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Royals Brass Stresses They Will Not Exceed Current Payroll Despite Recent Winning Ways

Royals Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Dayton Moore last week "repeated his public stance that the Royals are not positioned to raise payroll after exceeding a club-record" $140M in '16, according to Rustin Dodd of the K.C. STAR. The Royals’ '17 opening-day payroll is "expected to surpass" $140M -- with close to $130M "committed to 17 players under contract or arbitration eligible." Moore has "all but dismissed the idea of a significant free-agent addition." Moore: "We’re in a position where our payroll is going to have to certainly not exceed where it is. We understand the challenges and the economics of the game. We don’t make excuses for our market. We don’t make excuses for our television deal" (K.C. STAR, 12/3). FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal writes the Royals are "in a bind," as six prominent players -- Ps Wade Davis and Danny Duffy, CF Lorenzo Cain, 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Mike Moustakas and SS Alcides Escobar -- are "entering their free-agent years." The Royals project a $148M payroll for their 40-man roster. However, sources said that the team believes its "break-even point to be around" $115-120M. Rosenthal notes the team's '18 roster "would be almost barren if they lost most or all of their free agents and received only draft picks in return." The team's local TV deal expires after the '19 season, so "perhaps financial relief is coming." Rosenthal: "Regardless, the Royals will need players. ... The one thing they can't do is sit still" (FOXSPORTS.com, 12/5).

GLASS HALF EMPTY: In K.C., Sam Mellinger wrote it is clear Royals Owner David Glass will "refuse to spend more than he’s already obligated as the Royals enter the final season with their homegrown championship core intact." This current group of players "gave Glass a World Series trophy and a new reputation in Kansas City and beyond." Mellinger: "That’s enough, apparently, because as the offseason begins in earnest with the winter meetings, Glass’ unwillingness to spend means the Royals are a hand-crank bike trying to make its way through the mud." Moore said, "We’re simply not in a position to add to our current payroll." But Mellinger noted around the organization, the lack of spending is "catching some like a punch in the nose" (K.C. STAR, 12/2).

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