KC Promotes Zumwalt to Director of Baseball Ops

Daily Clips

November 22, 2017

LOCAL

KC promotes Zumwalt to director of baseball ops

Club also brings back former scout to be assistant GM of international operations

November 21, 2017 By Jason Beck/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/262295162/royals-make-moves-in-baseball-ops-department/

Royals officially announce two front office moves under Dayton Moore

November 21, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article185947283.html

Ask Rustin: Eric Hosmer, projected lineups, Lorenzo Cain’s future and Thanksgiving

November 21, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/k-zone/article185819348.html

MINORS

League MVP Acuna leads All-AFL Team

November 21, 2017 By Mike Rosenbaum/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/262279368/mlb-pipelines-all-arizona-fall-league-team/

Eric Stout Added to Royals' 40 Man Roster

2017 Chasers southpaw posted 5-2 mark, 2.99 ERA as reliever

November 21, 2017 Omaha Storm Chasers

https://www.milb.com/storm-chasers/news/eric-stout-added-to-royals-40-man-roster/c-262266416

NATIONAL

Source: Deal reached; Ohtani can be posted

Parties agree to new rules regarding NPB player transfers

November 21, 2017 By JP Morosi/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/262241200/shohei-ohtani-mlb-posting-deal-reached/

Braves penalized for int'l signing violations

November 21, 2017 MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/262279086/mlb-issues-braves-penalty-for-signings/?topicId=27118122

MLB TRANSACTIONS
November 22, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

LOCAL

KC promotes Zumwalt to director of baseball ops

Club also brings back former scout to be assistant GM of international operations

November 21, 2017 By Jason Beck/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/262295162/royals-make-moves-in-baseball-ops-department/

The Royals announced a pair of moves Tuesday in their baseball operations department, promoting former pro scout Alec Zumwalt to director of baseball operations while bringing back Albert Gonzalez as assistant general manager of international operations.

Zumwalt had served as the Royals' advance scout for the past five seasons, doing the prep work that helped the team during its postseason runs in 2014 and '15. He had been a pro scout before that, joining Kansas City's front office in 2011.

"Alec has earned the universal respect of everybody in the organization, not only because of his baseball knowledge, but his ability to work with others," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement. "In this new role, Alec will be working closely with the entire baseball operations department."

After years of a scout's life on the road, Zumwalt will be based out of Kansas City in his new role.

Gonzalez spent the past 12 years running the Marlins' academy in the Dominican Republic and that team's scouting and player development efforts internationally, but he got his start in baseball in the Royals' organization as an associate scout in 1994. He became a full-time scout soon after that, then served eight years as the Royals' Latin American scouting coordinator.

"I'm thrilled that Albert has accepted our invitation to return to his original organization, serving our international operation," Moore said. "I look forward to his contributions in what is already a strong and productive area of the organization."

Royals officially announce two front office moves under Dayton Moore

November 21, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article185947283.html

The Royals have promoted former major-league advance scout Alec Zumwalt to director of baseball operations and hired Albert Gonzalez of the Miami Marlins to serve as assistant general manager for international operations, the club announced on Tuesday.

The hiring of Gonzalez was reported by The Star earlier this month. The promotion of Zumwalt represents the latest addition to the front office in Kansas City.

Zumwalt, who joined the Royals as a pro scout in 2011, spent the last five seasons as a major-league advance scout, gathering information and reports on opponents. In his new role, he will work out of the office at Kauffman Stadium and work closely with the entire baseball operations department, general manager Dayton Moore said.

“Alec has earned the universal respect of everybody in the organization,” Moore said, “not only because of his baseball knowledge, but his ability to work with others.

The hiring of Gonzalez was reported by The Star earlier this month. The promotion of Zumwalt represents the latest addition to the front office in Kansas City.

“Alec has earned the universal respect of everybody in the organization,” Moore said, “not only because of his baseball knowledge, but his ability to work with others.

The Royals’ international scouting operation was integral in their postseason success in 2014 and 2015, with players such as Salvador Perez, Kelvin Herrera and Yordano Ventura playing key roles. All three were signed under the watch of Francisco and Moore.

“I’m thrilled that Albert has accepted our invitation to return to his original organization, serving our international operation,” Moore said. “I look forward to his contributions in what is already a strong and productive area of the organization.”

