Daily Clips
February 3, 2018
LOCAL
Surprise in sight: Royals send off spring trucks
Pitchers, catchers report to camp Feb. 13; full squad on Feb. 18
February 2, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
‘A fight is brewing:’ Spring training boycott hinted at by one prominent MLB agent
February 2, 2018By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Royals pack up their trucks and leave deep freeze for sunny Arizona
February 2, 2018By John Sleezer/KC Star
Eric Hosmer ‘penalized’ for playing in Royals system, say MLB Network analysts
February 2, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
MINORS
Chasers Earn 2018 Business Progress Award
Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation honors club
February 2, 2018Omaha Storm Chasers
Keith Law's complete guide to AL Central prospects
February 2, 2018By Keith Law/ESPN.com
NATIONAL
Baseball payrolls could drop for first time in nearly a decade as free-agent freeze deepens
February 2, 2018By Jeff Passan/Yahoo! Sports
'Living proof that the Lord likes to work with the simple and weak': Former MLB pitcher talks call to serve as LDS mission president
February 2, 2018By Trent Toone/Desert News
Learning from baseball’s past to build a better future
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum boss Bob Kendrick sees hope for the future of Black players in the majors despite declining numbers. Here's why . . .
February 2, 2018By Laura Armstrong/The Toronto Star
MLB TRANSACTIONS
February 3, 2018 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Surprise in sight: Royals send off spring trucks
Pitchers, catchers report to camp Feb. 13; full squad on Feb. 18
February 2, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
There are numerous unanswered questions surrounding the Royals and their roster that soon are to be resolved in Spring Training.
But the first steps of the process unfolded Friday morning as the team packed up its moving trucks outside Kauffman Stadium for the journey to the team's Spring Training home in Surprise, Ariz.
On a brisk, 21-degree morning, workers loaded tons of baseballs, bats, video equipment and all the items necessary for the Royals to embark on Spring Training. The two trucks are expected to arrive in Surprise on Monday.
Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 13, with the full squad reporting on Feb. 18. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 19, and the Royals' first spring game is slated for Feb. 24 against the Dodgers at Surprise Stadium at 2:05 p.m. CT.
"I think we're all excited right now with the prospect of rebuilding and starting over," said visitors clubhouse attendant Chuck Hawke, who supervised Truck Day on Friday. "We've been to the top. And now it's exciting to work our way back there."
As years pass, Truck Day for the Royals has become less cumbersome.
"Once the facilities in Surprise were renovated," Hawke said, "we're able to store things there year-round, and that makes it easier. We're certainly moving a lot less items than we used to."
Yet there still are plenty of items to move, even baseball's time-honored treasures of bubble gum and sunflower seeds.
"There's a lot more video equipment nowadays as the game has evolved," Hawke noted. "I think that has changed over the years."
There are fewer personal items to move as most players simply have those items shipped to Arizona. But players who live in the Kansas City area -- Ian Kennedy, Alex Gordon, Danny Duffy and others -- still utilize the team trucks.
"Some of that will never change," Hawke said.
Temperatures, by the way, were expected to reach 79 degrees in Surprise on Friday.
"Makes you want to get there in a hurry," Hawke said.
‘A fight is brewing:’ Spring training boycott hinted at by one prominent MLB agent
February 2, 2018By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
One of baseball’s most prominent agents has suggested a possible spring training boycott in response to an offseason free-agent market beset by gridlock and depressed wages.
Brodie Van Wagenen, co-head of the baseball division at CAA Sports, released a lengthy and pointed statement on Friday morning, stating that “there is a rising tide among players for radical change. A fight is brewing.”
The statement, perhaps the most highly charged to date in an environment of growing player discontent, comes as dozens of top free agents remain unsigned just weeks before the start of spring training. The list of available free agents includes Royals stars Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, in addition to slugger J.D. Martinez, starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta and closer Greg Holland.
Van Wagenen offered a harsh critique of Major League Baseball owners and warned of a potential backlash among players. He hinted at potential labor unrest not seen in the decades since the sport’s last work stoppage, a players’ strike that canceled the World Series in 1994.
“Bottom line, the players are upset,” said Van Wagenen, whose agency represents such stars as Robinson Cano, Yoenis Cespedes and Buster Posey. “No, they are outraged. Players in the midst of long-term contracts are as frustrated as those still seeking employment. Their voices are getting louder and they are uniting in a way not seen since 1994.”
Players across baseball have become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks as the market has remained sluggish. Former Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain signed a five-year, $80 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in late January, representing the largest expenditure of the offseason. First baseman Carlos Santana signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in December. Those deals have proven to be the exception.
