<p>Daily Clips</p><p>December 7, 2017 LOCAL Negret, 18, is 6-feet-1, 180 pounds, and hit .264 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 50 games in the Dominican Royals ink former Atlanta prospect Summer League last year. He is right-handed. Negret The rebuilding guide: Which Royals December 7, 2017 By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com offer the most trade value this http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/263044692/royals-sign- offseason? former-braves-prospect-negret/?topicId=27118382 December 6, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star The rebuilding guide: Which Royals http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city- offer the most trade value this royals/article188359239.html offseason? As the Royals’ brain trust prepares to descend on the Winter December 6, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Meetings next week in Orlando, Fla., the offseason remains http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city- largely in flux. royals/article188359239.html The club is still monitoring the market — and waiting — on Former Royals first-rounder first baseman Eric Hosmer. His future could offer clarity as Christian Colon could get a second the team positions itself for 2018 and beyond. Yet, the Royals are already offering signals as they prepare for what chance with Braves could be a long rebuilding process. December 5, 2017 By Maria Torres/KC Star http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city- Royals general manager Dayton Moore told The Star that he royals/article188347824.html would listen to trade offers on more or less every player on the roster. In a separate story in The Athletic, reporter Ken Rosenthal said the Royals could seek to move second NATIONAL baseman Whit Merrifield and reliever Scott Alexander, two breakout performers in 2017. Shohei the money? Angels, M's deal Both Merrifield and Alexander are under club control for dough through 2022 and, as a result, could command sizable Twins trade international bonus pool money for returns. But they are not the Royals with the most trade value two prospects heading into the 2018 season. December 7, 2017 By Rhett Bollinger, Maria Guardado & Greg Johns Those players, of course, would be catcher Salvador Perez http://m.mlb.com/news/article/263045344/angels-mariners- and left-hander Danny Duffy, both under contract through in-pursuit-of-shohei-ohtani/ 2021. The Royals, for now, have not expressed a willingness to move either player, though they have spoken of a A's new ballpark site talks break willingness to listen. So take any potential rumor regarding down Perez and Duffy with a grain of salt. Owners of preferred area for proposed stadium But if the Royals are seeking to replenish their farm system cease discussions with team and gain assets for the future, here is a look at their most December 6, 2017 By Jane Lee/MLB.com valuable trade chips, with help from a survey of rival http://m.athletics.mlb.com/news/article/262990994/as-no- evaluators and industry observers, heading into the Winter longer-in-talks-for-laney-college-site/ Meetings. MLB TRANSACTIONS December 7, 2017 •.CBSSports.com 1. Salvador Perez http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions Contract status: Four years, $48.3 million LOCAL Free agent: 2022 The value: One of the most durable catchers in baseball, Royals ink former Atlanta prospect Perez will club a lot of homers, struggle to get on base and Negret offer premium defense behind the plate. It’s an interesting discussion of whether Perez has more trade value than Duffy, December 7, 2017 By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com a pitcher who would be coveted by just about any contender. http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/263044692/royals-sign- Yet one rival talent evaluator noted a “positional shortage” at former-braves-prospect-negret/?topicId=27118382 the catcher position. Others preferred Perez as well, citing the premium every-day position. Simply: There aren’t many elite The Royals continue to pluck Braves players now available catchers. It’s another discussion, of course, whether the after the Atlanta organization was found guilty by Major Royals would ever have the stomach to deal Perez, one of the League Baseball of circumventing international signing most popular players in franchise history and, yes, one of the guidelines. Royals’ two World Series Most Valuable Players. The hunch would be no. He will certainly be in the team’s Hall of Fame After signing 18-year-old right-hander Yefri Del Rosario on some day and perhaps has a remote chance at Cooperstown, Tuesday, the Royals agreed to terms with outfield prospect if he stays healthy and behind the plate. Those sort of things Juan Carlos Negret, per Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. The have value. On the other hand, he’s under contract for four club has not confirmed. more years, the bulk of which could be rebuilding years, and from the closer’s role. After logging a 1.41 ERA in 2014 and he would bring back a strong return. earning All-Star appearances in 2015 and 2016, Herrera’s value is likely lower it than it has been in years. Yet if the 2. Danny Duffy Royals are confident in a rebound performance, they could seek to open the season with him in the bullpen and look to Contract status: Four years, $60 million move him before the trade deadline. