Kansas City Baseball Vault

Back in March of 2011, Eric Hosmer and Sal Perez hadn't even played in Omaha yet, and we started a crazy little Royals podcast. Through controversial trades, odd managerial moves, slumps, surges, winning streaks, and a couple of playoff appearances, we've been here to discuss it all, culminating in a World Series and the following rebuild.This is our final episode. All things must end, and this seems the right time. With an ownership change ahead, a new manager, and a new wave of players in the pipeline, we're stepping away leaving behind 8 years and 9 seasons. It's been an absolute joy. We've always tried to do our show our way and the things we've been able to do and people we've been able to meet ... it's been crazy. On behalf of our founder Troy Olsen, our incomparable host Jeff Herr, the kid in the back of the classroom throwing spitballs Chris Kamler, and myself: Thank you for listening. If you've been here since day one, my gosh, thanks for sticking with us. If you only just found us, I'm sorry for the rough timing...but we have plenty of past episodes online.For this episode, we invited Troy and Chris back to join us and just sat down and talked about the experience, our memories, our favorite guests and moments, and just had a lot of fun hanging out. There's not much in the way of Royals news, but we had a lot of fun and I hope you give it a listen. (ALSO: Should warn you that there is some cursing, as we just kinda let it go for this one.)If nothing else....here's the rundown of the episode if you want to bounce around:Open: Mike McCartney, the voice of Kauffman Stadium, reads a soliloquy we handed him sometime in maybe 2012.From there, it's the four of us talking about everything.At 1:30:15, a compilation of the moments we've covered during the run of the show: "Everyone's an MVP to Someone"1:35:30 - The Fake Ned Minute1:41:25 - an old Kelly's ad: "Barhopping"1:42:28 - another ad: "Spit Cup"1:44:30 - Compilation: "Royals Are The Champions:1:47:30 - Outtakes: "Kamler is summoned"1:47:49 - Outtakes: "A Great Opportunity!"1:48:15 - Outtakes: "Sponsorships"1:49:50 - The best tribute to baseball I can imagine: A. Bartlett Giamatti reading "The Green Fields of the Mind"Follow us on Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelhttp://twitter.com/DFFVoicehttp://twitter.com/TheFakeNedThank you, and as always, go Royals.-Michael Engel

Every season during spring training, we make some predictions. Some are good, some are bad. Sometimes we're way off. But we always go back and check how we did at the end of the year. This year is no different.In this episode, we round third and head home as we wrap up our ninth Royals season of coverage. We have one more episode of reminiscing to do, so this is the last show where we provide share our thoughts about the 2019 Royals and what lies ahead for the team.Next week, we'll welcome back Chris Kamler (The Fake Ned) and Troy Olsen (Royalman) to get the band back together one more time, share some stories, and make a lot of inside jokes. The shenanigans will be high. The insight... maybe not as much. But we hope you join us anyway.It's been a joy to share our thoughts with you and we want to give our thanks to anyone out there who ever listened to us, downloaded a show, came out to an event, or ever sent us a message on Twitter or through email. This show has meant so much and for a bunch of talkers, it's ironically hard to find the right words to express our thanks. And as always...go Royals.Follow us!Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

After much speculation, Ned Yost has announced that he's retiring at the end of the season. He's been an interesting manager to follow...with some conflicting feelings. We discuss the dichotomy and Yost's legacy and impact on the current Royals, the past Royals, and most importantly, the champion Royals.He will have a special place in Royals history after two pennants and the most wins in franchise history, but he wasn't always everyone's favorite.We also brought up a few anniversaries occurring this week involving another retirement and some of the best Royals memories we have.And to wrap up, we discussed revelations from Danny Duffy about anxiety, depression, and panic attacks as detailed in Sam McDowell's story in the Kansas City Star.Follow us!Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

This could be one of our weirder shows, in that we're talking about disappointment. Before that part, though, we recap some of the milestones ahead, including Jorge Soler's incredible season, and Whit Merrifield's excellence at the plate.But then, we got to talking about regrets. About disappointment. What were the disappointing storylines of the 2019 season? What would we have wished to see?And then, in the wider view, in the nine seasons during which we've done this podcast, what are some of the things we wish we'd have witnessed? Who are the players we wanted to see more of? Who were the guys who didn't make it who we were really hoping to?Hey, if you don't have expectations or hopes, you can't be disappointed, right?Follow us!Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

