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.
It's absolutely an attack on his character to suggest he's throwing games. That's what you're doing to Matheny if you make this charge: he intentionally lost games by playing inferior players. That's the cardinal sin of sport.
"Draw your own conclusions" is shorthand for: "I can't prove something" [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
It's absolutely an attack on his character to suggest he's throwing games. That's what you're doing to Matheny if you make this charge: he intentionally lost games by playing inferior players. That's the cardinal sin of sport.
"Draw your own conclusions" is shorthand for: "I can't prove something"
So the record after he was rightly fired is meaningless? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
It's absolutely an attack on his character to suggest he's throwing games. That's what you're doing to Matheny if you make this charge: he intentionally lost games by playing inferior players. That's the cardinal sin of sport.
"Draw your own conclusions" is shorthand for: "I can't prove something"
Every manager who makes bad strategic decisions is not trying to throw games. That’s a big leap from just making dumb choices out of misplaced loyalty.
Go check the Cards thread. General consensus there is that Matheny was definitely overly loyal to underperforming players who were part of his bible study club.
I can’t PROVE it. I’m not Mike Matheny. I’m not one of the players in the clubhouse. I don’t cover the team.
But I don’t need to prove it. Just sharing conjecture.
The reason he was too loyal to underperforming players doesn’t matter, anyway. Just that he was. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Al Bundy:
So the record after he was rightly fired is meaningless?
Derp.
No, the 12-15 record in Sept isn't meaningless. The Cards weren't a playoff contender with or without Matheny. But here's the good news: now they have to win the division to justify his firing. No more Bible Study = playoffs.
If not, then we will find out Bible Study wasn't the problem. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Go check the Cards thread. General consensus there is that Matheny was definitely overly loyal to underperforming players who were part of his bible study club.
But I didn't ask you what retards on a chat board once heard. Simply what evidence there was for it. And "Everyone knows that...." or "It is common knowledge" do not qualify.
Originally Posted by :
I can’t PROVE it. I’m not Mike Matheny. I’m not one of the players in the clubhouse.
That's really all there is to this nonstory: the alleged perp hasn't even been accused, nor has he even been asked about it.
Originally Posted by :
I don’t cover the team.
There's no evidence on that front either. Deez mentioned some writer named "Strauss". I googled Strauss-Matheny and the first story that pops up? "Matheny Should Win Manager of the Year" (2015). Conclusion: his Bible Studies were working awesome back then.
Originally Posted by :
But I don’t need to prove it. Just sharing conjecture.
You're right. I have higher standards for you and Pants than the BFIBs.
Originally Posted by :
The reason he was too loyal to underperforming players doesn’t matter, anyway. Just that he was.
You don't believe that. Discriminating in race or religion is something we have Fed laws against. People don't like it. And we should be judicious accusing people of it too. [Reply]
I don't know about bible studies but is there any question Matheny lost the clubhouse? I think that's pretty widely accepted. How many times have the Cardinals sacked a manager midseason? Dude had multiple playoff appearances and a winning record this year and they still fired him. That's the most un-Cardinals like move you could think of. And the only thing he said in response to the buzz around the clubhouse was that the game had gotten too soft. [Reply]
Royals will have the first pick in Round B of the competitive balance lottery in the 2019 draft (had Round A last year). Right now that pick is set for 71st overall but will move higher/lower based on free agent signings up until possibly draft day.
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.
Originally Posted by Al Bundy:
Looks like PB should have a look in the Cardinals thread.
Wonder if he has looked yet? He is just going to argue that there aren't any quotes from anyone. He's going to have to hear it come straight from Mathenys mouth, otherwise it's just false accusations. [Reply]
Don’t blame us. We warned ya. Yelled it from the rooftops. Prepare for some bible study favorites, and shitty vets playing over young players. And burning out your young arms and bullpen mismanagement.
We have hired Mike Matheny as a Special Advisor for Player Development.