Royals Links: Budget Limit, Lorenzo Cain, Greg Holland Contract, & More

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

We’re almost there, folks. This Friday, Royals’ pitchers and catchers will report to spring training in Arizona, and that means that baseball is back! Well, technically it’s just practice baseball for a couple of weeks, and then baseball is back! Ok, I guess spring training is just a month of practice games, but after that, then baseball is really back! My mind grows weak without baseball, so let’s just get to some links.

– In a press conference yesterday, Dayton Moore revealed that the team’s projected $90 million payroll would be past their break even point, even going so far as to call that level of spending a “gamble.” The Kansas City Star’s Andy McCullough included some other interesting quotes from Moore as well, including a confirmation that the Royals will not be re-signing Ervin Santana, barring something crazy happening soon.

– At KC Kingdom, Aaron Reese gave a scouting report on Lorenzo Cain. While Cain has the look of an above average hitter, his health has been such a hindrance to him that we haven’t been able to see the potential we had hoped.

– Speaking of Cain, while it seems to everyone he is locked into a starting role, Jarrod Dyson isn’t quite so sure, according to an article from Fox Sports Kansas City’s Jeffrey Flanagan. Dyson says he wants to play every day, but even if he doesn’t, he wants to help the team win in whatever way he can.

– For fantasy baseball players, Fangraphs’ Brad Johnson broke down the fantasy potential of the Royals’ infield in 2014.

– Landon Adams at Royal Revival discussed what kind of a contract offer it might take to lock up Greg Holland to an extension. Holland and the Royals have yet to come to terms, and with the arbitration hearing coming up in the next week or two, a decision will need to be made. Adams looks at contracts for other relievers in order to come up with a rough guess for Holland’s deal.

– Jeff Zimmerman at The Hardball Times wrote a very interesting piece on fly balls, and how the differences in trajectories affect the odds of the defense recording an out. It’s excellent research, and helps to point out which teams are more adept in the outfield in a different manner. It’s kind of a lengthy read, but there is a ton of great information in there.