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Royals KCR

201681–81 (0.500)
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GM: Dayton Moore

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2016, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$131M
Surplus $M
-47
Win %
0.500
TAB
-9.3
WAB
-1.5
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
25.5
Dead money %
42%
Depth Players
5.0
Dead WAR
-3.7

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

2016 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RSalvador Perez128
RDrew Butera51
RTony Cruz4

1B

LEric Hosmer154
BKendrys Morales7
BDaniel Nava⇄6
RDrew Butera2
RSalvador Perez1
RWhit Merrifield1

2B

RWhit Merrifield65
BAdalberto Mondesi42
ROmar Infante39
RChristian Colón32

3B

RCheslor Cuthbert127
LMike Moustakas26
RChristian Colón15
RWhit Merrifield5

SS

RAlcides Escobar162
BAdalberto Mondesi7
RChristian Colón4

LF

LAlex Gordon126
LJarrod Dyson19
RWhit Merrifield13
LRey Fuentes3
RTerrance Gore2
BBilly Burns⇄1

CF

RLorenzo Cain72
LJarrod Dyson57
RPaulo Orlando37
BBilly Burns⇄20

RF

RPaulo Orlando89
RLorenzo Cain29
LJarrod Dyson21
LRey Fuentes9
RHunter Dozier7
BKendrys Morales5
RWhit Merrifield4
BBilly Burns⇄2

DH

BKendrys Morales138
RSalvador Perez7
LJarrod Dyson6
LEric Hosmer4
RTerrance Gore2
BBilly Burns⇄1
RChristian Colón1
RHunter Dozier1
LRey Fuentes1
RPaulo Orlando1

Starters

LDanny Duffy2.9 WAR
RIan Kennedy1.9 WAR
REdinson Volquez1.7 WAR
RYordano Ventura1.6 WAR
LJason Vargas0.4 WAR
LBrian Flynn0.3 WAR
RKris Medlen0.1 WAR
RDillon Gee-0.3 WAR
RChris Young-1.2 WAR

Bullpen

★ RWade Davis27 sv
RKelvin Herrera26 h
RJoakim Soria20 h
RLuke Hochevar14 h
RPeter Moylan7 h
LMatt Strahm6 h
LBrian Flynn3 h
RChien-Ming Wang0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 2015)

PlayerfWAR
Ian Kennedy1.9
Whit Merrifield0.9
Matt Strahm0.8
Brian Flynn0.3
Peter Moylan0.2
Joakim Soria0.2

Key subtractions (gone from 2015)

Player2015 fWAR
Ben Zobrist1.5
Johnny Cueto1.1
Ryan Madson0.9
Greg Holland0.8
Joe Blanton0.5
Franklin Morales0.4

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Royals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2016; everyone else is shown as a 2016 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Danny Duffy 2016 +2.9 +45.6 4.2 +41.4 $1.4M 1.96× –
Kelvin Herrera 2016 +2.1 +33.1 2.5 +30.5 $1.2M 1.95× –
Paulo Orlando 2016 +2.2 +21.8 0.5 +21.3 $0.2M 1.22× –
Jarrod Dyson 2016 +2.2 +21.8 1.7 +20.1 $0.8M 1.22× –
Yordano Ventura 2016 +1.6 +19.6 1.2 +18.4 $0.7M 1.49× –
Ian Kennedy 2016 +1.9 +22.8 7.5 +15.3 $3.9M 1.49× –
Lorenzo Cain 2016 +2.2 +21.1 6.5 +14.6 $3.0M 1.22× –
Edinson Volquez 2016 +1.7 +19.8 9.5 +10.3 $5.7M 1.49× –
Wade Davis 2016 +1.4 +14.8 8.0 +6.8 $5.8M 1.34× –
Cheslor Cuthbert 2016 +1.1 +5.3 0.4 +4.9 $0.4M 0.58× –
Matt Strahm 2016 +0.8 +4.5 0.2 +4.4 $0.2M 0.67× Extension · 2025–2026 · $7.5M AAV
Whit Merrifield 2016 +0.9 +4.1 0.3 +3.8 $0.3M 0.56× –
Drew Butera 2016 +1.0 +4.1 1.2 +3.0 $1.2M 0.52× –
Brian Flynn 2016 +0.3 +1.5 0.4 +1.1 $1.4M 0.67× –
Alcides Escobar 2016 +1.3 +6.3 5.2 +1.0 $4.1M 0.61× –
Christian Colón 2016 +0.3 +1.6 0.5 +1.0 $1.5M 0.56× –
Brett Eibner↔ 2016 +0.1 +0.8 0.1 +0.8 $0.5M 0.83× –
Scott Alexander 2016 +0.2 +1.0 0.2 +0.8 $1.0M 0.67× –
Terrance Gore 2016 +0.2 +1.0 0.2 +0.8 $1.0M 0.69× –
Peter Moylan 2016 +0.2 +1.1 0.4 +0.7 $1.9M 0.67× –
Alec Mills 2016 -0.0 -0.1 0.0 -0.2 – 0.67× –
Kevin McCarthy 2016 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 -0.3 – 0.67× –
Hunter Dozier 2016 -0.1 -0.4 0.1 -0.5 – 0.83× –
Daniel Nava↔ 2016 -0.2 -1.1 0.2 -1.3 – 0.56× –
Chien-Ming Wang 2016 -0.1 -0.4 1.0 -1.4 – 0.67× –
Tony Cruz 2016 -0.1 -0.5 1.0 -1.4 – 0.52× –
Billy Burns↔ 2016 -0.2 -1.4 0.1 -1.5 – 0.83× –
Adalberto Mondesi 2016 -0.5 -2.4 0.2 -2.6 – 0.56× –
Brooks Pounders 2016 -0.5 -2.5 0.1 -2.7 – 0.67× –
Alex Gordon 2016 +1.4 +9.2 12.0 -2.8 $8.7M 0.83× –
Mike Moustakas 2016 +0.6 +2.8 5.6 -2.8 $9.2M 0.58× –
Dillon Gee 2016 -0.3 -1.4 2.0 -3.4 – 0.67× –
Kendrys Morales 2016 +0.9 +5.1 9.0 -3.9 $9.9M 0.69× –
Luke Hochevar 2016 +0.2 +1.3 5.5 -4.2 $22.2M 0.67× –
Kris Medlen 2016 +0.1 +0.5 5.5 -5.0 $86.0M 1.02× –
Joakim Soria 2016 +0.2 +1.8 7.0 -5.2 $42.5M 1.34× –
Jason Vargas 2016 +0.4 +2.9 8.5 -5.6 $24.3M 1.02× –
Eric Hosmer 2016 +0.2 +1.0 8.2 -7.3 $37.4M 0.56× –
Omar Infante 2016 -0.3 -1.3 7.8 -9.0 – 0.56× –
Chris Young 2016 -1.2 -6.2 4.2 -10.5 – 0.67× –
Salvador Perez 2016 +0.5 +2.0 2.0 -0.0 $4.3M 0.52× Extension · 2026–2027 · $12.5M AAV
Rey Fuentes 2016 -0.2 -1.4 – – – 0.83× –
Total—+25.3+258.9130.8+129.4—

