It's the end of the world as we know it... and we feel... fine?
2018 is a season of transition for the Royals, or at least it is at this point. Dayton Moore is back. Will he swing full into THE PROCESS 2.0? Or will he try to load up again and make some reload magic happen?
Pending Free Agents:
1B | Eric Hosmer | San Diego Padres, 8 years, $144 million ($5 million signing bonus; $20 million/year in Yrs 1-5; $13 million/year in Yrs 6-8 wth player opt out)
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Texas Rangers, 6, $118 million)
3B | Mike Moustaskas | Kansas City Royas, 1, $6.5 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 5, $98 million)
CF | Lorenzo Cain | Milwaukee Brewers, 5 years, $80 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: San Francisco Giants, 4, $68 million)
RP | Mike Minor | Texas Rangers, 3, $28 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 3, $35 million+ $12 million team option
SP | Jason Vargas | New York Mets, 2, $16 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Baltimore Orioles, 2, $29 million)
SS | Alcides Escobar | Kansas City Royals, 1, $2.5 million
In case I, picks would be #32, 33, and 34, if Alex Cobb of Rays signs for $50 million guaranteed.
Kansas City will likely have 5 of the top 40-45 picks in the draft, and the bonus pool money should rival that of the teams drafting 1-3 in the 2017 draft. This should give KC tremendous flexibility in acquiring talent that otherwise might slip or not be "signable."
2018 Draft Names to Watch
RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia.
Spoiler!
Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16
OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI
Spoiler!
Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him.
1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).
Spoiler!
Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies.
RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).
Spoiler!
Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker.
ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida. [Reply]
If the Royals keep a good enough core of players to keep the fans interested, they'll cash in on much better TV contract after the 2019 season. For that reason, I think this makes perfect sense from a business perspective. [Reply]
The team believes it can keep Hosmer through the rebuild.
I don't think it necessarily is a sign the team believes it can compete in 18 (though maybe it does - if they keep Hosmer and a few things break right with the pitching staff, WC contention wouldn't be surprising).
Also doesn't indicate what happens with Cain or Moustakas.
There's some major risk - primarily if Hosmer's approach falls apart as he loses a bit of his quick twitch and doesn't replace it with better knowledge, approach, etc. to compensate.
Even if they sign Hosmer, I wouldn't be surprised if they move Herrera, Soria, and Hammel.
Originally Posted by Lex Luthor:
If the Royals keep enough of a core to keep the fans interested, they'll cash in on much better TV contract after the 2019 season. For that reason, I think this makes perfect sense from a business perspective.
That has been disproven. The TV contract has virtually nothing to do with the quality of the team.
Originally Posted by :
According to Kansas City Star columnist Sam Mellinger, who briefly talked about the issue a few weeks ago on The Border Patrol on 810 WHB, the TV deal has little impact on the direction of the team.
“I’m told by people on both sides that - believe it or not - what the team looks like in that off-season that they do the deal does not have that much of an impact on what the TV contract ends up being.”
Originally Posted by :
A franchise rebuild has not hurt the negotiating position of other clubs. The Houston Astros were coming off a 92-loss season in 2014, breaking a string of three consecutive 100-loss seasons. That did not prevent them from signing a deal with Root Sports Southwest that fall, a new deal that would generate $80 million per year for the club.
And they are not alone. The 2011 Padres had their third losing season in four years and traded away their best pitcher, Mat Latos. Despite an unclear future, by the next spring the team signed a 20-year deal with Fox Sports that doubled their annual TV revenue to $30 million per year, and included a 20% equity stake. The Cincinnati Reds signed a 15-year TV deal with Fox Sports Ohio in October of 2016 after trading away veterans like Johnny Cueto, Jay Bruce, and Todd Frazier and losing 90 games for the second straight year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was reportedly a “nice increase” over the $30 million per year the team was previously getting, and included an ownership stake.
The Phillies signed a 25-year, $2.5 billion television deal in 2014, well after the team had been a contender, and the midst of a rebuild that still has not paid off. The Diamondbacks signed a 20-year deal worth more than $1.5 billion in 2015 coming off a 98-loss season. The Mariners signed a 17-year, $2 billion deal in 2013, after five straight losing seasons and over a decade without a playoff appearance.
Another thing to think about: I wonder if there's an opt-out at Year 2 or 3 in that deal. Or a team option on the back end. Need to see the full structure of the deal with details.
Originally Posted by siberian khatru:
He was a 4 WAR guy for the first time in his career, in a contract year. Those guys get paid? Fine, then let someone else pay for that.
And 21 may not be a big number (although for the Royals I think it is), but seven years definitely is a big one.
Let them all walk and pocket the picks.
He was 3.5 two years ago. If one believes his defensive metrics are wrong, then he's prob 4-5 range two of the last 3 years. He just turned 28.
(By the way, Bryce Harper last two years WAR: 3.5, 4.8) [Reply]
What you have quoted doesn’t disprove that. Seems like the rules are different for a market as small as KC. If quality of the team and fan interest/ratings don’t affect bargaining power, then what does? Cause whatever it is we apparently didn’t have it last go-round. [Reply]
Originally Posted by wazu:
What you have quoted doesn’t disprove that. Seems like the rules are different for a market as small as KC. If quality of the team and fan interest/ratings don’t affect bargaining power, then what does? Cause whatever it is we apparently didn’t have it last go-round.
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
If DM gave an opt out after being butt raped by Kennedy, he's a fool
Depends.
What if it's five years, with an opt out after 3, and two team or mutual option years on the back end with a small buyout?
That structure would make sense for both sides, I think. Maybe the market's soft enough for that to happen.
I don't understand why more teams don't try to add a team option on the back end (or make the last year a team option) as a pair with the opt out rights. [Reply]
Originally Posted by wazu:
What you have quoted doesn’t disprove that. Seems like the rules are different for a market as small as KC. If quality of the team and fan interest/ratings don’t affect bargaining power, then what does? Cause whatever it is we apparently didn’t have it last go-round.
Cincinnati is as small of a market and it didn't affect them. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
(By the way, Bryce Harper last two years WAR: 3.5, 4.8)
Harper also played in just 111 games last year. If you dont want to go back the same 3 years on Harper as you did Hosmer, you conveniently leave out his 9.5 WAR season.
Hosmer has been around since 2011 and has a career 9.9 WAR.
Harper has been around since 2012 and has a career 27.7 WAR. [Reply]