Talkin Royals

Pitching this offseason for the Royals is an area where the team must improve.  The team won't, and can’t, be searching for top of the line starters. The top starters on the market won't be willing to sign with the Royals after several poor seasons. Trading for starting pitching is always on the table. Many of the types of starters I believe that would come to Kansas City would be the ones looking to make a comeback on league minimum deals. Danny Duffy in my opinion would be a perfect arm the team should bring into the mix. Last season Duffy spent time with the Rangers organization. The 34-year old's ability to stay healthy has been the story in the middle of his career. While in a Royals uniform, the left-hander in 2012 tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow forcing him to get Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Following his surgery in 2012, he seemed to be in the clear. Unfortunately that wasn't in the baseball gods plan...

Kansas City has made their first notable signing this offseason. The Royals have agreed to terms with former Marlins utility player Garrett Hampson on a one-year deal worth $2 million. Speed is the most notable part of Hampson's game. Last season while a member of the Marlins, the 29-year old stole only five stolen bases. Don't let the five stolen bases last season make you think the veteran doesn't have speed, because he certainly does. The new Royal has stolen 57 bases in his career. Hampson did walk 23 times last year, so he seems to be patient at the plate. Being patient at the plate doesn't always mean a player can hit, and the utility player's overall stats aren't great. Hampson's career batting average is  .241 with 333 hits and 29 home runs. Hampson reminds me of former Royals outfielder Billy Hamilton. Both Hampson and Hamilton have almost no pop in their bats and their batting averages are abysmal. Hamilton owns a career batting average...

Kansas City this offseason made it a priority to add pitching to both the starting rotation and the bullpen. The boys in blue struck pretty quickly to find their first addition by acquiring right-hander Nick Anderson from Atlanta. Atlanta and Kansas City have had a great trade history over the years with Rangers President of Baseball Operations Dayton Moore being the Braves and Royals general manager in the past. The trade for the veteran reliever doesn't seem to look like a big splash in terms of improving the bullpen; but don't be fooled, trading cash for someone doesn't always mean a team is acquiring minor league depth or a player that is destined to be designated for assignment. Nick Anderson in many ways makes sense for the Royals. The Royals have a history of acquiring bounce back candidates such as Aroldis Chapman and Franmil Reyes. Anderson's inability to stay healthy for a long period of time is a red flag and a big reason the Braves decided to par...

Kansas City will likely be signing many pitchers to minor league deals this offseason. Spring Training this season will be fun to watch as many arms will be competing for a spot in a wide open bullpen. Matt Wisler in my opinion would fit the Royals’ bullpen perfectly, and he would be cheap. Wisler and the Kansas City coaching staff are familiar with each other. The veteran righthander was a member of the Rays’ bullpen in 2021 along with 2022, and he had good numbers. Wisler's time with Tampa Bay came to a surprising end after being designated for assignment in September of 2022. The 31-year old had good numbers while a member of the Rays bullpen staff. He posted an ERA of 2.25 with 35 punchouts in 44 innings pitched. Following the end of Wisler's tenure with the Ray, he signed minor league deals with the Tigers and the Blue Jays. Last season Wisler didn't see time in the big leagues while as a member of the Detroit and Toronto Triple-A affiliates. Wisler's t...

Coming out of the University of Georgia, the once number one prospect in the Atlanta Braves minor league system showed plenty of upside while a member of the Braves Double-A affiliate. The Georgia native was named to the 2021 Futures game. Many Royals fans seem to think that the Royals made a poor decision to acquire Waters along with minor league pitcher Andrew Hoffmann and infielder CJ Alexander from the Braves in 2022 for the 35th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Waters to this point has been half the player that Kansas City had hoped he would be. The 24-year old's defense has been great but not exactly a gold glove caliber. Although Waters has shown he can play the outfield everyday, that doesn't mean he can be a reliable bat in the team's lineup day in and day out. Last season with the Royals, Waters played in 98 games, with 302 at bats under his belt. In his second season with the big league club, he played in a combined 130 games with 398 at bats. The 24-y...