If the KC Royals viewed Maikel Franco as a long-term option at the hot corner they would have negotiated a contract with at least two to three years of team control. Since he was signed for a budget-friendly $2.95 million with options that could push it to $4 million, they could have secured his services for more seasons and still not spent much more than that per year.
This deal has all the makings of a Dayton Moore special. Take a player who struggled the last season or two for a one year deal and hope he regains enough production that a playoff contender will ship you a prospect or two for his services the last two months of the season.