Would love any and all of that. I just have a hard time seeing the Royals going out and throwing the money around it would take to bring in a pitcher AND Swanson. The way they get to where they want to be next year is pitching….and that’s always tricky. I remember last year when we thought we had all these pitchers coming up Hernandez, Kowar, Cox, etc. etc. And while they still may only Singer has improved while Lynch has shown improvement. Bubic is the same pitcher in my eyes….it just looks better after a terrible start.
I’d love, love, love Gallen…..and then sign a Bassit or Clevinger. They make a trade AND sign a guy. All in. I’ve seen Cleveland, TB, and the A’s win way more games than they should just by having pitching. And while we talk about this 18 class…which is still a success…woof they haven’t had anyone come up after that class and knocking on the door. We don’t know if Clevinger or Bassit would even sign here….but its fun to dream. If they can spend a little money AND make a trade that doesn’t include Witt or Melendez. Just do it. They can’t start poorly next year…that I feel pretty good about assuming no FO changes this offseason. I should probably check my expectations though here. Lol
Actually one thing I just though about on Clevinger. He’s got a history with Sherman I bet….but I can’t recall if he left on bad terms in Cleveland. For some reason I thought something happened in the clubhouse…maybe not the reason they moved him….but I think he left on bad terms for some reason.
I don't think those were bad terms. But even if they were, Sherman was gone before he was traded. but that's a good point that Sherman was there when Clevinger was in Cleveland. I honestly didn't even think about that.
I think they likely won't do all of that, but I was trying to see some realistic ways they could actually fill in holes on the roster, of course. But we say we can't see them doing that and yet when they thought they were close, they went out and made the big Shields/Davis move and then carried $150 million + payrolls after 2015. John Sherman is a new entity, so we don't know.
You're absolutely right that pitching is the name of the game. I don't know that I fully buy Bubic and it's only four games, but him giving innings while not walking batters is different than we've ever seen from him before. The last two months are huge, to me, for evaluation of these guys. They have to know when they get to October 6 if they have one, two, three or four (with Keller) starters they can count on in 2023.
I would look to move either Pratto or Pasquantino as Salvy ages he will need to DH more often and that presents a log jam. I like Cleavinger as a free agent signing. IMO they need to start transitioning Hernandez to the bullpen as he has the kind of arm for late innings and let him air it out. I would include Staumont in a trade with one of the 1B as I think he needs a change of scenery. The biggest move that needs to be made is revamping of the pitching development throughout the system. My 2 cents worth.
Oh, pitching development needs to be revamped. I keep hearing people say that though like it is an automatic fix that will happen overnight. Yes, some results will “HOPEFULLY” be seen right away but like the hitting….you will probably see more results on that after a couple years of the new development team in place.
Actually…If they trade someone they are going to run into when these guys can leave as FA. If they trade for Gallen or Lopez….If they trade for Gallen…he’s a FA at the end of 2025….I think the same time Singer is. Lopez will be for two more years, Singer year after that. IF they trade for someone around 2025 is when you really need the pitching development team to bring you some dudes. Or even if you sign someone on a 4 year deal…its still around that same timeframe. Math might be off a bit…but you get the point. You might have a number of pitchers all leaving around the same time unless they extend some guys.
The problem is I just don't see a trade right now worth moving someone like Pratto unless they can get Zac Gallen. But if that trade exists, yes, absolutely.
It's fun to think about what could be, but he also has a .248/.283/.409 line the last four seasons in 866 plate appearances. So not only has he shown no signs of being able to stay on the field, but he hasn't been consistently even average when he does.
Last time I checked his career OBP was .282. That's two points higher than the immortal Ryan Goins. I have serious trouble with even hoping that he returns to the Royals. I just can't come up with a reason to want that dude on my team! 😨
-- Not sure I would make trades for pitching, though a free-agent signing or two would be fine. My reasoning is we may have just what we need here once we "upgrade" the coaching staff. I know that is a gamble, but trades are too, and they come at a cost. A couple years ago all the talk was about the great young pitchers coming up. Do we already have what we need and just need to coach them up?
