Emerging ace Zack Greinke is going to remain in Kansas City through at least 2012 after signing a four-year extension with the Royals rumored to be worth $38 million.Greinke, still just 25, burst into the majors in 2004 at age 20 and instantly became the symbol of hope for one of baseball's most downtrodden franchises, but his career took a scary turn in 2006, when he missed almost the entire season battling depression and social anxiety disorder.
He's slowly put it all back together since then, culminating in a 2008 campaign that saw him post a 13-10 record along with a 3.47 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 202 1/3 innings.
Considering Greinke almost quit baseball altogether in 2006, it's awfully nice to see his talent shine through and him get rewarded for it. It's especially nice for the Royals, who allowed Greinke to take some time away from the game in 2006 and who have the makings of a solid starting rotation with him at the top.
It's been an eventful offseason in Kansas City, but not an especially positive one. Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp were the two high profile additions made by general manager Dayton Moore, but neither will do much to solve Kansas City's offensive struggles -- a direct result of having the third worst team on-base percentage in the American League last year.
Still, Greinke had to be considered the top offseason priority for Moore, and he's successfully bought out two years of his free agency with this deal. The Royals might not be on their way to becoming the next Rays, but they've done at least one thing right this winter.