Trades

Every graded 2016 deal involving the Royals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 4 total.

2016 · KCR / OAK
KCR · Dayton Moore +$0.8M
Billy Burns
OAK · Billy Beane −$0.8M
Brett Eibner
KCR came out ahead by $0.8M
2016 · KCR / CHC
KCR · Dayton Moore +$10.4M
Jorge Soler
CHC · Theo Epstein −$10.4M
Wade Davis
KCR came out ahead by $10.4M
2016 · ANA / KCR
ANA · Billy Eppler +$2.4M
cash / PTBNL
KCR · Dayton Moore −$2.4M
Daniel Nava
ANA came out ahead by $2.4M
2016 · KCR / ANA
KCR · Dayton Moore +$1.6M
Jared Ruxer
ANA · Billy Eppler −$1.6M
Brooks Pounders
KCR came out ahead by $1.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

2016 payroll
$130.9M
2017 guaranteed
$0M

What the front office was committed to as of 2016, 2016–2022. Guaranteed $ are contract commitments signed by 2016; arbitration & free-agent years are projected from service time. Hover a figure for its luxury-tax (CBT) & actual-cash values.

current $ guaranteed $ arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent club option player option mutual option vesting option

Guaranteed / signed (14)

PlayerAgeSvc2016201720182019202020212022
Alex Gordon328.092$12.0MFREE AGENT
Edinson Volquez328.059$9.5MFREE AGENT
Kendrys Morales337.170$9.0MFREE AGENT
Jason Vargas338.114$8.5MFREE AGENT
Wade Davis306.032$8.0MFREE AGENT
Omar Infante3418.020$7.8MFREE AGENT
Ian Kennedy316.124$7.5MFREE AGENT
Joakim Soria329.000$7.0MFREE AGENT
Kris Medlen306.137$5.5MFREE AGENT
Luke Hochevar327.151$5.5MFREE AGENT
Alcides Escobar296.082$5.2MFREE AGENT
Chris Young3712.000$4.2MFREE AGENT
Chien-Ming Wang3610.159$1.0MFREE AGENT
Peter Moylan376.031$391kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (11)

PlayerAgeSvc2016201720182019202020212022
Eric Hosmer264.146$8.2MARB 3FREE AGENT
Lorenzo Cain304.074$6.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Moustakas274.111$5.6MARB 3FREE AGENT
Danny Duffy274.085$4.2MARB 3FREE AGENT
Kelvin Herrera263.157$2.5MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dillon Gee304.108$2.0MARB 3FREE AGENT
Salvador Perez264.050$2.0MARB 3FREE AGENT
Jarrod Dyson314.088$1.7MARB 3FREE AGENT
Drew Butera325.018$1.2MFREE AGENT
Tony Cruz294.105$975kARB 3FREE AGENT
Daniel Nava334.045$229kARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (17)

PlayerAgeSvc2016201720182019202020212022
Yordano Ventura252.013$1.2MARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Christian Colón271.022$518kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Paulo Orlando300.137$514kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cheslor Cuthbert230.055$409kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian Flynn261.002$372kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Whit Merrifield270.000$277kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Adalberto Mondesi200.000$191kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott Alexander260.034$181kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Strahm240.000$177kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Terrance Gore250.066$175kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brooks Pounders250.000$141kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Billy Burns261.020$127kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hunter Dozier240.000$86kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin McCarthy240.000$75kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brett Eibner270.000$64kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Alec Mills240.000$3kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rey Fuentes25–—

Graphs

How each 2016 acquisition stacked onto Royals's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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