-- Mostly agree with your thoughts on position players. I think Witt and MJ are definitely here to stay, with Pratto and Pasquantino probable, too. I like Isbel, but is he an everyday player, or OF #4? Really want to see Olivares and Massey more, as well as Eaton. If Eaton hits, there are several positions to fit him in, ala Whitt Merrifield. There are also some guys in the minors that might stick with a good spring training next year. Besides Garcia you have Clay Dungan, Brewer Hicklin, and the newly-acquired Drew Waters and Samad Taylor. There are even a few intriguing guys at NW Arkansas, like Nick Loftin, Logan Porter, Tucker Bradley and Tyler Gentry.
Yeah, I go back and forth on the pitching side. That's why I like the idea of shorter free agent deals to, like you say, upgrade the staff and see how that works. And that's why I'm hesitant to trade big pieces for an arm, but if the Giants wanted to trade Cobb for something the Royals have an excess of, I'd take it.
I'm not really worried too much about position players other than potentially the shortstop spot if Witt can't stick there. I'm not convinced he can't, but I'm also not so sure it isn't in the best interest of everyone for him to play third and be elite defensively there. But even then, people like Maikel Garcia quite a bit. If they believe they have the main pieces with Witt, MJ, Pratto and Vinnie (or a combination from those four), then they just need guys to fill in those gaps and I think they have that on the farm.
Agreed, David. I got to see Garcia a couple months ago at a game in NW Ark. The guy sure looks like a GUY. My guess is he will swing a lighter stick, but if his D is good, that can play at SS. Even if Lopez fills in at SS to start the year, maybe we see Garcia later.
For some reason (blind optimism?), I think we could see Massey at 2B and Waters in CF on Opening Day. The rest would kind of fall into place.
Correa wants $300 million. He's not that type of player, certainly not for a Royals team that needs to budget. I still maintain that if Correa signs a $250-$300 million deal, the fans of the team that signs him will hate Correa within a couple of seasons. His actual contributions, which are really good, are too subtle for the average fan. They'll see a guy hitting .260 and driving in 80-something runs and wonder why he's making $30 million per season. And when he ages, his defense will no longer be plus and his bat can't carry that contract.
Really nice, thoughtful stuff here David. Thank you! I think the fact that you were even willing to seriously consider an article about the Royals contending next year is a good illustration of how much more (cautiously) optimistic we all are now then we were as recently as four weeks ago.
Obviously the Baby Royals have a lot to do with that. But I also think there's a sort of unspoken assumption that "of course" Eldred will be gone and the entire pitching development/coaching staff will be upgraded a la the hitting staff. While naturally I'd love to see that, I don't think that's an assumption that can safely be taken for granted.
Yeah, I mean I don't think they'll win next year, but there are some steps they can take to get close. And as I wrote in the article, ultimately what gets them there is the guys they currently have.
I don't know that we can 100% assume there are changes, but I'd be at least mildly surprised if something isn't different on the pitching side next year.
"There are questions in the outfield, partially stemming from whether or not Michael A. Taylor is around. If he is, you feel fine about center. And I think you can cobble together a corner outfield mix with what they have, but we’re looking at certainty here and there isn’t any."
----
This is why you hold onto him. If you think the team is going to contend next year, why would you dump your starting CF?
They could move him because they have a capable replacement, at least defensively, in Kyle Isbel and if they feel confident in Drew Waters next season. And when you're 20+ games under .500, you should be looking to extract maximum value. That's my opinion and I've been wrong many, many times before.
Aren't we above .500 or very close in the last 40 or so games? (Although it seems like we do this every year at the end) In our division, hovering around .500 is firmly in the playoff race. If you have somebody you're happy with on a team that you think may contend, why trade that away hoping to get somebody that will eventually provide as much value as MAT will provide right now?
Then again, I, too, have been wrong many, many times before. :)
Edit: I looked back, on June 1 we were 17 games under .500, today we are 19 games under .500 (though it has taken a 4-game win streak to do that)
The other reason you potentially look to trade him is if you don't buy what he's doing. Yes, he's great defensively, but his bat has only been above average one year in his career before this one. No matter how you good you think you'll be, selling high is always a good plan .
