As the season comes to a close after an awful season, there is a possibility of some hope since the team played better in late August to the end of the season.
Here are all the important dates you need to know for the 2018-19 MLB offseason. Some of them do involve the Royals, such as:
Oct. 29: As of 9 a.m. ET on Monday, all eligible players are free agents (Escobar - good riddance).
Oct. 31: Most contract option decisions are due on this date (Hammel should be declined, resulting $2 million buyout and Peralta should be accepted, resulting $3 million increase to the payroll, and could be future flip for additional minor leaguers if he performs well).
Nov. 6-8: General manager meetings in Carlsbad, California.
Nov. 12: Deadline for free agents to accept or reject the qualifying offer.
Nov. 14-15: Owners meetings in Atlanta (possible future CBA discussions).
Nov. 20: Deadline for teams to add eligible minor leaguers to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Spoiler!
The Royals announced they've added RHPs Arnaldo Hernandez, Josh Staumont and Scott Blewett to the 40-man roster, protecting them from next month's Rule 5 draft. Blewett appeared to take a big step in the Arizona Fall League. The 40-man roster is full right now.
Nov. 26-29: MLB Players Association executive board meeting in Dallas (possible future CBA discussions).
Nov. 30: Non-tender deadline.
Dec. 9-13: Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. This is typically when all offseason hell breaks loose.
Dec. 13: Rule 5 Draft (could see the Royals taking a stab here).
Jan. 11: Deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit 2019 salary figures (I believe KC has some arb-eligible players).
Feb. 1-20: Arbitration hearings. You win some, you lose some.
Mid-Feb. : SPRING TRAINING!
As usual, let's have a good off-season discussion on ways that the Royals can/should/would do to improve. I will try to update the OP as the off-season goes along. And Duncan, you're more than welcome to provide us some information that I can add onto the OP. Just let me know.
Zimmer with another solid outing yesterday. I really hope he makes the opening day roster, even if it’s short lived. It would be nice to get something out of that pick. [Reply]
Strahm and Ruiz were tough pieces to part with. The Royals did it in an attempt to complete the team that all expected to work out pretty well at the time, based on Cahill and Buchner. It just didn’t.
Turning around and using Buchner to dump salary before the next season exacerbated things.
Strahm’s floor is as a dynamic bullpen stopper. Ceiling is a very good #3 starter since he added a better put away/strikeout slider after moving to San Diego.
Ruiz was a tough give as well. He’d be a top 5 prospect for the Royals and also slot in nicely with the Melendez/Prato/etc. crew.
Probably the worst trade moore has ever made. The Royals gave up a lot more than they did for Cueto, and got a lot less in return. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Unsmooth-Moment:
Zimmer with another solid outing yesterday. I really hope he makes the opening day roster, even if it’s short lived. It would be nice to get something out of that pick.
I don't think there's any question Zimmer is making the opening day roster at this point. Only a week to go and barring injury, there is very little he could do to get himself cut, IMO. His curve has looked fantastic his last 3 outings. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Unsmooth-Moment:
Zimmer with another solid outing yesterday. I really hope he makes the opening day roster, even if it’s short lived. It would be nice to get something out of that pick.
It appears the driveline guys fixed Zimmer, at least as a short-stint reliever.
Some MLB team should throw $100 million+ at those guys and buy them out now. They do some pretty amazing things. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
It appears the driveline guys fixed Zimmer, at least as a short-stint reliever.
Some MLB team should throw $100 million+ at those guys and buy them out now. They do some pretty amazing things.
Nah.
MLB teams are just stealing their methods instead. They've all got Rapsodo cameras, etc... now that driveline showed everyone how to use them... [Reply]
Originally Posted by FringeNC:
Suppose Zimmer really is fixed -- what's his contract situation going forward? He won't be cheap will he?
I think it's a one year MLB deal that he signed. We retain his rights until he reaches free agency, including the arbitration-eligible years. Other teams wanted him this off-season, but the Royals offered him the MLB deal to under-cut the other offers, which were all MILB, from what I've heard. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Sure-Oz:
@codybtapp: For those who don't like the Maldonado deal now (and I think you should), remember the Angels did get 250k in international spending money and a top 15 prospect in the Astros system at the deadline last year for him.
@BHIndepMO: I suspect you’re not gonna see many people buy into the claims that Maldonado will be better in 2019 than Salvy. But trading him in July for international money plus an A-ball dude should be win-win for both sides of that argument.
Middling signings like this only have value if you are going to trade him for garbage draft picks, or if you plan on competing. Otherwise you block your ability to see what you have in Viloria and Gallagher.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Middling signings like this only have value if you are going to trade him for garbage draft picks, or if you plan on competing. Otherwise you block your ability to see what you have in Viloria and Gallagher.
I hate it.
Viloria was in A ball last year. He should be getting ABs in the minors every day. Not sitting on the bench 5 days a week. I'll admit I was surprised at the number of people who just want to bring him up. It's not like you can play two catchers, let the guy move up to AA and keep developing. Plus having a gold glove catcher back there is a huge benefit for all our young pitchers. [Reply]
Martín Maldonado caught some innings on the backfields today. He threw out Terrance Gore at second. He was drilled in the leg by a fastball in one plate appearance. Pretty good catcher's workout.
Ian Kennedy goes one inning in the game yesterday. That doesn't sound like a guy that's going to be in the rotation. No announcements that I can find, but this seems pretty obvious what is going to happen. Meanwhile Bailey goes 4 innings this past Friday. From their stretching guys out, looks like Keller, Lopez, Junis and either Fillmyer or Bailey to start the season (and maybe the other when they add a 5th). Sounds like Duffy will be a ???? again this year. [Reply]
BREAKING: Star center fielder Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are finalizing a record-breaking 12-year contract worth more than $430 million, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Details: https://t.co/bROnnC11Uh