The Kansas City Royals are your 2015 World Series Champions, and they accomplished that feat just one year after falling short in the 2014 World Series. The Royals have been in the World Series in back-to-back years, but can there be a Royals World Series repeat?
It’s a lofty goal, and it will be a very tough one for the Royals to reach. Kansas City added a couple of key free agents to help them with their 2015 run, and those players will likely be departing this offseason. Star OF Alex Gordon is a free agent as well, and several Royals are in line for raises. Can the Royals keep their core together and make a run in 2016?
Necessities for a Royals World Series Repeat
Re-sign OF Alex Gordon
If the Royals don’t re-sign rental players Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist, they can still make a run in 2016. They’ll be able to do something at the trade deadline, perhaps, or replace their departing rentals with cheaper options. While rental players aren’t essential to the Royals regular-season success, Alex Gordon has been a key part of the Royals teams that made the World Series in each of the past two years. Therefore, the Royals front office should treat him as a necessity to the future success of the Royals.
The Royals aren’t exactly big spenders, but Gordon who has become the face of their franchise and they have some extra World Series cash that they can put towards the effort. A long-term Gordon contract runs the risk of sinking the Royals a few years from now, but in the meantime, it will extend their championship window. It’s a tough risk that the Royals usually aren’t accustomed to, but in baseball, you have to pay to play in order to have and maintain success.
Grab a Pitcher for a Fair Price
The Royals added ace pitcher Johnny Cueto at the trade deadline for a reason. Postseason success involves more than hitting (despite what you may have heard from gushing commentators during the World Series). Without Cueto’s strong game in the World Series and several strong starts in Kansas City during the regular season, it’s doubtful that the Royals would have gotten all the way to the top in 2015.
The Royals probably don’t have the cash to re-sign Cueto, but there will be some more affordable arms available below the top-tier guys like Cueto, Zack Greinke, and David Price. Maybe the Royals could sign Mike Leake or John Lackey instead.
Make Mid-Season Moves
The 2016 Royals will not be better than the 2015 World Series Royals on Opening Day, and that’s okay. Especially for small-market teams like the Royals, judicious trade-deadline moves are the best way to make a timely surge for the championship. Just as the Royals were able to snap up Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto this year, perhaps they can grab some useful players mid-season next year. Another couple of rental stars could put this team over the top and back into the World Series.
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