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Royals Notes: Cabrera, Francoeur, Starling

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The Royals signed Jeff Francoeur to a two-year, $13.5MM extension today and the deal has inspired lots of chatter. Here are the latest Royals-related links…

  • Royals GM Dayton Moore sidestepped a question about Melky Cabrera's future in Kansas City, according to MLB.com's Adam Holt. "That's a fair question, it's a question that should be asked," Moore said. "But right now, I'd just as soon not go down that road right now." The Royals control Cabrera's rights through arbitration in 2012 and don't appear to be nearing an extension with him.
  • C. Trent Rosecrans of CBSSports.com says $13.5MM for two years of Francoeur is "probably a bit of an overpayment, but it's hardly cripling" for the Royals who benefit from the outfielder's production.
  • FanGraphs' Eno Sarris agrees, writing that the extension will not cripple the Royals or suppress any prospects on the brink ot the Major Leagues.
  • Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com says we should expect the Royals to add a veteran starting pitcher this offseason (Twitter link).
  • The Royals say they started following Bubba Starling's athletic pursuits three years ago, according to the Kansas City Star, which re-publishes a Terez A. Paylor story from 2008 detailing the achievements of the eventual Royals draft pick. Kansas City selected the high schooler fourth overall in June and signed him to a $7.5MM bonus Monday.

Royals Sign Francoeur To Two-Year Extension

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12:36pm: The two-year deal is worth $13.5MM, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City (via Twitter).

10:18am: The Royals have signed outfielder Jeff Francoeur to a two-year extension, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The Royals and Francoeur had a $4MM mutual option for 2012, so this deal buys that out and locks up Francoeur through the 2013 season. The 27-year-old right fielder, a one-time blue-chip prospect, signed with Kansas City in December after he was traded twice in less than two years, going from the Braves to the Mets to the Rangers.

Francoeur was mentioned prominently in trade rumors prior to last month's deadline, but he remained in Kansas City, where he is enjoying a modest renaissance from his nadir in New York. A career .269/.312/.430 hitter, Frenchy has been a bit better than that in 2011, hitting .278/.328/.465. 

Francoeur and Royals GM Dayton Moore have always had a strong relationship, going back to their time together in the Braves organization, according to Knobler (Twitter link). Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports first reported last month that a possible extension was in the works.

Quick Hits: Nationals, Ichiro, Astros, Starling

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On this date ten years ago, John Smoltz struck out four batters and picked up his first regular season save. Then, on this date in 2009, the Red Sox released Smoltz, who had an 8.33 ERA at the time. The potential Hall of Famer went on to provide seven solid starts for the Cardinals later that season and hasn't pitched in the Majors since. Here are today's links…

  • Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that GM Mike Rizzo did a "fantastic job" to sign Anthony Rendon, Alex Meyer, Brian Goodwin, Matt Purke and others on Monday night. Lerner believes the Nats now have one of the best farm systems in the game.
  • Just because the Yankees signed Derek Jeter to a $51MM deal last winter doesn’t mean the Mariners should extend Ichiro Suzuki, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times writes. Arguing that Ichiro deserves Jeter-like treatment doesn’t make sense to Baker “for reasons that start on the field and end off of it.” The Mariners outfielder is under contract for $17MM in 2012.
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com identifies five players we shouldn't give up on, including Pedro Alvarez and Ian Stewart.
  • No one at the MLB owners meetings is questioning whether Jim Crane, the incoming Astros owner, is a viable candidate to take over the team, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
  • Top Royals pick Bubba Starling said at a press conference today that his offense could still improve because he played three sports in high school and hasn't had the chance to devote himself to hitting (Associated Press link via ESPN.com).

Teams Spend $236MM On Draft

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The totals are in and Major League teams have again broken draft spending records. According to figures compiled by Jim Callis of Baseball America, MLB teams spent a combined $227.94MM on this year's draft bonuses and $235.99MM including additional guaranteed money in MLB deals for Danny Hultzen, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy, Anthony Rendon and Matt Purke. 

A year ago, MLB teams spent about $35MM less: $195.78MM, or $201.83MM including additional guaranteed money in big league deals. The Pirates led the way in 2011, spending over $17MM and breaking the $11.93MM record the Nationals set a year ago. Washington also broke its previous record, spending over $15MM on Rendon, Purke, Alex Meyer, Brian Goodwin and others.

Though only seven teams had ever spent over $10MM on the draft before this year, ten teams did so in 2011, according to Baseball America. Along with the Pirates and Nationals, the Royals ($14.01MM), Cubs ($11.95MM), Diamondbacks ($11.93MM), Rays ($11.48MM), Mariners ($11.33MM), Padres ($11.02MM), Blue Jays ($11.00MM) and Red Sox ($10.98MM) spent eight figures on the draft.

