Ed Zurga – Getty Images Sport
When March rolls around and fans all wish, quietly or not, that the Kansas City Royals spent that little bit more money on a favorite would-be acquisition, it’s important to remember that the Royals need to spend their money wisely. They must make sure they still have some when it comes time to extend the contracts of their most important players. Since KC already has the most valuable contract in baseball when it comes to underpaying Salvador Perez for several years of security, they must now look to retain their other superstar and face of the franchise for as long as possible.
Eric Hosmer is an all-around stud who’s only going to get better during his time in KC. As a 25-year-old, Hosmer just earned his third straight Gold Glove while batting .297 and driving in 93 runs. Hosmer is the unofficial captain, the face of the team, the guy who represents the Royals when speaking to the media during trying times, and the guy who goes on SportsCenter and late-night talk shows. He’s also the most valuable player on a team full of valuable players (and a guy named Lorenzo Cain who finished third in 2015 MVP voting).
So, when that time for second-guessing the process comes around, don’t be mad that KC didn’t sign that new guy. Instead, be excited about watching The Hos hit his prime while wearing a Royals uniform. That isn’t a guarantee yet, but if and when KC stays financially conservative through this offseason, Royals fans should appreciate that an earnest attempt to retain Hosmer is the primary reason for all the penny-pinching.
Doug LaCerte is www.RantSports.com’s Kansas City Royals beat writer. Follow him on Twitter @DLaC67, “like” him on Facebook and add him to your network in Google.
