The best thing about baseball free agency is that, no matter how well things go for our favorite teams, we can always go off on a fantasy rotisserie tangent and look for player that make us say what if. With that being said, here's 3 Free Agents The Royals Should Have Signed This Offseason.
2B Howie Kendrick
The Royals are looking for an upgrade at second base over veteran Omar Infante, so why not target the most consistent overall middle-infield option on the market? Kendrick has hit below .280 just once over his ten-year career (2010) and gives you above average defense at second. His price tag is a little higher than the Royals are usually willing to pay for a position player north of thirty. However, if anyone is worth it, it's Kendrick.
Note: He's still on the market. You listening, Dayton?
LHP Scott Kazmir
Ian Kennedy was a major reach at five years and $70 million, based on recent performance. For just $2 million more per year, the Royals may have been able to bring Kazmir in the mix. With Kennedy, the Royals have a righty who is living off of two very good seasons with Arizona in 2010 and 2011. With Kazmir, you have a lefty who presents more matchup problems AND has a track record of putting together Cy Young-level stretches of brilliance.
Advantage Kazmir.
RHP Darren O'Day
O'Day re-signed with the Orioles early in the free agent process, but the Royals did kick the tires on the submariner -- leaving us thinking this was a missed opportunity. Joakim Soria is a fantastic Plan 1B, but O'Day has been the best setup man in baseball over his past four years in Baltimore with a composite 1.92 ERA. His age (33) reportedly kept Kansas City from opening the pocketbooks wide, but his nuanced delivery should be enough to make up for any loss in velocity over his mid-thirties.
Back to the Kansas City Royals Newsfeed