Royals utilityman Whit Merrifield racked up a career-high 39 outfield appearances a year ago, but he’s probably not going to approach that total this season. The Royals are wary of the physical toll that the outfield could take on Merrifield and will try to keep him at his primary position, second base, as much as possible, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com and Rustin Dodd of The Athletic explain.
While Merrifield has already accrued 11 outfield appearances this season, he hasn’t played there since April 11, Flanagan notes. In the Royals’ estimation, the decision to keep Merrifield out of the grass has likely helped him continue his impressive run of durability this season. Merrifield logged 303 of a possible 324 appearances from 2017-18, including 158 of 162 last year, and has been present in all 40 of the Royals’ games in 2019.
Unlike last year, when he was by far the brightest light on a 58-win team, Merrifield’s one of several standouts on this season’s club. At 14-26, the rebuilding Royals are still looking way up toward the majors’ contending teams, but Hunter Dozier, Adalberto Mondesi, Alex Gordon and Jorge Soler are among offensive regulars who have joined Merrifield in providing reasons for optimism. Merrifield, who’s a few months removed from signing a team-friendly extension, is slashing .294/.352/.531 (131 wRC+) in his age-30 season with 20 extra-base hits (eight doubles, six homers and six triples), seven steals and just 27 strikeouts in 180 plate appearances.
Between Merrifield and Mondesi, Kansas City’s infield looks as if its locked down for the near and long term, which will have ramifications on other members of the organization. For instance, those two are blocking hot-hitting middle infield prospect Nicky Lopez, whom general manager Dayton Moore spoke about Saturday.
“There’s nobody left to call up right now [where] there’s a chance to play every day,” Moore said. “What I will say is that yes, we’re very excited about Nicky Lopez and he will have a bright future on this team, we hope.”
The 24-year-old Lopez has hit an eye-opening .363/.463/.513 (151 wRC+) with three homers and nine steals in 134 PA with Triple-A Omaha, all while drawing 20 walks and striking out just five times. Still, if we’re to believe Moore, a promotion isn’t imminent.
Any chance, even with his extension, the royals trade this guy? The Rockies need an actual second baseman.
Sure but not for a few years.
Brendan Rodgers is on the way
Nah. He’s at Leicester.
Doubtful. Merrifield and GMDM have a severe bromance.
The best thing for the Royals to do is to trade Lopez while he is a hot name and try to improve their team in another area. He is racking up stats, but he is doing it as a 24 year old at AAA. Better to swap him for a pitcher instead of letting him come back to Earth at AAA and lose value.
24 year old in AAA isn’t exactly egregious. He has a 20 BB to 5 K ratio. That doesn’t exactly say he should come back down to earth that screams he’s mastered AAA pitching. He has obviously mastered the K zone. I mean Whit is 30 and would bring back an absolute haul. KC isn’t interested in that obviously but if you want the logical sell high move it’s Merrifield not lopez. Though if the royals want to put the best team on the field regardless of age or maximizing trade asset value it’s merrifeld in CF and lopez at 2B. Because I’m certain that’s an upgrade to billy Hamilton’s twig he’s swinging at the plate.
Whit doesn’t need traded. Since he’s limited to the infield right now, we’re not trading him.
So your idea is to trade Merrifield and keep the guy that, if you are very lucky, hits his ceiling and becomes Merrifield? But more likely becomes the next Chris Getz.
Plus, Billy Hamilton’s value has NEVER been at the plate. His value is defense and baserunning. Anyone expecting more than that is just being foolish.
When you’re years off from being competitive and you’d get 10x more for merrifield yeah that’s the guy I’d trade. Pretty easy choice. Billy Hamilton sucks. Hamilton is 9/13 swiping bags and has a 52 OPS+. His defense doesn’t make up for his inept hitting and quite frankly not that great base stealing this year. Was I expecting more from Hamilton? Maybe a little bit but that’s irrelevant because what he gives you right provides 0 value.
Don’t know if you’ve paid any attention to Hamilton because arguing he has any value at this point is a tall task.
When he’s 30 and you’re four or five years away from thinking about contending yes. That’s the smart move. You’re not trading him because of Lopez, but having a guy ready makes it stupid not to. Unless you’re delusional enough to believe they contend in the next year or two.
No! He’s this close to his dream! I’d rather trade mondesi who will always have more Ks than walks (good thing he steals bases, )
Why trade Nicky? That’s a slap in the face to the guy who is so close to his dream. then Bobby Witt, jr or whoever the royals draft this year would he blocked (rolling eyes because just because daddy played mlb doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to be good. Not everyone can be Griffey or Ripken)
99% of baseball players in 2019 have more Ks than walks. If you want to play modern baseball, you must accept that reality. Teams don’t want pitchers who don’t strike out batters. Teams are happier with a pitcher with a 2:1 K/BB ratio who strikes out 10 per 9 than they are with a pitcher with a 4:1 ratio but only strikes out 6 per 9.
