*** Official 2018-2019 Royals Offseason Repository ***

[Coach]

As the season comes to a close after an awful season, there is a possibility of some hope since the team played better in late August to the end of the season.

Here are all the important dates you need to know for the 2018-19 MLB offseason. Some of them do involve the Royals, such as:

Oct. 29: As of 9 a.m. ET on Monday, all eligible players are free agents (Escobar - good riddance).

Oct. 31: Most contract option decisions are due on this date (Hammel should be declined, resulting $2 million buyout and Peralta should be accepted, resulting $3 million increase to the payroll, and could be future flip for additional minor leaguers if he performs well).

Spoiler!

10/30/2018 - Hammel's option has been declined.

10/31/2018 - Peralta apparently received new 1 year contract with 2020 option. Contract Details.

10/31/2018 - Nate Karns is a Free Agent.

Nov. 2: Deadline for teams to tender their eligible FA the qualifying offer.

Spoiler!

11/02/2018 - Brandon Maurer elects to FA & Orlando & Torres outrighted to Omaha, will be minor league FA's.

11/02/2018 - Corresponding moves is Cuthburt, Hahn, & Soler reinstated.

Nov. 3: Free agency begins.

Nov. 4: Gold Glove winners announced (Gordon & Perez).

Spoiler!

11/04/2018 - Salvy wins his fifth Gold Glove.

11/04/2018 - Gordon wins his sixth Gold Glove.

Nov. 6-8: General manager meetings in Carlsbad, California.

Nov. 12: Deadline for free agents to accept or reject the qualifying offer.

Nov. 14-15: Owners meetings in Atlanta (possible future CBA discussions).

Nov. 20: Deadline for teams to add eligible minor leaguers to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

Spoiler!

The Royals announced they've added RHPs Arnaldo Hernandez, Josh Staumont and Scott Blewett to the 40-man roster, protecting them from next month's Rule 5 draft. Blewett appeared to take a big step in the Arizona Fall League. The 40-man roster is full right now.

— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) November 20, 2018

Nov. 26-29: MLB Players Association executive board meeting in Dallas (possible future CBA discussions).

Nov. 30: Non-tender deadline.

Dec. 9-13: Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. This is typically when all offseason hell breaks loose.

Dec. 13: Rule 5 Draft (could see the Royals taking a stab here).

Jan. 11: Deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit 2019 salary figures (I believe KC has some arb-eligible players).

Feb. 1-20: Arbitration hearings. You win some, you lose some.

Mid-Feb. : SPRING TRAINING!

As usual, let's have a good off-season discussion on ways that the Royals can/should/would do to improve. I will try to update the OP as the off-season goes along. And Duncan, you're more than welcome to provide us some information that I can add onto the OP. Just let me know.

To see the 2018 Royals thread, go here.

[Valiant]

Question, with so many stars still on the fa market. Why aren't we offering one year deals so we can flip them to playoff teams?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Good lord Mondesi has a chance to be a legit superstar. Not a Eric "Im kind of a big deal in KC" Hosmer KC Star. Im talking Mike Trout super star. If he were to duplicate last years production over a full season (lets use Hosmers 2017 season for PA) he could be in the MVP talk.

So at 671 PA instead of 291 PA his numbers look like this:

671 PA/634AB/109 R/176 Hits/30 2B/7 3B/32 HR/85 RBI/74 SB/25 BB/178 SO/.276 BA/.306 OBP/.498 SLG

This is what Mike Trouts 162 game avg looks like

711 PA/589 AB/121 R/187 H/34 2B/7 3B/37 HR/99 RBI/29 SB/105 BB/152 SO/105 BB/152 SO

If he does that it would be something never accomplished by someone else and that is 30 HR 70 SB, 30 HR and 60 SB has never been done before either. Hell 30 HR 50 RBI has only been done twice.

I know its something hes always had trouble with, but if he could just get a walk 1 out of every 2-3 games thatd give him around 65 walks. Thatd put his hypothetical slash at:

.296 avg/.362 obp/.532 slg/.894 ops

If he is able to take more walks he could potentially steal 85-90 bases. The crazy thing is that hes not even in his prime yet. In the next couple of years he could very well be the best player in the league.