The Tigers ($2.88MM), who didn’t select until the second round, and White Sox ($2.76MM) were the only clubs to spend less than $3MM, according to Baseball America.

Draft Reactions

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If the owners have their way, we won't see the heavy over slot spending we did in yesterday's draft for a long time: ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that a draft slotting system is the top priority of MLB in the current labor talks.  However, Olney's colleague Keith Law notes that the majority of scouts and directors he's spoken to are opposed to hard slotting.  That's a major issue for the near future, but for now let's focus on yesterday's signings…

  • Baseball America's John Manuel provides a nice summary of the major events of yesterday's deadline.  He praises the big-spending Pirates, Royals, and Nationals, but expressed surprise at the dollar amounts the Nats committed to Brian Goodwin and Matt Purke.  Manuel notes that other clubs must be surprised the Pirates managed to sign Josh Bell for $5MM.  Overall, Manuel opines that baseball's August 15th deadline is not suppressing bonuses as intended, and should be moved earlier.  He also advocates dropping the idea of a slotting system, trusting teams to evaluate and price talent.
  • Law looks at Tyler Beede's decision to turn down Toronto's offer, and also examines strong drafts from the Cubs, Pirates, Nationals, and Padres.  Like Manuel, Law questions Washington's Purke deal.
  • Beede was one of six players not to sign within the first three rounds; BA's Jim Callis has details on the compensation picks the Jays, Padres, Yankees, Mariners, Marlins, and Rockies will receive next year.
  • Law wrote that he's "surprised by how little [Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley] got relative to their talent levels."  It may have had no bearing on the contracts of those two players, but I confirmed today that their agency BBI Sports Group is dealing with some turmoil, having recently fired Jeff Frye and another agent.
  • Speaking of agencies, I've updated our database to include pretty much all major draft picks from this year.
  • ESPN's Jim Bowden has an interesting article showing how the D'Backs, Padres, Rays, and Nationals re-allocated money from unsigned draft picks, and also discusses his Jeremy Sowers situation from '01 with the Reds.

American League Over Slot Signings

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Most teams will exceed MLB's slot recommendations on at least a few players.  Here's the latest on such signings from the American League:

  • The Mariners signed second rounder Brad Miller for $750K, according to Callis (on Twitter).
  • The Orioles signed sixth rounder Nicky Delmonico for $1.525MM, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Earlier on, the Orioles agreed to sign second rounder Jason Esposito for $600K, according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo (on Twitter). Before that, the Orioles signed 26th round pick Zach Davies for $575K, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis.  The high school righty has drawn some Mike Leake comparisons, writes Callis.  Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun was told last night that this deal isn't done, but it could be headed in the right direction.
  • Red Sox seventh rounder Cody Kukuk signed for $800K, according to Callis (on Twitter). Boston also signed fourth rounder Noe Ramirez, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The right-hander obtains a $625K bonus, according to Speier and Callis.
  • The Blue Jays signed seventh rounder Christian Lopes for $800K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The Blue Jays also signed 13th round pick Matt Dean, tweets Callis.  The high school third baseman signed for $737.5K, tweets ESPN's Keith Law.  BA considers him the best prep third base prospect in the draft.
  • The Yankees signed Greg Bird for $1.1MM, according to Zoodig, an athlete digital media platform, on Twitter. The Yankees signed sixth rounder Jake Cave for $825K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The Yankees also signed third rounder Jordan Cote for $725K, according to Callis. The high school right-hander has a fastball in the 90 mph range and stands 6'5". Earlier today, the Yankees signed 20th round pick and high school lefty Daniel Camarena for $335K, tweets Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA.
  • The Indians signed 18th rounder Shawn Armstrong for $325K, according to Rogers (on Twitter). The Indians also announced that they have signed second round right-hander Dillon Howard. He gets a $1.85MM bonus, according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (on Twitter).
  • The Royals signed 16th rounder Jack Lopez for $750K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The Royals have also signed third rounder Bryan Brickhouse for $1.5MM, reports Callis. The high school right-hander received the second largest bonus outside of the top 18 picks so far. Earlier today, the Royals signed fourth round pick and high school righty Kyle Smith for $695K, reports Callis.  The Royals also signed 29th round pick Jake Junis for $675K, reports Callis.  Junis, an athletic high school righty from Illinois, is represented by Frontline.
  • The Angels have agreed to terms with sixth rounder Austin Wood, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The USC righty got $150K.
  • The Twins signed tenth rounder Brett Lee for $150K, according to John Manuel and Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
  • The Tigers signed 15th round pick and high school outfielder Tyler Gibson for $525K, tweets Rogers.

