24 Comments

David, I agree that bringing in veteran pitchers makes a lot of sense! I believe a key to the Royals this coming season is whether these veteran pitchers can help the 2018 draft class pitchers finally show some real progress on the MLB level.

It will be very interesting which bat the Royals pick up because speed is a must because of the vast outfield at the K!

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It's not that some veterans can't help the 2018 draft guys, but I don't think I'd spend too much time worrying about them. They've been given lots of chances and now it's completely on them to break through to a much better group of pitchers. If they don't, well, they don't.

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Agree 100% on the chances and I would like to believe that soon to be 6 years after they were drafted, it is perform time or be traded or released time!!!

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Great article David. I personally would like Guirriel for a dat and then I noticed this morning MLBTR had the Royals listed as one of their six likely teams to sign him. Merry Christmas to your family David.

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Looks like the bat is Hunter Renfroe, which I just added here. It's not my favorite, but he's serviceable enough, I guess. Happy holidays to you too, Paul!

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Yeah, I just saw that. I'm not terribly excited about him either, but oh well, better than nothing, hopefully.

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Royals sign Hunter Renfoe here this morning. Don’t love it as he was a negative player last year. But I’m assuming they see the 20 plus home run power. It’s not that much but it’s fine. Means pretty much IF…and it is a big IF…that 30m was the top end of the range. Hard to believe…but if it was they aren’t signing another starter. So good to hear you aren’t hearing any of that. Because I’d rather have another pitcher over Renfoe. It does however tell me that MJ is going.

On Clarke, hopefully he does well in Mil. The guys he brought back…its fine. Nothing negative about any of it. It’s just another utility guy it brought back. Which could absolutely mean nothing. But the number of utility guys on the roster…and now in AAA…..With Mann, and then this new guy. They are moving Garcia. LOL

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We can get into a WAR battle, but he was positive on Fangraphs and I've always believed their value is a better indicator. That said, I wouldn't have signed him and I absolutely wouldn't have given him the option. But again, I don't know how many times I can scream it. That $30 million was NEVER the maximum. I mean they're already over it.

I also don't think there's any sure thing they're moving Garcia. Guys in the upper-20s in AAA aren't what leads teams to move players they actually like. You talked a whole lot about the lack of depth in 2023. They've built quite a bit. I don't think these moves are what means they're going to pull from that.

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If it is for depth yeah it’s fine. I just keep coming back to the few players you have to trade for a Braxton (strictly as an example) type pitcher back…. So the options are limited. I’m just trying to read the tea leaves here with the 12 utility guys they now have. You had MJ at 90% all along….I think that is up today…although it is interesting that Renfoe and Velasquez are a lot alike. Have power…not a lot of OBP skills. I’m very hopeful….that a Garcia/Melendez package gets an above average pitcher back. I think that looks even more likely now than ever just based on what has happened so far. Man, if you can do that AND add a Stroman/Giolitto type. There is the possibility for an actual big league rotation yet here.

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I think I keep bringing up Garcia and MJ because I’m still waiting for that trade that hurts. Plenty of time….and I think it’s happening. Now if they keep everyone…and it’s just depth. Ok…I guess. Plenty of time yet and things are moving now.

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I think Garcia absolutely could be getting traded, but I think it was likely happening before they traded for minor league depth. If they don't sign Stroman, Wacha or Giolito, they are probably getting a starter in a trade that involves him or MJ. And yeah, maybe they make that move and sign someone else. The team is looking increasingly competent which is a great step. They still need more for sure, though.

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That is the part I do question tho right….Like don’t you make a Garcia trade first….and then add a Hampson, and depth? Cause the utility guys are much easier to sign. So we’ll see. Something tells me it’s Miami and they are just waiting to see what happens first on the FA market or what trade options come up. Only time will tell.

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Well that's why I think there's no guarantee. If they were going to for sure trade Garcia, they'd trade Garcia. And they still might and the Marlins make a ton of sense.

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I don't love the Renfroe signing but I don't hate it. Hard to be too fired up about $5.5 million - if he regresses, it's not so much that they will just keep running him out there. If he has a good season by his standards, it's a steal. I'm curious if he really is "the bat" they were talking about (I guess he must be?) or if there's another deal coming.

I was going to make a joke about the Royals loaning him to the Chiefs but then I realized the other Hunter Renfrow fell off a cliff (0 catches on 2 targets as the Raiders scored 63 points last night!) and wouldn't make a difference even with the Chiefs' abysmal WR corps.

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First of all, I'd still take the football version across the parking lot, no matter what he did last night. And that's not a positive commentary on him haha.

Second of all, yeah, it's pretty minor, but certainly more than they tried last year with a minor league deal on Franmil Reyes. I'd have liked it a lot more for the Stratton deal and I feel like if it takes a player option to lock up Renfroe, you just pass on Renfroe.

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And now Michael Wacha is a Royal! Love it. Would rather have signed Stroman and don't love that he has an opt out, but they've done the deals. Way to go JJ.

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Renfoe is at least the end of Olivares on this roster. I didn’t think he had a great chance of coming back anyway…but I’ve thought that for the last two years now and they’ve kept throwing him out there for the bat.

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For whatever it's worth, Olivares was a better hitter than Renfroe last year, but yeah, I assume he's gone soon.

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Wacha to the Royals! If I’m 100% honest. I’m not in love with Wacha and Lugo. But, they are very capable pitchers and make this team better. So if that’s what it takes so be it. But definitely some downside risk on both.

Been another good day. Now they are at 45m ish. Wonder if it’s trade route now….especially if JJ holds a news conference and talks about how they likes x, y, z.

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The dream of Giolitto is probably gone now. Def some risk with him as well but I know the upside is legit #2 level. Oh well, this has been good.

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Call me bat shit crazy but if someone was every going to make a play for Alcantara even though he won’t pitch in 24…..now would be the time. Ragans, Lugo, Wacha, Singer….yeah much better. But now you sell me on in 25 it’s going to be a combination of Ragans, Alcantara, Wright, Lugo, Wacha……yeah, I’m sold.

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Absolutely love the idea here. I think it makes a ton of sense.

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Not the biggest fan of Renfroe. But he does add power and hopefully some stability to this young lineup. But Wacha!! Now we're looking like a real MLB rotation! Ragans, Wacha, Lugo, Singer. Its going to be hard for me to not set my expectations too high. Still not the highest ceiling but I couldn't be more excited about this offseason and am so pumped to watch this team. Now I've got to go figure out what personal possessions I'm selling to fund my trip to Arizona...

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It’s been busy for KC! Now they’ve added Hunter Renfro and Michael Wacha. It’s roster move time. Oliveros and another reliever on the 40 man for prospects? It would make sense. It’s hard not to be a little optimistic about their moves.

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