Omar Infante Should Be Taken Off the Trade Block

During the Winter Meetings, there were reports that Omar Infante was on the trade block for the Kansas City Royals. Considering he was one of their top free agent signings last year, and seemed to be derailed all season due to injuries, it seemed somewhat strange that the Royals were already willing to move on from Infante.

Then came word that the Royals were interested in bringing in Asdrubal Cabrera. That made the idea of putting Infante on the trade block make a bit more sense, as they had a player in mind to take the spot. However, that plan will not come to pass, as Cabrera was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday. Since the Rays also seem to have short and second base locked up, it also seems like a curious move, barring a future trade.

Now, with Cabrera no longer available, does this mean that Omar Infante is off the trade block? Well, that may not necessarily be the base. With their payroll seemingly destined to shatter the $100 Million barrier, it may be that the Royals are interested in saving a few dollars by moving on from Infante anyway, especially since Christian Colon looked impressive during his brief time in Kansas City.

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Yet, it would seemingly be foolhardy to send Infante away now. First, his trade value is likely at it’s lowest point, especially given that his .252/.295/.337 batting line, worth an OPS+ of 76, was positively Getzian. Second, given that he was plagued by a myriad of injuries, including bone chips in his elbow and getting hit in the face with a pitch, it is highly probable that Infante will rebound and be closer to the player he was with the Tigers.

Finally, would handing the job to Colon really make sense? Yes, he had a solid .333/.375/.489 batting line looked impressive, but that was done in all of 49 plate appearances. He may put the bat on the ball and make solid contact, but can he really be an upgrade over Omar Infante at this point? With the Royals expected to contend yet again next season, it may be better to have the experienced Infante in the lineup as a veteran presence.

With Asdrubal Cabrera off the market, the Royals may be better off taking Omar Infante off the trade block for now. If nothing else, he could rebuild his trade value, and the Royals could look to move Infante next offseason.

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