We Royals fans know the story all too well of not being able to sign top FA because of the money. The tired story; the league should do something about it. A salary cap AND floor would be helpful. All the other leagues have caps. It doesn’t stop the Chiefs or Packers from being competitive in the NFL. It hasn’t hampered the Milwaukee Bucks from being a top contender in the Eastern Conference in the NBA recently. Even Cleveland saw the Cavs win a championship! Here are some moves I felt the Royals could have/should have made to better this year’s squad.
3B Brandon Drury
He signed with the Angels for 2yr $17M, which is not unreasonable. This would have filled one of the holes in the lineup, and given the Royals a trade piece in 24′ should a contender need a 3B unless the Royals are in the race themselves. Hey! It could happen. This move makes sense with the uncertainty of Mondesi being able to play a whole year, let alone at what position. An infield with Pasquantino at first, Nicky Lopez at second, Witt Jr at short, and Drury at 3rd, is not too shabby.
RF Michael Conforto
He signed with the Giants 2yr $36M. Did the Giants overpay? We’ll see. He will be a highly motivated player this year, coming off missing 2022 because of shoulder surgery. Conforto played in a World Series his rookie year, so he is not one to be afraid of the moment. He progressed in his power numbers through 2019, hitting 33 HRs that year. This move makes sense because RF has been a void for many years in this organization. It would also allow more time behind the plate for MJ Melendez to work on his defense.
SP Tyler Anderson/Jameson Taillon
Anderson 3yr $39M with the Angels. Taillon 4yr $68M with the Cubs. I would take either one of these guys. Both early 30s would be able to give a boost in the arm to the rotation to eat up innings. The bullpen would appreciate that. I miss the days of starters that would go at least 7. This refers to my previous post about needing the young guns to step up this year.
Would these moves be enough??
The Central is weak; Cleveland capitalized on it last year. They will deservedly be the favorite, the White Sox and the Twins are looking to bounce back. Detroit is in the same boat as the Royals in the belief that their time is coming to regain control of the division. Getting off to a hot start would be key, and going 10-15 games above .500 in the division could be the recipe for a surprise playoff run. Always remember the best team doesn’t always win in October. The 2014 Royals rode into the playoffs on a wave of momentum and set the postseason record of winning their first eight games that year. All they need is a chance to make it happen.
