*** Official 2014 AL Champion Royals Off-season Repository ***
 

So, I didn't see a thread started, and all the others are pretty maxed out to the point where a fresh thread would be needed soon either way.

Time to share the run up to ST & and another memorable year in the making!

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...5c4cfc8b8a.jpg

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/...a-melky-hunter
via http://cbssportsapp.com


KC realistic about Shields, will take look at Santana, Melky, Hunter.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The American League champion Royals improved their monetary fortunes with their run all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, and while they intend to speak to their ace James Shields, they are realistic about their chances. That is to say, they know they are almost nil.

The Royals' payroll, high for them at $92 million last season, but still well below league average, is expected to be in the range of $90-to-100 million again. But since they have little interest in spending more than 15 percent of their payroll on one player, they understand Shields will almost certainly be somewhere else next year.

That's OK, he served them well, for $22 million over his two years in KC, helping them into contention the first year there, and all the way to the World Series in his second year. Even if as expected that was it for Shields in Kansas City, the oft-criticized trade of big outfield prospect Wil Myers in the multi-player deal for Shields and Wade Davis, who turned into a relief star, has to be one of the better trades anyone's made in the past several seasons.

The Royals will take a look at another former Royal, Ervin Santana, who had a nice year for them in 2013 before bolting as a free agent last winter. Santana and Shields are both expected to turn down qualifying offers by Monday's deadline, but Santana should be significantly less expensive than Shields in free agency.

The Royals' other main need is in the outfield, and they'll consider yet another former Royal, Melky Cabrera for that role, though Torii Hunter seems to be of particular interest to them. The Royals pursued Hunter seven years ago when he signed a $90-million, five-year deal with the Angels before going to the Tigers.

Kansas City will also weigh a return for Norichika Aoki, but with him looking for a three-year deal, the other outfield options seem to be more in play at this point.

*sidenote- lots of chatter up here in Chicago about the White Sox are very interested in aggressively signing Aoki, just fyi.

Alright sorry I didn't realize the off-season thread was part of the 2014 post season thread if someone can move this and lock it down

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Awesome

I actually like this one better just because I don't want to be reminded of the game 7 loss anymore. If it catches on, great. If not bump it in a week and I'll merge it.

I like this one better too.

Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy should be looked at closely to replace Shields.

Soto could also be a great compliment to Salvy. Play him against Lefties, DH Salvy, bench Dyson, and put Kemp (or power bat in RF).

This should be the title of the other thread... I hate being reminded, as well.

It's saddens baby jesus.

AL Champions

tried to change it twice....no dice

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Royals are expected to meet with the agent for Ervin Santana this week at the GM Meetings.</p>&mdash; Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughStar/status/531899679252828162">November 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Reminder, we will lose our 1st round pick if we sign Santana. (but we'll still get our Shields sandwich pick)

They need to sign Santana. Also isn't Gattis a possibility via trade as well as Kemp? Royals seem to want Hunter too but he wants to stay with the Tigers

Royals interested in Raul Ibanez next year

http://t.co/ikXh2LUAyo

He was offered the hitting coach job from the Yankees and is a managerial candidate for the Rays. I doubt he will be back here next year.