There's another corner outfield free agent to be, and he'd cost less than Judge. Don't know if the Royals would be in on him, but I think you know him. His name is Benintendi.
Sure, it could happen. I generally believe, though, that if he was going to be a Royal in 2023, he'd have signed an extension while he was a Royal in 2022. Strangers things have happened, though, I suppose.
While we're all enthusiastic about the young bats, Soren with an observation today that provides some great perspective: if you include Zobrist the 2015 Royals had six guys in the starting lineup with an OPS above .800.
The current roster? Zero guys with an OPS above .800. There's still a WHOLE LOT of work to be done, and not just on the pitching side....
They're certainly not where the 2015 team was, but that was a World Series champion. In 2013, they had one player with an OPS over .800 and it was Hosmer at .801. The samples are small, so it's tough, but if you look at the wRC+, their starting lineup in game one for example has the following:
113
109
91 (that's Salvy, fwiw)
86
108
120
95
70
72
Dozier isn't starting this game, but he's at 105 and plays most days.
The 2013 team's starting lineup on August 9 was:
97
120
117
104
135
77
49
103
20
Salvy at 113 didn't play that day.
I completely agree they can't stop improving, but comparing it to a non-World Series season puts this lineup in a significantly better light.
Your point is well-made and well-taken. To me, if the World Series is the objective, then that's where you set the bar for comparisons - even as you understand that there will necessarily be a progression, a series of steps, along the way.
Would you agree with me that if they really are going to contend next year (and let's face it, that's doubtful) they'll need to have at least three guys with an OPS consistently above .800 throughout the season - especially given all the uncertainty around the pitching?
Looking in from the outside, I'd guess that with all the new ways of measuring ballplayers' performances (spin rates, launch angles and all the rest) and analyzing those numbers, MLB teams probably develop a "book" on opposing players faster than ever before, maybe even starting with minor league data.
David, how long do you think that process is taking these days? Is it a certain number of days in the big leagues? A certain number of PA's or IP?
Do you think it varies with whether or not a young player is deemed to be good enough to be "worthy" of taking the trouble to put a book together on him?
There's only so much that can be learned from minor league data. Teams get A TON of information when there are big leaguers rehabbing, but it can be very difficult to evaluate players in the minors because of the competition. Obviously, tendencies can become known, but it still takes a little time in the big leagues. The book does get written quicker than ever, but I think that's more due to the exposure. I don't know how long it is, but I would agree it's a bit quicker. But I would say that there is no player that is not worthy of a book. If they're playing, the other team knows about him.
Your article comes at a good time because I've been wondering about a lot of this. Is there a Royals player currently on the roster who's capable of consistently hitting above .300, walking 100 times, getting 100 RBI or 30 HR (outside of Salvy repeating his 2021 performance)? Is there anyone in the rotation capable of consistently winning 15 games or being a #1 or #2 starter? And is Melendez really going to be a long-term lead-off hitter? I'm just not seeing any of that... yet.
Scott - David can and probably will answer you a million times better than I can. But FWIW: it's been more than 1/3 of a century since a Royals batter (Kevin Seitzer) walked 100 times in a season. I definitely wouldn't hold my breath on that one! 😱
I don’t know about a consistent .300 hitter, but I think when the shift is banned or limited, Pasquantino has a shot to do some numbers. As for the rest, I’d say no to 100 walks, but partly because that’s an unrealistic number. There have been 31 100-walk seasons since 2015 in all of baseball. 30 homers could easily be Witt or Melendez. 100 RBI could easily be Witt, Melendez or Pasquantino, though a lot of that is lineup dependent. I think the more important thing is you’re looking at multiple guys capable of a .350 OBP and .500 SLG.
On the pitching side, I don’t know about 1 or 2 starter, but as far as being capable, I think Singer has definitely shown it. I’ll have something later today on that.
