Zero to Hero - A Scotsman in MLB

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The Royals reward for defeating the Angels, is a divisional match up in the AL Championship. The Guardians (92-70) knocked out the 104-win Rays to set up only a second ever, but back-to-back, post season series against Kansas City.

The Guardians rode starting pitching and the best defense in the AL to their 90+ win season. Timothy Theophanus had a 2.12 ERA while Branden Duncan threw 231 K in 235.0 inning for a 3.29 ERA. Closer Jesus Medina had 41 saves in 67 games with a 3.04 ERA.

On the hitting side, Eurico Aguilera had a .311 average, while their star player Juan Jaramillo had 114 RBI to go with 36 HRs. The line up features two former Royals batting three and four with Juan Soreni (.241, 35 HRs) and Eric Rose.

The Guardians won the regular season series, 7-6.

The day before the start of the series the Royals learned that their closer Jon Hall will be out for 6 months after tearing his rotator cuff in game 4 of the Division Series.

Game 1 in Kansas City: Min-ho Kim vs. Timothy Theophanous (2029 1st Round)
• Cleveland wins 1-0 (14)
• Theophanous: 6.1 IP, 4 H. 0 R
• Kim: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R
• Jody Love (W): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Bailey Pinsmail (L): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R
• Cleveland HRs: Juan Soreni (14th Inning)
• 1-0 Cleveland

Game 2 in Kansas City: Eddie Baquerizo vs. Branden Duncan (2034 1st Round)
• Kansas City wins 9-3
• Baquerizo (W): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R
• Duncan (L): 5.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R
• Kansas City HRs: Edgar Mir (1st Inning, 2R)
• 1-1 Series Tied

Game 3 in Cleveland: Curt Bogans vs. Tyrese Johnson (2038 Trade MIN)
• Kansas City wins 4-2
• Bogans (W): 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R
• Johnson (L): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R
• Banmei Kataoka (SV): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Kansas City HRs: Bob Crimi (8th Inning)
• 2-1 Kansas City
Game 4 in Cleveland: Ethan Chafin vs. Javonta Janzen (2033 7th Round)
• Cleveland wins 8-2
• Chafin (L): 3.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R
• Janzen (W): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R
• Cleveland HRs: Soreni (4th Inning, GS)
• POTG: Juan Soreni
• 2-2 Series Tied

Game 5 in Cleveland: Min-ho Kim vs. Timothy Theophanous
• Kansas City wins 6-5
• Kim (W): 6.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R
• Theophanous: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R
• Kataoka (SV): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R
• Cleveland HRs: Soreni (1st Inning, 2R), Eurico Aquilera (7th Inning)
• 3-2 Kansas City

Game 6 in Kansas City: Eddie Baquerizo vs. Branden Duncan
• Kansas City wins 10-3
• Baquerizo (W): 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R
• Duncan (L): 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R
• Kansas City HRs: Marquis Foggie (2nd Inning, 2R)
• POTG: Marquis Foggie (KC) 2-4, HR, 3 RBI
• 4-2 KANSAS CITY WINS

Series MVP: Chase Standberry (KC) 9-27, 3 BB

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The 2038 NL and AL Champions defend their titles to set up a rematch in the World Series between the Royals and the Dodgers. This will only be the second meeting of the two ball clubs, with the Dodgers having won last year’s title 4-2. The Dodgers will be looking to go back-to-back for the first time and win their 9th World Series while the Royals are looking to prevent Stewart (and Witt Jr.) becoming 4-time World Series losers, having lost two years in a row in 2031 and 2032, as well as last year. The Dodgers would become the third repeat champions should they win, matching the 2024/2025 Orioles and 2034/2035 Padres, and giving them the chance to be the first three-time champs since the 1998-2000 Yankees.

The Dodgers took the regular season series 2-1, but the ballclubs finished with the same 99-63 record.

The Dodgers have amassed a star line up, underpinned by reigning World Series and NL MVP SS Vince Elkins. He joined RF Ben Glaze in over 100 RBIs, with Glaze hitting 38 HRs to Elkins’ 31. 2B Grady Emerson may have topped them both, with 32 HRs to go with 50 SBs and 96 RBIs.

On the pitching side, Josh Cook led the team with a 2.96 ERA while striking out 171 in 179 innings. Mike Spence’s 3.09 ERA helped him to a 14-5 record while in the bullpen, left-handed closer Joe Kohl was the standout, 40 saves in 67 appearances and a 2.47 ERA.

This is a monster of a team and the Royals will have to be at their very best to clinch Stewart’s first, and the Royals third, World Series title.

