The MLB Winter Meetings are winding down, which means the baseball rumor mill is kicking into high gear. One of the teams with the loudest rumblings from the front-office powwow is the Kansas City Royals. Here's the two biggest news items from a busy Wednesday morning in Nashville.
Gordon Update
With Ben Zobrist locked and loaded on a new multi-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, the focus in the land of the Kansas City Royals shifts back to left fielder Alex Gordon and an ever-shifting narrative regarding whether or not he will re-sign.
While there hasn't been a ton of progress per se with Gordon currently occupying the second tier of free agents, there remains a sense of optimism in the front office -- even if a deal for the career-long Royal would be the largest in team history.
Via Max Reiper of Royals Review
"There have been reports the Royals are already priced out of the Gordon market. However they have reportedly "not given up" on signing Gordon, and appear to be patiently biding their time for the outfield market to develop. Any deal to re-sign Gordon would be the largest deal in franchise history, eclipsing the five-year, $55 million deals they signed to Mike Sweeney in 2002 and Gil Meche in December of 2006. Gordon may be willing to take a bit of a "hometown discount", but the Royals are going to have to put forth a very competitive offer."
The Royals have made it clear that they're looking to salvage funds in an attempt to sign their core group of players in 2017, so it's possible they won't be willing to extend Gordon a five-year deal at this point.
The St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels are the three teams who'd be most likely to bend on such a demand, so it'll be interesting to see just how the Royals front office plays this if one, two or all three come over the top in an attempt to sign the 31-year-old outfielder. The Giants are the latest to be connected to him, with ESPN's Pedro Gomez tweeting on Wednesday that San Francisco is "hot for Gordon."
Royals Seeking Carlos Gonzalez Trade?
The Kansas City Royals were connected in trade speculation surrounding Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez earlier this month, and now it appears a little fuel has been added to the rumor fire.
With the trade market heating up around the 30-year-old impact bat at the MLB Winter Meetings, the Royals are one of at least four teams who'd make the most sense as suitors.
Via Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Carlos Gonzalez's name is getting out there as possible trade candidate now. Teams seeking OF bat: o's, giants, royals, cardinals, etc.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 9, 2015
The Rockies haven't hidden the fact that they're willing to shop everyone and anyone on their roster, as evidence by dealing Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays before July's trade deadlin. Gonzalez's injury history makes him a risk, but the Rockies would likely pay a significant portion of the two years and $37 million left on his contract in order to up the ante for a prospect package in return.
Gonzalez finished third in the National League in 2015 with 40 home runs. His slash line jumped from a career worst in 2014 to .271/.340/.540, but he did post the second-most strikeouts of his eight-year career with 133.
Back to the Kansas City Royals Newsfeed