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.
Originally Posted by ChiTown:
I think Lopez is intriguing, but honestly, I don't see him being consistent enough to stick in the rotation. JMHO
That is definitely the question. While not all roses, his body of work with the Royals last year showed enough that I'm encouraged he's a "turn the corner" candidate this year. We'll see how mentally tough he is when he has to bounce back after he hits his first few rough patches this year...or when his offense doesn't score many runs for him. Gonna' happen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
That is definitely the question. While not all roses, his body of work with the Royals last year showed enough that I'm encouraged he's a "turn the corner" candidate this year. We'll see how mentally tough he is when he has to bounce back after he hits his first few rough patches this year...or when his offense doesn't score many runs for him. Gonna' happen.
Honestly, that might be as big as anything else he has to deal with. [Reply]
I just wish they'd quit fucking around and stick Soler in RF every fucking day. He's not going to get better there until they do. Put Schwindel in the DH spot until he proves he's not worthy. Play O'Hearn every day until he figures out how to hit lefties. Play Dozier every goddamned day until he sinks or swims.
I mean; these guys need to play through their weaknesses to improve. I hate all the platooning and moving guys around. Just stick 'em in there to sink or swim. We're not taking the division anyway, let's see what we have.
We never would've found out what Merrifield was if we hadn't been forced to by every other second base option flaming out. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
I just wish they'd quit ****ing around and stick Soler in RF every ****ing day. He's not going to get better there until they do.
I think the issue with putting Soler in the field is more or less his incredible risk for injury. That's been what's hamstrung his development more than anything else. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiTown:
Be prepared to be down-voted by the oversensitive Royals fans. That don’t like it when your opinion shits on their Pom Poms :-)
I just don't know how we're going to compete with this starting lineup, and I don't know where the run production is going to come from. Hopefully I'm wrong by a magnitude of 30+ games, but I just don't see it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I think the issue with putting Soler in the field is more or less his incredible risk for injury, I would think. That's been what's hamstrung his development more than anything else.
well...then cut bait. If you can't play, you can't play.
There's a glut of 'maybes' on this team. I don't see how we move forward until we sort through it.
Can Phillips hit? Can Goodwin? Can Dozier? Is O'Hearn for real? Can Schwindel hit for high enough average? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I think the issue with putting Soler in the field is more or less his incredible risk for injury, I would think. That's been what's hamstrung his development more than anything else.
THIS. Otherwise, I would agree to keep him in RF. His bat is more important than having him in RF everyday at risk of injury. Unfortunately, guy has to be kiddy-gloved because he can't seem to stay healthy. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
THIS. Otherwise, I would agree to keep him in RF. His bat is more important than having him in RF everyday at risk of injury. Unfortunately, guy has to be kiddy-gloved because he can't seem to stay healthy.
Well, and I'm not disagreeing- then we need to move on.
his bat is NOT more important, not in a rebuilding year. It doesn't matter at all if he's not to be counted on as a building block.
We're going to need a few of these guys to bloom if we're going to make a run in '20 or '21. We need to see who.
I expect Merrifield and his club friendly controlled deal get moved in July and we'll see what Lopez is. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
well...then cut bait. If you can't play, you can't play.
There's a glut of 'maybes' on this team. I don't see how we move forward until we sort through it.
Can Phillips hit? Can Goodwin? Can Dozier? Is O'Hearn for real? Can Schwindel hit for high enough average?
That's short-sighted. There's no extra value to Soler playing RF everyday. It's not like he's an amazing outfielder. There IS value in seeing if they can find a way to keep him healthy and have him contribute to the offensive production of a future Royals team. They're determining the pieces they can count on to contribute when the likes of Pratto, Melendez, Lee, Kower, Lynch etc. arrive. [Reply]