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. But the relief market often heats up Free agent: 2022 once teams sort themselves into buyers and sellers.</p><p>The value: Across the last two seasons, Duffy ranks ninth in 6. Ian Kennedy the American League in ERA (3.64) and 11th in WAR (6.1) while battling some injury issues. His durability could be in Contract: Three years, $49 million question, and teams might be concerned about off-field issues. But at his best, he is one of the most talented left- Free agent: 2021 handers in baseball. He is also under contract for four seasons at a reasonable price. If the Royals are willing to move Duffy The value: Kennedy declined an opt-out in his five-year, $70 — and there is no indication that is the case — they could be million contract and technically opted in to the final three best served to hope he pitches well in the first half and check years and $49 million on the deal. His value would be limited in on his value at the trade deadline. His contract is not as by the dollars remaining on the contract and his 5.38 ERA club-friendly as Jose Quintana’s was last season. But the during an injury-plagued 2017. But if Kennedy bounces back White Sox sent Quintana to the Cubs for a package that toward his 2016 form — 3.68 ERA in 195 2/3 innings — the included consensus top-10 prospect Eloy Jimenez, an Royals could monitor his value before the trade deadline. outfielder, and Dylan Cease, a talented young pitcher with a They would likely need to eat some money in a trade to big arm. maximize the return, but in the most generous reading, the club could dangle 2 1/2 seasons of a No. 3 or No. 4 starter. 3. Whit Merrifield That could net an intriguing piece or two.</p><p>Contract status: Arbitration eligible in 2020 7. Ryan Buchter</p><p>Free agent: 2023 Contract status: Arbitration eligible in 2019</p><p>The value: Merrifield slashed .288/.324/.460 in 2017 while Free agent: 2022 leading the American League with 34 stolen bases. He also compiled 3.1 wins above replacement, according to the Buchter, 30, did not become a full-time major-league reliever FanGraphs version of the stat. He will also turn 29 years old until 2016. In 129 1/3 innings, he’s posted a 2.85 ERA and in January, which means he may not quite fit into the Royals’ 144 strikeouts. He also offers four years of club control. He long-term plans. Is his value at a peak right now? He will not could be attractive this offseason or next summer. be a free agent until after the 2022 season, so there is no rush. But if the club control increases his value this winter, maybe 8. Jason Hammel it’s the time to move him. Contract status: One year, $9 million ($2 million buyout in 4. Scott Alexander 2019)</p><p>Contract status: Arbitration eligible in 2020 Free agent: 2019</p><p>Free agent: 2023 The value: There’s not much right now. The Royals would likely need to eat some salary to move his contract this The value: Alexander is sort of the relief version of offseason. He has been a durable No. 5 starter. Perhaps he Merrifield. An unexpected standout, he posted a 2.48 ERA performs well over the season’s first half. with 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a league-high 73.8 ground-ball rate in 69 innings last season. At times, he 9. Joakim Soria looked like Zach Britton with slightly less velocity on his sinker. He offers long-term value and control. Like Contract status: One year, $9 million ($1 million buyout in Merrifield, the Royals must ask the question: Is his value at 2019) its highest right now? Perhaps he could be packaged with another reliever and moved at the deadline for a decent Free agent: 2019 prospect or two. The value: Similar to Hammel, Soria is a free agent at the end 5. Kelvin Herrera of the year. His value could be minimal, given his recent performance. But throw in enough money, and the Royals Contract status: One year, $8.3 million (arbitration might be able to dump some of his contract and take a flier projection) on a younger arm.</p><p>Free agent: 2019 10 (tie). Nathan Karns</p><p>The value: This is where the rankings start to require some Contract status: One year, $1.4 million (arbitration disclaimers and caveats. Herrera is in his final season of projection) arbitration after posting a 4.25 ERA and allowing 1.4 homers per nine innings, his highest rate since 2013. By the end of Free agent: 2021 the season, his confidence had eroded and he was moved The value: Karns must prove he’s healthy after season- December 7, 2017 By Rhett Bollinger, Maria Guardado & ending surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. But he’s Greg Johns under club control for three more seasons after being http://m.mlb.com/news/article/263045344/angels-mariners- acquired for Jarrod Dyson before 2017. He was 2-2 with a in-pursuit-of-shohei-ohtani/ 3.43 ERA in eight starts last season before being sidelined by arm issues. If he replicates those numbers during the first half Firmly in the mix for Shohei Ohtani, the Mariners and in 2018, he would shoot up this list. Angels acquired more funds on Wednesday to be able to increase their offers to the star two-way player. 