The Kansas City Royals were arguably the best story of the 2014 MLB season. The Royals not only made the playoffs for the first time since 1985, but they came within one game of winning the World Series. During the regular season, the team won 89 games – the most since the club won 92 games in 1989. Kansas City achieved victory with a solid starting rotation, dominant bullpen, and the ability to deliver RBI’s in key situations.
In fact, the Royals finished dead-last in baseball with just 95 home runs, instead relying on speed on the base paths and situational hitting. Kansas City finished 9th in the American League with 651 runs, and they will have some questions to answer in their everyday lineup.
Kansas City’s pitching staff finished 4th the American League with a collective ERA of 3.51. The team featured emerging stars in Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy, a legitimate ace in James Shields and reliable veterans in Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie. The bullpen featured the dominant trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and closer Greg Holland.
Kansas City should maintain the core of their roster in 2015. Stars like Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, and Lorenzo Cain are under team control for the 2015 season. Here is a look at the guaranteed contracts on the books for Kansas City in 2015:
OF Alex Gordon - $12.5 million
SP Jeremy Guthrie - $9 million
SP Jason Vargas – $8.5 million
2B Omar Infante - $7.5 million
RP Wade Davis - $ 7 million (Royals picked up ’15 club option
SS Alcides Escobar - $3 million
DH Billy Butler - $1 million (Royals declined ’15 $12.5 million option, paying Butler $1 buyout).
Total: $48.5 million
The Royals have $48.5 million committed to six players, plus a $1 million buyout they paid to Billy Butler. The Royals picked up the $7 million option for Wade Davis, keeping the dominant reliever in Kansas City for the 2015 season.
Starting pitcher Jason Vargas and second baseman Omar Infante signed multi-year deals last off-season, and Alex Gordon enters his last year of team control, although he has a player option for $12.5 million for the 2016 season. Alcides Escobar is the midst of an extension that he signed in 2012.
While the Royals only have the aforementioned six players under contract, the Royals have a huge arbitration class, which includes ALCS MVP Lorenzo Cain. Here are the arbitration-eligible players for Kansas City, with projected salaries estimated by Matt Swartz of MLBTradeRumors.com:
CP Greg Holland - $9.3 million
1B Eric Hosmer - $5.2 million
3B Mike Moustakas - $2.7 million
SP Danny Duffy - $2.6 million
OF Lorenzo Cain - $2.3 million
RP Aaron Crow - $2.0 million
RP Kelvin Herrera - $1.5 million
RP Tim Collins - $1.5 million
OF Jarrod Dyson - $1.3 million
INF Jayson Nix - $950K
RP Louis Coleman - $700K
Projected cost: $30 million
The Royals have a pretty robust arbitration class that contains much of their young core. Closer Greg Holland is projected to make more than $9 million in his second trip through arbitration. First baseman Eric Hosmer is also due a hefty raise. Lorenzo Cain, Danny Duffy, Mike Moustakas and Danny Duffy will make modest salaries in their first year of arbitration eligibility.
The Royals have two non-tender candidates in this writer’s opinion: Jayson Nix and Louis Coleman. Kansas City has a deep, talented bullpen and it doesn’t make sense to make a commitment to Coleman, no matter how small. He posted a 5.65 ERA in 31 outings.
Nix is a journeyman infielder who only appeared in seven games for Kansas City in 2014, although he was on their World Series roster. The club isn’t likely to pay him close to $1 million, especially when they already have Christian Colon on the roster.
Costless Agents:
SP James Shields
DH Billy Butler
OF Nori Aoki
OF/DH Raul Ibanez
RP Jason Frasor
OF Josh Willingham
RP Luke Hochevar
RP Scott Downs
SP Noel Arguelles
The Royals have some key contributors that will hit costless agency. Their costless agent class is headlined by their ace, James Shields. Shields is expected to be a hot commodity on the costless agent market, and a return to Kansas City doesn’t seem likely. The Royals have interest in retaining both Billy Butler and Nori Aoki, but both players are sure to draw interest from multiple teams. Luke Hochevar missed last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but could return as a valuable member of the pen. Down, Frasor and Willingham aren’t likely to return either.
Team Needs:
The Royals have holes in the rotation, right field and designated hitter. The rest of the team seems pretty set. There are plenty of options on the costless agent and trade markets that could make sense for Kansas City. Here are a few:
1B/DH Ryan Howard, Phillies: Ryan Howard makes sense for the Royals, but only if Philadelphia eats the majority, if not all of the contract. Howard is nowhere close to the player he used to be, and for this deal to work, he doesn’t have to be. Howard only slugged .380 (career-low), but his 23 home runs and 90 RBI’s would have led the Royals. Perhaps strictly being a DH and a change of scenery might help. If the Royals don’t have to commit much money, what’s to lose?
SP Ervin Santana, Braves: Santana rejuvenated his career with the Royals in 2013, but a qualifying offer damaged his stock dramatically. Alas, Santana settled for a one-year deal with Atlanta, and produced 14 wins and a solid 3.95 ERA. Santana received another qualifying offer from Atlanta, but this time a multi-year deal could be in the cards. While the Royals probably won’t be able to afford James Shields, Santana would be a more than adequate replacement on a three-year deal.
OF Torii Hunter, Detroit: The Royals wanted to sign the veteran in his prime, but instead he signed with the Angels. This time around, Hunter won’t require the massive contract he once received. Hunter at 39 has clearly lost a step – his defense in right field was rated amongst the very worst in baseball last year. Hunter has hit 17 homers each of the last two seasons, so he is still capable offensively. Hunter also won’t require more than a two-year deal.
Down On The Farm:
The Royals employed their 2014 first-round pick, pitcher Brandon Finnegan on the playoff roster this season. In fact, the former TCU Horned Frog became the first pitcher in MLB history to appear in the College World Series and the MLB World Series in the same season. Finnegan should start the year in the minors for more seasoning, but he could start games for the Royals in 2015.
Top prospect Kyle Zimmer might have been able to help the Royals this season, but he has battled an array of shoulder injuries that eventually required surgery. Zimmer should be ready to start spring training, and will likely start the season in Double-A.
Breakout Candidate:
Mike Moustakas, third baseman: Moustakas suffered through a brutal 2014 season, and endured a return to Triple-A. However, Moustakas had a power surge in the playoffs, slugging 5 home runs in 55 plate appearances. Moustakas is already regarded as a fine defensive third baseman, but he could finally be breaking out at the plate.
Conclusion:
Kansas City has been rejuvenated by the young Royals and the future looks bright. The team is still poised to contend in 2015, and perhaps the revenue of a playoff run will led to a higher payroll. The Royals have an exciting young core and will be a team to look in 2015.