There are just a few weeks left in the season, and while the Royals won't be making the playoffs, there are still some storylines worth following as the year wraps up. We discuss what we're watching the rest of the way - momentum, improvements, milestones, and moments we want to see as this Royals season comes to a close.Follow us!Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

Finally! Jorge Soler hit home runs 39 and 40 in the last week, surpassing Mike Moustakas in the Royals record books and giving the Royals their first 40 home run season.If you've listened to our show for any length of time, you know that 40 homers was a milestone we were really rooting for, so with Jorge Soler's achievement, we had to celebrate a little bit. We discussed Soler's health, power, his place in the Royals lineup and what this season means for the Royals future.We also discussed the September roster, including Ryan McBroom, a hitter with a strong track record from the Yankees organization, and the return of Adalberto Mondesi from the injured list.Follow us!Twitter:http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

This week, the bombshell news came out that David Glass is negotiating the sale of the Royals, with expectations that the process will be complete by November. That's a franchise-altering story, and one that got us a bit excited. Glass is a lightning rod in Kansas City, but to his credit, he did evolve over the last 10 years or so. Still, it's a complicated legacy, and a new owner could be a very exciting development.We also discussed a few roster moves and talked more about Jorge Soler, as we wait for him to reach 40 home runs for the first time in Royals history.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com

Jorge Soler has had a huge second half, but in the last week, he hasn't had much of an opportunity to continue with it. Most of the lineup behind him has really struggled, and he's been stuck taking walks instead of hitting dingers. He's still on pace to break the Royals single-season home run record, but he's still got time.We also talked about the Royals' starting pitching and depth. All year we've seen their starters cover a lot of innings, and with the addition of Mike Montgomery, they have a group that's at least intriguing going into the future. When you also look at the mix of strong pitching prospects in the Royals' farm system, they may have a lot of decisions to make with how to line up so many strong arms.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

So since our last show, Jorge Soler went on a little hot streak, good enough to earn him AL Player of the Week honors. He added six homers to his total, putting him in position to push for a team record, and an unprecedented 40 home runs.We looked deeper at his season and particularly his past six weeks. He's finally looking like the player many expected when he signed with the Cubs, but he's done so by limiting strikeouts, walking more, and not sacrificing power. It's been impressive, and we're hoping it'll be record-setting.We also talked about Whit Merrifield, Hunter Dozier, and some other milestones Royals hitters are approaching as the season marches on.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

With a quiet trade deadline (for the Royals) the main news this week was an injury to Danny Duffy that will sideline him for a week. We discussed how the Royals will fill his spot in the rotation and what they could or should do instead. While we were talking injuries, we talked a bit about the latest on Adalberto Mondesi, who's still a couple of weeks away from returning from a shoulder injury. It'd be great to see him back on the field, but with the way the season is going, the Royals are exercising caution.While we recorded, Jorge Soler hit his 30th and 31st home runs of the season, and we discussed the chances at the elusive 40 homer season from a Royal.And finally, we recorded on August 6th, which is 16 years to the day since the Royals brought back Kevin Appier for a last-ditch playoff run in 2003. We shared some memories of Appier, that crazy 2003 season, and along the way, we were reminded of how baseball really creates some crazy memories and moments.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The trade deadline came and went and while there were fireworks in other places, in Kansas City it passed without any action, save a Jake Diekman trade in the lead up to the deadline.That means no Whit Merrifield trade, no Ian Kennedy deal. Not even Billy Hamilton. So we discussed some reasons the Royals have stated plus put our own interpretations into the mix. Without seeing the offers, it's hard to say it's a missed opportunity, but some fans are nonetheless disappointed.After covering the Royals, we talked about the big moves in baseball and the value of going for it when the window is open.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The Royals have been playing well in the second half so far, with good offensive production and even a couple of shutouts. We talked about the recent performances of Jakob Junis, Brad Keller, Jorge Soler, and others. Meanwhile, the trade deadline is coming up quickly, and while the Royals have made some moves already, they have a couple of names who may still be dealt. And if that's the case, the Royals have some performers in Omaha ready to step in, with strong performances by Ryan O'Hearn, Brett Phillips, and Richard Lovelady. There's an expected flurry of moves coming in the next week, setting up an interesting last two months of the season.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The Royals had an active week to open the second half of the season.In the span of just a couple of days, they called up Bubba Starling, traded away Homer Bailey, and swapped Martin Maldonado for former Royals draftee Mike Montgomery.And on top of that, they also won three of their first four games (and won on the night we recorded as well). Brad Keller and Jakob Junis had key early second-half performances and the team is scoring some runs, too.Not a bad way to head towards the trading deadline. Speaking of, we also talked about who might be next to be dealt before July 31st...and who's less likely to go.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us! KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