There is a zero percent chance Mondesi ever gets 65 walks in a season let alone 50. I'm worried he will eventually get exposed due to his horrid plate discipline but he gets the steals Trout cant.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Question, with so many stars still on the fa market. Why aren't we offering one year deals so we can flip them to playoff teams?

Stars?

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Stars?

Yeah. From 2015

Dudes like Dallas Kuechel, Adam Jones and whatever you make of Craig Kimbrel these days.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by BWillie

There is a zero percent chance Mondesi ever gets 65 walks in a season let alone 50. I'm worried he will eventually get exposed due to his horrid plate discipline but he gets the steals Trout cant.

Well he's eventually going to be getting IBB as well as his regular BB. I know 65 walks would be a miracle, but I could honestly see 45-50.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Stars?

Yeah you know stars. The type of guys with so much talent that they sign a 1 year prove it deal. "Stars".

[Great Expectations]

It looks like Kennedy is in midseason form. Any chance he isn’t on the opening day roster?

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

It looks like Kennedy is in midseason form. Any chance he isn’t on the opening day roster?

Nope.

[dallaschiefsfan]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

It looks like Kennedy is in midseason form. Any chance he isn’t on the opening day roster?

Of course he makes the roster. If things were to go south for Kennedy, they'd just re-tool him for the back of the bullpen where he'd likely see some success at full effort. I wouldn't worry too much about his performance yesterday - he gave up some runs off a home run in the 1st. Arizona. But the more important stats are that he walked 0 and struck-out 5. That's a good Arizona start for Kennedy.

In other news, Zimmer looked good again. He's getting me hopeful. His curve ball looked really good last night and he looked like a pitcher who knew what he was trying to do and was executing his plan flawlessly.

Random theory - they keep talking about Viloria as the backup to Gallagher...I assume because there's still a chance they sign a vet before opening day and Viloria gets assigned to AAA or AA. However, if he actually makes it to KC on the 25, I'm going to guess that it will either be closer to a platoon (couldn't find their minor league splits) or Viloria will slowly begin to start more games as the season moves along. He's better than Gallagher, offensively and has improved enough defensively that I don't think Gallagher is markedly better. I'm encouraged by Scoles write-up on him.

[Sure-Oz]

Trade bait ftw too

@Ken_Rosenthal: Free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado in agreement with #Royals on one-year, $2.5M contract, sources tell The Athletic. Deal, which is pending a physical, also includes $1.4M in incentives. Can re-enter market next offseason.


@Shauncore: Incredible turn of events.

Maldonado turns down 2/$12M on advice from Boras, then fires Boras, and a day later signs for $2.5M. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/st...35774689206275

[Prison Bitch]

You’re aware that 2/12 would’ve been signed ASAP if ever really offered.

That story is baloney

[Sure-Oz]

@codybtapp: For those who don't like the Maldonado deal now (and I think you should), remember the Angels did get 250k in international spending money and a top 15 prospect in the Astros system at the deadline last year for him.

@BHIndepMO: I suspect you’re not gonna see many people buy into the claims that Maldonado will be better in 2019 than Salvy. But trading him in July for international money plus an A-ball dude should be win-win for both sides of that argument.

[Nightfyre]

Seems like a win win. He gets showcased and shipped to a contender, we save a year of service time on one of our up and coming catchers, plus potentially net some resources for the rebuild

[tk13]

Who doesn't like this move? I like Gallagher but you can't go into the season hoping he can play 120 games. There aren't many catchers you're going to run out there everyday like Salvy or Molina. Viloria needs to be getting minor league ABs.

If nothing else, this is going to be a very good defensive team. Maldonado is going to be great for our young pitchers. Great pitch framer and he is great at catching base stealers too.

[duncan_idaho]

The only people who don’t like this move are those who view baseball solely as a math equation.

Maldonado makes them 1-2 meaningless wins better in a rebuilding year, but the Royals young pitchers will continue to work with a vet who is a good defender, will help control the running game, and steal them some strikes.

That’s valuable. Even if he hits .200 and they get squat for him.