Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for December 21, 2020

Will Royals fans receive one more gift this off-season?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Dec 21, 2020, 8:00am EST

Royals Rumblings - News for December 21, 2020

Sam Mellinger writes about the momentum the Royals are building.

The Royals will likely open 2021 with a payroll between $80 million and $85 million, which is in line with long-term projections made before COVID-19.

That the Royals did not cut spending like other teams is seen by many in the front office, and around baseball, as tangible proof that Sherman and his group are willing to live the words they’ve spoken about long-term commitment, investing in Kansas City and creating a modernized and more dynamic future.

The Royals have a long way to go. There are challenges with revenue, even with a new TV contract, and a small-money market’s diminished margin for error has been pushed with missed personnel decisions and not enough production from their draft classes.

But the last year — Sherman officially took control of the team last November — has brought into focus a re-energized self image. As soon as the pandemic shutdown hit, Sherman began repeating this phrase over and over: We need to make sure we come out of this better than we went in.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy is wary of a potential Brad Keller contract extension.

The Royals are closing in on that time of year when they make a contract extension announcement. Whether it was Billy Butler, Whit Merrifield, or Danny Duffy, they generally reach these agreements in late January. With nothing announced on Brad Keller or Adalberto Mondesi yet, it would seem likely that those deals are getting scratched out. It would seem out of the ordinary to give Mondesi an extension of any sort given his performance, but their handling of him has been out of the ordinary. The mistake to make though, will be a Keller deal. Unless he’s giving them a severe break I wouldn’t be biting too big.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter lists three free agent outfielders he’d like the Royals to avoid.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman wants to see Whit Merrifield at one position this year.

How will MLB handle players that don’t want to take the coronavirus vaccine?

Baseball payrolls went down $2.5 billion last year.

What if the MLB off-season operated like the NBA off-season?

The Hall of Fame case for Andruw Jones.

The best non-Hall of Famer at each position.

ESPN reveals the first half of their Sunday Night Baseball schedule.

Angels manager Joe Maddon thinks top prospect Jo Adell needs more time in the minors.

A look at Manny Ramirez’s time in the Australian Baseball League.

A profile of groundbreaking baseball agent Rachel Luba.

Tigers prospect Alex Faedo will need Tommy John surgery.