Quote:
Originally Posted by cmh6476
we're not last:
28. Kansas City Royals
2023 record: 56-106
2023 final ranking: 29
The Royals have two starters rostered who made more than 12 starts in 2023 -- and both had ERAs over five and a half. They don't have a single reliever returning who pitched at least 20 innings and had an ERA under 4.00. They do have Bobby Witt Jr. and Cole Ragans, who had a breakout performance the final two months and looks like a potential top-of-the-rotation starter. A healthy Vinnie Pasquantino will help, and maybe Nelson Velazquez will show up, but the pitching staff basically needs to be completely re-constructed -- with a farm system that has little to offer.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...power-rankings |
This is what cracks me up about listening to John Mozeliak squawk about how aggressive they'll be in free agency in targeting starting pitching.
EVERYONE needs starting pitching. The damn Rangers just won the World Series and probably need 2 guys. Every big spender in baseball needs at least 1 and you look at the Dodgers, they might need THREE.
The SP market is going to be a horrifying shit-show of bidding wars and overpays this offseason. If you don't have 4 starters in place, you're boned. Any team that had their staff fall apart on them this year had better hope against hope that they have 4 internal options that they're comfortable with because 2 of those ain't gonna work out so you MIGHT get 2 reinforcements from within.
And if you're gonna target the FA market for help, you're going to get about a 50 cents on the dollar return on your investment.