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Royals Exercise Options On Davis, Escobar; Gomes’ Option Declined

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The Royals announced on Thursday that they’ve exercised their $8MM club option over Wade Davis and their $5.25MM club option on Alcides Escobar. Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes had his $3MM club option declined.

It’s a stretch to even say that the Royals faced a decision on either Davis or Escobar, as both of those contract options boiled down to little more than a formality. Each is an extremely affordable and reasonable rate for the value that player brings to the table, and there was never a doubt that either would return. Gomes’ option perhaps required a bit more thought, as $3MM for a platoon outfielder that posted a .371 OBP and a .185 isolated power (slugging minus batting average) against lefties seems at least somewhat reasonable, but Kansas City opted for greater roster and payroll flexibility.

Alex Gordon Declines Player Option, Will Receive Qualifying Offer

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NOV. 5: The Royals announced on Thursday that Gordon, unsurprisingly, will receive a $15.8MM qualifying offer. Gordon is a virtual lock to reject that one-year offer in favor of a multi-year deal on the open market, but the QO ensures that the Royals will receive a compensatory pick at the end of the first round in next year’s draft, should Gordon sign elsewhere. Any team that signs Gordon will have to forfeit its top unprotected draft pick. (The first 10 picks of next year’s draft are protected.)

NOV. 4: Royals left fielder Alex Gordon has declined his $14MM player option and is now officially a free agent, the team announced today. The 31-year-old Gordon, a client of Excel Sports Management, will now be able to test the open market for the first time in his career.

Alex Gordon

For now, the Royals have a couple of days of exclusive negotiation rights with Gordon, as teams are granted those exclusive rights for five days following the World Series. It’d be surprising if a contract of this magnitude were able to be hammered out in such a small window, and it’d also be unusual for Gordon to accept an offer without at least gauging his value on the open market, so he seems likely to solicit interest from other clubs beginning Saturday. That means the Royals will at least be able to extend Gordon a one-year, $15.8MM qualifying offer, which would net the team a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round in next year’s draft, should Gordon ultimately sign with another club.

Gordon missed nearly two months with a strained groin this season but enjoyed a characteristically strong overall campaign both at the plate and in the field. The lifetime Royal hit .271/.377.432 with 13 home runs and was seven runs above average in left field despite the layoff, according to both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating.

The former No. 3 overall draft pick arrived on the scene with big expectations in 2007, with many hoping Gordon to become the team’s third baseman of the future. His infield work didn’t pan out, and for awhile, his swing didn’t, either. Gordon hit just .229/.319/.365 in 470 plate appearances from 2009-10, leading many to apply the dreaded “bust” label when referencing him. However, Gordon moved to the outfield full-time in 2011 and broke out with an outstanding .303/.376/.502 batting line and 23 homers.

Since that time, Gordon has batted .281/.359/.450 despite his spacious home environs, leading park-adjusted metrics like OPS+ and wRC+ to peg his offense at about 20 percent better than a league-average hitter. Over that incredible stretch, Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward are the only players in baseball who have carried more defensive value, according to both Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved.

With a strong track record at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths, Gordon will be one of the most in-demand free agents this offseason and could command a five-year deal worth roughly $20MM annually. That would shatter the Royals’ franchise record for largest contract, which currently stands at five years and $55MM. While that type of spending is far beyond Kansas City’s typical capacity, one has to wonder if the team would make an exception for Gordon, who has become the face of the Royals franchise and whom fans would undoubtedly like to see in Royals blue for the entirety of his career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Zobrist, Park, Robinson

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Early indications are that the Tigers are more focused on second-tier free agents than the top of the market, sources tell ESPN’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). That would seem to preclude, at least for the time being, notions of a reunion with either David Price or Yoenis Cespedes, even though both could conceivably fit onto the roster. The question for the Tigers, as I noted in my recent Offseason Outlook on Detroit, is whether a top free agent would fit into the club’s long-term payroll capacity. Justin Verlander’s resurgence has lessened the need to seek a top-flight arm, meaning names like Ian Kennedy, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija, Wei-Yin Chen and Yovani Gallardo could be more plausible targets for first-year GM Al Avila, who has previously stated a preference to add a pair of starters this winter.