Game 1 in Los Angeles: Curt Bogans vs. Mike Spence (2027 1st Round)
• Los Angeles wins 11-6
• Spence: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R
• Bogans: 3 IP, 5 H, 6 R
• Luis Molina (W): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• B.J. Heaton (L): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R
• Los Angeles HRs: Jon Conrad (2nd Inning, 3R), Juan Sosa (3rd Inning, 2R), Vince Elkins (5th Inning), Butch Anderson (7th Inning), Ken Munden (8th Inning)
• Kansas City HRs: Sincere Latin (2nd Inning, 2R), Chase Standberry (3rd Inning)
• POTG: Butch Anderson (LAD): 3-3, HR, BB
• 1-0 Los Angeles

Game 2 in Los Angeles: Ethan Chafin vs. Zach Woodall (2034 4th Round)
• Los Angeles win 5-3
• Woodall: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R
• Chafin: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R
• Joe Kohl (W): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Eric Jones (L): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R
• Los Angeles HRs: Jaheem McCaster (5th Inning)
• Kansas City HRs: Sam Hart (4th Inning, 2R)
• 2-0 Los Angeles

Game 3 in Kansas City: Min-ho Kim vs. Josh Cook (2036 Trade DET)
• Kansas City wins 6-2
• Kim (W): 7.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R
• Cook (L): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R
• Banmei Kataoka (SV): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• Kansas City HRs: Edgar Mir (8th Inning, 2R)
• POTG: Edgar Mir (KC) 3-4, HR, BB
• 2-1 Los Angeles

Game 4 in Kansas City: Eddie Baquerizo vs. Ian Delehanty (2033 9th Round)
• Los Angeles wins 7-5
• Delehanty (W): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R
• Baquerizo (L): 2.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R
• Kohl (SV): 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R
• Kansas City HRs: Latin (7th Inning, 3R)
• POTG: Butch Anderson (LAD) 4-5, 3 RBI
• 3-1 Los Angeles

Game 5 in Kansas City: Bogans vs Spence
• Los Angeles wins 2-1
• Spence (W): 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R
• Bogans (L): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R
• Jim Kelley (SV): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R
• 4-1 LOS ANGELES WIN

Series MVP: Butch Anderson (LAD)

The Royals lose their 4th World Series under Stewart as the Dodgers go back-to-back, beating the Royals 4-1 in even more comprehensive fashion than in 2038. The Royals just can’t get over the hump and hit the offseason to lick their wounds with Stewart considering if he has what it takes to win the greatest prize in baseball.

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The Dodgers win their 9th World Series title, going back-to-back to emulate the Orioles the Padres. They have elite bats and elite arms and are surely the early favourites to win it all again in 2040.

Kansas City Postseason Stats




The Royals postseason stats stack up well, with only a few bats slumping – Crimi and Zglinicki disappointing, Foggie horrific – while the arms were strong until they weren’t.

It may be another World Series loss but this one seems to have come down to not getting hits at the right time, and coming up against one of the potentially great MLB teams.

Owner Goal Review



Team Record:
I'm thrilled you were able to meet our goal of getting the team to the playoffs. I always believe you were up for the challenge. I can't wait for next year.

Upgrade a position:
Bob Crimi has certainly developed into a good first baseman. While he's not quite top-6 like I hoped we'd be by this point, Crimi isn't someone who I have too much trouble with manning the position.

Improve your team record:
You're getting better in road games. There's still room for improvement, though.

Long Term:
You made the playoffs. I had set out a longer vision to bring a championship to Kansas City by 2043, and that time isn't up yet. You do know it's been 24 years since this franchise has won? That may not be as bad as some teams, but I think the fans are starting to wonder when the next one will come.

I am happy with your performance in accomplishing the goals I have given you. However, when I consider the on- and off-field success of the team, my overall mood with your performance is happy.

Minor Leagues



Post Season

Omaha Storm Chasers [AAA] lost in 1st Round of the Playoffs.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals [AA] lost in 1st Round of the Playoffs.
Quad Cities River Bandits [A+] lost in 1st Round of the Playoffs.
Columbia Fireflies [A] missed the playoffs by 6 games.
Kansas City (ACL) Royals [R] missed the Playoffs by 2 games.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Stewart [R] missed the Playoffs by 16 games.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Glass [R] missed the Playoffs by 9 games.

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International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Juan Bernal, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Lean and athletic, Juan Bernal hails from Valencia, Venezuela. He shows plus contact ability which should translate into a solid batting average. With his potential he will be a threat to hit the ball out of the park every time he comes to the plate. Bernal has a considerable ceiling and can be a first division starter in the majors.

