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]
Grimm was released by the Cubs earlier this week, in part, because he was out of options. He's already on site in Surprise and said he exchanged texts with Wade Davis after Royals opportunity surfaced. Davis talked up Kansas City, he said.
Originally Posted by Meatloaf:
Just bite the bullet and cut Gordon. Yeah, I know we still gotta pay him, but his fielding is not good enough to make up for a sub200 BA (much less a sub100 BA). Hell, I’d ship him to A ball if I could. Management should not tolerate this kind of performance. Period.
They need to make a designated fielder position like they do a DH position. Gordon doesn't need to be swinging a bat. I'd be all for cutting his ass. [Reply]
If Gordon is sub-Mendoza line in May-June and just looks helpless at the plate, they may consider cutting him. I don’t see any way any team would cut a player based on ST stats or performance. [Reply]
Plus always remember the Royals value defense more than you do. Due to Boni being down, odds are they'd at least use him as a late inning defensive replacement. He is still the best LF in the game. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
If Gordon is sub-Mendoza line in May-June and just looks helpless at the plate, they may consider cutting him. I don’t see any way any team would cut a player based on ST stats or performance.
With all due respect, Duncan, did you see his stats last year? Calling for cutting him now isn't just about his non-performance this Spring, but his overall downward trend since signing that huge contract. Apparently, the guy won't listen to anyone as per making changes, and with the guaranteed contract, he seems to feel that he doesn't have to. As management, I simply would not tolerate that kind of attitude and performance. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
Nope. He’ll never be a Sweeney. . Dude could bat 000 and still be a hero for his performance in 2014-2015 He hit the biggest homer in franchise history and he’ll always be remembered for that.
While that was a great moment, not sure I agree.
The Brett HR off of Gossage in the '80 playoffs - in my opinion - was much bigger/more important.
It represented so much.
History lesson for the young:
Holding on to a 2–1 lead in the seventh inning, pitcher Tommy John gave up a two-out double to Willie Wilson. Yankee manager Dick Howser brought in hard-throwing Goose Gossage, who gave up a single to U L Washington, bringing up George Brett. Brett had wowed the majors during the year, flirting with a .400 batting average, holding an average above .400 as late as September 19 before finishing the year at .390. Brett blasted a Gossage fastball into the upper deck, a three-run home run which stunned the Yankee Stadium crowd. The Royals had a 4–2 lead with All-Star reliever Dan Quisenberry on the mound.
The Yankees mounted a major threat in the eighth, loading the bases with no one out. Quisenberry then got Rick Cerone to line into a double play and the next batter to ground out to close out the inning. The ninth went one-two-three as the Royals and the long-suffering Kansas City baseball fans finally won the American League Pennant. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJJasonp:
While that was a great moment, not sure I agree.
The Brett HR off of Gossage in the '80 playoffs - in my opinion - was much bigger/more important.
It represented so much.
History lesson for the young:
Holding on to a 2–1 lead in the seventh inning, pitcher Tommy John gave up a two-out double to Willie Wilson. Yankee manager Dick Howser brought in hard-throwing Goose Gossage, who gave up a single to U L Washington, bringing up George Brett. Brett had wowed the majors during the year, flirting with a .400 batting average, holding an average above .400 as late as September 19 before finishing the year at .390. Brett blasted a Gossage fastball into the upper deck, a three-run home run which stunned the Yankee Stadium crowd. The Royals had a 4–2 lead with All-Star reliever Dan Quisenberry on the mound.
The Yankees mounted a major threat in the eighth, loading the bases with no one out. Quisenberry then got Rick Cerone to line into a double play and the next batter to ground out to close out the inning. The ninth went one-two-three as the Royals and the long-suffering Kansas City baseball fans finally won the American League Pennant.
Awesome recap and story - I’ve read it before from Rany but the re-read always gives me chills. I am sure being born in the 90’s and having my biggest home run be “Carlos Beltran’s Opening Day walkoff” until 2014 impacted my opinion a bit.
However, if Gordo strikes out there - the entire World Series changes. We go down 1-0 and go into NY locked up at 1-1, IE, the same situation as the 2014 World Series. Terry Collins likely doesn’t burn Familia for no reason in Game 3 to “boost his confidence”. And if the Mets are up 2-1 in Game 4 with a rested Familia, we could very well be looking at back to back WS losses.
Gordo’s home run was easily the most iconic and significant moment of the series.
Could we argue Gordo and Brett’s homers were at least equal in significance? [Reply]