Roster construction is always one of my favorite topics. I really want to see the young guys play the rest of the season. They will fall into three categories. Part of the future, need more work but could be part of the future and DFA. In a lost season, this is what the front office has to make the correct calls on. These players are yours. You don't have to out bid anyone for their services. You just have to know if their combination of talent, coachability, and willingness to accept instruction fits your profile.
I hate seeing us DFA or non tender a guy and watching them have success someplace else but I also have some understanding if they get released because they won't do what you ask. I don't know where Jacob Junis falls in that discussion but that is what I am talking about. Why couldn't they get through to him? Is Brady Singer going to be a similar story? Will they DFA Mondesi because he just can't stay healthy even though the potential is there?
I'm just a fan. I get to armchair quarterback. The Royals front office is paid to get these decisions correct. As a fan, I'm hoping they make the right call.
This is one thing the front office has done pretty well. I think the only miss they’ve had is Elvis Luciano, who just slipped through the cracks because of the technicality with his first contract that was voided. That, and the fact the Royals thought there was no way a team would take an 18-year-old.
Beni, Taylor need traded, I wanted to trade Lopez in the off-season when his value was probably at its peak, but I would move Lopez still if the value is there.
Locks for 2023:
C/DH - Perez
SS - Witt, Jr
1B - Pasquantino
? - Melendez
? - Pratto
? - Merrifield
So with that being said, my experiment for the rest of the year post trading the 3 mentioned above and see what sticks out of this alignment while getting Massey a cup of coffee.
2B Merrifield
LF Olivares
SS Witt, Jr
1B Pasquantino
DH Dozier
3B Melendez
RF Pratto
C Gallagher
CF Isbel
Perez comes back and is the primary catcher in '23. I think Rivero can be the backup. Melendez' bat plays anywhere and he should be competent in a corner outfield spot if he can't stick at third. There are enough interesting prospects at C in the system that with the way Melendez has looked behind the plate, you gamble with him somewhere else and ride Perez for as long as possible. Hope somebody bites on Gallagher for a lottery ticket after starting the rest of this present season. If both Isbel and Olivares wash, stick Whit in left and go buy a center fielder. Pratto/Melendez/Dozier should have right covered and Massey is likely the 2B. Mondesi I don't think you give up on. Make him learn the outfield and sink or swim with KC until he's a free agent.
It would be very interesting to me if you would revisit this column at the end of the season, and look back to see who did and didn't improve, who did and didn't meet your expectations and so forth. It's amazing how much more interesting this kind of information becomes when the current MLB team is performing so poorly.
If the Royals were having a 2015-type season right now, info like this would probably seem much less compelling to many - even though, in the long term, it would be just as important.
David - just read your latest at Royals Review. Thank you for making me feel as if I'm not completely off my rocker for suggesting that Pratto might be trade bait! With his high K rate, which is almost certainly going to increase in MLB, his trade value may be maxed out right now. Which of course would make it the very best time to trade him.
Roster construction is always one of my favorite topics. I really want to see the young guys play the rest of the season. They will fall into three categories. Part of the future, need more work but could be part of the future and DFA. In a lost season, this is what the front office has to make the correct calls on. These players are yours. You don't have to out bid anyone for their services. You just have to know if their combination of talent, coachability, and willingness to accept instruction fits your profile.
I hate seeing us DFA or non tender a guy and watching them have success someplace else but I also have some understanding if they get released because they won't do what you ask. I don't know where Jacob Junis falls in that discussion but that is what I am talking about. Why couldn't they get through to him? Is Brady Singer going to be a similar story? Will they DFA Mondesi because he just can't stay healthy even though the potential is there?
I'm just a fan. I get to armchair quarterback. The Royals front office is paid to get these decisions correct. As a fan, I'm hoping they make the right call.
This is one thing the front office has done pretty well. I think the only miss they’ve had is Elvis Luciano, who just slipped through the cracks because of the technicality with his first contract that was voided. That, and the fact the Royals thought there was no way a team would take an 18-year-old.
Beni, Taylor need traded, I wanted to trade Lopez in the off-season when his value was probably at its peak, but I would move Lopez still if the value is there.
Locks for 2023:
C/DH - Perez
SS - Witt, Jr
1B - Pasquantino
? - Melendez
? - Pratto
? - Merrifield
So with that being said, my experiment for the rest of the year post trading the 3 mentioned above and see what sticks out of this alignment while getting Massey a cup of coffee.
2B Merrifield
LF Olivares
SS Witt, Jr
1B Pasquantino
DH Dozier
3B Melendez
RF Pratto
C Gallagher
CF Isbel
Perez comes back and is the primary catcher in '23. I think Rivero can be the backup. Melendez' bat plays anywhere and he should be competent in a corner outfield spot if he can't stick at third. There are enough interesting prospects at C in the system that with the way Melendez has looked behind the plate, you gamble with him somewhere else and ride Perez for as long as possible. Hope somebody bites on Gallagher for a lottery ticket after starting the rest of this present season. If both Isbel and Olivares wash, stick Whit in left and go buy a center fielder. Pratto/Melendez/Dozier should have right covered and Massey is likely the 2B. Mondesi I don't think you give up on. Make him learn the outfield and sink or swim with KC until he's a free agent.
It would be very interesting to me if you would revisit this column at the end of the season, and look back to see who did and didn't improve, who did and didn't meet your expectations and so forth. It's amazing how much more interesting this kind of information becomes when the current MLB team is performing so poorly.
If the Royals were having a 2015-type season right now, info like this would probably seem much less compelling to many - even though, in the long term, it would be just as important.
David - just read your latest at Royals Review. Thank you for making me feel as if I'm not completely off my rocker for suggesting that Pratto might be trade bait! With his high K rate, which is almost certainly going to increase in MLB, his trade value may be maxed out right now. Which of course would make it the very best time to trade him.
Why do the Royals not play Hunter Dozier at third base anymore?