped draft many of the players currently sitting at low A ball in the braves system. He knows what's there and the Royals have always shown a willingness to develop talent.

Payroll Flexibility: The braves are getting back a significant portion of Hampton's 2007 salary so they have money to spend. KC has increased their payroll with several FA signings that haven't made them close to contenders (A later post will analyze this strategy). I'm sure they are looking to dump some of these and look to the future.

Basically, if Moore wants a braves prospect he has the pitching to trade. If he sees nothing he likes then the Braves are out of luck as our vets are too expensive for the KC payroll.