Originally Posted by Wilson8:
I put this together because I was looking at the KC players for 2021 and seeing what kind of contracts each of them had. At the end, I also took a look at possible free agents for the Royals.
2021 Kansas City Royals Roster
Starting Lineup 2B #15 Whit Merrifield, R/R, Age 31, $6.750 M ’21, Team Option ’23, FA ‘24 SS #27 Adalberto Mondesi, S/R, Age 24, ARB1 ’21 DH #12 Jorge Soler, R/R, Age 28, ARB2 ’21, FA ‘22 C #13 Salvador Perez, R/R, Age 30, $13 M ‘21, FA ‘22 3B #7 Maikel Franco, R/R, Age 27, ARB4 ’21, FA ‘22 1B #17 Hunter Dozier, R/R, Age 28, ARB1 ‘21 RF #19 Franchy Cordero, L/R, Age 26, ARB1 ‘21 LF #14 Edward Olivares, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB CF #0 Nick Heath, L/L, Age 26, PRE-ARB
Bench
C #36 Cam Gallagher, R/R, Age 27, PRE-ARB
1B #66 Ryan O’Hearn, L/L, Age 26, ARB ‘22
UI #1 Nicky Lopez, L/R, Age 25, ARB ‘22
OF #11 Bubba Starling, R/R, Age 27, ARB ‘23
Possible later call ups
3B Bobby Witt JR, R/R, Age 20
OF Kyle Isbel, L/R, Age 23
OF Khalil Lee, L/L, Age22
Possible Starters
SP #56 Brad Keller, R/R, Age25, ARB ‘21
SP #65 Jakob Junis, R/R, Age 28, ARB ‘21
SP #41 Danny Duffy, L/L, Age32, $15.5 M ’21, FA ‘22
SP #50 Kris Bubic, L/L, Age 23, PRE-ARB
SP #51 Brady Singer, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB
SP #21 Mike Montgomery, L/L, Age 31, ARB3 ’21, FA ‘22
SP #71 Carlos Hernandez, R/R, Age 23, PRE-ARB
Possible call ups
SP Asa Lacy, L/L, Age 21
SP Daniel Lynch, L/L, Age 23
SP Jackson Kowar, R/R, Age 23
Possible Relief
RP #58 Scott Barlow, R/R, Age 28, PRE-ARB
RP #32 Jesse Hahn, R/R, Age 31, ARB4 ’21, FA ‘22
RP #55 Richard Lovelady, L/L, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #61 Kevin McCarthy, R/R, Age 28, ARB ‘22
RP #68 Jake Newberry, R/R, Age 26, PRE-ARB
RP #63 Josh Staumont, R/R, Age27, PRE-ARB
RP #53 Tyler Zuber, R/R, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #45 Kyle Zimmer, R/R, Age 29, PRE-ARB
RP #67 Gabe Speier, L/L, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #57 Glenn Sparkman, R/R, Age 28, ARB1 ’21
RP #64 Scott Blewett, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB
Free Agency
Attempt to sign one or two of the following pitchers -
RP Greg Holland R/R, Age 35
RP Wade Davis, R/R, Age 35, FA – Minor League contract
RP Kelvin Herrera, R/R, Age 30, FA – Minor League contract
RP Trevor Rosenthal, R/R, Age 30, FA
SP Chris Archer, R/R, Age 32 – low cost contract since he is trying to recover after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
SP Taijuan Walker, R/R, Age 28- Had Tommy John Surgery in 2018. Missed 2019 and threw 53 innings with 11 starts in 2020
Attempt to sign one or two of the following outfielders
RF Yasiel Puig, R/R, Age 30
LF Michael Brantley, L/L, Age 34
CF Jackie Bradley JR, L/R, Age 30
I don't think there's any way they roll with Heath as the everyday CF to start the season, but we'll see.
Joc Pederson is someone who intrigues me a bit as a potential FA fit for KC. He's terrible against lefties, but he produces against RH pitching and has great OBP skills. He'd be a nice fit as someone who can play 1B or any OF spot. He could give them what they were hoping to get from O'Hearn and provide a small bridge to their next solution at 1B.
