KC Royals Midweek News, Views, Rumors and Takes

This week’s KC Royals Midweek News, Views, Rumors and Takes is packed with present and former player happenings.

Some KC Royals Midweek thoughts while wondering if the club is starting to wonder what to do with all its outfielders:

Winter Meetings and the KC Royals.

General Manager Dayton Moore continued his quest to significantly improve the Royals by signing first baseman Carlos Santana Tuesday afternoon, which Kings Of Kauffman’s David Scharff covered in detail not long after the news of the deal first broke. With the previous signings of Mike Minor and Michael A. Taylor, it’s hard to believe Moore is done; whether he makes more moves at this week’s Winter meetings or later is the question.

Free agency update.

Former Royal pitcher Conner Greene signed a minor league contract with Baltimore last week. Kansas City claimed Greene off waivers from St. Louis in November 2018. Control difficulties have plagued the righthander throughout his minor league career.

The Cincinnati Reds signed Cheslor Cuthbert, who gave the Royals a handful of serviceable seasons, to a minor league deal. Although he served primarily as a utility infielder, Cuthbert played almost a full season at third base in 2016 after a May knee injury sidelined Mike Moustakas for the season.

Non-tendered KC Royals still on the market.

Former (for the time being) Royals the club didn’t offer 2021 contracts to last Wednesday all remained free agents through Tuesday night. Maikel Franco, Bubba Starling, Erick Mejia and Jeison Guzman all haven’t signed with new teams or negotiated deals to return to Kansas City, although Starling is a good bet to return and don’t be surprised if Mejia and Guzman also find their ways back).

In case you missed it.

Speaking of last week’s non-tender activity, Kings of Kauffman’s Shawn Bauman scrutinized other clubs’ non-tenders and found three outfielders he believes could help the Royals, while Mike Gillespie says the moves increased the pressure on Hunter Dozier.

And don’t forget the Royals-related offseason television programming now available Wednesdays on Fox Sports that David Scharff recently wrote about.

Former KC Royals overseas.

It didn’t take recent Royal Randy Rosario, who became a minor league free agent early last month, long to find new work—according to his Twitter account, he’ll pitch next season in Japan:

https://twitter.com/Randy_Rosario77/status/1335422067026497536

The lefthanded reliever appeared six times for the Royals in 2019 and four in 2020.

Former KC pitcher Aaron Brooks previously signed on to return to the Korean Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers. We haven’t heard whether Nori Aoki and Alcides Escobar, both of whom played the 2020 season in Japan for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, will return to their club.

Kaegel to writers’ wing of Hall of Fame.

Dick Kaegel, a retired Royals beat writer for The Kansas City Star, has won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, the highest honor any writer can receive from the Baseball Writers Association of America, and one many consider to be the equivalent of a player joining baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Tracy Ringolsby, another former Royals writer, won the award in 2005.

Current KC announcer Denny Matthews won the Ford C. Frick Award, the broadcasters’ equivalent of the Spink Award, in 2007. His booth partner, Bud Blattner, is a finalist for the 2021 honor.

That’s it for now. We’ll be back next week with more KC Royals Midweek News, Views, Rumors and Takes. Until then, stay safe and healthy.