When the Kansas City Royals managed to trade Jonathan Sanchez for Jeremy Guthrie, it was automatically a positive move. Even if Guthrie was nothing more than a batting practice pitcher, he could not be much worse than Sanchez was during his tenure with the Royals. Anything he provided to the Royals success would be a bonus.
As it turned out, Kansas City and Guthrie were a perfect match. While Guthrie did not suddenly transform into a star for the Royals, he became a dependable back of the rotation starter, eating innings and taking the ball every fifth day.