Juan Carmona, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Juan Carmona is a long, lean athletic third baseman who was born in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. He has a good swing. He won't likely set records, but could become a solid contact hitter. The power is more a projection right now, but he has above average power potential. He should have a patient approach at the plate and will take a walk if he doesn't get a pitch he likes. Carmona has the talent to flourish as a third baseman.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

Jorge Rivera, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Jorge Rivera hails from El Factor, Dominican Republic. He has a great stroke and projects to hit for a high average. His power potential grades out as plus. Rivera has the potential to develop into a big league regular for the bulk of his career.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Andres Morales, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Luis Archuleta, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Andres Castro, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Esteban Aguirre, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Khai Choe, 16 year-old SS out of Australia
David Maldonado, 16 year-old SS out of Cuba
Juan Mendoza, 17 year-old 2B out of Dominican Republic

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Catchers

A down year with the bat still saw Sam Hart generate over 2 WAR with a 7.6 FRM score. There is no consideration from the Royals to move on from their multi-year starter with another All Star appearance proving he is one of the best in the business. Mike Murphy offered value with the bat whenever he played with a 133 wRC+ and the Royals will work hard with him to try to improve his catching before deciding whether to stick or cash in on a player that should have trade value.

Infield

Bob Crimi (133 wRC+) was an All Star with 30 HRs and 3.5 WAR and will start for the Royals in 2040. Bobby Witt Jr. (71 wRC+) played sparingly and offered little. He has not retired, but the Royals will likely bring him back once more to try to get him that ring.

Edgar Mir (128 wRC+) is a superstar and continues to play great baseball. His 5.9 WAR sits in the Royals top ten seasons again as he had a 20-20 season while driving in over 100 runs.

Losing Jeremy Rogerson was a problem for the Royals although he had failed to light up the diamond in a year he heads for a Team Option. At $16m that is likely too rich for the Royals but it is clear that Marquise Foggie (80 wRC+) is not the solution. Third base is an area the Royals will look to upgrade going into next season.

The midseason acquisitions – Sincere Latin and Bruce Zglinicki – had average seasons with the bat but both offer elite defence to generate over 2 WAR each. They will both be back, one starting with the other likely the infield utility bat.

Outfield

There is a definite logjam in the outfield with Chase Standberry and Jamie Edwards both making the move up to the big leagues during the season. Standberry (112 wRC+) is the only true CF good enough for the Royals and with Billy Mumaugh (117 wRC+, 53 SB) and Jimmy Goodman (118 wRC+, 5.0 WAR) will form the starting trio. Neither Burress nor van Dyke have excessive asks, around $10m for three years, but with Mike Connolly and Jamie Edwards on league minimum it is hard to see either staying with a collective contribution of 1 WAR.

Offseason / Early 2040 Overview

C Sam Hart
1B Bob Crimi
2B Edgar Mir
3B TBC
SS Sincere Latin

LF Billy Mumaugh
CF Chase Standberry
OF Jimmy Goodman

C Mike Murphy / TBC
INF Bobby Witt Jr.
INF Bruce Zglinicki
OF Mike Connolly
OF Jamie Edwards



Starters

The starting rotation had another great year with Curt Bogans adding 5.6 WAR behind a 2.92 ERA, a 4.39 K/BB rate (7th best Royals season), and a 0.97 WHIP (4th all time), Eddie Baquerizo earning an All-Star selection, 4.6 WAR, and a 2.99 ERA while Ethan Chafin struck out more batters (248) than any other Royal in history at a 6th-best 10.3 K/9 on his way to 20 wins and a Royals-best .833 winning record and Min-ho Kim adding the 6th best winning record in his 15-4 record.

At the end of the season Bailey Pinsmail was called up and went 5-2 in his 10 starts, with a 2.77 ERA and a .700 QS percentage.

All five will return next year with Chafin entering his first arbitration year, and the other four on long-term contracts.

Bullpen

The bullpen had several strong performances but also gave up crucial runs and didn’t reach the heights of previous staff as the Royals bedded in some younger arms.

Banemi Kataoka had 3.3 WAR as he posted a 1.05 ERA from 85.2 IP, only allowing 60 hits, 1 HR while the man who took over from his as Closer, Jon Hall, managed 33 saves in 64 appearances for 2.3 WAR until a torn rotator cuff ended his season during the playoffs. Kataoka has an $8.5m Team Option which the Royals are more than likely to pick up.

In the success stories, 2034 International Amateur Bernalldino Caneas had a 3.32 ERA in 38 IP, while returning Royal Eric Cook had a 2.98 ERA in his 49 games.