At the all-star break, the Royals haven't been all that good, but there are a few bright spots.We made a lot of predictions before the season started, and every year at this time, we like to hold ourselves accountable, so we looked at how the first half went compared to our expectations. We were right on for some predictions and way off on others.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

This week, we finally caught up with Clint Scoles to talk about the Royals 2019 draft and the state of the Royals' farm system. Clint's insight and knowledge is unmatched, and we're always glad to have him on. He discussed Bobby Witt Jr., college players in the draft, named a few of his favorite picks, and then talked a bit more about the Royals minor league topics like the struggling lineup in Wilmington and the sudden pitching depth in the system.You can read Clint's work at RoyalsAcademy.com and by following him on Twitter at @ClintScoles.We also talked about All-Star news, some returning players (and departing ones), plus a little look at the news that the Royals might use openers later this year.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelhttp://twitter.com/ClintScoleshttp://royalsacademy.comEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The Royals did some roster movement this week, sending Adalberto Mondesi to the IL and calling up Humberto Arteaga to cover shortstop. Meanwhile, they sent Hunter Dozier on a rehab assignment in Springdale (and should be back in Kansas City soon). That'll lead to another move. And Ryan O'Hearn got sent to Omaha to get his mojo back with Jorge Bonifacio returning to KC.And through all that, the Royals might be fielding phone calls for some trade targets.We got caught up on those moves AND the unexpected magic of Homer Bailey.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

While we were away, the Royals added a lot of talent to their organization by way of the MLB Draft. This year, the Royals had the second overall pick in a draft with two huge prospects at the top of the draft. With a team-record bonus, they've signed high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.We discussed his profile along with the rest of the Royals' draft, in particular their focus on college players (for the second year in a row). Aside from Witt, we talked about a few other names selected by the Royals and how things might shake out.We also discussed Jorge Soler and all-star potential, trade rumors, and career highs. Plus some discussion of Bubba Starling and why we think he'll reach Kansas City sooner rather than later.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

This week, the Royals didn't play much, due to off days but they made some moves, others were speculated, and they got a couple of improved starts from Danny Duffy and Brad Keller.Pitching - and many times starting pitching - has been a low point in 2019, but there may be some hope if a few starters can rebound and adjust. If not, well, it'll be a tough season the rest of the way.It may not need to stay like that though. Maybe not this year, but down the line, the Royals could see a lot of help in the pitching staff. Last year's draft really reloaded the farm system, and the Royals first six picks from 2018 have all performed well this season and most are pushing for promotions. All that, and the Royals will soon make the second pick in the draft (and THEN they can make some international signings). So it's not great right now, but it might get better very soon.NOTE: We'll be out for the next two weeks with travel getting in the way with Mike out first, then Jeff the next week. We'll be back after the Royals have made their 2019 MLB Draft selections.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVault http://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The big news this week was the call up of infielder Nicky Lopez, one of the more intriguing prospects in the Royals system right now.We discussed how Lopez will fit in the lineup and what he provides for the players he's hitting around, plus the general makeup of the team today and going forward.We also talked about the team's recent inconsistency, both in scoring runs and from the starting pitching holding games together. Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The Royals offense has been clicking lately. A mix of patience, power, and speed has pushed them into the top five in runs scored in the AL.Unfortunately, the pitching has not done much with that offense, as the Royals entered Wednesday with the worst record in the league, despite a Pythagorean projection closer to .500.It mirrors some trends we've seen before, with some teams 20 years ago that had lots of talent at the plate ... and not as much on the mound. We looked at what might be sustainable as we approach the quarter post, as well as what lessons might be learned from this team.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