With MJ, I don’t know if he’s the long-term guy, but I do think it works.
I like the OPS and wRC+ comparisons (WS team and now): I think it gives a great perspective. As a season-ticket holder, my mood has changed drastically (for the better) in the last couple of weeks!
Some what off topic but to contend in 23 they need to win more games(duh) but if you look at this years team they are 21 games under - all they needed to do was to win 2-3 more games a month over the last 4-5 months in order to be in the playoff hunt. I am sure we all can find a couple of games each month where the outcome was more a result of the Royals losing than the other team winning.
I believe that the 2023 roster will be mostly the same as the final roster of 2022.
I think it's also worth wondering if they're the 17-37 team from the first third of the season or the 28-29 team since. That makes a difference. It's the conversation we seem to have almost every year, but when you go from a lineup starting with Merrifield, Benintendi, Santana and Mondesi and you replace them with some combination of Massey, Melendez, Pratto, Pasquantino and Isbel, it's fair to think the latter version would be different.
28-29 is a 79 or 80 win pace. The math gets a little easier if that's the starting point and not 68 or 71 or 74 or whatever it ends up being on the whole.
I was hoping the Royals could have swung a trade at the deadline to acquire SP Gavin Stone out of the Dodgers system. Been following this guy all year. KC may have missed their window of opportunity though, as he's been lights-out and other teams and evaluators are taking notice. He'll be rocketing up the prospect lists soon.
I don’t know how likely it is that the Dodgers were ever trading Stone without getting a superstar back in return. Scouts have been buzzing about him all season long.
Would love any and all of that. I just have a hard time seeing the Royals going out and throwing the money around it would take to bring in a pitcher AND Swanson. The way they get to where they want to be next year is pitching….and that’s always tricky. I remember last year when we thought we had all these pitchers coming up Hernandez, Kowar, Cox, etc. etc. And while they still may only Singer has improved while Lynch has shown improvement. Bubic is the same pitcher in my eyes….it just looks better after a terrible start.
I’d love, love, love Gallen…..and then sign a Bassit or Clevinger. They make a trade AND sign a guy. All in. I’ve seen Cleveland, TB, and the A’s win way more games than they should just by having pitching. And while we talk about this 18 class…which is still a success…woof they haven’t had anyone come up after that class and knocking on the door. We don’t know if Clevinger or Bassit would even sign here….but its fun to dream. If they can spend a little money AND make a trade that doesn’t include Witt or Melendez. Just do it. They can’t start poorly next year…that I feel pretty good about assuming no FO changes this offseason. I should probably check my expectations though here. Lol
Actually one thing I just though about on Clevinger. He’s got a history with Sherman I bet….but I can’t recall if he left on bad terms in Cleveland. For some reason I thought something happened in the clubhouse…maybe not the reason they moved him….but I think he left on bad terms for some reason.
I don't think those were bad terms. But even if they were, Sherman was gone before he was traded. but that's a good point that Sherman was there when Clevinger was in Cleveland. I honestly didn't even think about that.
I think they likely won't do all of that, but I was trying to see some realistic ways they could actually fill in holes on the roster, of course. But we say we can't see them doing that and yet when they thought they were close, they went out and made the big Shields/Davis move and then carried $150 million + payrolls after 2015. John Sherman is a new entity, so we don't know.
You're absolutely right that pitching is the name of the game. I don't know that I fully buy Bubic and it's only four games, but him giving innings while not walking batters is different than we've ever seen from him before. The last two months are huge, to me, for evaluation of these guys. They have to know when they get to October 6 if they have one, two, three or four (with Keller) starters they can count on in 2023.
I would look to move either Pratto or Pasquantino as Salvy ages he will need to DH more often and that presents a log jam. I like Cleavinger as a free agent signing. IMO they need to start transitioning Hernandez to the bullpen as he has the kind of arm for late innings and let him air it out. I would include Staumont in a trade with one of the 1B as I think he needs a change of scenery. The biggest move that needs to be made is revamping of the pitching development throughout the system. My 2 cents worth.
