The Royals announced that they have exercised their $7MM club option on right-hander Wade Davis for next season. Davis is represented by Jet Sports Management.
While $7MM is a lot of money for a smaller-market team like Kansas City to pay to a setup man, Davis was such a key part of the Royals’ recent success that exercising his option was a virtual no-brainer. In fact, the move actually saved K.C. a bit of money — Davis would’ve still been eligible for arbitration had the option been declined, and MLBTR’s Matt Swartz projected that Davis would’ve been line for a $7.6MM salary in 2015 via the arbitration process.
Davis posted one of the best relief seasons in history in 2014, posting a 1.00 ERA, 4.74 K/BB rate and a 13.6 K/9 over 72 innings. The late-game “Law Firm” of Kelvin Herrera, Davis and closer Greg Holland was a big reason the Royals made it to Game 7 of the World Series. Herrera and Holland are both arbitration-eligible this winter and will also command big salaries, so it’s an open question as to how long K.C. can afford to keep this trio at the back of its bullpen.
Davis originally signed his four-year, $12.6MM extension in February 2011 when he was a highly-touted starting pitching prospect in the Rays organization. His deal also contains an $8MM club option for 2016 and a $10MM club option for 2017, with the latter carrying a $2.5MM buyout. He came to the Royals along with James Shields in the 2012-13 offseason as part of the much-talked about trade that sent Wil Myers and other prospects to Tampa.
Throughout September and October, Denny Martin – long time Royals broadcaster – referred to 2014 as Wade Davis’ unbelievable, career year. He was simply remarkable. If he can do even 80-85% as well in 2015 it will be sensational.
I think some of his perceived value is hurt by the fact he was in the AL East earlier in his career when the AL East was a quality division. I think it’s fair to say he can give 80-85% of 2014 in 2015, as you’re hoping. And at $7MM, it’s a pretty friendly contract, too.
*Denny Matthews, not sure who Denny Martin is.
It’s hall of famer Denny Matthews. This is a no brainer to keep Davis!
Was thinking of the % chances of the Royals not exercising that option. Is it possible to get lower than 0%?
With an ERA of 1.00 in 72 IP, 0 HRs allowed, WHIP of .847, 9 wins, 3 saves, 33 holds… Davis had what has to be a historic season for relievers!
Ironically, the same value as Soria’s option with the Tigers.
Who will have a better 2015? Keep in mind that Soria may end up closing for the Tigers.
Obviously time will tell, but at this point, I’ll predict Soria will have the better year based off of a likely (dependent on off-season moves) better rotation and better lineup for run-support.
How in the world will run support affect Davis vs. Soria? I can see better rotation affecting rest/usage in some ways, but how will the offense affect them? Kansas City didn’t have a stellar offense this season and yet they were the first team in the history of Major League Baseball with three relievers throwing 60+ IP and sub-1.50 ERA.
I actually think the pressure will be on Soria MORE… to not blow it.
Run support affects W-L records (Jon Lester lost a lot of 1-0 or 2-0 games to start this season), the situation of a game (i.e. throw the kid out there because we’re getting killed instead of a high pressure situation/close game for your closer), number of save opportunities, etc. Everything ties together one way or another. For example, Tim Wakefield didn’t win 200 games because he was an ace, he won 200 games because he pitched for a very long time and he got a lot of run support (career 4.40+ ERA).
Well, I don’t look at W-L. That’s not pitcher performance, especially for relief pitchers. The only things I would care about for Davis/Soria next year are K, BB, HR allowed, ER allowed, IP, GB rate, FB rate, LD rate, Pop up rate, Runs allowed. Run support affects zero of those factors.
None if those factors have anything to do with what kind of season Soria has. Didn’t we just watch an AL Pennant winner that gave Davis and his entire pitching staff no run support most if the season? Davis will have the better year.
Are we talking stat-wise or just in general. If we’re talking stats, I can refer to Daisuke on the Red Sox when he was in contention for ROY and then the Cy Young the following year… If you actually watched him pitch, he was just as terrible as he’s known to be now. You’re also preaching to me about an anomaly, as mentioned by being “the first team to ever…” Just because a team did it once doesn’t make it the rule.
Stats-wise, run support has absolutely nothing to do with how the pitcher performs. He’s not going to allow more home runs or strike out fewer batters because of the runs his team has given him. If there /were/ a correlation there, it would probably trend in the direction of large runs gaps, worse pitcher performance because there’s more of a cushion. Not the other way around.
Run support has everything to do with W-L (again I’ll refer to Jon Lester losing many 1-0 or 2-0 games this past year, and I’ll also throw out Daisuke when he first came over to the MLB – he was NOT a 15 or 18 win pitcher, he was the same pitcher that couldn’t stick with Cleveland, but he got run support in Boston), who’s pitching (up a lot / getting blown out = not using a closer), save opportunities (again up a lot / getting blown out = not a save opportunity = no save = worse stats for a closer if used), how you’re approaching batters (if up a lot, you can attack the strike zone more and not worry about hanging a pitch). Lastly, when you’re up a lot, some starters in the other team’s lineup tend to get pulled.
Question is now is what the odds are of Royals trading Hoffman this winter. That would be an awful lot of money for them tied up in 8th/9th innings.
The odds are slim to none considering there is no Hoffman. As for Holland, he’s not going anywhere this year
What do you think is the best possible outcome for the Royals?
Keeping Holland and having the best bullpen in baseball but one that takes up significant payroll space.
OR
Trading Holland for a solid prospect package, using the savings towards offense or SP, and still having a plus bullpen maybe even top 5 without him?
Depends what we could get for Holland, if we can’t get nothing good don’t fix it if it isn’t broke. We have something in baseball that most teams can’t do we shorten the game to the 6th inning. That puts the pressure on our opponents to have to beat us by 6 or you’re chances of winning aren’t good!
Hoffman?
Trevor Hoffman retired at the end of 2010 and is possibly heading into the Hall of Fame in the next half-decade. I don’t think the Royals have his rights in order to trade him.
You beat me to it!
What are the Royals going to do with Alan Gorder when his contract expires? Are they going to resign Billy Bortles? That Aaron Hosma is a pretty good first baseman too, but he is going to cost a lot to keep on the roster. -Late to the Party Royals Fans
I have this sinking feeling that the team will give Davis another shot at being a back of the rotation starter, if for no other reason than that it will be hard to justify tying up 15-16 million in two relievers. If Davis could somehow become a decent starter, it would save the team some money (because we wouldn’t have to sign another starter) but I don’t see it happening. If that’s the case, I think you have to at least consider trading Holland. Finnegan, Herrara and Davis are still a pretty great 7, 8, 9th and the team could even bring Hochevar back depending on how he heals.
I was thinking the opposite. What if this is the new way of handling pitching staffs. Underspend on Starting pitching that only needs to get you to the 7th inning. Then bring in your best 3 pitchers every night for one inning a piece. As long as your starters can go 6 innings, they won’t be worn out, and you close down the games the right way. Spending your money on the back end of the bullpen may be the way to go.
Maybe, but the royals need a hitter and I think sacrificing some of the bullpen is the obvious answer