The Royals are in "the best shape the franchise has been in since 1985, a promising foundation finally built on rock rather than sand," and the team's run to the World Series "has made more than enough profit to fund a significant bump in payroll," according to Sam Mellinger of the K.C. STAR. The Royals "will almost certainly lose" P James Shields to free agency and will probably let DH Billy Butler "sign somewhere else." RF Nori Aoki also will be a free agent, but "everyone else who played a significant role in this resurgence is under club control." This team "made Kansas City fall in love all over again." The '14 Royals "changed baseball in Kansas City for a group of fans who’ve been waiting through more heartache than should be allowed" (K.C. STAR, 10/30). Royals Owner David Glass vows that the team "won't be finished with playoff runs." Glass said GM Dayton Moore and the baseball operations staff "have built a base, and what we need to do now is sustain that and build on that and keep it going." Glass: "The plan was to get here, but to do it a lot quicker. And it has all come together now. The people that are the architects of all this and the players themselves, they deserve all the credit. I'm just along for the ride. But it's Dayton and [manager Ned Yost] and their people who have done the work. I'm really proud of these players, too, because they're fun to watch" (FOXSPORTSKANSASCITY.com, 10/30).
IF IT AIN'T BROKE...: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick wrote it "did not turn out to be a Royal O(kc)tober, as the MLB-sanctioned T-shirts and caps proclaimed." But this "was nevertheless a special summer and entertaining fall" in K.C., and "a time for big strides." The Royals "have every reason to believe there will be more to come" (ESPN.com, 10/30). In DC, Adam Kilgore wrote the "wonderful civic moment will cede to questions about the Royals’ ability to repeat the magical run." Royals Ps Greg Holland and Wade Davis "are due big raises." Without "financial might, the Royals will rely on creativity and player development." The Royals "have locked up" SS Alcides Escobar and C Salvador Perez to "affordable contract extensions." Their strategy is to "take on risk and guarantee homegrown players money before they reach free agency." Moore said, "That will always be our main approach or our main vision for our players -- sign them when they’re young. It’s a little riskier, I get it. It gives you some cost-certainty. It’s going to always be difficult for us to compete and win negotiations for impact, major league free agents." Kilgore wrote the Royals "can make an occasional splash, or at least a ripple, and their finances improved with their postseason." However, their success "will not change their approach." Moore: "Are we going to go toe-to-toe with some markets? No, we’re not. It’s always going to be, what’s in the pipeline? What are we doing in scouting and player development? Who the next young player is" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/30).
