The following article was published in the Topeka Capital-Journal on July 21, 2018 – you can read it here. Most casual fans have long-since ceased paying attention to the Royals. But those who hang in there this season may see a shot at history.
Only two teams since 1961 have finished a season with a winning percentage below .300. Amazingly, that number could double this season as the Royals and the Baltimore Orioles are neck-and-neck in terms of futility.
The Royals spent the All-Star break sitting on a .284 winning percentage, slightly worse than Baltimore’s .289. That puts them on pace to finish the seasons with a 46-116 record. If they do so, they’ll avoid the ignominious claim to the worst team ever. The 1962 New York Mets finished 40-120 (.250). The 2003 Detroit Tigers were also slightly worse than this year’s Royals, coming in at 43-119 (.265).
The record is far from safe, however. Kansas City traded two of its best players in June, and subsequently went 2-11 in July prior to the All-Star break. They’re now poised to deal Mike Moustakas and possibly others. They may turn entirely to playing rookies and unproven prospects. As bad as they’ve been, they could conceivably get worse.
They are comfortably on pace to eclipse the worst record in team history. The 2005 Royals went 56-106, finishing dead last in the majors, the only time the Royals have ever done so. Consider, this team could be 10 games worse than the worst in franchise history.
Digging a bit deeper, you see that no part of this team is good. At the break, the Royals had scored the fewest runs in baseball, while surrendering the most. Only one team in history allowed more than 2.0 runs than they scored per game – the 2003 Tigers run differential was 2.08. They 2018 Royals entered the break with a 2.03 run differential.
Finishing in last place isn’t all bad, of course. It earns you the first pick in the amateur draft the following year. But hopefully that isn’t the only thing the Royals have left to gain in 2018. They muddled along playing a set of veterans the first half of the year, and all it got them was historically bad. It’s time to ditch the veterans, starting with Moustakas, who is on the last months of his contract, and be daring with this rebuild. They need to make some bold moves and some tough decisions.
Bold moves:
The Royals could plod along the rest of the season playing the same players they’ve been playing, or they could get radical. Here are some aggressive moves to accelerate the rebuild:
Release Jason Hammel if he can’t be traded. By moving Hammel to the bullpen, they are making a last ditch attempt to restore at least some of his value. A contender in need of bullpen help might take a chance on him. But he has zero value left as a starter. If he can’t be traded, he should be released so his innings can be given to a prospect.
Pitch anyone not named Ian Kennedy. The Royals should pitch Kennedy only to provide rest to the younger members of the staff. With two years and $33 million left on his deal, the Royals won’t release him. The radical move would be to do so. But at least the Royals could devote his innings to someone who will be around when the team is good again.
Trade or release Paulo Orlando. If the Royals were a contender, the 32-year-old Orlando would provide some valuable depth. But since they aren’t, he’s just taking playing time away from someone a decade younger.
Trade or release Lucas Duda. (See Paulo Orlando.)
Give most of Alex Gordon’s playing time to someone else. According to the metrics, Gordon still has value. But he’s painful to watch at the plate, and isn’t tradable due to his contract. Once Jorge Soler or some other rookie is ready to get playing time, Gordon shouldn’t block them. Hard as it is to sit someone making $20 million, it should be done for the benefit of outfielders of the future.
Release Alcides Escobar. No one else will take him off our hands, but the future is now for Adalberto Mondesi.
Tough decisions:
The biggest question facing the Royals is whether they should trade three players – Salvador Perez, Danny Duffy and Whit Merrifield – who are under contract for several more years.
The pros and cons are one in the same when it comes to trading Merrifield. He is 29 years old, with four years left on his bargain-basement contract. With his ability to play numerous positions, Merrifield holds tons of value. He could still be around when the rebuild bears fruit, but he would be well into his 30s.
The case for trading Duffy: Duffy is 29, with three years left on his contract, making $15 million each season. Since the Royals probably won’t be competitive before the deal runs out, they could try to get what they can and devote the money to the rebuild. While he wants to be a leader of a rebuild, he’s not the steady figure needed for that role.
The case for keeping Duffy: He runs hot and cold. When he’s off, he’s still better than anyone else the Royals have, but when he’s on, he’s one of the best lefties in the game. The Royals have few prospects ready to start in the big leagues. He gives a bad team a chance to win every fifth day.
The case for trading Perez: Perez is 28 and it appears his skills are deteriorating. Time is not kind to catchers, and Salvy probably doesn’t have the bat to merit moving to another position.
The case for trading Perez: He’s a fan favorite and borderline Hall of Famer. Developing young pitchers is tough, and having a great handler behind the plate would really help. His infectious spirit can help carry the team through the rebuild.
With nothing to gain but the first pick in the 2019 draft, losses aren’t a bad thing moving forward. Much as it would hurt to be known as the worst team in history, the Royals need to make losing count.