Drafted players Art Putney and Eric Jones both had similar FIP- (89 to 86) and offered reliable pitching across 50+ IP.

Unfortunately Brad Demarest didn’t acclimatise to the bullpen very well, a 145 FIP- with over 2 HR/9 and 4.5 BB/9 spelling the end of his time as a Royal and Jeremy Miller had a tough 11IP, giving up 4 HRs to end with a 234 FIP-.

Looking to 2040, the Royals might shop at the dear end of the relief market to try to lock down games behind their strong starters.

Offseason / Early 2040 Overview

SP Curt Bogans
SP Min-ho Kim
SP Ethan Chafin
SP Eddie Baquerizo
SP Bailey Pinsmail

RP Banmei Kataoka ($8.5m TO)
RP Jon Hall
RP Bernaldino Caneas
RP Eric Cook (Aribitration)
RP Art Putney
RP Eric Jones
RP TBC
RP TBC

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Owner Goals



Finances

You will have $232,000,000 available for the total team expenses. Given your current spending on staff and other costs, this should allow you a team payroll of around $190,000,000.



Personnel

Two major retirements as Scouting Director Justin Cowan and AAA Manager Kyle Snyder both call it a day.

The Royals will appoint a new Scouting Director with a similar profile to Cowan while some promotions follower Snyder’s departure:

• AAA Manager Peter O’Brien from AA
• AA Manager Robert Donovan from A
• A Manager Alan Williams from DSL (Glass)

The Royals will hit the market for a new DSL Manager as well as replacements for the other two retirements:

• DSL (Glass) Pitching Coach Daniel Garibay
• DSL (Stewart) Pitching Coach Yovany Frias

Minor Leagues

Awards

It was a barren year for the Royals with the only Minor League Award winner 2036 5th round pick Jonathan DePalmer, who was voted AAA Outstanding Pitcher.

Retirements

The Royals only saw two former draftees retire, with 2033 7th round pick, 3B Eric Peters, retiring from AAA and 2034 20th round pick RP Josh Eastman from AA.

KC Top 200 Performances

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Personnel

Scouting Director Sam Christensen – ML Excellent | MiL, Int, Ama Outstanding | Favors Tools
DSL Glass Manager Jorge De Leon
DSL Glass Pitching Coach Jin-hyuk Kim
DSL Stewart Pitching Coach Dylan Lesko

Awards

It was quite a quite awards season for the Royals as Jimmy Goodman was named AL Great Glove at RF for the 4th time but no Kansas City players earned Platinum Sticks – in fact, RF Ben Blaze was the only World Series player to earn that distinction.

Banmei Kataoka was runner up in the AL Reliever of the Year Award to the reliever that got away, Pat Black.

The big news was Curt Bogans winning his second Cy Young Award in a row for the Royals while Luis Moreno did the same with the NL MVP, his third overall.

AL Great Glove RF Jimmy Goodman (4)
NL Great Glove
AL Platinum Stick
NL Platinum Stick
AL Manager of the Year Eric Binder TB
NL Manager of the Year Generoso Gonzalez LAD
AL Reliever of the Year Pat Black (2) TB
NL Reliever of the Year Tim Webber NYM
AL Rookie of the Year Kuon Kitamura TEX
NL Rookie of the Year Joe Upmeyer MIL
AL Cy Young Curt Bogans (2) KC
NL Cy Young Prince Faulcon WAS
AL MVP Juan Jaramillo CLE
NL MVP Luis Moreno (3) CIN

Pre-Arbitration Extensions & Trades

Wednesday, November 2nd , 2039
Executed the contract year option of CL Banmei Kataoka.
Executed the contract year option of RF Jimmy Goodman.
Voided the team option year(s) of SS Jeremy Rogerson for a buyout of $1,600,000.
Sunday, November 6th , 2039
Signed 1B Bobby Witt Jr. to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $1,500,000.
Signed 3B Marquis Foggie to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $3,150,000.
Signed LF Mike Connelly to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $4,150,000.
Monday, November 7th , 2039
Signed SP Ethan Chafin to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $5,000,000.
Monday, November 21st , 2039
Signed LF Enny Mijhail Van Dyke to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $31,500,000.
Signed RP Alfredo Cadena to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $1,000,000.

Arbitration & Qualifying Offers

Wednesday, November 23rd , 2039
RP Brad Demarest was not offered arbitration, becomes a free agent.
Friday, November 25th , 2039
CF Drew Burress becomes a free-agent.
RP Eric Cook becomes a free-agent.