Ask Rustin: Eric Hosmer, projected lineups, Lorenzo Cain’s future and Thanksgiving

November 21, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/k-zone/article185819348.html

Last week’s general managers’ meetings offered an ending to the Dayton Moore-to-Atlanta saga, a little clarity on the Royals’ path forward and an introduction to Playoffville from agent Scott Boras.

But what else did we learn? Let’s get to the mailbag as the Royals enter the pre-Winter Meetings portion of the offseason. The music recommendation is M. Ward’s “To Go Home.” Happy Thanksgiving.

On to the questions.

@ryancrist86: Your best guess, who's playing first base for the Royals on Opening Day?

As we reported last week, the Royals remain determined to find a way to re-sign Eric Hosmer and make him part of what could be a three- to four-year rebuilding process. Just a guess here: But something like a seven-year deal would keep Hosmer in Kansas City until the Royals are theoretically positioned to contend again. Yet that doesn’t change the realities of the market. Kansas City officials have to hope things break just right. The Red Sox sign J.D. Martinez, the Yankees pass, and clubs that need a first baseman (like the Cardinals) don’t value Hosmer as much as the Royals do. In other words, they have to hope the market comes back to them in the same way it did with Alex Gordon. But to answer your question, here’s one guess:

27 percent: Eric Hosmer

21 percent: Free Agent

21 percent: Brandon Moss

21 percent: Cheslor Cuthbert/Hunter Dozier

10 percent: Other/younger prospect

@RcjhKeven: 1. If the Royals don't get Hos back is it worth trying to get Moose back or go into total rebuild mode?

2. If the Royals don't get Hos back, but do go after Moose and get Moose, could it be a possibility for Moose to move to first to allow Cuthbert to play 3rd every day?

To this point, the Royals have not signaled much interest in long-term extensions for Mike Moustakas or Lorenzo Cain. Things could change. But the reasons for this are different for each player.

Cain will be 32 in April and will likely sign a four-year deal worth at least $15 million per year in average annual value. That’s a slight guess. It could be a little more. Maybe some team feels forced to give a fifth year to win the bidding. The Royals are hesitant to commit significant dollars to another outfielder aging into his 30s, in part because the health of the organization and the pitching staff does not offer much hope for 2018 or 2019.

Cain has been the Royals’ best all-around player for the last four seasons. He likely could be their best player in 2018. But why pay a free-agent premium for an aging outfielder when his prime is not quite going to line up with your timeline to contend? At least, that’s the argument against it.

Moustakas’ case is slightly different. His market could possibly fluctuate, though it appears likely he’ll have enough suitors to command a high price. The Royals have internal options at third base, beginning with Cheslor Cuthbert. Those options likely won’t be as good as Moustakas in 2018. But some of the logic from the Cain situation pertains here.

How is Moustakas, 29, going to age? Will he see any decline as he gets into his 30s? If the Royals see their next window to be competitive or even contend beginning in 2020 or 2021, will Moustakas still be a valuable player and worth his price in free agency?

“When we assess our team, we’ve got to do it in the context of what we have on the horizon,” Moore said at the GM meetings, offering a few clues. “Who do we have that can possibly transition into the major leagues? And that’s going to dictate how aggressively we pursue certain free agents.”

For now, the most likely scenario includes the Royals pursuing Hosmer, and then embracing a full rebuild (and walking away from Moustakas and Cain) if they lose out.

@Billybinop: Assuming Dayton stays and Ned retires after '18 season, is Dale Sveum the manager in waiting? And if so is that a good thing?

To describe Dale Sveum as the manager in waiting might be a little strong. I do think he is positioned to be the internal option for a replacement if Yost walks away after the 2018 season. There could be other considerations, though.

In past interviews, Yost has indicated that the Royals have a possible successor in-house already. That could be Sveum. But a lot could happen in the time between this offseason and when Yost opts to walk away.

@amt_1983: Assuming Hosmer and Moustakas do not sign, which prospects make the opening day roster and where do they play?

A disclaimer: This is mostly just an exercise to entertain the question — and maybe see how close I can get — because the opening day roster, for now, remains a mystery. There are a lot of possibilities. The Royals could sign some cheap veterans to fill holes in center and at first base toward the end of free agency. They could find some younger reclamation projects. They could just strip it down and go full rebuild, looking at young players from their own system.

