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 Great Expectations:
The Padres are a few pitchers away from a World Series win. If the club house isn’t a complete dumpster fire, they should be one of the top 5 favorites to win it all next year.
But it's San Diego, so nothing will go as planned and the team will play below expectations. [Reply]
Baseball Prospectus released its farm rankings today.
Royals checked in at ...
Drumroll please ...
16th. That’s an impressive leap up from 28th or 29th last year.
I tend to like BP more than BA or MLB’s guys because those latter systems focus more on near-MLB talent as part of their rankings and less on upside (ie they more highly value a guy with a 4 starter upside who is close to MLB and has a higher floor compared to a guy with a lower floor but the ability to be a really good 2/3 at his best).
For Royals prospect thoughts, Clint Scoles is doing great stuff - for free - at Royals Academy.
I’m still trying to find time to do some highlights of the system. I’ll try to include some draft profiles if people are interested in that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Baseball Prospectus released its farm rankings today.
Royals checked in at ...
Drumroll please ...
16th. That’s an impressive leap up from 28th or 29th last year.
I tend to like BP more than BA or MLB’s guys because those latter systems focus more on near-MLB talent as part of their rankings and less on upside (ie they more highly value a guy with a 4 starter upside who is close to MLB and has a higher floor compared to a guy with a lower floor but the ability to be a really good 2/3 at his best).
For Royals prospect thoughts, Clint Scoles is doing great stuff - for free - at Royals Academy.
I’m still trying to find time to do some highlights of the system. I’ll try to include some draft profiles if people are interested in that.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Baseball Prospectus released its farm rankings today.
Royals checked in at ...
Drumroll please ...
16th. That’s an impressive leap up from 28th or 29th last year.
I tend to like BP more than BA or MLB’s guys because those latter systems focus more on near-MLB talent as part of their rankings and less on upside (ie they more highly value a guy with a 4 starter upside who is close to MLB and has a higher floor compared to a guy with a lower floor but the ability to be a really good 2/3 at his best).
For Royals prospect thoughts, Clint Scoles is doing great stuff - for free - at Royals Academy.
I’m still trying to find time to do some highlights of the system. I’ll try to include some draft profiles if people are interested in that.
I’ll plug Clint for a moment. He did great work at Baseball Prospectus KC and has a much better handle on these kids now than I do.
I just don’t have the time to watch minor league games, let alone travel to them, like I once did.
Still have a few guys on the inside I can exchange info with, but Clint’s scouting eye is sharper than mine at this point.
All I’ve had a chance to do recently is watch video on Erick Pena, the kid the Royals are going to sign on July 2 IFA day. I’ve watched about 200-300 swings of his now (combo of BP and game swings), and I see an AWFUL lot of Juan Soto and Oscar Taveras in his swing.
He’s a big (6-3) lefty with a smooth swing, great barrel control, and could project as a big-time power guy. He’s toolsy as you want a $3 million+ signee to be, but his swing is so natural, smooth, and controlled, I don’t think he has the extremely low floor of some of the Royals’ previous big spends (Marten Gasparjni, Elise Hernandez, even Matias). [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
All I’ve had a chance to do recently is watch video on Erick Pena, the kid the Royals are going to sign on July 2 IFA day. I’ve watched about 200-300 swings of his now (combo of BP and game swings), and I see an AWFUL lot of Juan Soto and Oscar Taveras in his swing.
He’s a big (6-3) lefty with a smooth swing, great barrel control, and could project as a big-time power guy. He’s toolsy as you want a $3 million+ signee to be, but his swing is so natural, smooth, and controlled, I don’t think he has the extremely low floor of some of the Royals’ previous big spends (Marten Gasparjni, Elise Hernandez, even Matias).
Originally Posted by Great Expectations:
The Padres are a few pitchers away from a World Series win.
Yeah sure. If they’re Max Scherzer and Chris Sale.
Originally Posted by :
If the club house isn’t a complete dumpster fire, they should be one of the top 5 favorites to win it all next year.
????? They’re projected to win 79 (ZiPS) and 79.5 (Vegas) this year. They’re not even close. Do you mean 2020? They still won’t be close to top 5. Their prospects are all a ways off. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Yeah sure. If they’re Max Scherzer and Chris Sale.
????? They’re projected to win 79 (ZiPS) and 79.5 (Vegas) this year. They’re not even close. Do you mean 2020? They still won’t be close to top 5. Their prospects are all a ways off.
The first and best of them should start arriving this year.
Tatis, Jr
Urias (already debuted)
Francisco Mejia
All are MLB-ready or will be this season.
Their best pitchers are still two years out, but Chris Paddock could pop up this year and has pretty high upside.
2021 is probably when they really should start thinking about contending, unless they spend on some FA pitching or trade for some. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
I’ll plug Clint for a moment. He did great work at Baseball Prospectus KC and has a much better handle on these kids now than I do.
Great resource. Thanks for pointing it out. Hadn't heard of Royals Academy site, but learned several new things from reading...like I had no idea they're looking to give Isbel some 2B reps this year. Whit version 2.0 would be nice. [Reply]
Who’s the best FA signee of all time? I suppose you could say Reggie Jackson way back when but I can’t prove it. Ricky Henderson a few diff places.
Answer: either Adrian Beltre (rangers) or Max Scherzer (natties). Max got a 7/210 deal and he’s already earned 214 on the field. So the final 3 years are free. Insane job, Max [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
Who’s the best FA signee of all time? I suppose you could say Reggie Jackson way back when but I can’t prove it. Ricky Henderson a few diff places.
Answer: either Adrian Beltre (rangers) or Max Scherzer (natties). Max got a 7/210 deal and he’s already earned 214 on the field. So the final 3 years are free. Insane job, Max
Ones I would consider:
Vlad Guerrero to Anaheim
He produced 25 wins in 6 seasons with the Angels on a $70 million deal, and LA won a WS during this time period
Greg Maddux, Braves
The Braves’ dominance in the 90s was amped up by adding Maddux as a FA.
Randy Johnson, DBacks
3-4 Cy Young’s, a World Series win during his time with Arizona.
Barry Bonds, Giants
Steroid use aside, Bonds was a superstar for the Giants and every bit what was expected.
Ichiro, Mariners
He was amazing for the M’s [Reply]
