Any chance Nicky Lopez is able to earn a promotion with a strong start to the season or is he blocked for the foreseeable future?

Is Zimmer expected to make the rotation or be a bullpen guy?

He’s strictly a bullpen guy at this point.

Until we shed 40 man spots as the season goes on, he doesn't have to be on the roster until next year. It makes no sense. He needs daily at-bats. Until that becomes a given with the Royals, he'll likely stay in Omaha. If the Royals do better than expected by summer, I could see them shifting Whit to RF on a more regular basis and giving Lopez the promotion. But that scenario is just unlikely. Next year, outfield spots open up (Gordon, Hamilton). I've suspected they have Whit ticketed for LF - especially w/ his contract extension. It ensures lock-down defense out there when Gordon is gone. Unless Dozier, Gutierrez, Cuthbert, et-al flame out for the 3B job, Lopez' path to the bigs involves Whit to the OF.

Without ever seeing him play, I can already tell Boxberger will suck ass. And make me mad all summer blowing leads

Could that be because he has an 11.57 era in 4.2 innings pitched.

Maybe the Royals will eat his $2.2M and give his roster spot to Ynoa ( 0.77 era in 11.2 innings )

Or maybe we wait until he gets out of Spring Training and Arizona and see if the regular season produces different results. If he struggles from day one and his pitches look flat, I'll join the calls for his release. Next man up. I'm hoping Ynoa makes the team, regardless of Boxberger. I think it really depends on whether they're intent on keeping Ellis.

As with any vet added to a rebuilding team, Boxberger is a worthwhile play if you let
Him build up trade value and move him for some sort of future asset.

He’s a negative play if he’s terrible and you keep running him out (see Blaine Boyer).

It’s a worthwhile risk because there are so many spots in the pen.

Duda is less worthwhile because he potentially takes away key at bats from guys you need to find out about and the value is unlikely to be anything of value.

Help me out with Duda? Is he going to sub at 1B with O'Hearn, or sub with Schwindel as a DH? I REALLY don't get that signing at all.

If the idea is use him at DH and have him split some ABs with Schwindel and possibly move him for something via trade, it makes a tad bit of sense.

That’s the only way to make sense of it, though.

If they play him instead of O’Hearn, it’s flat-our dumb.

Lucas Duda is never going to have a ton of trade value.

What are leads?

No. He isn’t. Maybe you get some international dollars for him or a lotto ticket.

I just don't really like that move honestly, but oh well.