Also, Witt is an amazing talent. Whatever team drafts him will be likely to be very happy with him in 3 years. Not sure why you used Ripken as a comparable. His dad was a career minor leaguer and not a great one, and his son is not a prospect at all.
I’m sure you’re right about Witt, jr. however, mondesi is set at SS & Witt, jr is listed as a SS. We have hunter or Kelvin Guitterez at 3rd & likely Nicky Lopez at 2nd if we’d move whit to LF once Alex retires. Three years is quite amusing….you think he’d be ready? The royals minor league development system is not perfect.,,I’d say 4 years unless mondesi suddenly regresses badly (not likely until he’s 30). It would take a lot to get Witt, jr or even CJ Abrams up to KC in 3 years. I say 4 because Witt, jr is 18 & generally new draftees that young start in the AZL Royals. I sure hope you’re right about him. He could be better than adalberto if what I’ve heard is correct.
Nicky Lopez has excellent plate discipline. More walks than strikeouts. I’m not a fan of adalberto so I really would prefer Nicky at SS.
Not a fan of Adalberto!?!?!?! What the hell is wrong with you he’s the most talented player to put on a Royals uniform since Carlos Beltran. I get he’s a free swinger and I get frustrated when he swings at balls in the dirt, too, but Jesus man what does it take for you to be a fan of a guy. He’s 23 years-old.
Nicky Lopez is 2.3 years younger than the average player in AAA.
Dayton isn’t going to trade Nicky or Whit or Gordon or anyone else of any significance. You can argue whether or not he should until you’re blue in the face, but if you’ve paid any attention to the Royals, you should know it’s not going to happen.
Mondesi .277/.312/.508 with 1.2 WAR leads the majors in steals and plays gold glove caliber defense. Not impressive at all for a a 23 y/o *eyeroll*
Mondesi has a lot of that javy Baez freeswinger in him. There’s going to be ups and downs with guys like that but they’re extremely talented.
actually, I agree about his defense. It is gold glove caliber…,but he’s still young & makes errors, so likely the gold glove will come in a year after he has another full season under his belt.
I’m just not a fan (it’s okay to not be a fan of a player). . I’m waiting for the next wave like Kyle Isbel & Khalil Lee. I’ve always liked outfielders more (favorites as a kid were was bo Jackson & Kirby Puckett)
Bring Lopez up and play him at 2nd.
Move Whit to 3B (occasional RF).
Move Dozier to 1B (occasional 3B).
O’Hearn to DH and occasional 1B (assuming he picks up offensively and learns to hit lefties). Otherwise option him to Omaha.
Create space by trading Owings to anybody (cash considerations or possibly a couple of rosin bags seems fair)
I’d rather see Whit in left, Gordon in right, Bubba in center, Lopez at second. Open the roster spots by sending O’Hearn down and trading/cutting Owings or Hamilton.
I know this will be heresy but it seems based on the second half of last season & the way this season is trending for Mondi, wouldn’t one think that KC could get a kings ransom for AM not to mention I don’t see Mondi signing long term with KC as where N. Lopez who looks more than ready, is a Midwestern product who went to college in Omaha & who I could see fitting into the Royals mold for a long time, well it just seems like something that shouldn’t be dismissed cause KC still has mucho holes to fill, Mondi’s value seems to be skyhigh, and there’s a credible replacement ready to step in so that’s my 2 pennies…
Maybe, but again, not going to happen. Just not how Dayton Moore rolls.
You keep on talking about the “reserve” nature of DM, but all he did from the all star break of 2015 to the break in 2018 was make trades albeit ones he often got burnt in but in Mondesi’s case, the return would be known……. CAN’T MISS TALENT!
I really don’t understand how they all cant fit on this roster. Merrifield can play multiple positions and I’m sure Lopez is athletic enough to at least play LF. Meanwhile players like O’Hearn and Hamilton are playing almost everyday. The Royals have long played by the one lineup one position philosophy and I think it has hurt their young players who deserved more playing time but had no opportunity because someone like Omar Infante was already their 2nd baseman
Nicky has no experience in the OF. When Alex Gordon needed to learn the OF, he was sent to Omaha to learn. AAA Omaha has enough outfielders so when would he play there? He’s always played the infield, mostly SS & 2nd