International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Jorge Rivera, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Jorge Rivera hails from El Factor, Dominican Republic. He has well above average contact potential. He has a plus power ceiling. He has the potential for average strike zone recognition. Rivera looks like a potential regular in a key role at the big league level.

Esteban Aguirre, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Esteban Aguirre hails from Samana, Dominican Republic. He has outstanding range. He is a young player with above average power potential. At maturity he should be an average contact hitter with a .220 batting average. Aguirre has the talent to flourish as a shortstop.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

David Maldonado, 16 year-old SS out of Cuba
David Maldonado is a long, lean athletic shortstop who was born in San José de las Lajas, Cuba. He is a plus contact potential. He has an above average power ceiling. As he matures he is expected to provide above average defensive value. Maldonado is an above average, everyday big league player.

Luis Archuleta, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Lean and athletic, Luis Archuleta hails from Villa del Rosario, Venezuela. He has a ceiling of a pull hitter with plus power. He projects to have above average contact ability. Archuleta can be a second division starter at center fielder.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Andres Castro, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Juan Carmona, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Juan Mendoza, 17 year-old 2B out of Dominican Republic
Juan Bernal, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Khai Choe, 16 year-old SS out of Australia
Andres Morales, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela

Around the League

Retirements

Arizona Diamondbacks: RF Ronald Acuna Jr. retired from professional baseball.
Tampa Bay Rays: SS Masyn Winn retired from professional baseball.
New York Yankees: RP Sang-jun Kim retired from professional baseball.
New York Yankees: CF Jasson Dominguez retired from professional baseball.
Baltimore Orioles: SP Chase Petty retired from professional baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers: SP Dylan Lesko retired from professional baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers: CF Druw Jones retired from professional baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates: 2B Termarr Johnson retired from professional baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies: SS Zach Neto retired from professional baseball.
Atlanta Braves: C Leonardo Bernal retired from professional baseball.
Baltimore Orioles: 2B Dylan O'Rae retired from professional baseball.

Atlanta Braves: Retired #13 in honor of Ronald Acuna Jr..

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Personnel

Thanks for the time having me as a coach. I appreciate all you have done, but I have decided to sign with the Everett AquaSox as a Pitching Coach.

Rookie Manager Matt Bouchard

Rookie Manager T.R. Keating

International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Juan Carmona, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Juan Carmona is a long, lean athletic third baseman who was born in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. He projects to be able to consistently put the barrel of the bat on the ball. He has the strength to put a charge in the baseball and hit an above average number of dingers. He is a slow runner, but has good instincts and will steal more than his fair share of bases. Carmona could be an above average third baseman someday.

Luis Archuleta, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Lean and athletic, Luis Archuleta hails from Villa del Rosario, Venezuela. He displays enough raw power to grow into a true home run threat. He projects to hit for .290 batting average because of his above average contact potential. Archuleta can be a second division starter at center fielder.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

Jorge Rivera, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Jorge Rivera hails from El Factor, Dominican Republic. He projects to be a .290 hitter. He displays enough raw power to grow into a true home run threat. He projects to draw an average number of walks. Rivera has good potential and a very promising future.

Juan Mendoza, 17 year-old 2B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Juan Mendoza hails from Barahona, Dominican Republic. He has power potential to develop into a human highlight film. He projects to be a .270 hitter. He should be good at knowing when to swing and when not to swing. Mendoza is projected to be an above average, everyday big league player.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
David Maldonado, 16 year-old SS out of Cuba
Esteban Aguirre, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Andres Castro, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Juan Bernal, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Khai Choe, 16 year-old SS out of Australia
Andres Morales, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela

Development Lab

Bruce Zglinicki has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• No noticeable changes (Poor)

Sincere Latin has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

Jimmy Goodman has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at right field.

• No noticeable changes.

Enny Van Dyke has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at left field.

Jamie Edwards has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at left field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by 5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by 5

Billy Mumaugh has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at left field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by 5
• Outfield error rating improves by 5

Mike Connelly has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at left field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by 5

Jon Basiliere has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• Infield arm rating improves by <5
• Infield range rating improves by <5
• Infield error rating improves by <5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by <5