“A boycott of Spring Training may be a starting point, if behavior doesn’t change,” Van Wagenen continued. “Players don’t receive their paychecks until the second week of April. Fine them? OK, for how much? Sue them? OK, they’ll see you in court two years from now. At what expense?”
The statement comes just a week after Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen told reporters in Los Angeles that “maybe we have to go on strike, to be honest with you.”
“That’s how I feel about it,” Jansen said, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Earlier this week, former Royal Brandon Moss appeared on MLB Network and said that players “have to be willing to dig your heels in a little bit, fight for the things that the guys in the past have fought for.”
For now, the voices of angered players have been simmering mostly below the surface, out of public view. Yet the debates over what has caused this winter’s slow market have continued. Some have pointed to baseball’s front offices, which are now largely run by data-driven executives who see the game through a cold, calculated lens. Others have pointed out that many of baseball’s largest spenders, such as the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox, have mostly sat out this offseason; the Dodgers and Yankees have stated their desire stay under a luxury tax kept in place in the latest collective-bargaining agreement.
In the process, the collective-bargaining agreement, negotiated last offseason, has become a lightning rod. In negotiations, players lobbied for such luxuries as extra meals and chefs in the clubhouse and additional days off. But caps on amateur spending, both in the draft and international, remained in place, as did the luxury tax system.
“We have incentivized owners and we have incentivized teams to say: ‘We don’t want to meet that price, it costs us too much,’” Moss said. “‘It costs us draft picks. It costs us international signing money. It costs us, all these different things. We’re going to have to pay a tax if we go over a certain threshold that (players) have set ourselves.’”
The market has also been affected by a league structure that has increasingly incentivized losing. The last three World Series champions — the Royals, Cubs and Astros — were built on the backs of losing seasons, high draft picks and systematic rebuilding plans. As the 2018 season approaches, nearly a third of the teams in baseball are emulating that approach and rebuilding, a process that generally includes shedding salary and selling off assets.
“I have six free agents with MLB service time whom are seeking (minor-league) deals,” agent Joshua Kusnick said Friday in a statement also released on Twitter. “These guys are not getting calls at all because everything at the top of the market is frozen. It really does trickle down to A-ball, and I have never dealt with anything like this in 15 years.”
For now, the gridlock continues, the staredown between labor and management threatening spring training and perhaps eventually the sport’s labor peace. Hosmer, a 28-year-old first baseman, is believed to have multiple offers worth more than $100 million, including one from the Royals, while Martinez, the consensus best hitter on the market, reportedly had a five-year, $100 million offer from the Boston Red Sox. In addition, Darvish has reportedly had heavy interest from multiple suitors. Yet all three have declined to accept those offers to this point.
In recent weeks, the evidence of discontent from players has continued to mount. The questions is whether a unified front can make a difference.
“I would suggest that testing the will of 1,200 alpha males at the pinnacle of their profession is not a good strategy for 30 men who are bound by a much smaller fraternity,” Van Wagenen wrote. “These 1,200 players have learned first-hand that battles are won through teamwork, and they understand that championships can’t be achieved by individuals. They are won by a group united by a singular focus. Victory at all costs. They are willing to sweat for it; they are willing to sacrifice for it; they are willing to cry for it; and most importantly, they are willing to bleed for it.”
Royals pack up their trucks and leave deep freeze for sunny Arizona
February 2, 2018By John Sleezer/KC Star
The Kansas City Royals are moving from the cold in Kansas City and heading to Surprise, Ariz.
Friday began the annual loading of two trucks outside Kauffman Stadium with bats, balls, equipment and everything else needed for spring training.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on February 13, with the rest of the team reporting on the 18th.
The first game of spring training will take place on February 24 against the Los Angeles Angels at Surprise Stadium.
(click link for video).
Eric Hosmer ‘penalized’ for playing in Royals system, say MLB Network analysts
February 2, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
In 11 days, the Royals will open spring training in Surprise, Ariz. Later this month, they will play Cactus League games.
Will free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer be with the Royals for those events? That question is still in the air, of course.
Few expected Hosmer to be without a team when the calendar turned to February, and he’s been the center of a debate this offseason about advanced statistics and the so-called “eye test.”
On Thursday, an MLB Network discussion centered on Hosmer, who reportedly has contract offers on the table from the Royals and Padres.
“He is the polarizing figure of this free-agent class,” Brian Kenny said in an introduction to a segment that broke down Hosmer’s statistics. “He’s a World Series champ, All-Star Game MVP, Silver Slugger at first base, four-time Gold Glove winner, and in the World Baseball Classic, won the starting first base spot over Paul Goldschmidt. That’s some resume, but these days, Eric Hosmer is going through a different level of scrutiny.”
