Here’s the latest from FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman…
- The Royals don’t appear to be in extension talks with any of their pending free agents (Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas), Heyman reports, and with no progress, all four are expected to reach free agency after the season. K.C. hasn’t given up on the idea of re-signing “one or two” of the quartet, with Hosmer seemingly their top priority. If Hosmer can’t be re-signed, the Royals would then try to bring back “a couple of the others, at least in theory.”
- Cain reportedly asked for a six-year deal at some point in talks, though there haven’t been any recent discussions between Cain and the Royals. Cain will be the oldest of the four free agents (he turns 31 in April) and is coming off an injury-plagued season that saw him limited to 103 games due to hamstring and wrist problems.
- Despite Cain’s rough 2016 season, some sources close to the center fielder “express surprise he’s even still” with the Royals. Previous reports over the winter linked Cain to such clubs as the Rangers, Mets, Dodgers and Cardinals in trade rumors, and Heyman adds that the Rockies and Nationals also spoke to Kansas City about Cain’s services. Washington, of course, went on to acquire a younger and more controllable outfield addition in Adam Eaton at a very significant prospect cost. Colorado’s interest in Cain is rather unusual given that the Rockies were already overloaded with outfielders (Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl and Gerardo Parra) even before signing Ian Desmond and converting him to first base. Depending on when the talks between Colorado and K.C. took place, the Rockies could’ve considered acquiring Cain and then perhaps converting Gonzalez to first base, rather than signing Desmond. Blackmon and Gonzalez were also the subject of several trade rumors this winter, so the Rockies could’ve been looking at Cain as a replacement if they’d moved one of their internal pieces.
- The Cubs and Addison Russell agreed to a one-year, $644K deal for the 2017 season, Heyman reports in a separate piece. (For specifics on the pre-arbitration process, check out these MLBTR posts from Zach Links in 2014 and Jeff Todd in 2015, respectively.) The agreement gives Russell a nice bump above the $535K minimum salary, a year before he becomes eligible for salary arbitration. Russell hit .238/.321/.417 with 21 homers over 598 PA for the World Series champs last season, a below-average offensive performance as per the wRC+ metric (95) that was more than made up for on defense — Russell posted 19 Defensive Runs Saved and a +14.3 UZR/150 over 1262 2/3 innings at shortstop last season.
- The Cubs are still in talks with Kris Bryant, who is also entering his last pre-arbitration year. It’s probably no surprise that negotiations with Bryant and his agent Scott Boras are taking a bit longer than usual given Bryant’s outstanding track record over his young career. Heyman suggests Bryant could approach the record contract given to a pre-arb player (the $1MM between Mike Trout and the Angels prior to the 2014 season).
- The Yankees agreed to a 2017 contract with catcher Gary Sanchez, Heyman tweets. Financial terms aren’t known, though Heyman specifies that the two sides reached an agreement and that a renewal wasn’t necessary, which would indicate that Sanchez will also be earning beyond the minimum salary. Sanchez exploded onto the scene in 2016, hitting .299/.376/.657 with 20 homers over just 229 plate appearances.
If Cain wants 6 years that’s a hard pass.
“Cain reportedly asked for a six-year deal at some point in talks, though there haven’t been any recent discussions between Cain and the Royals.”
Did you miss the part where it said that isnt recent, much before his poor 2016?
I agree giving a 32 year old injury-prone guy isn’t a good move, but he should get 4/60, he was 3rd in MVP votes as recently as 2015 and he’s an upgrade in CF for many teams.
Yes I missed the part where it said those discussions were before 2016. If you could point me to the portion that says that those talks occurred “much before” his rough 2016, I’d appreciate it cuz what you quoted certainly doesn’t say that.
Agreed. Not sure how no “recent discussions” means the last ones took place pre-2016 in your head. Recent could just as easily mean within the last couple weeks…
JAF is pulling facts out of his hat
He’s aggressive for no reason. The dude plainly said “if he wants 6 years…”, why get up in arms over that statement. It’s true! I wouldn’t want my team giving an outfielder with recent injury concerns 6 years… come on man.
Define recent…
I have more fun reading comments then anything they post
But yes 6 feels a little extreme for Cain. Hosmer seems like the one that would get that type of deal.
I agree. The comments are the best part.
The Royals have a bunch of league average guys wanting deals. If any of them put up 4 WAR next year then offer them a QO, otherwise sign a few FAs and bring up the kids. Their guys aren’t worth multi year offers.
Only hosmer is worth anything but getting a natural center fielder is always tricky
Hosmer isnt worth much on an analytical level. He’s like 2.5 WAR career….2.4 of that was 2014. He’s basically James Loney. This is a real danger point for the Royals…they can strap themselves into some bad deals if they aren’t careful. I live in the KC market…I know these guys have their place in the local culture….but the whole might just be better than the sum of the parts with this team. Of course, money is the thing….for the right money almost everyone has value.
