Kansas City Royals prove there are bad one year contracts
The Kansas City Royals offseason has been less than exciting. Now, they have proven there is such a thing as a bad one year contract.
In what has been a quiet offseason, the Kansas City Royals hot stove has been as cold and barren as Siberia. Their two free agent signings have been Ryan Goins and Wily Peralta, moves that barely registered outside of those player’s families. The biggest move the Royals have made involved trading Joakim Soria and Scott Alexander in exchange for Trevor Oaks. #championship
Meanwhile, the Royals have their own cast of free agents. Franchise stalwarts, such as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, are without a home. Lorenzo Cain, a key player on defense and in the clubhouse, has departed for the Milwaukee Brewers. However, the Royals are set to retain one of their own players – shortstop Alcides Escobar, who Kansas City is getting closer to signing.
Dayton Moore confirms the Royals still are working on the Alcides Escobar deal. Not at the finish line yet. Dayton also said it would be a short-term contract but that Esky would play "a lot of shortstop." Raul Mondesi likely would be moved around or start at Omaha.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) January 26, 2018
According to Buster Olney, this contract would be for one year at $2.5 million. In theory, this is not a bad deal, a short term contract for Escobar to serve as a bridge to the future. Instead, given the Royals expectations for the 2018 campaign, and their impending rebuild, this move proves that there is such a thing as a bad one year contract.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Yes, Escobar has been durable, playing in 162 games in three of the last four years. That number may have a lot more to do with potentially incriminating photos of Ned Yost than his actual ability on the diamond. Over those past four seasons, Escobar has a .263/.293/.351 batting line, worth an OPS+ of just 73. He was even worse last year, “producing” a .250/.272/.357 batting line, hitting six homers, but stealing only four bases in 11 attempts.
A great deal of Escobar’s perceived value comes from his defense. And yet, he only had one season where he saved the Royals runs defensively, back in 2015. Overall, he has cost the Royals three runs, not terrible by any stretch, but nowhere near keeping his horrendous bat in the lineup.
The worst part of this potential signing is that the Royals basically have Escobar already in Raul Mondesi Jr. He also has a reputation for being a great defensive infielder, but can barely hit his way out of a wet paper sack. Although his career .181/.226/.271 batting line in 209 plate appearances is worse than Escobar’s career marks, Mondesi is just 22 years old currently.
Kansas City know what Escobar is – a weak hitting shortstop that is losing a step on the basepaths and with the glove. Mondesi, meanwhile, has plenty of room to develop. It is not a stretch of the imagination to say that he could be just as productive as Escobar over the course of a season, if not better. And, at the major league minimum, that would be a savings of nearly $2 million for a team that has been rumored to be looking to save payroll.
Next: Royals top ten prospects
The Kansas City Royals may be bringing back Alcides Escobar on a one year deal. Just goes to show that even a one year contract can be horrendous.