My Kansas City Royals Arbitration Rulings

The Kansas City Royals, specifically Dayton Moore, don’t do arbitration.  This is to their credit. The Royals have an excellent culture for their players, and this is part of it. That said, I see their no arbitration winning streak coming to an end this year.  It probably should. The Royals have a murderers row of players still eligible for arbitration, and are far off on many of them.  Because I love my Royals so much, I am volunteering my services, for free, as their pre-arbitration arbitrator.

Danny Duffy is seeking 3M, the Royals are offering 1.75M

Danny, you know you are a huge part of the team’s future plans and showed flashes of being a legit #2 or #3 starter last year.  You also spent time, once again, injured.  Your past injuries are not insignificant, and you are still high risk.  You need a full year of steady pitching before you can demand the big bucks.  But man, do we love how you ooze optimism.  Duffy, we’ll give you every chance to become a top of the rotation star, on a winning team. Take our very generous offer of 2.5M, and make us proud.

Kelvin Herrera is seeking 1.9M, the Royals are offering 1.15M

Kelvin, you were huge for us last year.  You were probably the best, and luckiest, 7th inning guy in the league last season. But you are still just a 7th inning guy that pitches for a team with two guys ready to take that spot.  Here is 1.3M.  Take it or leave it. (keep rocking your hat like that, it’s fricking cool)

Greg Holland is seeking 9 M, the Royals are offering $6.65

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Greg, you are the man and are building a case for the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.  We want you happy and appreciated, but you are not getting 9M. We can’t do that when we have two other guys on the team perfectly suited to be closers.  Your tricep issues and size scare us a little.  Let’s not make this ugly for either one of us. Let’s avoid arbitration.  Our offer is 8M.

Eric Hosmer is seeking 6.7M, the Royals are offering 4.6M.

The team excelled in the post season, partly due to your great play.  The team just made it to the post season, despite your play.  You need humbling. It’s time you were paid on performance, and not on your potential. You have been in the bigs for a while now, and only have one complete season under your belt.  Give another one, and you’ll hit the jack pot.  You don’t deserve it this year.  Eric, you are not getting a penny more than 5M, and I don’t care what your agent has to say about it.

Mike Moustakas is seeking 3.1M, the Royals are offering 1.85M

I can’t believe we have to pay you 1.85M next year.  This is such bull-sh&t.  Mike, let’s go to arbitration.  Please.  Let’s please go to arbitration right now.

Lorenzo Cain is seeking 3.6M, the Royals are offering 2M

Mr. Cain, you were the best player on the team last year.  It was the first season you have ever had that was almost entirely healthy.  We love what you do when you play, and hope you have put those nagging  injuries behind you. You could be the face of this team, and should be. It’s not Hosmer, and it sure isn’t Moose, it is you.  If you agree to be held tightly accountable to the training program you used last season, we’ll agree to 3.3M.

There you have it Dayton.

Hope this helps,

Ed

Next: Eric Hosmer's Arbitration Case with the Royals