Ed Zurga/ Stringer
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals just got PAID! The Royals rewarded their star shortstop for an 11-year, 288 million-dollar contract. This is the largest contract in Kansas City Royals' history by far. It is 134 million more than the two previous largest contracts combined. The three of the highest contracts before Witt's were Salvador Perez's 4 yr/ 82 million, Alex Gordon's contract of 4 yrs/72 million, and Gil Meche's 5 yr/55 million is one of the top 5 contracts in franchise history. David Cone's 1992 contract of 3 yrs/18 million contract is still in the top 20 of the largest contracts in franchise history. The Kansas City Royals don't pay for anyone, consistently ranking in the bottom ten in payroll in the MLB.
Because of the lack of spending money, the Royals have been in the cellar of the MLB since David Glass took over the team in 1993 after Ewing Kaufman died in 1992. David Glass was a businessperson and Kaufman didn't care about turning a profit. Kaufman wanted to win. Glass cut the payroll in half his first year as Royals owner and they bled talent like Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, and Carlos Beltran, to name a few. This led to being out of playoffs by around the All-Star Break and saying maybe next year around August 1st of every season.
Until that magical run of 2013-2017 where the Royals won at least 80 games every one of those years. Kansas City exploded with excitement. Those teams gave this die-hard baseball fan his first good memories of his favorite team. People my age didn't experience George Brett or "Bo Knows" Bo Jackson. My generation got to see Zack Greinke go to the All-Star game one year. They lost 95 games that year, though. Other than that, there was nothing to celebrate from 1993 to 2014.
Then the Royals struck lightning. Their farm players all came up at the same time like Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, and Mike Moustakas formed this amazing nucleus of players to build around. Then they traded Zack Greinke for Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain. Then this unhittable bullpen of Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis came from the baseball heavens. All led by Kansas City's favorite Royal Alex Gordon. This team stole bases and played great defense over hitting home runs and striking out everybody. They were old-school baseball. No 50 home run hitter (Royals still have never had a 50 home run season) Alex Gordon's home run in game 1 of the World Series reminded me why I love this sport. Every pitch matters!
After 2017, we lost everyone again. Lorenzo Cain went to the Brewers, Eric Hosmer went to the Padres, and Mike "Moose" Moustakas went to the Reds. They had various levels of success, but nothing like those magical seasons with the Royals. Alex Gordon retired. David Glass sold the team to John Sherman. Mike Matheny replaced Ned Yost, and the Royals went down the drain. Matheny was incredibly frustrating because he would pull a pitcher in the 6th or 7th inning no matter what. We didn't have the Wade Davis bullpen anymore. Since 2018, the Royals have lost 100 games three times. Salvador Perez is still on the team, but other than that, those teams are just "great memories".
Then the emergence of Bobby Witt Jr. came. He single-handedly brought a little excitement back to Kansas City. His season last year was incredible. Witt Jr. hit 30 home runs and stole 49 bases. Not too many players have that kind of speed with that level of power. The thing that makes Bobby special is his hustle. He gives it everything he has on every out. His defense is elite and he will win plenty of Gold Gloves in his career.
Recently I've been skeptical of this new ownership. The proponents of the new ownership defended them by blaming the lack of moves on COVID-19. I was skeptical. They felt like a lot of the same. Don't pay for players and jack up the prices to go see a losing product. Bobby Witt jr. felt like the latest "payroll casualty."
This contract proved me wrong and I couldn't be more ecstatic about being incorrect. I'm not asking for Dodger or Yankee level of payroll. I just want a level of payroll that makes us competitive. A payroll that keeps them in the hunt in September. Not an out of the playoffs by August 1st payroll.
Nothing is better than baseball in October. We've desperately missed October baseball in Kansas City.
Let's go Royals!
Pictures sources
Credit:Ed Zurga / Stringer
Editorial #:1657649329
Collection:Getty Images Sport
Date created:September 03, 2023
Upload date:September 03, 2023
Source:Getty Images North America
2. Credit: Brian Bahr / Staff
Editorial #:52653812
Collection:Getty Images Sport
Date created:April 11, 2005
Upload date:April 19, 2005
Source:Getty Images North America