Unexpected Pretenders for the 2017 Season
By Matt Meffe
Kansas City Royals
The death of Yordano Ventura proved that life can end at any point, any time, in any way. Life is short, and you should live it to the fullest. Ventura’s death is very tragic, and there is no doubt that he had the tools to be a success in MLB. The Kansas City Royals will go into the 2017 season without their flame-throwing young pitcher, looking to rebound from a disappointing 2016 campaign. The Royals did make a few moves in the offseason, some that were beneficial, and some that were questionable. Kansas City traded away closer Wade Davis to the Cubs in exchange for Jorge Soler. The team also acquired pitcher Nate Karns from the Mariners for Jarrod Dyson. In a smaller move, the Royals acquired outfielder Peter O’Brien from the Diamondbacks.
The move to get Karns was smart, as the Royals’ starting pitching staff was lacking. However, the move to get Soler was questionable, as the Royals are already stacked with outfielders, even without Jarrod Dyson. The Royals bullpen is also not the same as it was in 2015, and trading away Wade Davis, their closer, was odd and questionable. With these problems combined, the Royals may take a step back in 2017, going from contenders to pretenders.