Kansas City Royals: Whit Merrifield poses interesting dilemma
By David Hill
Kansas City Royals utility man Whit Merrifield is a hot name in trade rumors. However, his desire to remain with the Royals poses an interesting dilemma for the front office.
With the Kansas City Royals having already waved the white flag on the season, and the fire sale already well underway, the trade deadline will be an exciting time. Mike Moustakas is all but guaranteed to be playing elsewhere come August. Lucas Duda could be an interesting bench player, and someone the Royals would likely love to trade. Virtually nothing on the roster is safe.
This includes players under team control like Whit Merrifield. The Royals primary second baseman is in the midst of another solid season, producing a .303/.369/.427 batting line, hitting 27 doubles and stealing 16 bases. He likely should have been the Royals All Star representative, instead of Salvador Perez.
Naturally, that production, as well as Merrifield being able to play virtually anywhere aside from pitcher and catcher, make him an attractive trade piece. However, if he has his way, the Royals super utility man would want to remain in Kansas City for the long haul, as he is hoping to ink a long term extension.
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This desire puts the Royals in an interesting spot. While Merrifield is under team control for the next four years, his price tag is going to start increasing when he reaches arbitration. Signing him to an extension would give the Royals some cost certainty over that time frame. Such an extension, similar to what the Royals did with Perez and Danny Duffy, would further the belief that the front office is attempting to put together a core group for the next run of contention.
However, Merrifield is not likely to become any better than he already is. He is already 29 years old, and is in the middle of his hypothetical prime. An extension may well be cost effective for the Royals, but will he ever be more than what he is – a Ben Zobrist type player with speed and a bit of pop?
That is the decision the Royals have to make. If Merrifield is put on the block, he may well fetch the best return of anyone that they trade. However, an extension would give Kansas City excellent versatility over the next few years, allowing them to mask any holes in the lineup.
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Whit Merrifield wants to stay with the Kansas City Royals for the long term. Yet, for the long term outlook of the roster, he may end up being sent elsewhere.