Financial Situation Part III: How to Spend the Surplus

I wonder if Allard read by blog and decided to send Wood down for a couple of weeks, which should make him a longshot to become a Super Two. Wood certainly doesn't have much to work on and I'd feel more confident allowing him start right away than Shawn Camp, who didn't pitch very well today. But, the Royals should be able to avoid a year of arbitration, which will give the Royals some more payroll room in 2007. Greinke might be next.

The 2006 Roster Filled From Within:

Catchers (2):
C John Buck (325)
C Phillips (FA) (325)

Infielders (7):
1B Mike Sweeney (11000)
1B Justin Huber (325)
2B Ruben Gotay (325)
SS Angel Berroa (2000)
3B Mark Teahan (325)
Util Mike Aviles (FA) (325)
Util Donnie Murphy (325)
FA possibilities: Tony Graffanino, or anyone but Desi

Outfielders (4):
LF Shane Costa/Chip Ambres (FA) (325)
CF David DeJesus (325)
RF Emil Brown/Mitch Maier (arbitration guess: $2 million)
OF Mitch Maier (325)
FA: Matt Lawton, Jose Cruz, Brian Giles, Jacque Jones

Starting Pitchers (5):
SP Zack Greinke (350)
SP Runelvys Hernandez (arbitration guess: $2 million)
SP Andrew Sisco (325)
SP Denny Bautista (325)
SP JP Howell/DJ Carrasco/Kyle Snyder (325)
FA: Kevin Millwood, AJ Burnett, Matt Morris, Estaben Loaiza, Paul Byrd

Relievers (6):
CL Mike MacDougal (375)
RP Ambiorix Burgos (325)
RP Mike Wood (325)
RP Jeremy Affeldt (arbitration guess: $1.5 million)
RP Andrew Sisco (FA) (325)
RP Leo Nunez (325)
-other possibilities: Jimmy Gobble, Jonah Bayliss, Kyle Snyder
Total Cost without arbitration: $19.250 million
Total Cost with arbitration guesses: $24.750 million

The free agent crop is pretty thin. The Royals' biggest need, a quality starter, will be tough to get with the poor quality available. The best the Royals can hope for is that Clemens, Burnett, and Rogers distract the top spenders and the Royals can sign a No. 2 or 3 starter at a reasonable price. The Royals seem to like a veteran bench, so I expect them to sign a veteran utility guy and a veteran backup catcher. The coveted power-hitting corner outfielder will be tough to find. The Royals could sign Lawton or Giles until Costa, Maier, or Ambres are fully ready. The Royals problem is that those 3 OF prospects haven't really shown good power in the minors (except Ambres I guess), so I'd be in favor of keeping them in the minors until they do.

I really don't see any feasible way for the Royals to spend $25 million this offseason with a thin free agent crop. While the Royals have $25 million this offseason, that figure drops significantly in 2007 because of arbitration. So, the Royals may be limited in contract length. The Royals can do a couple different things:

1. Save the money and spend it in 2007 and beyond when the Royals are contending. I doubt the money would actually get saved, but it would give the Royals the ability to sign a key player or two later on.

2. Spend the money on one or two solid, above-average players. The Royals could sign a No. 2 starter and a corner outfielder for about $12-15 million/yr. With the outfielder, I'd prefer a one-year deal with a club option. That gives our young outfielders time to develop and if they don't, we have a veteran outfielder to fall back on.