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]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Why do you say that? Does that guy take on salary very often? I suspect we didn't get much, if any salary relief.
I think they save about $6 million in the deal, even sending 3.25 to Oakland.
Filmeyer is interesting from first couple of reads on him. Taken out of JUcO, where he was a SS, and converted to pitching. Good fastball, potential swing and miss curve, swing and miss change. Had a really nice second half to 2015 and is ready for AAA (and also built up to throw a lot of innings).
Actually may have been Kc's main target in the deal. Sounds like their type of pitcher. [Reply]
Just seems like we had to give up a premium LH reliever just to shed Soria's 1 year of salary. It's hard to imagine we could pawn Moss's 1 year (at about the same pay) for much less.
I suspect we want a few SP to have some depth this year. Or create some ST competition. OR - we might be close to moving Duffy [Reply]
I see the (very short) remainder of this offseason going one of two ways.
We land Hos, and then bring back a combination of Vargas/Edinson Volquez with Holly at reduced rates and hope for the best at the back-end of the rotation/bullpen.
Or....
We miss Hos, trade Duffy to the Brewers, and go all out tank in 2018.
It's crazy that one very good but streaky player can mean that much to the franchise, but the Royals moves so far suggest they're not sold on either strategy, and I think Hos will be the hinge that swings them to either side. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Just seems like we had to give up a premium LH reliever just to shed Soria's 1 year of salary. It's hard to imagine we could pawn Moss's 1 year (at about the same pay) for much less.
I suspect we want a few SP to have some depth this year. Or create some ST competition. OR - we might be close to moving Duffy
I'll be pissed if they move Duffy. The guy has talent and he really WANTS to be here.
If they move Duffy, there's no reason to go watch the cluster****. [Reply]
