*** Official 2018-2019 Royals Offseason Repository ***

[Coach]

As the season comes to a close after an awful season, there is a possibility of some hope since the team played better in late August to the end of the season.

Here are all the important dates you need to know for the 2018-19 MLB offseason. Some of them do involve the Royals, such as:

Oct. 29: As of 9 a.m. ET on Monday, all eligible players are free agents (Escobar - good riddance).

Oct. 31: Most contract option decisions are due on this date (Hammel should be declined, resulting $2 million buyout and Peralta should be accepted, resulting $3 million increase to the payroll, and could be future flip for additional minor leaguers if he performs well).

Spoiler!

10/30/2018 - Hammel's option has been declined.

10/31/2018 - Peralta apparently received new 1 year contract with 2020 option. Contract Details.

10/31/2018 - Nate Karns is a Free Agent.

Nov. 2: Deadline for teams to tender their eligible FA the qualifying offer.

Spoiler!

11/02/2018 - Brandon Maurer elects to FA & Orlando & Torres outrighted to Omaha, will be minor league FA's.

11/02/2018 - Corresponding moves is Cuthburt, Hahn, & Soler reinstated.

Nov. 3: Free agency begins.

Nov. 4: Gold Glove winners announced (Gordon & Perez).

Spoiler!

11/04/2018 - Salvy wins his fifth Gold Glove.

11/04/2018 - Gordon wins his sixth Gold Glove.

Nov. 6-8: General manager meetings in Carlsbad, California.

Nov. 12: Deadline for free agents to accept or reject the qualifying offer.

Nov. 14-15: Owners meetings in Atlanta (possible future CBA discussions).

Nov. 20: Deadline for teams to add eligible minor leaguers to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

Spoiler!

The Royals announced they've added RHPs Arnaldo Hernandez, Josh Staumont and Scott Blewett to the 40-man roster, protecting them from next month's Rule 5 draft. Blewett appeared to take a big step in the Arizona Fall League. The 40-man roster is full right now.

— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) November 20, 2018

Nov. 26-29: MLB Players Association executive board meeting in Dallas (possible future CBA discussions).

Nov. 30: Non-tender deadline.

Dec. 9-13: Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. This is typically when all offseason hell breaks loose.

Dec. 13: Rule 5 Draft (could see the Royals taking a stab here).

Jan. 11: Deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit 2019 salary figures (I believe KC has some arb-eligible players).

Feb. 1-20: Arbitration hearings. You win some, you lose some.

Mid-Feb. : SPRING TRAINING!

As usual, let's have a good off-season discussion on ways that the Royals can/should/would do to improve. I will try to update the OP as the off-season goes along. And Duncan, you're more than welcome to provide us some information that I can add onto the OP. Just let me know.

To see the 2018 Royals thread, go here.

[BWillie]

Alright guys what is the opening day line up and rotation going to be

[DeepSouth]

https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/whit...ng-day-preview

Official lineup for 03/28/2019

1) Whit Merrifield 2B

2) Adalberto Mondesi SS

3) Alex Gordon LF

4) Jorge Soler RF

5) Hunter Dozier 3B

6) Ryan O’Hearn 1B

7) Frank Schwindel * DH

8) Martin Maldonado C

9) Billy Hamilton CF

Starting Pitcher: Right-hander Brad Keller

[Great Expectations]

That lineup has potential, it is also very Nedlike to have Gordonin the 3 hole.

[KChiefs1]

Duda is on the team? Why?

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Duda is on the team? Why?

To take away ABs from guys who will be on the team after this year.

[Mecca]

Why is Gordon hitting 3rd....also is Soler really going to be in the field a lot? He seems like a DH candidate to me.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Why is Gordon hitting 3rd....also is Soler really going to be in the field a lot? He seems like a DH candidate to me.

Soler in the field creates the opportunity to have O'Hearn and Schwindel in the lineup instead of some scrub with no power playing a corner outfield position.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

When is the regular season thread starting, and who is starting it?

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Mama Hip Rockets

When is the regular season thread starting, and who is starting it?

Have at it Thurman

[Prison Bitch]

Prospectus


Red Men 97
Twinks 82
Royals 73
White Sux 70
Tiggers 66

[dallaschiefsfan]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Prospectus


Red Men 97
Twinks 82
Royals 73
White Sux 70
Tiggers 66

That might be semi-optimistic on the Royals, depending on who you talk to. But I actually think it's closer to correct and maybe a tad under what they'll perform. I think their Indians prediction is all wrong. No way they sniff that close to 100 wins. The whole Central Div is going to get beat up badly by the other divisions. Indians will win the division with 92 wins.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I literally have no idea, so I thought I should ask; how are the White Sox young players doing? I know they had a huge influx of young talent from trades.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I literally have no idea, so I thought I should ask; how are the White Sox young players doing? I know they had a huge influx of young talent from trades.

Suck ass. Moncada is what they feared his floor would be: 260-20-75 with 150k. Dude struck out like mad in AA and that’s why he got dumped. (His #1 fangraphs minor league peer was.....Carlos febles)


The other guy they got for Sale, Michael Kopech rocketed thru the minors and onto top-15 prospect lists. Made his debut last July to a large crowd (of drunks) at Comiskey and blew his elbow out. Lol


Eloy Jimenez is the top-5 they got in the Quintana deal. Monster AAA numbers, got a 6/70m deal before he played a game.



Side note: they signed Machados cousin Yonder Alonso thinking it would help sway Machado. Decided to sign in SD. Now Sux left with another slow one dimensional DH slug

[duncan_idaho]

The White Sox rebuild could be going a lot better.

Moncada has not curbed the K rate problems and it makes him a much less impactful player than he could be or was thought to be.

Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez still have time to put it together. Dylan Cease hasn’t debuted yet and could be better than either of them.

Jimenez looks legitimate to me, but it sure they’re going to get enough from the rest of the roster to successfully complete the rebuild.

Re: Indians... woof, that lineup is bad.

Lindor and Ramirez are legitimate stars (though Ramirez’s struggles down the stretch last year may have revealed a way to attack him), but the lineup gets thin in a hurry after them.

They added Jake Bauers and Carlos Santana, who are good OBP/25 Hr bats, but it’s just a bunch of guys otherwise. Their pen is also pretty weak compared to previous years.

They’ll win the Central, probably, with around 90 wins. But their window looks to be closing.

[dallaschiefsfan]

The division is screaming to be snatched from the Indians. But we don't have the guns to do it. What I'm dreading is the Twins having an over-achieve season and sneaking in. I still have PTSD from their fans coming into Kaufman for all those years - they're the most off-putting bunch of idiot-fans in the central. Our high A guys can't get here soon enough. Ugh.