KC Royals Potential Departures Vol. 3: Alcides Escobar

Many tough choices are going to be made at Kauffman Stadium over the next few months. Alcides Escobar is the next one we’ll make here for the KC Royals.

Name: Alcides Escobar

Agent: The Legacy Agency

Career Numbers:

Importance: Starting shortstop and versatile bat (probably!)

History of Success

I suppose this depends on how you define success.

You all probably remember being in school and doing group projects. In a group of four, there would be one kid who did nothing to contribute and was usually not asked to contribute anything, either because they were unreliable, stupid or a combination of the two. There was the go-getter who wanted an A+ in everything lest they be unable to receive that free ride to Harvard; they would usually recruit another group member into contributing through charisma, intimidation or (if they were attractive) shameless flirting.

The fourth member of any successful group project just did what they needed to do—no more, no less. They would provide a couple of brilliant insights, knock out their portion of the project and make sure that no one could call into question their contributions.

So was that person successful? Or simply success-adjacent?

Now we can talk about Alcides Escobar.

At no point during his career has Esky been considered integral to the KC Royals success. He won 2015 ALCS MVP, sure, and homered in that season’s World Series. When he was good, he was good and his consistency—both in sustaining a high level of play and simply always being in the lineup—are virtues to be lauded.

But calling Alcides Escobar essential to the KC Royals success would be akin to dubbing your hedge clippers essential to yard work. Yeah, they may make some things easier… but if you had to get along without them, you’d manage.

(Quick aside: I know Royals Review did a similar piece yesterday. My defense is I was already working on this series and they should get off my corner there’s no reason both can’t exist in this beautiful world, amirite?)

If dealt, what could he fetch and who could be in the market?

You mean, which potential contenders need a shortstop who peaked three years ago? If the Diamondbacks, Pirates, Marlins and/or Yankees have designs on contending, an upgrade at short is all but necessary. But none of those teams are breaking the bank for Alcides Escobar.

What might it cost to hang on to him?

So let’s make a comparison with some other good-glove, little-stick guys…

Andrelton Simmons – Seven years, $58 million (signed in 2014)

Zack Cozart – One year, $5.3 million (signed in 2017)

Asdrubal Cabrera – Two years, $18.5 million (signed in 2016)

Well. One of those things is not like the others, and even those who hold defense sacrosanct would not dare to compare Esky to Andrelton Simmons, who is on his way to becoming Ozzie Smith 2.0. Frankly, Asdrubal Cabrera money is a little more than I want to put into Esky.

How’s the new CBA factor into all this?

For Esky, practically not at all. He’ll receive no qualifying offer, so that’s not troublesome and if he’s the difference between being over the $195 million (or $197 in 2017 or $206 in 2019) luxury tax threshold or sneaking under it, all but the most fiscally irresponsible squads will replace 90 percent of Esky’s production with someone who costs 50 percent as much.

So are you advocating putting some money into a shortstop who peaked in 2014? Or selling at a loss pre-deadline? Or letting him walk?

If I couldn’t flip him for anything of value, I’d probably let him walk. Raul Mondesi Jr. can hit an underfed teenager’s body weight, field his position adequately and do it for considerably less money than Esky is going to want come November.

Likelihood of being traded: 25 percent (this is not going to be a good market for shortstops who can’t hit and haven’t been good fielders in a while).

Return on Investment (if traded): Two mid-level prospects. If the Pirates fork over Gift Ngoepe (first South African in MLB history!) and Mike Wallace (RHP, 30^th-round pick in 2015), probably gotta jump on that.

Next: Vol. 2: LoCain

Future Contract: Three years, $18 million. Hopefully from someone else.