Next year's lineup needs to get much deeper, very quickly. Our window is not that wide. Salvy won't produce forever, and pitching staff window is one more year. There is no help coming from the minors. There are like seven wasted 40 man spots on batters with no business being a part of a competitive organization.

Lineup should look like
RHB FA
LHB FA
Witt
LHB FA
Salvy
Pasquantino
Maikel
Massey
Isbel/whatever

Witts career cannot be wasted by this organization, and they must crack open the checkbook next year.
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Melendez is still 25. He's going to get more rope I imagine and he probably should. Royals have a long history of guys like Moose and Gordon finally getting it around that time. You can't let him walk and become a Moose-like player somewhere else.

There's no guarantees but you could see someone like Gavin Cross next year too. Caglianone would have to tear it up but you'd hope he's a guy you'd see in the next couple years. They do have Witt, Vinnie, Garcia, Massey, Ragans and Erceg for 4-5 more years. That's a pretty good window in today's baseball.
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They'll get Lugo, Ragans, Singer and Marsh back next year. Wacha has a player option but I would imagine he'll decline and go for a bigger deal given the season he's had. Lorenzen is a free agent.

All the midseason pickups are free agents, DeJong, Pham, Grossman and Gurriel. Adam Frazier has a club option for $8.5 mil that I would be stunned if the Royals picked up. Renfroe also has a player option that he'll probably decline and hit free agency again.

The Royals were also on the hook for $18.5 mil for Hunter Dozier and Jordan Lyles this year. They'll have money they can spend if they want but they also have a lot of spots to fill. Particularly in the bullpen and corner OF spots.
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Next season is going to really show how bad Moore was at drafting. BWJ fell into his lap, but all the rest of have been complete busts.
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I think this past month has shown it. This is when the Prattos of the world should shine. Instead we have a 41 yr old at first, Pham, Grossman, Frazier, and Hampson playing in a fucking pennant race. This is a 60 win lineup they are trotting out there right now.
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Watch out, don't question the acquisitions and/or lack of young guys playing. This board will get ya.
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Bubic should get a shot at the rotation next year.
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Agreed. Forgot to mention him.
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The season on the line and we decide to put Adam Frazier in the leadoff spot? I don't even know what to say.
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This last week pissed me off.

If at the beginning of the season had you told me the Royals magic number in the last week of the season would be six, I'd have been ecstatic. However, I'm nearly convinced it's too high of a number given the way they've played the last 2.5 weeks or so.
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Royals play the Nationals staying on Tuesday.

The Nationals are optioning CJ Abrams to the minor leagues, sources tell the Athletic. Abrams was an All Star, but has struggled in the second half.

— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) September 21, 2024

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He wasn't demoted for performance-based reasons either.

CJ Abrams was optioned to Class A West Palm Beach after violating curfew by being at a casino until 8 AM Friday, per @Cody_CHGO https://t.co/wPP5Vow4kw pic.twitter.com/dHFuGnBGQp

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 21, 2024

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Apparently he was in the casino until 8 am before a 1pm game. That's the word on Reddit anyway. And it sounds like it's an ongoing problem.
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The trend is the issue.

If they sucked at first but turned it on late, we’d all love this.

Starting hot and comfortably being in the playoffs most of the season, then making it way too close, is much harder to watch.
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I used to see Jose Lima at Ameristar casino at like 2 AM all the time back in the day. Even one time when he was pitching at 1 PM, he was there playing 3 card poker all night.
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