3 New Year's resolutions for the KC Royals

Country singer Brad Paisley once said, "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one." The calendar turning to a new year may not be as important to all, but a new year can feel like a chance to start anew. The feeling of a fresh start in the new year is why we make resolutions, right? Get to the gym. Go to bed earlier. Read more books. Anything under the sun is up for grabs regarding the new year's resolutions. The KC Royals may not write down their goals on slips of paper to be revealed later on in the year, but they should be making some nonetheless.

The new year presents new opportunities for the Royals. The team is fresh off a 106-loss season, underperforming in nearly every way imagineable. There were great moments and players, such as shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.'s emergence or Cole Ragans dominance in the season's second half. But think back to how you felt when the season ended on October 1, 2023.

Write them down. The KC Royals should make these resolutions for 2024.

Despite winning two of the last three series over the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, it felt like a lost season riddled with injuries, failed transactions, and players' not developing as hoped.

Royals fans will remember the losing season until the team gives them a reason to forget. These New Year's resolutions may not forgive decades of below-average baseball in Kansas City or the ongoing stadium debacle, but they would be an amazing start. What are the Royals striving to do in 2024, and how is each possible?

Don't lose late-season momentum.

Outside of the free-agent signings, the Royals' successes following the trade deadline have fuelled optimism amongst fans.

Well, momentum may be a strong word, but it was a large improvement by Royals standards. Kansas City played .500 baseball in their final 30 games while ranking 10th in runs scored and keeping things even with a -2 run differential in that span. Like I said, not amazing, but a big improvement from how the Royals looked earlier in 2023.

Fans stopped caring about the win-loss column early in the season, so more of the improvement was from individual players. Ragans was inarguably the biggest success story since making his Royals debut on July 15. Since then, his 2.4 fWAR was fifth-best in MLB while hovering near the league's best in ERA, K/9.

The biggest improvement from the first to the second half was at the plate. Players like MJ Melendez, Dairon Blanco, and even Witt made notable improvements in that split. Blanco, especially, was underrated in the season's second half, with a 143 wRC+ in 50 games.

As a whole, the Royals offense jumped from 29th to 14th in its value, according to FanGraphs. That is a huge jump, and the sustained nature of Kansas City's improvement offered optimism that they could do it again in 2024, possibly for an entire season. That is likely one reason Kansas City has not added many position players, content to retain their young and controllable players, hoping they run it back.

The lineup gets Vinnie Pasquantino back, likely Kansas City's biggest off-season "acquisitions." From top to bottom, the 2024 Royals look like an improved team in all facets. Take the lessons from last year, move on, and improve. Sounds simple, right?

Keep Bobby Witt Jr. happy, extension or not.

Most of the fanbase rightfully wants a lengthy extension for Witt, securing a generational talent in Kansas City for the first time in a very long time. But, whether an extension happens or not, the Royals need to keep the man happy if they want him to be here and the fans to invest.

Do I know what would make Witt happy? No, I am not going to claim that I know for sure. After all, Witt is a person, and every person is different. But there are some reasonable measures that Kansas City can take that could have affected their offseason plans already.

First and foremost, keep the core that Witt came up with through the minor leagues. The last winning Royals teams developed the chemistry that they developed by winning in the minor leagues and then transitioning together to The Show. Witt, drafted in 2019, likely has some players with whom he has developed real relationships and made the losses over the past two seasons bearable. Witt did not have years to develop those relationships, playing only 123 minor-league games in 2021. He still shared the field on the farm with several current Royals.

Secondly, the front office and ownership need to show Witt they are willing to commit resources to improving the team. They have unequivocally done that this offseason, raising the team's floor considerably. Some franchises will lock up a special talent long-term, then expect them to carry a squad on their own. The best superstars have a quality cast, but team leadership needs to show they can do that with results on the field.

I wonder if the excessive player options in recent free-agent deals have something to do with that. The Royals are bringing in a big influx of talent, all addressing issues from the previous season. If they do not gel well, immediately or later on down the line, the players have the option to move on. But extending a special player like Witt would likely help entice those players, and more, to don a Royals uniform.

Lastly, keeping the organization's vibe positive can go a long way. There is a way to hold players accountable and push them to be their best without doing it toxically. Witt is a competitor. Fans see that in his actions, hidden behind a reserved voice in locker interviews. This rolls in with the previous point a bit, but treating players like adults and expecting them to perform to the MLB level can go a long way in keeping the higher-echelon players happy.

I am sure there are some minute things the team can do to keep Witt and other players happy. But even if they do not want to make him happy with a new contract, there are some things they can control.