Rule 5 Draft Trades & 42-man Changes

Thursday, December 8th , 2039
Placed 2B Gilberto Matos on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed CF Natalino Villa on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed SS Bob Morrison on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed 3B Jorge Calvo on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed LF Greg Alford on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Traded 23-year old RHP Phil Peeples and 21-year old minor league LF Greg Alford to the Seattle Mariners, getting 18-year old minor league 3B Luis Aguilar in return.
RP Jamie Baggett was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
RP Jeremy Miller was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Traded 24-year old minor league RHP Omari Hammie, 25-year old minor league LF Laban Locascio, and 23-year old minor league SS Denis Schramato the New York Mets, getting 18-year old minor league LHP Juan Llamas and $20,000,000 in cash in return.
Friday, December 9th , 2039
Traded 24-year old minor league C Juan Carrillo, 24-year old minor league 1B Nelson Fantauzzi, 23-year old minor league CF Alan Klingsberg, and 22-year old minor league 3B David Castillo to the New York Mets, getting 20-year old minor league 3B Estanislau Covete in return.
Promoted 3B Estanislau Covete from Rookie League Kansas City (DSL) to Double A Northwest Arkansas.
Placed CL Alvaro Baladez on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed SP Jonathan DePalmer on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed RP Chris Giltinan on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed C Gearl Jernigan on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed SP Chris Downey on the secondary (42-man) roster.

Several young players needed to be added to the 42-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft but with limited space that meant some tough decisions for Stewart.

Three trades were the result and, with no players lost in the Rule 5 Draft, it would appear to have been a successful period – assuming that the trades end up with the Royals ahead.

The Mariners were the first partner as midseason arrival Phil Peeples was packaged with 2035 4th Round Greg Alford (an outfielder that wasn’t in line to replace Mumaugh or Goodman) in exchange for 18-year-old 3B Luis Aguilar, who has the potential for a plus eye and plus power.

Next up, the Royals partnered with the Mets to boost the upcoming budget and acquire 18-year-old SP Juan Llamas, who will need to find some extra stuff to have a chance at the major league level. The Royals gave up another outfielder 2036 1st rounder LF Laban Locascio, starting pitcher 2033 11th round SP Omar Hammier, and 2033 International Amateur signing SS Denis Schrama. All will likely appear in the major leagues but the Royals couldn’t see a route for them to star in the near future and all three were Rule 5 eligible.

The final trade saw the Royals package another four players to the Mets for the 68th ranked prospect in baseball 3B Estanislau Covete. The players they gave up were 2034 7th round C Juan Carrillo, 2033 2nd round 1B Nelson Fantauzzi, 2035 1st round CF Alan Klingsberg, and 2034 trade acquisition 3B David Castillo. This was another case of MLB-level players who were not going to fight past the incumbents, with Castillo and Fantauzzi in particular not displaying the character traits sought by the Royals.

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Finance

As we get closer to the start of the season, I have reviewed the team's financial state as of this moment.
As a reminder, you have $232,000,000 available for the total team expenses for the season.

Development Lab

Bobby Witt Jr. has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at first base.

Steve Bakke has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at second base.

Gilberto Matos has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at second base.

Edgar Mir has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at second base.

Mike Murphy has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at catcher.

Sam Hart has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at catcher.

Marquis Foggie has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• No noticeable changes.

Bob Crimi has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at center field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by 5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by <5

International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Juan Carmona, 17 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Juan Carmona is a long, lean athletic third baseman who was born in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. This young man possesses a very good hitting tool. He has above average power potential, the kind that could generate 35 homers a season in the future. He is a slow runner, but has good instincts and will steal more than his fair share of bases. Carmona could develop into a productive regular on a contending team.

David Maldonado, 16 year-old SS out of Cuba
David Maldonado is a long, lean athletic shortstop who was born in San José de las Lajas, Cuba. He is a plus contact potential. His raw strength and quick wrists should give him above average power. He is an above average defender who demonstrates great heart and effort. Maldonado is projected to be an above average, everyday big league player.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

Jorge Rivera, 16 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Jorge Rivera hails from El Factor, Dominican Republic. He has a good swing. He won't likely set records, but could hit for a .290 batting average. He has decent power now and has the chance to have above average power in the future. He has a keen eye and should draw an average number of walks. Rivera can be a second division starter at third baseman.

Juan Mendoza, 17 year-old 2B out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Juan Mendoza hails from Barahona, Dominican Republic. He has raw above average power. He should demonstrate good plate discipline. He displays some contact ability, with potential to be a .250 hitter. Mendoza can be a second division starter at second baseman.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Juan Bernal, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Khai Choe, 16 year-old SS out of Australia
Andres Morales, 16 year-old SS out of Venezuela
Andres Castro, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Esteban Aguirre, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Luis Archuleta, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela

Friday, January 20th , 2040
Signed international amateur SS Juan Bernal out of Venezuela to a minor league contract with a $3,500,000 signing bonus.

Bernal is the star of the class; a likely 2B with plus contact to go with plus-plus power and an average eye would make him the second iteration of Edgar Mir, who will surely be his inspiration.