It’s also possible they could look for ways to unload salary — Brandon Moss, Joakim Soria and Jason Hammel are all veterans entering the final years of contracts.

But at first glance, a projected lineup is somewhat clear:

Catcher: Salvador Perez

First base: Brandon Moss

Second base: Whit Merrifield

Shortstop: Raul Mondesi

Third base: Cheslor Cuthbert

Left field: Alex Gordon

Center field: Paulo Orlando

Right field: Jorge Bonifacio

Designated hitter: Jorge Soler

Younger prospects who could be in line for a look: Hunter Dozier, Bubba Starling, Donnie Dewees, Nicky Lopez, Ryan O’Hearn, Frank Schwindel.

@itr_TonyLadde: Will Soler get every opportunity to sink or swim at MLB level in 2018?

You’d have to think so. Soler is under club control for three more seasons. The Royals still view him as a talented and potentially valuable piece. The question, especially if Brandon Moss is on the roster, is how do the Royals dole out time in right field and at DH? In a rebuild scenario, it’s hard to see the allowing Moss to block Bonifacio or Soler from playing every day.

@mbeck35: I feel like this thing could get turned around by 2020 if they go into the rebuild 100 percent committed to it

That could be overly bullish — unless a handful of homegrown pitchers in the system takes significant steps across the next two seasons.

@theROYALSrule: Best Steve Zahn movie?

“You’ve Got Mail.”

@bjckcr8515: Who’s starting in CF opening day?

f you take your question literally, “starting on opening day” is different than who plays most of the time in center next season. Injuries can play a role. So can timing. Somebody could go crazy during spring training. For instance: I don’t expect Alex Gordon to play a lot of center field next year. But maybe something strange happens and he’s slotted there on opening day. Here’s one guess on odds:

51 percent: Paulo Orlando

21 percent: A low-cost, short-term free agent (Somebody like Jon Jay, Jarrod Dyson or Cameron Maybin. And yes, this is just a listing of free-agent center fielders, not an indication of interest.)

13 percent: Billy Burns

6 percent: Alex Gordon

4 percent: Bubba Starling

2.5 percent: Lorenzo Cain

2.5 percent: Donnie Dewees

@hotchman: Do you get the sense Hoz Cain or Moose actually WANT to come back?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is complicated. In the end, these decisions are deeply personal and are dependent on family, money, loyalty to the rest of the players’ association, winning, lifestyle, comfort and tons of other factors.

I thought Jason Vargas actually put it really well on the final day of the season: “”Everybody wants things to work out in the perfect fashion,” he said. “But they usually don’t. It’s like family getting broken up and having to go make their own way.”

@Pernellius: Did you eat any good food while you were there?

Actually, yes. I haven’t spent much time in Orlando, but a couple of us found Punjab Kitchen in a strip mall in Kissimmee and it was very good.

@jenni_aldrich: What’s your favorite and least favorite Thanksgiving food?

Favorite:

1. Turkey

Let’s not overthink it.

2. Mashed sweet potatoes

More specifically, any potatoes.

Least favorite:

1. Jellied cranberry sauce

Why?

2. Most casseroles

Of all casseroles, green bean casserole is the best. But I’d prefer to save room for other things.

MINORS

League MVP Acuna leads All-AFL Team

November 21, 2017 By Mike Rosenbaum/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/262279368/mlb-pipelines-all-arizona-fall-league-team/

Deep rosters and ongoing roster moves throughout the Arizona Fall League season can make it difficult to evaluate players, many of whom also are mentally and physically exhausted after playing the longest schedules of their careers.

However, it's those same considerations that make standout Fall League performances all the more impressive, offering a potential preview of what the future holds for some of baseball's top prospects.

Here is a lineup of prospects who impressed the most in this year's Fall League as MLBPipeline.com's All-AFL Team:

C: Sean Murphy (Athletics No. 11 prospect)

There were many strong performances from rising catching prospects this fall, but no backstop improved his stock quite like Murphy. The 2016 third-rounder fared well at the plate, hitting .309 with a .413 OBP, and he drew raves for his plus arm strength as well as his big-league-caliber catch-and-throw skills, the combination of which enabled him to cut down 11 of 18 attempted basestealers.