Here’s more from the AL Central as the offseason gets underway…

  • Ben Zobrist tells MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan that Alex Gordon should be the Royals’ top priority this offseason due to Gordon’s status as face of the franchise, but adds that he would love to return to Kansas City (Twitter link). Kansas City picked up Zobrist from the A’s in exchange for lefty Sean Manaea and right-hander Aaron Brooks prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. Zobrist, like Gordon, figures to be one of the more in-demand free agents this winter due to his versatility and track record of above-average offense. Gordon declined his player option with the Royals earlier tonight.
  • The Twins have interest in a reunion with fleet-footed center fielder Shane Robinson, a source tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Robinson recently elected free agency after being outrighted by the Twins, who presumably would like to bring him back on a minor league pact. The 31-year-old somewhat improbably cracked Minnesota’s Opening Day roster in 2015 and spent the entire season serving as a fourth outfielder, late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner. The former Cardinal hit .250/.299/.322 in 197 plate appearances and graded out quite well by measure of Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating (+3 and +2.7, respectively, in just 458 innings).
  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that the Twins have scouted Korean first baseman Byung-ho Park extensively, with one club official calling him a “good run producer.” It’s somewhat difficult to see where Park would fit into Minnesota’s crowded corner scene, where Trevor Plouffe, Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano are all likely to rotate throughout third base, first base and DH (though Mauer wouldn’t see time at third). Park was posted earlier this week after hitting 105 homers over the past two seasons in KBO. Bids on the 29-year-old are due Friday.

Royals’ Decline Mutual Options On Rios, Guthrie

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Fresh off of their World Series triumph, the Royals will open their offseason by bidding adieu to outfielder Alex Rios and righty Jeremy Guthrie. The players officially became free agents today, per an MLBPA press release.

As had been expected, Kansas City declined its mutual options over both, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Start tweets. Rios’s option was valued at $12.5MM, with a $1.5MM buyout, while Guthrie will receive a $3.2MM buyout on a $10MM option.

Rios, 34, had a down year after joining the Royals last winter as a free agent. He slashed just .255/.287/.353 in 411 plate appearances, swiping nine bases and contributing four home runs.

Guthrie, on the other hand, came to the Royals via trade and then re-signed before the 2013 season. His deal was restructured last January to defer some of his 2014 salary back to the end of the end of the deal, with the mutual option and buyout accomplishing the task. The 36-year-old struggled to a 5.95 ERA in 148 1/3 innings this year, allowing a league-high 29 home runs in the process. That performance eliminated any possibility that the mutual option would be exercised.

Free Agent Notes: Leake, Yankees, Young, Iwakuma

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The Giants have yet to talk contract with free agent righty Mike Leake, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter links). That doesn’t mean that he won’t be a target, of course, but Schulman explains that it does suggest he’ll be fully testing the market before making a decision. Generally, says Schulman, San Francisco has indicated it will be more tight-lipped about its pursuit of pitching than it was last offseason, when the club openly chased Jon Lester.

Here are some more notes as the free agent market begins to take shape:

  • While the Yankees might not go after the biggest free agent names, the club could be active in the second base market, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes. New York has a variety of in-house options to be considered there, of course, but will also look at players such as Daniel Murphy, Ben Zobrist, and Howie Kendrick, per the report.
  • It remains to be seen how active the Yankees will be, but adding to the rotation figures to be one area of focus. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes (in a broader notes column) that Jeff Samardzija and Wei-Yin Chen are two names that have come up in internal discussions.
  • The Royals have interest in a reunion with righty Chris Young, Heyman adds. The 36-year-old delivered plenty of value to the club after signing late in the offseason last year, of course, though he’ll figure to draw wider interest after contributing 123 1/3 frames of 3.06 ERA pitching in a swingman capacity.
  • New Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has made clear that bringing back Hisashi Iwakuma is a priority for the club, and Bob Dutton of the Seattle Times explains that his status will be important for determining the rest of the club’s winter. Re-signing the veteran would allow the team to approach the rest of the rotation market with patience while focusing elsewhere. If not, Seattle may be forced to spend more in adding another starter.