The Royals made two trades to gather additional International Pool money and used that to test out a large signing class of high work ethic players. They ended up signing eight players in January with more to come.

Wednesday, January 25th , 2040
Signed international amateur RP Jorge Meza out of Venezuela to a minor league contract with a $180,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur 1B Jesus Soto out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $350,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur CF Juan Bayardo out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $200,000 signing bonus.
Sunday, January 29th , 2040
Signed international amateur SP Juan Ticas out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $500,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur CF Vicente Pimentel out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $500,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur CF Nelson Caraballo out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $330,000 signing bonus.
Monday, January 30th , 2040
Signed international amateur RF Juan Morales out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $450,000 signing bonus.

Transactions

Sunday, January 1st , 2040
Texas Rangers: Signed free agent CF Drew Burress to a 3-year contract worth a total of $18,500,000.



Friday, January 13th , 2040
Milwaukee Brewers: Signed free agent 3B Jeremy Rogerson to a 2-year contract worth a total of $31,100,000.



Saturday, January 14th , 2040
Signed free agent SP Tsuguo Abe to a minor league contract with a major league option.



Friday, January 20th , 2040
Traded 30-year old LF Enny Mijhail Van Dyke, 22-year old minor league RHP Chris Giltinan, and 21-year old minor league CF Zach Caldwell to the Chicago Cubs, getting 18-year old minor league SS Juan Colunga, $10,000,000 in cash, and $500,000 in international amateur bonus pool room in return.
Traded 26-year old 3B Marquis Foggie, 24-year old minor league C Josh Hooper, and 24-year old minor league RHP Chris Downey to the Cleveland Guardians, getting 29-year old 3B Eric Rose (retaining 50%) and $2,350,000 in international amateur bonus pool room in return.

Hall of Fame

A great day for the Kansas City Royals as Salvador Perez became only the second player in history to be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in a Royals cap. It was his 8th year on the ballot and he garnered 75.2% of the vote to earn immortality.

Joining Perez in the 2040 class is RF Shohei Ohtani who earned 83.1% of the vote in his 3rd year on the ballot.

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Development Lab

Jadon Tezeno has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• No noticeable changes (Poor)

Arturo Oramas has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

Kellington Raw has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

Chris Ambrose has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at third base.

David Amaya has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at left field.

• No noticeable changes.

Juan Parra has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at second base.

• Infield arm rating improves by 5
• Infield range rating improves by <5
• Infield error rating improves by <5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by <5

Eddy Cordero has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at second base.

• Infield arm rating improves by 5
• Infield range rating improves by <5
• Infield error rating improves by <5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by 5

Bobby Nickelberry has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at right field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by 5

Chase Standberry has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to generate more batspeed and homerun power.

No noticeable changes.

Dan Carrig has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his secondary pitch.
Now that he is finished his training I have compiled a new scouting report on him.

• Potential slider stuff improves by <5
• Current slider stuff improves by 5

Ethan Chafin has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his strength and conditioning.

• Proneness improves from Very Fragile to Fragile

Bailey Pinsmail has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his secondary pitch.

• Potential sinker stuff improves by 5
• Current sinker stuff improves by <5

Preseason & Spring Training

Thursday, February 23rd , 2040
Purchased the contract of SP Joe Davis from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of SP Dan Carrig from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of RP Alfredo Cadena from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of RP Alvaro Baladez from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of RF Esteban Medina from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of 2B Gilberto Matos from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of SP Jonathan DePalmer from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of CF Natalino Villa from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of SS Bob Morrison from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of 3B Jorge Calvo from Triple A Omaha.
Purchased the contract of C Gearl Jernigan from Triple A Omaha.

The Royals start 4-3 in Spring Training with plenty of chances for players to dust off the rust and, for some, learn new positions at the same time.

The Royals bench Chase Standberry for 2 weeks with a minimal injury but remain generally healthy beyond that.

Transactions & Injuries

Wednesday, February 1st , 2040
Signed international amateur CF Alexis Carrillo out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $290,000 signing bonus.
Saturday, February 4th , 2040
Signed international amateur SS Julio Carrillo out of Venezuela to a minor league contract with a $600,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur 2B Alfredo Moreno out of Venezuela to a minor league contract with a $600,000 signing bonus.

Three more International Amateurs to likely close the class at 11, their biggest class of Stewart’s tenure.

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Development Lab

Jamie Edwards has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• Leg proneness increases from Normal Bordering on Fragile to Somewhat Fragile

Billy Mumaugh has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• No noticeable changes (Poor)

Eric Rose has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

Jon Basiliere has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• No noticeable changes.

