[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Wilson8

I put this together because I was looking at the KC players for 2021 and seeing what kind of contracts each of them had. At the end, I also took a look at possible free agents for the Royals.

2021 Kansas City Royals Roster

Starting Lineup
2B #15 Whit Merrifield, R/R, Age 31, $6.750 M ’21, Team Option ’23, FA ‘24
SS #27 Adalberto Mondesi, S/R, Age 24, ARB1 ’21
DH #12 Jorge Soler, R/R, Age 28, ARB2 ’21, FA ‘22
C #13 Salvador Perez, R/R, Age 30, $13 M ‘21, FA ‘22
3B #7 Maikel Franco, R/R, Age 27, ARB4 ’21, FA ‘22
1B #17 Hunter Dozier, R/R, Age 28, ARB1 ‘21
RF #19 Franchy Cordero, L/R, Age 26, ARB1 ‘21
LF #14 Edward Olivares, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB
CF #0 Nick Heath, L/L, Age 26, PRE-ARB

Bench
C #36 Cam Gallagher, R/R, Age 27, PRE-ARB
1B #66 Ryan O’Hearn, L/L, Age 26, ARB ‘22
UI #1 Nicky Lopez, L/R, Age 25, ARB ‘22
OF #11 Bubba Starling, R/R, Age 27, ARB ‘23

Possible later call ups
3B Bobby Witt JR, R/R, Age 20
OF Kyle Isbel, L/R, Age 23
OF Khalil Lee, L/L, Age22

Possible Starters
SP #56 Brad Keller, R/R, Age25, ARB ‘21
SP #65 Jakob Junis, R/R, Age 28, ARB ‘21
SP #41 Danny Duffy, L/L, Age32, $15.5 M ’21, FA ‘22
SP #50 Kris Bubic, L/L, Age 23, PRE-ARB
SP #51 Brady Singer, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB
SP #21 Mike Montgomery, L/L, Age 31, ARB3 ’21, FA ‘22
SP #71 Carlos Hernandez, R/R, Age 23, PRE-ARB

Possible call ups
SP Asa Lacy, L/L, Age 21
SP Daniel Lynch, L/L, Age 23
SP Jackson Kowar, R/R, Age 23

Possible Relief
RP #58 Scott Barlow, R/R, Age 28, PRE-ARB
RP #32 Jesse Hahn, R/R, Age 31, ARB4 ’21, FA ‘22
RP #55 Richard Lovelady, L/L, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #61 Kevin McCarthy, R/R, Age 28, ARB ‘22
RP #68 Jake Newberry, R/R, Age 26, PRE-ARB
RP #63 Josh Staumont, R/R, Age27, PRE-ARB
RP #53 Tyler Zuber, R/R, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #45 Kyle Zimmer, R/R, Age 29, PRE-ARB
RP #67 Gabe Speier, L/L, Age 25, PRE-ARB
RP #57 Glenn Sparkman, R/R, Age 28, ARB1 ’21
RP #64 Scott Blewett, R/R, Age 24, PRE-ARB

Free Agency

Attempt to sign one or two of the following pitchers -

RP Greg Holland R/R, Age 35
RP Wade Davis, R/R, Age 35, FA – Minor League contract
RP Kelvin Herrera, R/R, Age 30, FA – Minor League contract
RP Trevor Rosenthal, R/R, Age 30, FA
SP Chris Archer, R/R, Age 32 – low cost contract since he is trying to recover after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
SP Taijuan Walker, R/R, Age 28- Had Tommy John Surgery in 2018. Missed 2019 and threw 53 innings with 11 starts in 2020

Attempt to sign one or two of the following outfielders

RF Yasiel Puig, R/R, Age 30
LF Michael Brantley, L/L, Age 34
CF Jackie Bradley JR, L/R, Age 30

Contract information from -
https://www.rotoworld.com/baseball/m...yals/contracts
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/kansas-c.../payroll/2021/
https://www.baseball-reference.com/t...ontracts.shtml

Good stuff!

I don't think there's any way they roll with Heath as the everyday CF to start the season, but we'll see.

Joc Pederson is someone who intrigues me a bit as a potential FA fit for KC. He's terrible against lefties, but he produces against RH pitching and has great OBP skills. He'd be a nice fit as someone who can play 1B or any OF spot. He could give them what they were hoping to get from O'Hearn and provide a small bridge to their next solution at 1B.

With Dozier's versatility, you can sit Pederson against lefties and play Dozier.

I can see them trying to work out something with Holland to keep a veteran presence in the pen. I also expect them to consider moving Duffy to the bullpen, which I think is the next phase of his career. He could be really effective in short stints.

Proposed roster:

Against RH
Merrifield - 2B
Mondesi - SS
Dozier - 1B/RF
Soler - DH
Perez - C
Pederson - 1B/RF
Franco - 3B
Edward Olivares - CF
Khalil Lee - LF

Against LH
Merrifield - 2B
Mondesi - SS
Dozier - 1B
Soler - RF
Perez - DH
Franco - 3B
Olivares - CF
Cam Gallagher - C
Khalil Lee - LF

In the rotation, three quantities are known. They actually have some rotation depth for a change, which is unusual for us. I could see Junis and/or Duffy both starting in the pen, if one of Lynch, Kowar, or Acy earns a rotation spot in ST.

Keller
Singer
Bubic
Mike Montgomery
Junis/Duffy/Lynch/Kowar/Acy

Pen:

Holland
Staumont
Zimmer
Barlow
Lovelady
Duffy/Junis
Carlos Hernandez

That would be an interesting squad. If the SP held up, I could see it contending for a WC.

I also could see flipping Perez and Soler in the lineup, if Perez continues hitting like he did this season, with the improved approach. Having a little more protection for Salvy might do him a world of good.