Quick Hits: Mattingly, Royals, Mets, Murphy, Sveum

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The Marlins have announced a press conference for tomorrow morning in which they’re expected to introduce manager Don Mattingly, reports Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Mattingly, 54, has agreed to a four-year deal with Miami. The financial terms remain unknown. We profiled the hire more fully last week.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • The Royals and Mets could look different when they meet to open the 2016 season, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Both clubs are expected to lose several key contributors to free agency including Alex Gordon, Ben Zobrist, Johnny Cueto, Greg Holland, Chris Young, Daniel Murphy, and Yoenis Cespedes. Three of those seven players were midseason mercenary acquisitions, but the Royals organization will certainly feel the loss of Gordon if he signs elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Mets are more likely to extend Murphy a qualifying offer after his huge NLCS performance.
  • Much has been written about the Royals offensive approach, but more credit belongs to hitting coach Dale Sveum, writes David Laurila of FanGraphs. Sveum took over the role last May and transformed the team’s offensive profile. As you might expect, he’s a proponent of aggressive hitting with an emphasis on balls in play. When the Cubs fired Sveum in 2013, Royals manager Ned Yost “waited like two minutes” before offering him a job.
  • The Padres have re-signed pitching coach Darren Balsley, reports MLB.com’s Corey Brock. Balsley was originally hired under Bruce Bochy’s regime and has been with the franchise for 13 seasons. He considered following Bud Black to the Nationals, but he opted to remain in San Diego. “There were a lot of opportunities to go elsewhere, but I let it be known to [general manager A.J. Preller] that this is where I wanted to stay,” Balsley told Brock. The longtime Padres coach explained that while he wasn’t born in San Diego, he was raised in the city and grew up rooting for the team. “I can’t personally think of a better job. My alliance is to the team,” said Balsley. New Padres skipper Andy Green met with Balsley over the weekend, and Balsley explained to Brock that the two meshed quickly.

Pirates Notes: Analytics, Walker, Alvarez, Park

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Much like every other team, the Pirates are striving to adjust to a pitcher friendly era, writes Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Pitchers have benefited greatly from the inflow of data. They’ve learned about specific hitters tendencies, strengths, and weakness in ways that weren’t available in the past. Now hitters are beginning to get more of that same information about pitchers. Per Pirates GM Neal Huntington, “So much of the advance work gave an advantage to pitchers in identifying hitters’ weaknesses…We…have worked hard to try to capitalize on how to give our hitters some advantage back.”

Here’s more from the Pirates as they gear up for free agency:

  • Pittsburgh hopes to improve their offense over the offseason, writes Sawchik in a separate article. Sawchik suggests that power could be a priority. Interestingly, the club has tough decisions to make on Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker. Both players are non-tender candidates – Alvarez is projected to earn $8.1MM via arbitration while Walker is pegged for a $10.7MM payday. However, they’ve also accounted for 84 of the club’s 296 home runs in the last two seasons (28%). If power is truly a priority, then it will be hard to replace their production for less money. It’s trendy to look to the Royals as an example, but they’re probably a great model for the Pirates. Pittsburgh has focused on pure hitters in the draft rather than power, and their cavernous ball park plays similarly to Kauffman Stadium. Perhaps aggression and athleticism are better traits to target.
  • Byung-ho Park of the Nexen Heroes will be posted tomorrow, but he’s unlikely to join the Pirates, writes John Perrotto of Today’s Knuckleball. Obviously, the Pirates have already received great value from fellow KBO import Jung-ho Kang. That’s part of the reason Pittsburgh won’t win the bidding for his services. Kang provided a successful use case for transition from the KBO to the majors. Teams should be willing to bet more upon Park’s success. With Michael Morse under contract for 2016 and top prospect Josh Bell lurking at Triple-A, the club also has some solid in-house first basemen.

Heyman’s Latest: Davis, Zobrist, Zunino

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Jon Heyman of CBS Sports takes a look at Pete Rose’s chances for reinstatement in his latest Inside Baseball column. The short version: he has no chance. Heyman has a lot to say on the topic, but it all boils down to a conservative mindset among baseball’s decision makers. While Rose, 74, is relatively harmless, the commissioner’s office won’t take the tiny risk associated with reinstatement. Commissioner Rob Manfred granted Rose a hearing in September and is expected to issue a ruling before the end of the year.