Cain seems like the most make-or-break guy in MLB in 2017, get on that MLBTR!
KC probably figures Hosmer is their best bet because likeliest to find a different market than he thought, and come back to them at a reasonable price. Nobody outside KC thinks of him the way Royals fans do (i.e. as a top-tier 1B).
Realistically, how do you value these players if you were trying to do it right now? Cain was a 7.2 BWAR player in 2015, 2.9 in 2016. Moose 4.4 in 2015, .7 in 2016, Hosmer 3.6 in 2015, 1.0 2016, and Escobar sub 1 WAR both years. Are any of them worth large long term deals?
No.
No, and the fan base is gonna have to decide how much yelling “Moose” and “Hozz” is really worth in comparison to having a .500 team. It’d be a big mistake to ride this world series team out the way the White Sox did after 2005. None of these guys are particularly strongly appealing individually. Of course, if they were….the Royals might have zero shot at resigns.
Sanchez will be the 1st $500M player.
Drugs are bad mmmkay
Now I have to go watch South Park for the remainder of the night…
Surely you don’t mean Gary Sanchez, at least not with a straight face. First off, I’m fairly certain that Bryce Harper will most likely be the first to that ridiculous number. Secondly, and more important, Gary Sanchez had a very nice run last year when called up, however it’s not sustainable and his output won’t be replicated. He will most likely put up something around .265/.295/.400 with about 20-25 HRs per year. Every year MLB has some flash in the pan player who everyone jumps on their bandwagon and the wheels fall off just as fast. Gary Sanchez was that player in 2016.
Harper won’t be the first to 500 million, more like 350-400 and that’s if he had two more really good years. I think you’re selling Sanchez a little short. I think .275/.350/.450 with 20-25 HR and a canon for a arm. Barring a major injury I think he’ll be a above average catcher.
I actually can’t stand Harper and I hope he doesn’t get $500m, I just think some team is going to be insane and give him the moon.
In regards to Sanchez our evaluations aren’t far off, except in OBP. He has the potential to be very good, I just don’t see it being anything more than slightly above average. I’ve been wrong once or twice before, so time will tell.
Harper won’t hit that number. He’s been predicted to hit $400M, but that was mostly based off of his one-off elite 2015 season. He’s had four other seasons of sub-hype level performance.
I don’t think he’s worth even $200m, but a team like the Yankees or Dodgers will give him some absurd contract.
Don’t know why I got 2 thumbs down. If you think Harper’s other four years of .270ish AVG, .350ish OBP, with 22ish HR and 70ish RBI is worth a $400M contract for a corner outfielder, you’re dreaming an unreachable dream.
I agree completely with your line of thinking, I just also think that some team will give him an absurd contract. The same people giving you a thumbs down for your truthful logic are most likely homers who only formulate an opinion based on the hype spewed out by msm.
I shudder to think what Trout gets if Harper is 500. At some point teams cant sink that much on any player. I find Harper talented, of course, but a little scary….can see injuries piling up on him and the second half of his career being effected.
He’s played less than 50 games. He won’t even make 500k this year unless they raised the league minimum.
All those players had their coming out year and never followed up. There will be some lean years to come in KC. Too bad because the Royals being competitive makes for a fun central race. But ownership will never pay up. So look forward to some bad baseball after this year.
What are the Royals doing those 4 guys could bring substantial returns and retool the team significantly.
Im not sure about substantial on all of them. I’ve never seen a player whose perceived value and actual value are as black and white as Hosmer. He’s been James Loney with weaker defense basically. At some point a few clutch postseason hits and team awards need to make way for serious discussion of his true value. Almost all of Hosmers career WAR was put up in 2014. I believe outside of that he’s at like .2 WAR. That’s pretty serious average play that goes well beyond stat or intangible discussion. He gets lauded for the defense….but he basically scoops with little range.
With the spring Mondesi is having, Escobar would be the first to go if it were up to me.
If all of them have good seasons, they should offer them all QOs (or potentially trade them all if the team is struggling in June/July).
Hosmer gets offered 15m for 2018…he needs to take it….same with all of them but maybe Cain. Moose…Escobar…Hosmer arent worth the qualifying offer price, and would be a collective overpay
Just give Kris Bryant $5mil then extend him for 9/210mil. Avoid his greedy agent prying him from Chicago. Extend Baez schwaber Russell Rizzo as well. That might be too much. But Bryant is a must right now. In a year maybe 2 guys like schwarber Baez Russell Contreras need to be extended by Theo and Jed.