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.
Great news mlb.tv tried to screw me out of my 21.00 dollars subscription for only the royals games. Yet i had the receipts and my bank statements so i got my mlb.tv for this year so i can watch my royals when i get home from work. [Reply]
Wholly Krap! I just looked and the Royals are in 3rd place in the Cactus league and 2nd overall in runs scored. They also have the best home record at 7-2. Gonna be an awesome year! [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin:
Wholly Krap! I just looked and the Royals are in 3rd place in the Cactus league and 2nd overall in runs scored. They also have the best home record at 7-2. Gonna be an awesome year!
Sounds like MLB and the MLBPA are already working to try and avoid a work stoppage. Long way to go though... but it looks like they've agreed on a bunch of game related changes. The July trade deadline is going to be the final deadline now. For next year, it looks like there will be a roster expansion to 26 and they will put in the three batter minimum. That's probably going to be the most controversial move.
The long-awaited MLB/MLBPA deal is done, sources tell ESPN, and includes a single trade deadline, an All-Star Game Election Day, expanded rosters in 2020 and, most important, a pledge to start bargaining over fundamental economic issues. News @ESPN: https://t.co/b7yvvVdxMd
Originally Posted by tk13:
Sounds like MLB and the MLBPA are already working to try and avoid a work stoppage. Long way to go though... but it looks like they've agreed on a bunch of game related changes. The July trade deadline is going to be the final deadline now. For next year, it looks like there will be a roster expansion to 26 and they will put in the three batter minimum. That's probably going to be the most controversial move.
Goodbye, LOOGYs.
Three batters or end the inning, I assume.
I predict we'll see a few guys feeling "tightness" after pitching to one or two batters and having to leave the game. If they put that rule in, they need to require a DL stint or make the pitcher ineligible for the next few games if he doesn't complete his 3 batters. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
Sounds like MLB and the MLBPA are already working to try and avoid a work stoppage. Long way to go though... but it looks like they've agreed on a bunch of game related changes. The July trade deadline is going to be the final deadline now. For next year, it looks like there will be a roster expansion to 26 and they will put in the three batter minimum. That's probably going to be the most controversial move.
Not just that but September rosters will only expand to 28. Right now it can be up to 40.
Also the HR Derby winner will get $1 million and the total prize pool will be $2.5 million. They don't want C-level stars and below anymore. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
Sounds like MLB and the MLBPA are already working to try and avoid a work stoppage. Long way to go though... but it looks like they've agreed on a bunch of game related changes. The July trade deadline is going to be the final deadline now. For next year, it looks like there will be a roster expansion to 26 and they will put in the three batter minimum. That's probably going to be the most controversial move.
I won't claw my eyes out watching us play Cleveland anymore. What will Francona do now that he can't wear out the path to the mound in the later innings? [Reply]
So this might have already been discussed but has anyone noticed that Matt Strahm is probably pretty good?
I happened to see him throw against the Reds a couple days ago and he looked damn good. Typical 'pitchability' lefty who just throws everything at guys. Solid fastball with nice run and good command.
I mean he sure looked the part of a 3rd starter...well, against grocery baggers at least.
That guy might be one you regret losing. Not a difference maker, but a damn solid mid-rotation starter. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
So this might have already been discussed but has anyone noticed that Matt Strahm is probably pretty good?
I happened to see him throw against the Reds a couple days ago and he looked damn good. Typical 'pitchability' lefty who just throws everything at guys. Solid fastball with nice run and good command.
I mean he sure looked the part of a 3rd starter...well, against grocery baggers at least.
That guy might be one you regret losing. Not a difference maker, but a damn solid mid-rotation starter.
Both him and Esteury Ruiz look like they could be pretty good, although Ruiz is still only in A ball, and the Royals got 3 piles of crap for them. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
So this might have already been discussed but has anyone noticed that Matt Strahm is probably pretty good?
I happened to see him throw against the Reds a couple days ago and he looked damn good. Typical 'pitchability' lefty who just throws everything at guys. Solid fastball with nice run and good command.
I mean he sure looked the part of a 3rd starter...well, against grocery baggers at least.
That guy might be one you regret losing. Not a difference maker, but a damn solid mid-rotation starter.
He was going to be a lefty reliever for us. Got hurt as well. But you got to give something up in a trade to get something. On paper it looked like a good trade at the time for Royals, sucks they all turned out to be duds. But occasionally that happens. [Reply]
Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat:
Both him and Esteury Ruiz look like they could be pretty good, although Ruiz is still only in A ball, and the Royals got 3 piles of crap for them.
I didn't have the heart to mention Ruiz.
I really thought he'd be the guy in that trade that you regretted because, small sample size or no, batting .400 with plus speed over 20 games is pretty damn good.
And he stepped back a bit in BA last year but the speed came through in a big way and his ISO played well for an under-aged kid in his first shot at full-season ball.
I mean there's still a loooooong way to go with him and frankly Luis Urias seems likely to block him for the foreseeable future, but it wouldn't take much at all for him to turn those tools into a top 100 prospect. You can already see 'em if you squint. Just a little more plate discipline and a little more raw strength. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry:
He was going to be a lefty reliever for us. Got hurt as well. But you got to give something up in a trade to get something. On paper it looked like a good trade at the time for Royals, sucks they all turned out to be duds. But occasionally that happens.
Yeah I was surprised to see him humming through a long-relief stint. Seems like they're trying to stretch him out a bit after he seemed shoehorned as a reliever.
But that said - why the hell was he shoehorned as a reliever? Low 90s with 4 viable pitches on a 6'3'' frame will project to the rotation. [Reply]
