Second thoughts

Northwest Arkansas Naturals outfielder Wil Myers was included in a multiplayer trade between the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals outfielder Wil Myers was included in a multiplayer trade between the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays.

— Royals bet the farm on future

Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City (Mo.) Star wrote Monday that the Kansas City Royals’ acquisition of starting pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor-league outfielder Wil Myers and pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Mike Montgomery is too much of a risk.

“This is panic. Or swagger.

This is desperation. Or aggression,” Mellinger wrote.

“This is the Royals, after six years of transforming baseball’s worst farm system into the best, betting all that work on the next two years.

“I’ve written before that because he’s been given better resources than Allard Baird and Herk Robinson, but still works in a more disadvantageous climate than John Schuerholz, Joe Burke or Cedric Tallis, that Dayton Moore will be remembered as the best or worst general manager in Royals history.

“Well, he just bet that legacy.”

Myers, who hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI at Class AA Northwest Arkansas and Class AAA Omaha last season, was named Baseball America’s minor league player of the year in September. Mellinger wrote that Myers may have been the Royals’ best homegrown position player since Carlos Beltran.

Kansas City, which plays in the AL Central with defending AL champion Detroit, has not played in the postseason since 1985 when it won its only World Series title, which has made fans restless for a winner.

“The Royals have spent six years remaking themselves from the sport’s worst-run organization into a small-money team placing its bets in the right places,” Mellinger said. “That’s all changed now.

“The Royals are another team reaching for the now, and that’s something most of their fans have been demanding for some time.

The franchise’s and GM’s future is riding on the outcome.

“Their fans’ skepticism is well earned.” Needs work

Even Vince Young is poking fun at the Arizona Cardinals these days.

The former NFL quarterback asked wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald on Twitter for a job during the Cardinals’ 58-0 loss at Seattle on Sunday.

“You know I can help ... tell coach,” Young tweeted.

Young, who was drafted third overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2006, was released by the Buffalo Bills in August. He said earlier this year that he has nearly burned through the entire $34 million he’s received in salary during his NFL career.

“Problem is, nobody’s hiring someone of Young’s skills, not even the woeful Cardinals,” Jay Busbee of Yahoo! Sports wrote.

“Although after this week, the Cardinals might want to just cut everybody not named Fitzgerald and start from scratch. Anybody can put up zero points, right?” Web heads

From the satirical sports website sportspickle.com:

“Johnny Football remarkably the first from the famous Football family to win the Heisman.”

“Kentucky football fan overheard saying that Notre Dame couldn’t handle an SEC schedule.”

“NFL defensive player fined and suspended because offensive player moved his head at last second.”

Quote of the day

“ ‘Dude, you’re a player, you’re a stud. I’m so glad you’re here. If they wouldn’t have offered you, I would have.’ ” Arkansas commitment Drew Morgan, talking about what new Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema told him in a recent phone conversation

Sports, Pages 18 on 12/11/2012

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