Should the Royals target Jesse Chavez?


Kansas City baseball this season was one of those seasons fans would love to forget. The pitching side of the game is where the Royals really struggled. The front office's main target as free agency gets closer needs to be the bullpen. Kansas City's bullpen ranked fourteenth out of fifteen in the American League behind the Athletics. Across the league, the boys in blue ranked twenty eighth out of thirty in bullpen ERA and only saved 28 games. In a nutshell, the bullpen was a dumpster fire following the departures of Scott Barlow and Aroldis Chapman. Unfortunately, I don't believe the team has all the right pieces to make a push for the postseason next season, but I do believe that they could improve quite a bit if they make the bullpen their top priority this coming offseason. Like last season, the team won't spend crazy money on free agents; but the bullpen was so bad last season, almost any signing could boost the pen. And I believe an old friend could be a good piece to add to the bullpen next season. That's right, Jesse Chavez. The right hander last pitched for the Royals in 2011. Now twelve years later, the veteran reliever could be a good addition to the pen. The 40-year old is currently a member of the Atlanta Braves postseason roster. During the regular season, Chavez owned an incredible ERA of 1.56 in 36 games. Although the veteran reliever only pitched in 36 games, Atlanta believed in Chavez enough to add him to their roster for the postseason. At the beginning of the season, Braves manager Brian Snitker praised Chavez during an interview with The Athletic for his great production on and off the field: "He’s amazing." Snitker continued about how Chavez was a reliable arm in their bullpen: "I just admire those guys, and a guy like Jesse and everything he’s been through and all the teams he’s played for,” Snitker said. “And how he’s hung on and just keeps adjusting and adapting, and keeps himself going. Still a very productive pitcher.” The Royals don't have too many contracts on the books that will restrict them from making attractive offers to relivers on the market this offseason. And Chavez won't be one to make the team open their wallet very much if at all. The Braves signed the reliever to a minor league deal last offseason, and if he looks to play next season, he will probably land another minor league deal. Don't let Chavez's age (40) allow you to write him off as a potential Royals’ target. Kansas City's general manager J.J Picollo made it clear that the team will be looking to add arms to the bullpen this offseason according to Fox 4 Kansas City: "There’s no question our bullpen has to be addressed,” Picollo said. “We have some guys that are capable that need to be more consistent. (Quatraro) needs to be able to rely on four to five guys on a nightly basis that can hold a lead. We didn’t have that this year so we need to get more talented and consistent in that area.” With that being said, Chavez marks off many of those questions surrounding the bullpen. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, the team won't be a playoff contender but has the potential to be a good team if they add a bat and a bullpen arm or two like Chavez this offseason.

Popular posts from this blog

Flashback Royals: Remembering a Murder Victim

Image
The Royals over the years have worn patches on their uniforms to remember tragic periods in American history including 9/11 and more. Kansas City in 2007 was stunned after learning that local teenager Kelsey Smith was abducted and murdered. The Royals wore light blue ribbons on their wrists in remembrance of the 18-year old after former manager Buddy Bell spoke to the Smith family.  Many Kansas Cityians remember the Kelsey Smith case well after the story of her abduction hit the local media and national media. On June 2, Smith was shopping at her local Target in Overland Park, KS looking for a picture frame for her boyfriend John Biersmith. While at Target, Smith's killer followed her throughout the store after noticing her at the jewelry counter. While Smith was in the checkout line, her abductor ran to his vehicle to grab his gun and waited for her to leave the store to grab her. The 18-year old was unable to fight off the kidnapper and was forced into her vehicle and...
Read more

Flashback Royals: The murder at the pool

Image
Self-defense is more important now than ever, and teams like the Royals are promoting it through various events. In 2008, the Royals held a self-defense class called T.A.K.E. to support The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation and honor Ali Kemp's life. Similarly, the Kelsey Smith Foundation, named after a girl abducted at a Target in Kansas in 2007, also focuses on teaching self-defense. The Royals later honored Kelsey Smith's memory as well. Ali Kemp's murder in 2002 had a profound impact on the Kansas City metro area. At 19, Ali was working as a lifeguard in Leawood, Kansas, during the summer. Her father believed it was a safe job: "It was a wonderful job, a neighborhood pool. And you would think the safest place in the world." However, her shift on that fateful day turned tragic. Around 3 p.m., Ali called a friend for company, but the friend missed the call. Shortly after, Laurel Vine, another friend, arrived at the pool and saw a man leaving. Thinking ...
Read more

Royals small connections to US Presidents

Image
The state of Kansas and the Kansas City metro have several connections to US Presidents, such as the 33rd President Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Although both Kansas and Kansas City have connections to the late Presidents, none of Kansas City's professional baseball teams such as the Monarchs, Athletics, or the Royals had the chance to meet either of them. However, former Royals manager Ned Yost has been to the White House more than once. Yost has met five US Presidents during his time in baseball. The former manager's first interaction with a President was with 39th President Jimmy Carter while living just outside of Atlanta. Yost said the 39th President attended games regularly: "Jimmy used to come a lot to the Braves games, and you could walk down the tunnel going to the dugout when Jimmy was there because Secret Service guys were all outside his little room they had for him and I’d waltz right in there and go sit down,” Yost said. “Him and Rosa...
Read more