Oh, pitching development needs to be revamped. I keep hearing people say that though like it is an automatic fix that will happen overnight. Yes, some results will “HOPEFULLY” be seen right away but like the hitting….you will probably see more results on that after a couple years of the new development team in place.
Actually…If they trade someone they are going to run into when these guys can leave as FA. If they trade for Gallen or Lopez….If they trade for Gallen…he’s a FA at the end of 2025….I think the same time Singer is. Lopez will be for two more years, Singer year after that. IF they trade for someone around 2025 is when you really need the pitching development team to bring you some dudes. Or even if you sign someone on a 4 year deal…its still around that same timeframe. Math might be off a bit…but you get the point. You might have a number of pitchers all leaving around the same time unless they extend some guys.
The problem is I just don't see a trade right now worth moving someone like Pratto unless they can get Zac Gallen. But if that trade exists, yes, absolutely.
Did someone say Mondesi?
Shhh!
A healthy Mondesi would do a lot to make the Royals contenders.
Translation: If Mondesi can stay healthy (probably not), he would do a lot (if healthy) to make the Royals contenders, if he can stay off the IR.
It's fun to think about what could be, but he also has a .248/.283/.409 line the last four seasons in 866 plate appearances. So not only has he shown no signs of being able to stay on the field, but he hasn't been consistently even average when he does.
Always good info from you. I don't comment often but I read your stuff a lot. Thanks!
Thank you for reading!
Last time I checked his career OBP was .282. That's two points higher than the immortal Ryan Goins. I have serious trouble with even hoping that he returns to the Royals. I just can't come up with a reason to want that dude on my team! 😨
The best that never was?
Maybe... But except for a few widely spaced occasional two or three week hot streaks, it's hard to say he was ever "the best" in the first place!
yep.
Sound thoughts, David. A couple of mine:
-- Not sure I would make trades for pitching, though a free-agent signing or two would be fine. My reasoning is we may have just what we need here once we "upgrade" the coaching staff. I know that is a gamble, but trades are too, and they come at a cost. A couple years ago all the talk was about the great young pitchers coming up. Do we already have what we need and just need to coach them up?
-- Mostly agree with your thoughts on position players. I think Witt and MJ are definitely here to stay, with Pratto and Pasquantino probable, too. I like Isbel, but is he an everyday player, or OF #4? Really want to see Olivares and Massey more, as well as Eaton. If Eaton hits, there are several positions to fit him in, ala Whitt Merrifield. There are also some guys in the minors that might stick with a good spring training next year. Besides Garcia you have Clay Dungan, Brewer Hicklin, and the newly-acquired Drew Waters and Samad Taylor. There are even a few intriguing guys at NW Arkansas, like Nick Loftin, Logan Porter, Tucker Bradley and Tyler Gentry.
Yeah, I go back and forth on the pitching side. That's why I like the idea of shorter free agent deals to, like you say, upgrade the staff and see how that works. And that's why I'm hesitant to trade big pieces for an arm, but if the Giants wanted to trade Cobb for something the Royals have an excess of, I'd take it.
I'm not really worried too much about position players other than potentially the shortstop spot if Witt can't stick there. I'm not convinced he can't, but I'm also not so sure it isn't in the best interest of everyone for him to play third and be elite defensively there. But even then, people like Maikel Garcia quite a bit. If they believe they have the main pieces with Witt, MJ, Pratto and Vinnie (or a combination from those four), then they just need guys to fill in those gaps and I think they have that on the farm.
Agreed, David. I got to see Garcia a couple months ago at a game in NW Ark. The guy sure looks like a GUY. My guess is he will swing a lighter stick, but if his D is good, that can play at SS. Even if Lopez fills in at SS to start the year, maybe we see Garcia later.
For some reason (blind optimism?), I think we could see Massey at 2B and Waters in CF on Opening Day. The rest would kind of fall into place.
I think if they move Taylor in the offseason that Waters is the guy in center, but I could see him in right field if they don't.
