KC Royals News: Ryan Madson to Oakland, Trades And More
KC Royals news fixates on different signings this weekend. The Royals have jumped out of the Zobrist race, lost Ryan Madson to the Athletics, and have been rumored to be interested in different trades.
The Kansas City Royals are in the middle of one of the most pivotal offseasons in their franchise history, coming off of only their second World Series championship. So far this offseason the Royals have been very quiet as a few of their key players are some of the top free agents available in free agency.
Just Sunday, the Royals lost one of their best relief pitchers in Ryan Madson to the Oakland Athletics. Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto, and a few more are all likely to sign elsewhere as well in the coming weeks.
General Manager Dayton Moore has been slow to pull the trigger so far this offseason, but if they are going to lose the guys I listed above, he must have an idea for a cheaper, younger, or better replacement to go after in the next couple of months.
Lets take a look at what fansided.com has to say about Ryan Madson and other Royals’ news:
Royals Rumors: Ryan Madson Signs With Oakland [KCKingdom]
"Madson came into Kansas City last season as a risky option. He was out of baseball for a few years and then had Tommy John surgery, which he struggled to come back from. Dayton Moore and the Kansas City Royals took a chance on Madson, and it paid off handsomely.Madson went on to have an excellent year in the Royals bullpen. He posted a 2.13 ERA in 68 games (63.1 innings pitched), only allowing five home runs and 14 walks. Madson slid into the seventh inning role once Greg Holland was out for the year, and he went on to be the “M” in the newly established M-H-D trio in the bullpen (Madson, Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, obviously)."
Royals Rumors: Chris Young Could Return to Royals [KCKingdom]
"Young was one of the Royals’ many free agents this off season, but he wasn’t as “sexy” as a name as guys like Alex Gordon and Ben Zobrist, both of whom should be hitting big days in the next few weeks.Young did, however, dominate for the Royals during the postseason.He pitched in four games, starting two, and ended his playoff appearance with a 2.87 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched. His most impressive performance came in Game 1 of the World Series where he pitched into extra innings three innings without allowing a hit."
KC Royals: Should Royals Chase Former Phillies Ace Cliff Lee? [Kings of Kaufman]
"Though he is 37-years-old, what makes the possibility interesting is that he was pretty effective the last time he pitched in 2014. That season, Lee went 4-5 in 81.1 innings, with a 3.65 ERA. While that was only 3% above league average ERA+ (103), his 2.96 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) suggested Lee should have gotten much better results.Lee has not pitched since July 31, 2014 due to elbow and forearm problems. He sat out the 2015 season attempting to let his common flexor tendon heal without surgical intervention and has now received medical clearance to throw once again."
Now here is what the rest of the internet is saying about the Royals:
SB Nation: Royals Pursuing Scott Kazmir, Close to Signing Chris Young (Royalsreview.com)
"While the Royals have been mostly quiet on the Ben Zobrist and Alex Gordon front, their attention may be turned to adding a starting pitcher. Buster Olney of ESPN reports the Royals are pursuing left-handed pitcher Scott Kazmir, who spent last year with the Athletics and Astros. Kazmir posted a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts last year with 3.98 FIP and 7.62 strikeouts-per-nine innings. Kazmir slumped after being traded to the Astros with a 4.17 ERA in Houston and a 6.93 ERA over his last five starts. He started Game Two of the American League Division Series against the Royals, giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings, getting a no-decision in the Royals comeback victory.Kazmir turns 32 next month and has won 98 games with a 3.96 ERA in 11 Major League seasons with the Rays, Angels, Indians, Athletics, and Astros. He began his career as a fireballer, but lost his command and effectiveness and was out of baseball in 2012. He rebounded in 2013 with the Indians and has been a 2+ fWAR pitcher every season since."
KC Royals Could be a Fit for Marcell Ozuma (Royalsreview.com)
"Ozuna could also fill a gap in the middle of the Royals lineup. His 2015 numbers, a .259/.308/.383 batting line with ten home runs in 459 at bats, may not seem overly impressive, but there were signs of progress. Ozuna cut his strikeout rate by 4.5%, while increasing his line drive rate to 28%, a 5% increase over 2014. His .320 batting average on balls in play was also above league average, making his disappointing 2015 statistics all the more perplexing. With Loria’s desire to be rid of Ozuna likely puts the Marlins at a disadvantage when it comes to trade talks, the center fielder’s seemingly disappointing 2015 season could also diminish the Marlins return. However, given his solid peripherals, Ozuna may be ready for quite the bounceback season. Under team control until 2020, Ozuna could be a long term solution for a team needing outfield help."