Thanks Tony

While the Tony Graffanino for Chip Ambres and Juan Cedeno trade makes sense, I still hated to see it happen. With Bellhorn going down, the Red Sox needed a steady, experienced second baseman for their playoff run and the Royals certainly needed a young outfielder with punch.

For better or worse, the Royals have given the starting second baseman job to Ruben Gotay. So Graffanino was a 33 year-old utility man for the Royals whose contract was up at the end of the season. But I still have a question.

The Royals were already the youngest club in the major leagues. Who is going to mentor all of these rookies? Who is going to sit next to Ruben Gotay on the bench and explain positioning on the field against certain hitters and who is going to tell him about a relief pitcher's tendencies? Of course, he'll have team meetings and scouting reports, but rookies need to be reminded of such things during the heat of battle.

For all of these reasons and more, we need guys like Graffanino on this club. I'm sorry to see him go. But he is quoted as saying this in the Star today: "I'd consider coming back (as a free agent). I expressed that to Allard." See what I mean about needing guys like this?

Chip Ambres, 25, hits for average, has power, and he steals bases. He was hitting .294 with 10 HR, 50 RBI, and 17 SB in Triple-A Pawtucket this season. Whether that translates to similar numbers at the major league level or not, we'll have to wait and see. Sounds like he'll play left field.

Juan Cedeno, 22, is supposedly the guy the Royals are most interested in of the two. He throws hard, often hitting 95 mph, but he doesn't have a breaking pitch. And even guys in rookie ball can hit fast balls when they are sitting on them. In Wilmington, he was 2-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 21 appearances. What's more disconcerting is the fact that he has 10 wild pitches in just 78 1/3 IP. He's also walked 37 guys. He sounds like Mike MacDougal without the knee-buckling curve ball.

With Ambres taking Graff's spot on the roster, McEwing is sure to see more playing time at second, short, third, and who knows, maybe even first. Stairs will probably see more time at first base if Ambres gets the majority of the playing time in left field.