Edgar Mir has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

Jimmy Goodman has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• Stealing improves by <5
• Stealing aggressiveness improves by <5

Steve Bakke has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• Stealing improves by <5
• Stealing aggressiveness improves by 5

Mike Connelly has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• Stealing improves by 5
• Stealing aggressiveness improves by 5

Juan Colunga has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

Estanislau Covete has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at third base.

• No noticeable changes.

Jorge Calvo has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at third base.

• Infield arm rating improves by 5
• Infield range rating improves by <5
• Infield error rating improves by 5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by <5

Bob Morrison has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his base-stealing technique.

• Stealing improves by <5
• Stealing aggressiveness improves by <5

Spring Training

The Royals had an excellent Spring Training, going 22-6.

However, they lost two pitchers to multi-week injuries which means they will open the season below full strength but with the knowledge that they will get a pitching boost in May.

Transactions & Injuries

Friday, March 2nd , 2040
Placed RP Jon Hall on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to 02/28/2040.
Thursday, March 15th , 2040
RP B.J. Heaton was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: forearm tendinitis. He's expected to miss about 2-3 weeks.
Thursday, March 22nd , 2040
SP Ethan Chafin was injured while pitching. The diagnosis is not yet known.
Friday, March 23rd , 2040
SP Ethan Chafin diagnosed with an elbow strain, will miss 6 weeks.
Sunday, March 25th , 2040
SP Bailey Pinsmail was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: dead arm. He's expected to miss about 5 days.

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Major League Predictions

The Royals are predicted to be the best team in baseball and to be the only team to win 100 games. An AL leading 854 runs is predicted to go with an AL-low runs against of 574, a differential of +280.

Bob Crimi is predicted to be one of the top four bats in the league with Curt Bogans preseason favourite to earn a hat trick of Cy Youngs.






Opening Day Lineup



Opening Day Roster Transactions

Sunday, March 25th , 2040
Optioned C Gearl Jernigan to Triple A Omaha.
Optioned 2B Gilberto Matos to Triple A Omaha.
Optioned 3B Jorge Calvo to Triple A Omaha.
Optioned SS Bob Morrison to Triple A Omaha.
3B Jon Basiliere was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Optioned CF Natalino Villa to Triple A Omaha.
Optioned RF Esteban Medina to Triple A Omaha.

Opening Day Pitching Battery



Opening Day Roster Transactions

Sunday, March 25th , 2040
Optioned RP Joe Davis to Triple A Omaha.

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KC Top Prospects

There is a lot of talent at the top end of the Royals Minor League system with Matos, Davis, and Manley all expecting to see time on the field this season, while all three of Carrig, DePalmer, and Avis are in the opening day 27.



MLB Top Prospects

Much like the Royals system, there are a couple of players at the top of systems that will look to see time in the Major Leagues this year with a few players lower down the list starting with the big league team.



MLB Farm Systems

The Royals have stuck at the top of the systems rankings, third with five players in the top 35 players in all of baseball. The Marlins have three of the top ten to put them in a good position for the future.

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MLB Standings



Kansas City Results



Kansas City Team Statistics





Jonathan DePalmer is turning heads by putting up some spectacular numbers and today he collected the American League Rookie of the Month Award.

The 24-year-old Kansas City starting pitcher threw 37 innings in April, registering a 3-1 record, 2.92 ERA, 31 strikeouts and 11 walks.

Transactions & Injuries

Monday, April 2nd , 2040
RF Jimmy Goodman was injured being hit by a pitch. The Diagnosis: broken hamate bone. He's expected to miss about 2-3 months.
Purchased the contract of RF Esteban Medina from Triple A Omaha.
Thursday, April 5th , 2040
Sent RP B.J. Heaton to Triple A Omaha for injury rehab.
Monday, April 9th , 2040
Sent RP Jon Hall to Triple A Omaha for injury rehab.

Minor League News

When Bobby Nickelberry stepped up to the plate in April he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the Texas League Batter of the Month award.

The young Northwest Arkansas right fielder posted a .432 batting average with 10 home runs, 31 RBIs and scored 18 runs. Nickelberry also worked pitchers for 9 walks to post a .494 on-base percentage.

In April Northwest Arkansas starter Ben Lane confused hitters all month long. Last month's Texas League Pitcher of the Month took home the trophy as he collected a 4-0 record in 4 starts.

The 20-year-old Lane added 29 strikeouts in 28.1 innings and 8 walks to his season record and compiled a 0.64 ERA. Other clubs hit .090 against him.