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.
Originally Posted by Sure-Oz:
@JonHeyman: KC, Billy Hamilton have agreed on base pay and are finalizing deal with performance bonuses. Expected to be close to 5M total. Royals need speed in center.
Future trade bait
I've trade to give Moore some rope but it's dumb shit like this that shortens that rope. [Reply]
Re: Hamilton ... there isn’t much to lose there for KC other than dollars and there’s some serious upside.
He’s an excellent defender in CF. He can get to replacement level there even if he’s as bat with the bat as he was a year ago.
I could also see the Royals and all that OF grass at the K helping him regain some offensive value. He’s going to be encouraged to bunt and slash and take advantage of his speed as a Royal. If they can’t bring out an average offensive player in him, no one can. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy:
I've trade to give Moore some rope but it's dumb shit like this that shortens that rope.
This is an exciting signing that gives KC arguably the best trio of base stealers in baseball. This is a super cheap 1 year deal on a rebuilding team that also gives Hamilton a home ballpark where he can thrive. Our base running and outfield defense are both elite. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy:
Yes. Those guys obviously are the same as Merrifield.
When did I say they're the same? You can't really be that dense. They don't need to be the same, they just need to give us enough capable bodies to not be left with a complete black hole at any one position. Despite what Moore has said about rebuilding, they're clearly in rebuild mode. I'm not a big fan of Moore obviously, but I don't think he's that oblivious and ignorant to not see the merits of making a trade IF the right return is offered. Moore is covering his bases in case he is offered a return he can't refuse. [Reply]
Ozzie Smith is the best defensive player ever, scoring higher than even Brooks Robinson in the fWAR tables. 67 WAR, didn’t destroy all that much value st the plate either since he played in a slapdick era where slapdicks at middle infield was fine. I used to say he was basically a hyped up Frank White but that’s not really true - SS is vastly tougher to play and hence Ozzie was worth about twice what White was over their careers.
Oh. Harold Baines is the worse choice I’ve ever seen. Even he said he was “shocked”. He and Bruce “hairy bush face” Sutter have no biz being in. All these mediocrities make it likely I’ll avoid ever going to Cooperstown [Reply]
This does feel like Moore's doing prep-work for a Merrifield deal. If we can get value from a Whit trade and nail the draft this year, our system suddenly looks a whole lot better. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy:
I've trade to give Moore some rope but it's dumb shit like this that shortens that rope.
I can give a dozen reasons why I'm not a fan of Moore, but this move? Who cares if we sink $5 million on a reclamation project for 1 year. How is this a negative? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Ozzie Smith is the best defensive player ever, scoring higher than even Brooks Robinson in the fWAR tables. 67 WAR, didn’t destroy all that much value st the plate either since he played in a slapdick era where slapdicks at middle infield was fine. I used to say he was basically a hyped up Frank White but that’s not really true - SS is vastly tougher to play and hence Ozzie was worth about twice what White was over their careers.
Oh. Harold Baines is the worse choice I’ve ever seen. Even he said he was “shocked”. He and Bruce “hairy bush face” Sutter have no biz being in. All these mediocrities make it likely I’ll avoid ever going to Cooperstown
I saw a lot of people on Twitter talking about Baines last night....could not believe he got in. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
I can give a dozen reasons why I'm not a fan of Moore, but this move? Who cares if we sink $5 million on a reclamation project for 1 year. How is this a negative?
Props! I agree completely and thought we should note our rare agreement!
Re: Merrifield, I agree they’re positioned to move him if the right return presents itself, but we’ll have to see what is out there. [Reply]
I can see the merits of holding on to him and trying again at the deadline. I saw a report that the Reds are considering trading Scooter Gennett, obviously hurting Merrifield's value. We can hope Lopez lights it up in Omaha for 2-3 months, possibly making Merrifield expendable. [Reply]
Whit’s trade value will never be higher than it is right now; 4 years of control left coming off of leading all of MLB in SB and hits. The time to strike is now, but ONLY if you get the right offer. You don’t just trade him for the sake of trading him.
Absolutely. Jack Morris being in the Hall of Fame is a joke. His career ERA+ was 105! But hey, he threw a lot of innings, so put him in the Hall! [Reply]
Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin:
Whit’s trade value will never be higher than it is right now; 4 years of control left coming off of leading all of MLB in SB and hits. The time to strike is now, but ONLY if you get the right offer. You don’t just trade him for the sake of trading him.
Hopefully someone blows the Royals away . . . .
Not sure if the premise is correct or not, but I saw an article that theorized his value is too high right now to get the return we want, and that maybe in a year or so he might finally have a value equivalent to a trade we could reasonably expect to receive. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
Not sure if the premise is correct or not, but I saw an article that theorized his value is too high right now to get the return we want, and that maybe in a year or so he might finally have a value equivalent to a trade we could reasonably expect to receive.
I’m fine with the Royals holding on to him for another year or so if no one is willing to give up something good and ‘fair’ in value right now. Eventually (maybe at the trade deadline this year?) someone will try and meet the Royals asking price. Royals definitely need to slow play this one . . . . . [Reply]