Royals Sign Bubba Starling

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The Royals have signed fourth overall pick Bubba Starling, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). ESPN.com's Keith Law hears Starling is getting a $7.5MM bonus (Twitter link). The Boras Corporation represents the high schooler, who had to be lured away from a football commitment to Nebraska. The Royals add some local talent to their deep farm system today, as Starling is a Royals fan from Gardner, Kansas. 

Tim Dierkes explained Major League deals for draft picks earlier today. You can keep track of which top picks have signed with MLBTR's list.

Alex Gordon, Royals Plan To Discuss Extension

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It took a few years longer than expected, but Alex Gordon has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Royals' lineup.  Interest is mutual on a possible extension, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.

Asked about staying in Kansas City, Gordon replied with a Napoleon Dynamite-esque, "Heck, yeah."  Gordon's agent Casey Close has spoken to Royals GM Dayton Moore, and the two agreed to discuss an extension in the offseason.

Gordon

Gordon, 27, is hitting .301/.374/.484 in 527 plate appearances this year, his first full season as a left fielder.  Dutton writes in praise of Gordon's outfield defense, and UZR concurs.  Back when the Royals drafted Gordon second overall in 2005, he played third base.

Gordon, who is represented by Casey Close of Excel Sports Management, is earning $1.4MM this year.  His disappointing 2010 season resulted in just a $250K raise, but Gordon's salary will rise by several million for 2012.  Barring an extension, he'll be arbitration eligible one more time in 2013 before hitting free agency.

In my opinion, a fair price for Gordon's final two arbitration years would be $9MM total, and then free agent years could be bought out in the $9-11MM range.  I could see a four-year deal for under $30MM, perhaps with a club option in the mix.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Kyle Davies Clears Waivers, Becomes Free Agent

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FRIDAY, 5:32pm: Davies has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, tweets Dutton.

WEDNESDAY, 11:00am: The Royals are asking for release waivers for right-hander Kyle Davies to create roster space for catcher Salvador Perez, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.

Davies posted a 6.75 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 38.5% ground ball rate in 61 1/3 innings this year (for what it's worth, Davies' xFIP this season is just 4.42 and his SIERA is just 4.21). In seven seasons with the Royals and Braves, the 27-year-old has a 5.59 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9. He earns $3.2MM this year and was headed for free agency after the season.

Draft Links: Dodgers, Springer, Boras, Fisher

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We're a week away from the August 15 deadline for MLB teams to sign their 2011 draft picks.  Here's the latest on a few signings, a few players still in negotiations and a few players who are going to college…

  • The Dodgers have agreed to terms with sixth-rounder Scott Barlow and 10th-rounder Tyler Ogle, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America.  (Twitter links)  Barlow, a right-hander who had committed to Fresno State, will earn a $150K bonus.  Ogle, a product of the University of Oklahoma, received a $100K bonus.
  • George Springer is expected to sign the Astros, tweets Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner.  Goff said he would be surprised if the Astros didn't ink their first-round pick, selected 11th overall.
  • Right-hander Jack Armstrong, Houston's third-round selection, talks to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart about his elbow problems and how he isn't worried about the signing deadline.  The piece also notes that Springer passed his physical with the team last week.  Springer and Armstrong are the only two unsigned players among the Astros' first 13 draft picks. 
  • "The Royals will be offering the biggest bonus in franchise history" to Bubba Starling, writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star, and while "most observers expect a contract to be signed…there is just enough in [agent Scott] Boras’ history and confidence to make everyone unsure."  Mellinger also briefly details Boras' background and his dealings with the Royals over the last several years.
  • Rangers officials tell MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that they don't expect sixth-round pick Derek Fisher to sign a contract.  Fisher, the Pennsylvania high school player of the year, has a commitment to the University of Virginia and "his asking price exceeds what the Rangers are willing to pay."
  • The Brewers officially announced the signing of second-rounder Jorge Lopez, reports MLB.com's Audrey Snyder.  We heard last week that Milwaukee had agreed to terms with Lopez and fifth-rounder Michael Reed, though no final word has yet come on Reed's deal.
  • The Phillies have signed seventh-round pick Kenny Giles to a contract with a $250K bonus, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis (Twitter link).  Giles, a high-schooler who had committed to the University of Arizona, "has touched 99 mph with his fastball."
  • Marlins second-round pick Adam Conley and Diamondbacks seventh-rounder Ben Roberts will "definitely sign," reports Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA, while Yankees sixth-round selection Jake Cave is "about 95 percent" signed.  (Twitter links)
  • Rogers also tweets that Taylor Ard (a 25th-round pick for the Red Sox) and Derek Jones (the Orioles' 13th-rounder) will not sign.  Both players have committed to attend Washington State.
  • WEEI.com's Alex Speier has an update on the status of every Red Sox pick from the first 10 rounds of the draft, including both signed and unsigned players.
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