Here’s more from the column:

  • Orioles owner Peter Angelos is making a push to re-sign first baseman Chris Davis. The slugger is entering his age 30 season after posting 13 WAR and 126 home runs over the last three seasons. Davis hit .262/.361/.562 last year with 47 home runs. However, he’s sandwiched two superstar campaigns around a replacement level 2014, making him a high risk, high reward target in free agency. Heyman does not expect Davis to sign before talking with other clubs.
  • The Royals are unlikely to re-sign Ben Zobrist. The club acquired him to fill in for the injured Alex Gordon, then used him to replace injured Omar Infante. The club’s former second baseman will be back and presumably healthy next season. Zobrist’s defensive profile at second base also leaves something to be desired.
  • Marlins manager Don Mattingly hopes to bring pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and coach Tim Wallach with him from the Dodgers. However, L.A. hopes to keep both coaches. Honeycutt is a long standing member of the Dodgers’ coaching staff, but Wallach may search for a new job if he’s passed over for the open manager job.
  • Scouts are worried that Mike Zunino may have to overcome a psychological hurdle. He was widely viewed as unready for a promotion to the majors in 2013, and the Mariners have allowed him to scuffle through the last three campaigns. His biggest issue is a 32 percent strikeout rate which has led to a .193/.252/.353 triple-slash.

East Notes: DePodesta, Mets, Red Sox

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Here’s a look at the AL and NL East:

  • Mets exec Paul DePodesta told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times that has has been contacted for about “half a dozen” GM vacancies since leaving the Dodgers.  However, the Mets’ vice president of player development and amateur scouting says that he only agreed to an interview once, only to later pull his name from consideration.  If he gets interest again this winter, there’s no guarantee that DePodesta will bite.  “It has never been about the title, especially after having it,” DePodesta said. “At some point, I aspired to that. I got there. Maybe it wasn’t all I expected it to be. I took a step back and said I wanted to do what I really enjoy. What I have here has been great. It satisfies what I’m looking for.”
  • Each of the previous three times Dave Dombrowski took over a franchise, he did so with something of a clean slate to work from, but that’s not necessarily the case this time, Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal writes.  The Red Sox already have several large payroll commitments with $150MM+ in guarantees on the books, a far cry from what he had with the expansion Marlins in 1991, the Expos in ’98, and the Tigers in 2002.  One key issue facing Boston is that they owe more than $50MM apiece to Rusney Castillo, Dustin Pedroia, Rick Porcello, Hanley Ramirez, and Pablo Sandoval, and all five players come with pretty serious question marks.
  • Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald wonders if the Red Sox should copy the Royals’ playbook, even though they have more purchasing power than KC.  Still, the Royals have managed to stock up on frontline starting pitchers with varying methods and with a strong bullpen behind them.  Silverman feels that finding a No. 1 pitcher needs to be Boston’s No. 1 priority, though they need to put a great deal of effort into bolstering their relievers as well.

Royals To Non-Tender Greg Holland

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The Royals will not tender an offer to injured reliever Greg Holland, sources tell Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise after Holland underwent Tommy John surgery in late September.  Heyman adds that the Royals would be happy to consider a two-year deal for Holland, as they did for Kris Medlen.

Holland was set to earn $11.3MM via arbitration, according to MLBTR and Matt Swartz’s projection model.  Even before Holland’s injury, there were questions as to whether the Royals would be able to retain the 29-year-old (30 next month).  When the former closer suffered a “significant” tear in his UCL, the decision unfortunately became much easier for KC.  Holland will miss most, if not all of the 2016 season.

The Royals were said to have asked Holland to get the elbow checked out on multiple occasions this season, but Holland’s preference was always to pitch through the discomfort. Ultimately, though, his September struggles became too significant, and with his fastball dropping from the mid 90s to the high 80s, Holland had no choice but to get checked out.

To this point in his career, the two-time All-Star has a 2.42 ERA with 12.1 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and 145 saves in 319 2/3 innings. All of those innings came as a member of the Royals, who selected Holland in the 10th round of the 2007 draft.  It’s still possible that the Royals and Holland could work out a new deal, but Kansas City will have to compete with everybody else if that’s their intention.  Holland and newly hired agent Scott Boras can be expected to scout the market for the best opportunity.

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