Any Rule 5 guys that the Royals could look into to filling in part of their bullpen piece?

MLB Annual meeting starts in less than two weeks. Most player agents will be there. I'd like to think some players would like the chance to play for a world title. Any predictions on the Royals making deals during the meetings? Duncan, with your inside sources, I'd like to hear your take.

You might be interested in reading THIS.

Not sure they get in on any of those guys, those the Cardinals guy appeals to me.

I also will chip in on the Rex Brothers train. Huge potential/great stuff.

Brothers likes to throw the base on balls.

It would have to be someone that no one outside the NL Central wants

My best sources are mostly quiet during the offseason, but I still beat the bushes for info (ie, read everything I can)...

I think the Royals re-sign Zobrist to something like 3/$50 (maybe 3/48 with a a $4 million buyout/$18 million team option).

I think Gordon gets a six-year deal somewhere that isn't KC (Anaheim makes a lot of sense).

I think they otherwise stand pat in the OF, with a Dyson/Orlando/Eibner approach to RF, waiting on Bubba Starling (though I still love the idea of kicking the tires on Osuna and seeing if you can get him for a lower cost than initially reported... something like Miguel Almonte for him would be pretty do-able, IMO. Maybe they'd have interest in a Tim Collins or Louis Coleman as a throw-in).

I think they add one SP we don't expect, maybe even Ian Kennedy. With the Royals likely to get a comp pick for Gordon, this might be a year they decide they can sign the RIGHT guy and lose their first rounder, as the value between the comp pick for Gordon and their original first-rounder wouldn't be that different.

I think two bullpen spots, the UTIL IF, and the 4th and 5th OF spots are all filled with internal options (Colon, Coleman, Flynn, Dyson, Orlando would be my guess), leaving two open OF spots, backup C, one SP, and one RP as the primary targets in FA/winter meetings.

I predict Pelfrey signs here.

thanks for the feedback.

Would love for Zobrist to be retained but what to do with Omar? I'd understand if Gordon is gone.

You mention Eibner as an OF possibility but what about Lane Adams and Jose Martinez?

Louis Coleman pitched 63 innings in Omaha with a 1.69 ERA. Hope he's figured it out.

Too bad Flynn got hurt. Will he be able to get his stuff back and be able to help the Royals pen?

I'd hate for them to trade either Zimmer or Almonte (but, in DM we trust). Hope Zimmer makes it to the big leagues in 2016.

Also a good call. He'd be a solid, Chris Young-like back-end signing. Wichita kid, too.

Zobrist would play some OF if brought back and Gordon is not. His positional flexibility would give them a lot of insurance at multiple spots... and if Infante is absolutely terrible again, you can slide Zobrist to 2B on most days (or Colon) if necessary.

I don't think Lane Adams is a legitimate MLB option, or Jose Martinez. Eibner COULD be, though I think it's likely he's more of a poverty Drew Stubbs than anything else (decent 4th OF who is a threat vs. lefties).

Zimmer will be in KC in 2016. It wouldn't surprise me to see them use him out of the pen to start the season (either in KC or Omaha), gradually stretching him out as the season goes on to make sure he's ready for 175 innings in 2017, as a SP.

He pitched 19 innings in 2012 and 29 innings in 2014. Since 2016 is an even numbered year, I'd sign him for 2017 only. JK

It's the Wichita connection that seals Pelfrey for me, and he showed he was healthy (as he's gonna be) last year. Really fits the Young profile. I mean this one is a slam dunk.


Any ideas on corner OF???

Pelfrey sucks fellas. He gave up 198 hits in 164 innings at like 4.6 era.... He only pitched well AGAINST us.

Other than Zobrist getting some time there if re-signed, at least at the start of the season (unless they do a bad contract swap on Infante), I'd think Parra is an option. And perhaps a trade for someone like Osuna if the price becomes more reasonable.

He's being floated as rotational depth, not a key piece. At least in my mind (and I think in PB's).

If he's your No. 6/7 starter to start the season, that's pretty OK.

I hear ya....but let's do the bigger ticket shopping first.