We recorded this episode on a pretty darn good day for Royals baseball, just after they swept a double header against Tampa Bay. That performance really helped out the numbers of the starting rotation, which had been faltering more than the bullpen for a change. Much of this season has seen the Royals bullpen blow leads or be more gas on the fire than fireman, but the script was flipped up until Jakob Junis and Glenn Sparkman dominated the Rays.But that's the micro level. On a bigger scale, the Royals are walking and hitting for power, a shift from the organization's usual offensive profile. After a month, they're in the middle of the pack in walks and homers (when usually they're at the bottom of the list). Hunter Dozier is leading the charge, but others are chipping in, and it definitely seems like most of the lineup has a good plan at the plate so far. We discussed walks, some minor leaguers, Adalberto Mondesi continuing being awesome, Bubba Starling, Kelvin Gutierrez debuting, and a lot more.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The 2019 season hasn't gone quite as hoped for the Kansas City Royals. They've missed opportunities, blown leads, and generally, haven't played well.But there are bright spots. The key parts of the lineup have been productive, and there are even a few very fun surprises. The starters have generally been effective (which has limited the bullpen).But despite a recent strong run, the bullpen has been rough with a couple of exceptions. The bottom of the lineup has struggled. It hasn't been fun.Slowly, though, we're seeing some relievers develop into trustworthy options. Some batters are coming around. And, as we discuss in this episode, the Royals are getting Danny Duffy back in the rotation, which should help.SPOILER ALERT: In the last 10 minutes or so, we get on a tangent talking about Game of Thrones and the MCU. There are spoilers. We do warn you when that part comes up. Once that part starts, we don't talk baseball, so you can tune out and we won't be angry. :)Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

Since our last episode, the Royals haven't won a game and the bullpen continues to be an issue.The Royals made a number of moves, including sending Kyle Zimmer to Triple-A and calling up Richard Lovelady. But the veterans in the bullpen have struggled while the starting rotation and offense have been mostly okay. We discussed what might be next for this struggling group and how it lines up with the big picture. Of course, it's not all gloom. Lovelady dealt in his debut. Ryan O'Hearn and Hunter Dozier are hitting the ball hard. Adalberto Mondesi has adjusted after a bad road trip, and the big story is Whit Merrifield's hitting streak, which reached a franchise-record 31 games after we went off air. Will the Royals win a game by next week's episode? Let's hope so.Follow us!Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCBaseballVaulthttp://twitter.com/TheJeffReporthttp://twitter.com/michaelengelEmail us!KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.comAnd remember to rate and subscribe on iTunes or any other podcast app you like.

The 2019 Royals season is officially underway and it's - so far - a little exciting and a little underwhelming.They won two games but the bullpen has been shaky, and the Royals have missed a couple of early opportunities for wins. Nonetheless, some, like Brad Keller, Adalberto Mondesi, Jorge Soler, and others have stepped up early.Are the Royals doomed? Is this a brief glitch? Will Kyle Zimmer get a shot to shut down games? Well, it's too early to tell, but we'll find out over the next 157 games.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. And remember to rate us and subscribe on iTunes.

The Royals found a replacement for Salvador Perez and did some juggling of the pitching staff as Opening Day approaches. After catching up on the news of the day, we made some predictions. Using Baseball Prospectus's PECOTA projections, we picked a few players and stats and guessed at if a player would surpass or fall short of the mark. It's one of our favorite shows to record every year, and this time was no exception. Hear our thoughts on Adalberto Mondesi, Brad Keller, Whit Merrifield, Jakob Junis, and more.And also, a programming note...at the top of the show we made the announcement that the 2019 season will be the final season of the Kansas City Baseball Vault podcast. We started this ride in March of 2011, but the time comes for everyone. We'll spend 2019 catching up with old friends and going out having a blast talking baseball. We plan on doing a few events this year to celebrate, and keep an eye on our Twitter account for information about such gatherings. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. And remember to rate us and subscribe on iTunes.

The baseball free agency market is finally shaking loose. Manny Machado is getting his big payday. Mike Moustakas landed another one-year deal. Alcides Escobar will be an Oriole.The Royals snagged some free agents as well, all to bolster the 2019 pitching staff.After an AL-worst bullpen in 2018, how will the additions of Brad Boxberger, Jake Diekman, and Drew Storen shake out? Is there anything left in the tank for Homer Bailey? How strange will future offseasons become?We discuss it all this week on the Vault.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. And remember to rate us and subscribe on iTunes.

So far this offseason has been very quiet, but one of the milestones each winter is the publication of prospect rankings. Two of the big ones - Baseball Prospectus and Baseball America - recognized some Royals prospects, though, interestingly different groups.In the here and now, we also discussed the new contract for Whit Merrifield, including what it means for the roster, the minor league rising stars, and the Royals contention window. Mostly, it's a nice payday for Whit and allows him to avoid the arbitration process. The Royals, in return, get to bank on a young player but have some cost certainty in place. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. And remember to rate us and subscribe on iTunes.