Correa wants $300 million. He's not that type of player, certainly not for a Royals team that needs to budget. I still maintain that if Correa signs a $250-$300 million deal, the fans of the team that signs him will hate Correa within a couple of seasons. His actual contributions, which are really good, are too subtle for the average fan. They'll see a guy hitting .260 and driving in 80-something runs and wonder why he's making $30 million per season. And when he ages, his defense will no longer be plus and his bat can't carry that contract.
Really nice, thoughtful stuff here David. Thank you! I think the fact that you were even willing to seriously consider an article about the Royals contending next year is a good illustration of how much more (cautiously) optimistic we all are now then we were as recently as four weeks ago.
Obviously the Baby Royals have a lot to do with that. But I also think there's a sort of unspoken assumption that "of course" Eldred will be gone and the entire pitching development/coaching staff will be upgraded a la the hitting staff. While naturally I'd love to see that, I don't think that's an assumption that can safely be taken for granted.
Yeah, I mean I don't think they'll win next year, but there are some steps they can take to get close. And as I wrote in the article, ultimately what gets them there is the guys they currently have.
I don't know that we can 100% assume there are changes, but I'd be at least mildly surprised if something isn't different on the pitching side next year.
"There are questions in the outfield, partially stemming from whether or not Michael A. Taylor is around. If he is, you feel fine about center. And I think you can cobble together a corner outfield mix with what they have, but we’re looking at certainty here and there isn’t any."
----
This is why you hold onto him. If you think the team is going to contend next year, why would you dump your starting CF?
They could move him because they have a capable replacement, at least defensively, in Kyle Isbel and if they feel confident in Drew Waters next season. And when you're 20+ games under .500, you should be looking to extract maximum value. That's my opinion and I've been wrong many, many times before.
Aren't we above .500 or very close in the last 40 or so games? (Although it seems like we do this every year at the end) In our division, hovering around .500 is firmly in the playoff race. If you have somebody you're happy with on a team that you think may contend, why trade that away hoping to get somebody that will eventually provide as much value as MAT will provide right now?
Then again, I, too, have been wrong many, many times before. :)
Edit: I looked back, on June 1 we were 17 games under .500, today we are 19 games under .500 (though it has taken a 4-game win streak to do that)
The other reason you potentially look to trade him is if you don't buy what he's doing. Yes, he's great defensively, but his bat has only been above average one year in his career before this one. No matter how you good you think you'll be, selling high is always a good plan .
Completely agree there.
There's another corner outfield free agent to be, and he'd cost less than Judge. Don't know if the Royals would be in on him, but I think you know him. His name is Benintendi.
Sure, it could happen. I generally believe, though, that if he was going to be a Royal in 2023, he'd have signed an extension while he was a Royal in 2022. Strangers things have happened, though, I suppose.
While we're all enthusiastic about the young bats, Soren with an observation today that provides some great perspective: if you include Zobrist the 2015 Royals had six guys in the starting lineup with an OPS above .800.
The current roster? Zero guys with an OPS above .800. There's still a WHOLE LOT of work to be done, and not just on the pitching side....
They're certainly not where the 2015 team was, but that was a World Series champion. In 2013, they had one player with an OPS over .800 and it was Hosmer at .801. The samples are small, so it's tough, but if you look at the wRC+, their starting lineup in game one for example has the following:
113
109
91 (that's Salvy, fwiw)
86
108
120
95
70
72
Dozier isn't starting this game, but he's at 105 and plays most days.
The 2013 team's starting lineup on August 9 was:
97
120
117
104
135
77
49
103
20
Salvy at 113 didn't play that day.
I completely agree they can't stop improving, but comparing it to a non-World Series season puts this lineup in a significantly better light.
Your point is well-made and well-taken. To me, if the World Series is the objective, then that's where you set the bar for comparisons - even as you understand that there will necessarily be a progression, a series of steps, along the way.
Would you agree with me that if they really are going to contend next year (and let's face it, that's doubtful) they'll need to have at least three guys with an OPS consistently above .800 throughout the season - especially given all the uncertainty around the pitching?