While Hosmer has a sterling resume, his statistics don’t reach the level of some of the top first basemen in baseball, such as the Diamondbacks’ Goldschmidt, the Reds’ Joey Votto, the Braves’ Freddie Freeman, and the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo.
One of the knocks on Hosmer is his high ground-ball rate. Kenny noted that Hosmer’s launch angle ranked 91st out of 94 players with at least 400 at-bats last year.
Kenny then sat down for a talk with former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd, former Braves ace John Smoltz and Sports Illustrated’s John Tayler.
O’Dowd said Hosmer was “penalized” by playing in the Royals system.
“I do think he gets penalized for playing in a system that didn’t reward balls in the air,” O’Dowd said. “What did the Royals stand for? We are a tough out, we don’t strikeout, we put the ball on the ground. He did. He was a part of a winning team. He played like a player on part of a winning team.
“I do believe, BK, at 28 years old, the year that he had last year, which was his best year, I believe that’s the launching pad for him. He’s going to either be that player or continue to get better. I don’t see the risk in this guy that the rest of the industry may see...”
Smoltz agreed with O’Dowd’s assertion on ground balls.
“That ground-ball rate that you showed is not an accurate number, because we haven’t quantified how many of those ground balls were with two strikes and how many ground balls were before two strikes,” Smoltz said.
“Because what Dan said, the model of the Kansas City Royals was attack. Attack until you get two strikes, then put the pressure on the other team. He’s not going to want to drive the ball and hit the ball in the air in that ballpark...”
(click link for video).
MINORS
Chasers Earn 2018 Business Progress Award
Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation honors club
February 2, 2018Omaha Storm Chasers
The Omaha Storm Chasers are the recipient of the Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation's (SCEDC) 2018 Business Progress Award. The organization accepted the award at the corporation's annual meeting at the Embassy Suites La Vista on Thursday evening.
"We are proud to accept this award and thank the Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation for this honor," said Storm Chasers President and General Manager Martie Cordaro. "We are proud to call Sarpy County our home."
The Storm Chasers organization has played home games at Werner Park in Sarpy County since April 2011. In that time span over three million fans have enjoyed Storm Chasers games and special events at Werner Park. The franchise has also had an economic impact of more than $17 million annually.
Since beginning play in Sarpy County in 2011, on the field the Storm Chasers organization has hosted the First National Bank 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game and won three Pacific Coast League titles, including Back-to-Back Triple-A National Championships. Off the field, the franchise has garnered numerous industry honors, including two nominations for Minor League Baseball's John H. Henry Moss Community Service Award, as well as Ballpark Digest's 2016 Charity Award.
The Omaha Storm Chasers are the Triple-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Storm Chasers play at Werner Park in Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska. For more information please visit omahastormchasers.com and follow us on Twitter @omastormchasers and at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.
Following the 2018 Royals Exhibition Game presented by SAC Federal Credit Union on March 26, Omaha begins their 50th Season in Franchise History with Opening Night 2018 on Thursday, April 5 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at 6:35 p.m.
Keith Law's complete guide to AL Central prospects
February 2, 2018By Keith Law/ESPN.com
(Click link for other AL Central teams).
Kansas City Royals
The Royals had the game's best farm system five years ago, and it led to two pennants and a World Series championship, but all good things must come to an end, and trades, low picks and some bad luck with high picks (such as Ashe Russell developing the yips) led them to this point, with no top-100 prospects and a bottom-five farm system.
1. Khalil Lee, OF (Just missed)
2. Nick Pratto, 1B
3. Seuly Matias, OF
4. Hunter Dozier, 3B/1B
5. Scott Blewett, RHP
6. Erik Skoglund, LHP
7. Foster Griffin, LHP
8. Nicky Lopez, SS
9. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B
10. M.J. Melendez, C
Non-top-100 prospects
Nick Pratto was the Royals' first-round pick in 2017, and he's a pure bat who projects to a 60-grade hit tool with average power at first base, where he's an adequate defender but no more than a 50. There's some small chance he has more bat than that and ends up a regular .300 hitter, but he didn't blow scouts away over the summer in the Arizona Rookie League. Seuly Matias is all tools right now -- 70 power, 70 or 80 arm, 60 run -- and though he had just a fair season in the Appy League at 18, he's not lost at the plate or crude in the way of many international prospects signed just for their physical gifts. He's in center now, but his body is going to get big enough to push him to right.