Royals sign Garrett Hampson


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 of .239, while Hampson owns a slightly better average of  .241. Although the Royals signed Hamilton only to a one-year contract, the deal was still worth a whopping $5.25 million deal. The Hamilton deal was a flop for the team. Hamilton was designated for assignment by the Royals on August 16, 2019. The Hampson deal could be another flop for Kansas City. However, Hamilton was viewed as an everyday outfielder, while Hampson is viewed as a utility player. As a member of the Marlins, Hampson played multiple positions—second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield. Kansas City very well could have overpaid Hampson. Last season Hampson landed a minor league deal with Miami. A minor league deal could tell a lot based on his career numbers. Although Hampson's stats are underwhelming, Bleacherreport ranked nine of MLB's free agents that were non-tendered by teams. Hampson ranked number eight on the site's list. In the same article, Hampson is viewed as a bench player: "With multiple starts at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield spots, Hampson is an extremely versatile player, and he logged a career-high 1.3 WAR during the 2023 season. The 29-year-old had a .242 expected batting average speaks to him playing over his head a bit, but he can still serve as a useful bench piece." Hampson was projected to earn $1.3 million this offseason. Kansas City decided the veteran's services were worth more than the projections expected. The question is why would a team sign a player with poor stats to a guaranteed contract? The answer is very simple, it's not. Despite Hampson's poor numbers, he must be doing something right to stay in the big leagues for six seasons without being designated for assignment or outrighted by either the Rockies or the Marlins. Finally, as Royals fans, we must stay positive. Remember this is the major leagues we're talking about, and any player can go off at any time and make big impacts in games. 


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

Tyler Duffey hit or miss signing for Royals

Image
The boys in blue are looking to boost the bullpen through the minor league free agent market, and Kansas City signed a familiar arm, Tyler Duffey, to a minor league pact. Duffey spent time in the Cubs’ organization last season; however, his last big league stint was with the Twins. The 32-year old was a member of the Twins pitching staff for seven seasons before signing with the Cubs last season. Duffey was designated for assignment by Minnesota on August 5 and released just two days later. The righthander, in my opinion, is a type of pitcher that could boost the pen next season. Last season, Duffey spent most of the season in Triple-A. While in Iowa, Duffey appeared in 36 games and threw a total of 45.1 innings. Duffey started two games for Iowa last season. The decision for the Twins to move on from Duffey was difficult for the organization and rightfully so. The organization had plenty to say about Duffey following his departure from the team. Twins manager Rocco Baldell
Read more

A well traveled arm could boost the Royals’ pen

Image
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
Read more