Sure, like I said, the bats need to continue to get better. I think it's a more than fair measuring stick, but not an especially fair comparison.
Looking in from the outside, I'd guess that with all the new ways of measuring ballplayers' performances (spin rates, launch angles and all the rest) and analyzing those numbers, MLB teams probably develop a "book" on opposing players faster than ever before, maybe even starting with minor league data.
David, how long do you think that process is taking these days? Is it a certain number of days in the big leagues? A certain number of PA's or IP?
Do you think it varies with whether or not a young player is deemed to be good enough to be "worthy" of taking the trouble to put a book together on him?
There's only so much that can be learned from minor league data. Teams get A TON of information when there are big leaguers rehabbing, but it can be very difficult to evaluate players in the minors because of the competition. Obviously, tendencies can become known, but it still takes a little time in the big leagues. The book does get written quicker than ever, but I think that's more due to the exposure. I don't know how long it is, but I would agree it's a bit quicker. But I would say that there is no player that is not worthy of a book. If they're playing, the other team knows about him.
Excellent, informative answer! You told me just what I was hoping to learn. Thank you!
Your article comes at a good time because I've been wondering about a lot of this. Is there a Royals player currently on the roster who's capable of consistently hitting above .300, walking 100 times, getting 100 RBI or 30 HR (outside of Salvy repeating his 2021 performance)? Is there anyone in the rotation capable of consistently winning 15 games or being a #1 or #2 starter? And is Melendez really going to be a long-term lead-off hitter? I'm just not seeing any of that... yet.
Scott - David can and probably will answer you a million times better than I can. But FWIW: it's been more than 1/3 of a century since a Royals batter (Kevin Seitzer) walked 100 times in a season. I definitely wouldn't hold my breath on that one! 😱
I don’t know about a consistent .300 hitter, but I think when the shift is banned or limited, Pasquantino has a shot to do some numbers. As for the rest, I’d say no to 100 walks, but partly because that’s an unrealistic number. There have been 31 100-walk seasons since 2015 in all of baseball. 30 homers could easily be Witt or Melendez. 100 RBI could easily be Witt, Melendez or Pasquantino, though a lot of that is lineup dependent. I think the more important thing is you’re looking at multiple guys capable of a .350 OBP and .500 SLG.
On the pitching side, I don’t know about 1 or 2 starter, but as far as being capable, I think Singer has definitely shown it. I’ll have something later today on that.
With MJ, I don’t know if he’s the long-term guy, but I do think it works.
First post...long time reader.
I like the OPS and wRC+ comparisons (WS team and now): I think it gives a great perspective. As a season-ticket holder, my mood has changed drastically (for the better) in the last couple of weeks!
It’s definitely much more fun to watch these days!
Thanks so much for reading and for jumping in to comment!
Some what off topic but to contend in 23 they need to win more games(duh) but if you look at this years team they are 21 games under - all they needed to do was to win 2-3 more games a month over the last 4-5 months in order to be in the playoff hunt. I am sure we all can find a couple of games each month where the outcome was more a result of the Royals losing than the other team winning.
I believe that the 2023 roster will be mostly the same as the final roster of 2022.
I think it's also worth wondering if they're the 17-37 team from the first third of the season or the 28-29 team since. That makes a difference. It's the conversation we seem to have almost every year, but when you go from a lineup starting with Merrifield, Benintendi, Santana and Mondesi and you replace them with some combination of Massey, Melendez, Pratto, Pasquantino and Isbel, it's fair to think the latter version would be different.
28-29 is a 79 or 80 win pace. The math gets a little easier if that's the starting point and not 68 or 71 or 74 or whatever it ends up being on the whole.
I was hoping the Royals could have swung a trade at the deadline to acquire SP Gavin Stone out of the Dodgers system. Been following this guy all year. KC may have missed their window of opportunity though, as he's been lights-out and other teams and evaluators are taking notice. He'll be rocketing up the prospect lists soon.
I don’t know how likely it is that the Dodgers were ever trading Stone without getting a superstar back in return. Scouts have been buzzing about him all season long.