It's been quiet this offseason with a lot of attention in Kansas City going to the Royals' next-door neighbors, but we took time this week to talk about an old friend who'll be back in 2019.And since everyone is looking to the past these days, we looked at the up and down journey of Kyle Zimmer, who's back with the Royals after signing a one-year MLB deal. Speaking of big names who had injury problems...15 years ago this month the Royals signed slugger Juan Gonzalez in hopes of keeping the belief alive and taking the AL Central. It didn't go well, but the look back can be fun!Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. And remember to rate us and subscribe on iTunes.

After a couple weeks off for the holidays, the Vault is back.And during that break, the Royals signed Terrance Gore. We discuss the Royals focus on adding team speed and his likely role within the organization. While we're hesitant to say that he will play much of a role, he's definitely got speed, as we've seen ourselves over the years.The Royals also acquired two players during the Rule 5 draft, selecting Sam McWilliams out of Tampa Bay's organization and trading for Chris Ellis (drafted by Texas in the Rule 5 draft out of the St. Louis Cardinals organization). Both hope to follow in the footsteps of last year's breakout Rule 5 pick Brad Keller, and the Royals have innings to spare.We also took a look at the list of Royals Hall of Fame candidates who are on the ballot. There are some significant names this year, including Bo Jackson and Johnny Damon, but we also discussed the legacy of David DeJesus and the what if of Yordano Ventura as candidates. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

Is the Royals outfield wide enough? Are the Royals throwing away their shot? Kansas City sure didn't wait for it and went out and signed center fielder Billy Hamilton. It might be nice to have Hamilton on our side. On top of that move, the Royals signed utility man Chris Owings, and carved out some space on the 40 man roster to make room for likely Rule 5 picks as they finish up a somewhat busy but curious Winter Meetings. Programming note: While what you've known as BP Kansas City is being absorbed into the larger Baseball Prospectus site, if you're subscribed to our podcast through iTunes or another app, you should still continue to receive new episodes as they're published just like you always have. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and BlogTalkRadio. You can also download this episode here (mp3).

The Royals took aim at locking down their 40 man roster, purchasing the contracts of three pitchers, claiming one and designating another for assignment.As they massage the roster, they also have some arbitration offers to consider. What will be the fate of Cheslor Cuthbert, Jesse Hahn, and Brian Flynn? Is new claim Conner Greene a good pickup? Hey, who's this Arnaldo Hernandez fella? And did you say Ross Gload? What's he got to do with these guys?(spoiler: nothing but we got distracted for a second)Along with those decisions, we discussed the hiring of Mike Matheny and if he's picking out furniture for Ned Yost's current office or not (and who the alternative Managers-in-waiting might be). Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

The Royals made a couple more moves since our last episode, so we recapped the dearly departed, including some minor league free agents.But with new free agents come new signings, so we discussed the signing of post-hype prospect Michael Ynoa to a minor-league deal. It's low-risk, high-reward, which is right in line with how the Royals should approach the offseason. Once 2019 starts, though, the Royals may show some new flexibility within the pitching staff. Comments from Dayton Moore suggest some openness to experimenting with the bullpen and how some players are used. The Royals might - gasp - go a bit outside the book next season. With a lot of arms available, but no marquee names projected for the big club, we weighed the pros and cons, and speculated about how long the experiments might actually last when all is said and done.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

The 2018 season is over, and we're now starting to see some transactions and roster decisions being made.For the Royals, their 2019 team is not likely to change that much from the team that ended 2018, but there are definite opportunities to improve the team for next year and beyond. We discussed how active they might be and where they may try to direct their attention. While most of baseball looks at the big names, the Royals will be out of the marquee free agent battleAlong with that discussion, we also talked about some of the next wave of talent and some of the difficulties of developing and moving talent up the ladder.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

Every season, amidst the fun and games of spring training, we set some over/under marks for particular players and judge where we think they'll land. This year, our array of predictions were hit and miss, but the journey is half the fun, right? We reviewed the predictions from March, what went right, what went wrong, and what was close.Along with the over/under judgments, we also reviewed some bold predictions from before the 2018 season. Did we miss entirely? Did we nail them? Similar to the Royals disappointing-turning-into-optimistic season, it was a little of both.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

