Some of the guys in the minors could probably do just fine, or at least average, in the majors, but service time considerations are enough incentive to keep them in the minors for further refinement. Duffy, Montgomery, Moose et al aren’t going to be difference makers in 2011 and playing them right away just adds days to their service clock. That could mean the difference between moving Moustakas or letting him walk a year earlier than you would need to by delaying him a month or two.

I’d rather see guys playing every day in Triple A than sitting on the bench (like Kila for his first stint up last year), but once they make it up, they’ll be in the lineup.

The last few players to make major league debuts for the Royals have been Dusty Hughes, Victor Marte, Kila, Jarrod Dyson, Greg Holland and such. That’s a much different crop of players than the top ten guys we have now.

It’s frustrating, but at least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not 2005 when the cupboard was bare at both the major and minor league levels.

Chris, you’re right. That’s exactly what it’s been. But, like I said before, I want to make clear that the players being blocked before either weren’t ready to contribute or were put at a disadvantage while guys like Pods, AnKiel, and Guillen built trade value. That’s changing now. Francis really isn’t blocking anyone (if anyone blocks young guys, it’ll be Chen) and after watching the Royals get rid of Juan Cruz last seaosn, I have a feeling that they’re more willing to ditch non-producing players.

You may very well still be right. But when the new guys deserve to play, I think they’ll make room. I just have a feeling. It’s partially inspired by the way Yost and Moore have been talking lately (including at Digital Digest) and partially by my own slowly-growing optimism. I hope you’re wrong and that doesn’t happen, but I guess there’s still probably a 60% chance that it does, at least in 2011.

Basically, you’re right that that’s how things have been handled. But do you think they’d really play Betemit over Moustakas if Moustakas was showing great ability? They’ve been playing guys with trade value over AAAA and back-up players like Mitch Maier and Kila. While they definitely have use, they’re never going to lead a team to a championship. I think there’s a pointed difference between the past and the future, namely that there will be guys who could absolutely deserve the play time.

And I don’t understand the problem with Francis? Who’s he blocking? Montgomery, Lamb, and Dwyer, who aren’t ready? Yost himself said they only have three starters who are absolutely locked in right now, so if the young guys that are closer to the majors, like Duffy and Teaford, show that they deserve a chance more than, say, Davies, they could very well get it.

I get the pessimism. I also have the pessimism. But I think this year will start to define how things are really changing. The beginning will be if Cain shows up in Spring Training, beats out Cabrera, and starts in CF on March 31. That’s the first signal of 2011 that things are different.

That’s a long-winded reply, but I think that’s everything.