With Dozier's versatility, you can sit Pederson against lefties and play Dozier.
I can see them trying to work out something with Holland to keep a veteran presence in the pen. I also expect them to consider moving Duffy to the bullpen, which I think is the next phase of his career. He could be really effective in short stints.
Proposed roster:
Against RH
Merrifield - 2B
Mondesi - SS
Dozier - 1B/RF
Soler - DH
Perez - C
Pederson - 1B/RF
Franco - 3B
Edward Olivares - CF
Khalil Lee - LF
Against LH
Merrifield - 2B
Mondesi - SS
Dozier - 1B
Soler - RF
Perez - DH
Franco - 3B
Olivares - CF
Cam Gallagher - C
Khalil Lee - LF
In the rotation, three quantities are known. They actually have some rotation depth for a change, which is unusual for us. I could see Junis and/or Duffy both starting in the pen, if one of Lynch, Kowar, or Acy earns a rotation spot in ST.
Keller
Singer
Bubic
Mike Montgomery
Junis/Duffy/Lynch/Kowar/Acy
Pen:
Holland
Staumont
Zimmer
Barlow
Lovelady
Duffy/Junis
Carlos Hernandez
That would be an interesting squad. If the SP held up, I could see it contending for a WC.
I also could see flipping Perez and Soler in the lineup, if Perez continues hitting like he did this season, with the improved approach. Having a little more protection for Salvy might do him a world of good. [Reply]
The Chicago Tribune mentioned last fall a deal for Whit that could’ve bright back Ian Happ +Nico Hoerner. Not sure if true but Happ alone would’ve been freaking amazing to have in our OF the next three pre-FA seasons [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Duffy isn’t leaving the rotation.
The Chicago Tribune mentioned last fall a deal for Whit that could’ve bright back Ian Happ +Nico Hoerner. Not sure if true but Happ alone would’ve been freaking amazing to have in our OF the next three pre-FA seasons
Good God, if that's a deal we were offered then we are idiots for not taking that. Two young controllable players one with great success in the Majors and another that is a top 50 prospect and ML ready. Whit is amazing, but he's old and could drop off a cliff any day. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Duffy isn’t leaving the rotation.
The Chicago Tribune mentioned last fall a deal for Whit that could’ve bright back Ian Happ +Nico Hoerner. Not sure if true but Happ alone would’ve been freaking amazing to have in our OF the next three pre-FA seasons
When did the Trib mention that?
I have a hard time believing that was actually offered. Market was much more tepid than that. I was told specifically Chicago wouldn't consider Hoerner for Merrifield straight-up. [Reply]
Were any of you on the old Scout Royals board? Used to be a member on there that was really in the know with the Royals. He'd always break news of players being called up. He would usually let people know the day before it happened. I'm pretty sure he also knew when Moose was being demoted. I wonder who that guy was. [Reply]
The Chicago White Sox have hired Hall of Famer Tony La Russa as their new manager. La Russa, 76, managed the White Sox from 1979-86, and his firing was owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s great regret. La Russa last managed in 2011, when he led St. Louis to a championship.
The Chicago White Sox have hired Hall of Famer Tony La Russa as their new manager. La Russa, 76, managed the White Sox from 1979-86, and his firing was owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s great regret. La Russa last managed in 2011, when he led St. Louis to a championship.
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
Were any of you on the old Scout Royals board? Used to be a member on there that was really in the know with the Royals. He'd always break news of players being called up. He would usually let people know the day before it happened. I'm pretty sure he also knew when Moose was being demoted. I wonder who that guy was.
I was on the old board, but it certainly wasn't me. I recall the pizza lady. [Reply]
The Royals on Friday outrighted left-hander Mike Montgomery and right-hander Kevin McCarthy, and both opted for free agency.
Montgomery and McCarthy were scheduled to be arbitration-eligible -- Kansas City had 11 players eligible.
The Royals also activated Glenn Sparkman, Kyle Zimmer and Foster Griffin from the 60-day injured list. Kansas City also claimed right-hander Carlos Sanabria off waivers from Houston -- he was the Astros’ No. 30 prospect per MLB Pipeline.
The Royals’ 40-man roster now stands at 39. [Reply]