For the fifth time in their history, the Royals have reached 100 losses. That's not good, but we tried to add some perspective to the mark, in light of the Royals decent and much-more-watchable second half of the year.Along with that is the emergence of Whit Merrifield as a consistent and dynamic star, Adalberto Mondesi as a hopeful phenom, and Ryan O'Hearn as a power-hitting giant. We focused mostly on Merrifield's efforts this year and his consistency all season long, but Mondesi and O'Hearn have been so good that they sneak their way into any Royals discussion these days.We also took a glance at the MLB playoff picture, including a potential chaotic finish, an easy team to root for, and some proposed changes to the playoff system. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

It's been a difficult year, but the last month hasn't been so bad. A number of Royals have started hitting, including surprises like Ryan O'Hearn, and a couple of pitchers have been great.It makes for a more entertaining second half and an encouraging finish to the season.We discuss Jakob Junis, Adalberto Mondesi, Brad Keller, and O'Hearn as well as the very fun near-perfect game by Jorge Lopez. Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

This week we covered the end of Danny Duffy's season and the impact his varied ailments might have on him going forward. We also talked about the shifting perception of his contract and trade value.In other injury news, we expressed disappointment in Jorge Soler's setback during his rehab stint. After a strong start, a flukey injury shut him down and his season is over. We speculated on his role in 2019 and beyond in light of his abbreviated season.And then we covered some odds and ends: Ryan O'Hearn mashing, Whit Merrifield's great year, the Drew Butera trade, what to expect from Jerry Vasto and Ben Lively, and the emergence of Brad Keller and some other rookie arms who've shown promise this year.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

On Wednesday, the Royals traded Lucas Duda for cash, opening up a roster spot just in time for September call-ups to start showing up. We discussed Duda's storied legacy in Kansas City from Day One to now. With the roster spot, a whole batch of minor leaguers could be called up to the majors, including some names who've been waiting for their shot like Frank Schwindel and Richard Lovelady, but some other players have a shot to come up too. And while Duda has departed, the Royals may have to make a few other moves to bring in the new crowd. We went over a few options.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

Ya know, Luke Hochevar wasn't the all-star we may have hoped for after being the first overall selection in the 2006 draft, but he had his moments in his Royals career. We discussed his recent retirement and the up and down career Hoch experienced with the Royals.We also discussed some of the recent moves, including the release of Blaine Boyer and trade of Terrance Gore, plus the pitching staff adjustments that corresponded with a Danny Duffy DL designation.Finally, we took a glance at the standings and talked about the relative strength of each league as well as our current favorites from each side.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

Mike Moustakas has been traded, but the world keeps turning. While we say goodbye to Moose, we say hello to Brett Phillips and Jorge Lopez, two former top-100 prospects who are ready for the big leagues right now.Is it the right move? Should the Royals have gotten younger prospects? And anyway, how does it fit with the current crop of Royals prospects?We talked about these things and the fun, new energy on the Royals lately. They're still pretty bad, but they're at least a little more fun.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

The All-Star Break was good to the Royals and they came back somewhat rejuvenated in the second half. We discussed their positive week back, and the impact of some good, young starting pitching leading the way. Can it hold up in Yankee Stadium? We also discussed Mike Moustakas and his potential trade suitors. The trade deadline will have passed before our next episode, so we tried to size up the top possible locations, but it's still pretty murky out there. The Royals say they won't just give him away, but now is the best time to leverage a deal.Along with all that, we talked a bit about clubhouse leadership, Whit Merrifield's unique spot in recent Royals history, and the acquisition of Brian Goodwin.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com.

The Royals limped...crawled...technically made it to the All-Star break and are on pace for a franchise-worst record. There weren't a lot of positives in the first half, but Jeff and Mike made some predictions in March and had to check on the status of those calls at the break. We discussed Jorge Soler, Alex Gordon, Jakob Junis, Mike Moustakas and more, plus a brief look at the Manny Machado trade and how it might impact the Royals over the next couple weeks.Follow the Vault at @KCBaseballVault. Follow host Jeff Herr at @TheJeffReport, co-host Michael Engel at @michaelengel. You can also email feedback to KansasCityBaseballVault@gmail.com. Email us a question and if we answer it on the air, we’ll send you a gift certificate to our friends at Kelly’s Westport Inn.