Last Wednesday, Topps named new Royals acquisition Chris Getz the top rookie second baseman of 2009.
Getz, who played for the Chicago White Sox last season, batted .261/.324/.347 and stole 25 bases while being caught just twice.
At 26, Getz will likely start next season as Kansas City's starting second baseman.
That creates an interesting scenario in the Royals' infield. If manager Trey Hillman does ultimately choose to start Getz, the Royals will have an overabundance of middle infielders. After signing Wilson Betemit in November, that group includes Getz, Betemit, Alberto Callaspo, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Mike Aviles.
Among these, the pertinent name is Callaspo. After a stellar breakout season in 2009 (.300/.356/.457), Callaspo had been the clear incumbent until Moore swapped away Mark Teahen for Getz. It seems inconceivable that the Royals brought in Getz to back up Callaspo, and equally dubious that Callaspo will be asked to surrender his starting spot.
That leaves only one possibility, one that appears more imminent every day, and that could come to fruition by the close of next week's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis: The Royals will look to trade Callaspo.
The market for the 26-year-old (who will turn 27 in April) should be good. A number of would-be 2010 contenders are currently looking to upgrade or reinforce their middle infield depth.
Callaspo's defense will not help Moore move him: 17 errors in 2009 made him a solidly below average glove man at second base. Yet given that his previous track record included back-to-back years with better than average defensive numbers, that consideration will by no means make him immovable.
In deciding whether to pursue him, then, most teams will have to decide how much they buy into his very noticeable power spike in 2009. Prior to last year, though he had never played a full season, Callaspo sported a measly .328 slugging average. Forty-one doubles, eight triples, and 11 home runs later, he had a .457 SLG in 2009, raising his career number all the way to the better side of .400, at .404.
Generally, leaps like that one set prognosticators on edge. It is important to note, however, that Callaspo showed some pop throughout his minor league career, posting slugging averages of .478 and .491 in his last two full seasons in the minors.
Callaspo can expect some regression in 2010, but to completely discount his season would be foolish: Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium was the fourth-worst park in which to hit home runs in 2009, meaning that some number of Callaspo's doubles and triples (by the numbers, it looks to be about five) could actually turn into round-trippers in 2010, all else being equal.
After performing these analyses, interested teams will have to decide if they would rather pay $3-5 million for the services of free agent second basemen like Placido Polanco or Orlando Hudson, or pony up the modicum of talent it would take to acquire Callaspo.
Since Callaspo will make the Major League minimum in 2010, Moore need not hurry to get a deal done, and that will push the market value up over time, as Polanco, Hudson, and Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla disappear from the shelves.
At least five teams (the Red Sox, Astros, Cardinals, Braves, and Cubs) should call Moore and inquire about Callaspo. He fits nearly anywhere, because there is no long-term obligation or big money to move.
He could be a stopgap in Chicago until Starlin Castro displaces Ryan Theriot to second; he could take over second in Boston if Dustin Pedroia makes his much-rumored shift to shortstop. He could fill the hole left by Kaz Matsui's expected departure in Houston, finally stabilize the Braves' miserable second base situation, or help the Cardinals' run toward a repeat as NL Central champions.
It will all depend upon who makes Moore the best offer and whether Moore is willing to listen.
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