GO ROYALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phuqueue]

It gets better, the Morales deal reportedly includes a mutual option for 2017.

[beautyfromashes]

It gets better, the Morales deal reportedly includes a mutual option for 2017.

When's the last time a mutual option was picked up by both club and player? Unless they nailed the value exactly, one will void the option.

[chaglang]

Ervin Santana to the Twins.

[phuqueue]

It gets better, the Morales deal reportedly includes a mutual option for 2017.

When's the last time a mutual option was picked up by both club and player? Unless they nailed the value exactly, one will void the option.

Well, Dayton himself and Miguel Olivo exercised one, although I guess Olivo was, unbelievably, actually coming off a better season than Morales just had.

[brewcrew1000]

Alex Rios to royals.

[chaglang]

woof

[WSPanic]

It gets better, the Morales deal reportedly includes a mutual option for 2017.

When's the last time a mutual option was picked up by both club and player? Unless they nailed the value exactly, one will void the option.

And what's the risk?

Overall, Rios and Morales are both pretty old/risky, but do have the opportunity to provide a power upgrade over Aoki/Butler. I guess the new market inefficiency is players who sucked last year.

I would guess that Morales and Aoki's contracts will be pretty similar. Given Billy's 3/$30 vs Rios at 1/$11, I think Dayton did a decent job of filling some holes without committing too much to the future.

[brewcrew1000]

I would guess that Morales and Aoki's contracts will be pretty similar. Given Billy's 3/$30 vs Rios at 1/$11, I think Dayton did a decent job of filling some holes without committing too much to the future.

Bubba Starling will be here in 2016 to fill in for Rios, I guarantee it.

[KCMax]

Pretty dispiriting off-season. Royals are afraid to take on any multi-year deals because 2016/2017 payrolls are already so high due to existing player obligations.

[bobbyhawks]

I've got no problem with getting a guy on a single year contract, but I don't get how we feel that Rios is worth $11 million. He is going to be 34 and has hasn't posted a WAR above 1.1 since 2012 (0.6 last season). If you believe the stats, a 1.1 WAR is worth about $6-$7 million on the market. Again, the entire fate of this team relies on our pitching being just as good as it was last season (with multiple pitchers now gone and possibly more to come), and for our core players to improve upon last year. There are really no safety maneuvers from DMGM regarding "last year may have been a fluke." He is doubling down on the fact that he knows the team better than most outsiders. It will be an interesting beginning of the season, but I'm not very optimistic at this point.

[WSPanic]

I've got no problem with getting a guy on a single year contract, but I don't get how we feel that Rios is worth $11 million. He is going to be 34 and has hasn't posted a WAR above 1.1 since 2012 (0.6 last season). If you believe the stats, a 1.1 WAR is worth about $6-$7 million on the market. Again, the entire fate of this team relies on our pitching being just as good as it was last season (with multiple pitchers now gone and possibly more to come), and for our core players to improve upon last year. There are really no safety maneuvers from DMGM regarding "last year may have been a fluke." He is doubling down on the fact that he knows the team better than most outsiders. It will be an interesting beginning of the season, but I'm not very optimistic at this point.

I think it may be a slight overpay, but I don't think it's that simple. First of all, let's recalculate that number for the league based on the contracts we've seen signed this year. I imagine it will be over $8M or a 1.0 WAR. Someone just paid $10M for Brett Anderson's sub 1 WAR.

Also, you are going to pay a premium on a one year deal.

You're right about pitching. I'd like to see Holland dealt for a young starter if possible. Toronto has a few...

[bobbyhawks]

I've got no problem with getting a guy on a single year contract, but I don't get how we feel that Rios is worth $11 million. He is going to be 34 and has hasn't posted a WAR above 1.1 since 2012 (0.6 last season). If you believe the stats, a 1.1 WAR is worth about $6-$7 million on the market. Again, the entire fate of this team relies on our pitching being just as good as it was last season (with multiple pitchers now gone and possibly more to come), and for our core players to improve upon last year. There are really no safety maneuvers from DMGM regarding "last year may have been a fluke." He is doubling down on the fact that he knows the team better than most outsiders. It will be an interesting beginning of the season, but I'm not very optimistic at this point.

I think it may be a slight overpay, but I don't think it's that simple. First of all, let's recalculate that number for the league based on the contracts we've seen signed this year. I imagine it will be over $8M or a 1.0 WAR. Someone just paid $10M for Brett Anderson's sub 1 WAR.

Also, you are going to pay a premium on a one year deal.

You're right about pitching. I'd like to see Holland dealt for a young starter if possible. Toronto has a few...

Brett Anderson is 27. $8 million might be correct (though would be as much as a $2 million jump since last year), but I still have a more difficult time with paying that much to a much older player.

[WSPanic]

So.. Edinson Volquez for 2/$20.

He had a great year last year, but I still think the guy is a head case. He's been sent down to the minors for being an asshole before. I think some of my opinion probably blends in with Johnny Cueto and his antics with the Reds during the same time period.

Regardless, I think the front office has done a decent job this off season.

[KCMax]

I don't think he was sent down for being an asshole. All accounts are he's a really terrific guy.

I think he was sent down/released for being a crummy pitcher. He bounced back last year. Dayton's gambling its for real. Lets hope he's right.

The Volquez deal is pretty meh to me. The Rios and Morales deals look stupid to me. All three have a decent chance of being infuriating players to watch.

[beautyfromashes]

As painful as it is for a fan, I would have liked to see the Royals wait instead of signing these FAs. Every year, teams panic when FAs start coming off the table. Everyone spends their money and then there are, undoubtedly, a few FAs left without a deal. Stephen Drew, Nelson Cruz, Ervin Santana and others are examples. These players can be signed to a 1 year deal at a cheaper cost. There also are huge trades that open up trading extra pieces. The SD Padres might be an example with OF this year where they picked up Wil Myers and are overloaded.

[macnw]

KCMax for optimist of the year award. Rewind to last season blah, blah, blah. 2015 season blah, blah, blah. Get a new refrain

[brewcrew1000]

Gotta love the Kris Medlen pick up, i think he can be a huge steal.

[KCMax]

Gotta love the Kris Medlen pick up, i think he can be a huge steal.

Agree. #2-type upside at a fraction of the price. Probably won't contribute til June, but I'm excited to see what he can do.

[macnw]

Christ, that's almost optimistic. Maybe there is a Santa Claus

[brewcrew1000]

Its kind of funny that the Padres got both Myers and Shields now, so it now looks like the Padres won the Myers for Shields trade!