OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - KC Royals - An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough

Biggp07 · 07-13-2025, 08:19 PM

Managing the KC Royals – My Journey Starting in 2024 (An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough - Completely and Totally Simulated Game Generated Fiction, with some generous author creative license. )

On Friday, March 1st, 2024, I received a call from John Sherman regarding a management opportunity with the KC Royals for the upcoming season. At that time, I was retired and spending time with my family. During our conversation, he explained details about taking on the roles of general manager and manager for the KC Royals starting in the 2024 season, which was set to begin in a few weeks. John found the December 2023 winter meetings unproductive and decided it was time for changes. Despite his reputation for impatience and strict budgeting, he had kept the same front office for years, limiting flexibility in free agency and player contracts. Although KC has a rich sports history and devoted fans, its teams face pressure to win or risk backlash. There were no signs of change in the organization during the off-season, so his shake-up came unexpectedly. The Royals concluded a disappointing season with a 56-106 record and a .356 winning percentage, underscoring the need for significant changes. Since their 2015 World Series win, they have posted losing records each year and failed to maintain their earlier success.

On March 7th, 2024, I visited the Kaufmann Stadium Offices for the first time to evaluate the current situation and develop a strategic plan aimed at transforming the Royals into a consistently competitive organization. The primary objective was to restructure the roster to secure regular playoff appearances and enhance fan engagement. Although achieving a playoff berth this season appeared highly challenging due to limited familiarity with the players and outcomes from spring training, a strong expectation for success persisted—even if John had not explicitly stated it. After setting up my workspace and starting my computer, I received my first email from him, outlining his expectations. Meeting these objectives would be a significant undertaking.

Todd "BigP",
Welcome to the Kansas City Royals organization. I am confident that we will establish a productive working relationship.
Each year, I will provide specific goals I expect you to accomplish. In addition to delivering results on the field and ensuring profitability, meeting these objectives is essential:

• Aim to finish this season close to a .500 record.
• Strengthen the Left Field position.
• Identify a top 20 prospect.
• Develop a top 6 minor league system.
• Increase fan interest.
• Continue building the team with the goal of reaching the playoffs within the next five seasons.

I will review your progress periodically throughout the year. Best of luck.
John Sherman

John explained how to keep him satisfied. As owner and CEO, he needed to raise profits and a growing fan base. He trusted me, and I was confident I could assemble an effective front office to achieve these goals. I took on my new role hoping to energize the team toward a playoff run and championship, even though I had no history— this was a true trial by fire. My goal was to rebuild using the farm system, but our team ranked 29th out of 30 MLB teams and lacked promising prospects. To address this and align with John’s 2026 objective, I dismissed longtime scout and VP of Scouting Danny Ontiveros due to inadequate talent development results. I then brought in Jason McLeod—an accomplished scout with experience on three MLB teams—offering him a five-year, $965,000 contract to spearhead our search for top prospects. I believe he will help revitalize our talent pipeline moving forward.

07-13-2025, 08:19 PM	#1
Biggp07 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Sep 2024 Posts: 84	KC Royals - An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough - Day 1 Managing the KC Royals – My Journey Starting in 2024 (An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough - Completely and Totally Simulated Game Generated Fiction, with some generous author creative license. ) On Friday, March 1st, 2024, I received a call from John Sherman regarding a management opportunity with the KC Royals for the upcoming season. At that time, I was retired and spending time with my family. During our conversation, he explained details about taking on the roles of general manager and manager for the KC Royals starting in the 2024 season, which was set to begin in a few weeks. John found the December 2023 winter meetings unproductive and decided it was time for changes. Despite his reputation for impatience and strict budgeting, he had kept the same front office for years, limiting flexibility in free agency and player contracts. Although KC has a rich sports history and devoted fans, its teams face pressure to win or risk backlash. There were no signs of change in the organization during the off-season, so his shake-up came unexpectedly. The Royals concluded a disappointing season with a 56-106 record and a .356 winning percentage, underscoring the need for significant changes. Since their 2015 World Series win, they have posted losing records each year and failed to maintain their earlier success. On March 7th, 2024, I visited the Kaufmann Stadium Offices for the first time to evaluate the current situation and develop a strategic plan aimed at transforming the Royals into a consistently competitive organization. The primary objective was to restructure the roster to secure regular playoff appearances and enhance fan engagement. Although achieving a playoff berth this season appeared highly challenging due to limited familiarity with the players and outcomes from spring training, a strong expectation for success persisted—even if John had not explicitly stated it. After setting up my workspace and starting my computer, I received my first email from him, outlining his expectations. Meeting these objectives would be a significant undertaking. Todd "BigP", Welcome to the Kansas City Royals organization. I am confident that we will establish a productive working relationship. Each year, I will provide specific goals I expect you to accomplish. In addition to delivering results on the field and ensuring profitability, meeting these objectives is essential: • Aim to finish this season close to a .500 record. • Strengthen the Left Field position. • Identify a top 20 prospect. • Develop a top 6 minor league system. • Increase fan interest. • Continue building the team with the goal of reaching the playoffs within the next five seasons. I will review your progress periodically throughout the year. Best of luck. John Sherman John explained how to keep him satisfied. As owner and CEO, he needed to raise profits and a growing fan base. He trusted me, and I was confident I could assemble an effective front office to achieve these goals. I took on my new role hoping to energize the team toward a playoff run and championship, even though I had no history— this was a true trial by fire. My goal was to rebuild using the farm system, but our team ranked 29th out of 30 MLB teams and lacked promising prospects. To address this and align with John’s 2026 objective, I dismissed longtime scout and VP of Scouting Danny Ontiveros due to inadequate talent development results. I then brought in Jason McLeod—an accomplished scout with experience on three MLB teams—offering him a five-year, $965,000 contract to spearhead our search for top prospects. I believe he will help revitalize our talent pipeline moving forward. Last edited by Biggp07; 07-21-2025 at 05:11 AM.