10 (tie). Brandon Maurer In separate trades with the Twins, Seattle and Los Angeles Contract status: One year, $3.8 million (arbitration acquired $1 million each in international bonus pool money projection) to add to a potential financial package for the 23-year-old hitter and pitcher. Free agent: 2020 The deals have separated the top three teams from the pack. The value: Perhaps some team would be intrigued by The Mariners now have $2.557 million to offer Ohtani, the Mauer’s pure stuff. The Royals certainly were. But after he second-highest amount among the seven remaining suitors posted a 6.52 ERA in 59 1/3 innings last year, his value is for the unique talent. The Angels, who now have $2.315 close to nil. That could change with a strong first half. million, are next. The Rangers ($3.535 million) still lead the Former Royals first-rounder way. The Cubs, Dodgers, Padres and Giants can only offer Ohtani a $300,000 bonus as a penalty for exceeding their Christian Colon could get a second allotted bonus pools in a previous signing period. chance with Braves If Ohtani chooses to play somewhere other than Seattle or December 5, 2017 By Maria Torres/KC Star Anaheim, the additional money would serve the clubs in http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city- pursuit of other international free agents. While Ohtani is royals/article188347824.html regarded as a grand prize, additional players are available and could very well be highly coveted in a uniquely deep market. The Braves have signed former Royals infielder Christian (Prospects until recently controlled by the Braves, for Colon to a minor-league deal, FanRag Sports reported on example, were declared free agents as part of penalties Wednesday. The agreement reportedly includes an invitation handed down when their GM, since dismissed and banned, to spring training. was found to have acquired them improperly. The Angels have already agreed to terms with two of them.) Colon, drafted fourth overall out of Cal State Fullerton in 2010, was once a top prospect in the Royals’ organization. The Twins took advantage of the Angels and Mariners He became a postseason hero upon his debut in 2014, scoring looking for more resources, acquiring Seattle's 10th-best the winning run in the AL Wild Card game against the prospect, catcher David Banuelos, and the Angels' fifth- Oakland A’s. A year later he drove in the go-ahead run in ranked prospect, outfielder Jacob Pearson. Minnesota had Game 5 of the World Series in New York. saved bonus-pool money to make a run at Ohtani but were notified last week they were not one of the seven finalists. But Colon, 28, failed to find a permanent role in the major With $3.245 million available, the Twins decided it was best leagues. to use $2 million of it for two prospects who were both drafted in 2017 and are closer to the Majors and easier to After appearing in a career-high 54 games and making 39 evaluate than the 16-year-olds that are usually signed with starts for the Royals in 2016, Colon’s playing time international bonus money. diminished dramatically. The Royals designated Colon for assignment in May. The deal is the second Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto has made this offseason to add money to his international bonus pool, He was claimed by the Miami Marlins yet wound up playing having also acquired $500,000 from the White Sox last in only 24 major-league games in 2017. He batted .160 (8 for month in exchange for hard-throwing Minor League reliever 50). Thyago Vieira. Colon finished the season with Miami’s Class AAA team. He Dipoto spoke with Seattle reporters on Wednesday afternoon hit .302 with eight doubles and 13 RBIs in 49 games. regarding next week's Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., but declined to take any questions regarding Ohtani, as The Braves could help rejuvenate Colon’s career. The the teams involved all continued to stay mum on the topic. Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this week that the team was in the market for a backup for shortstop Dansby This is also the second time in the last week that the Angels Swanson, who struggled to hit consistently in his first full have aimed to bolster their pursuit of Ohtani by expanding major-league season. their international bonus pool. They also added $1.21 million in a trade with the Braves on Nov. 30. Angels general manager Billy Eppler acknowledged at the time that the NATIONAL money was geared toward making a run at the 23-year-old Ohtani, who has become the most coveted free agent this Shohei the money? Angels, M's deal winter due to his affordability and his dual profile as a hard- for dough throwing right-handed ace and a left-handed slugger. Twins trade international bonus pool money for "This deal puts us in a stronger position in our pursuit of two prospects Shohei Ohtani," Eppler said last Thursday. "This money was acquired with an eye toward that." Money doesn't seem to be the primary concern for Ohtani, Atlanta Christian Signed to a Minor League given that the 23-year-old could have stayed in Japan and waited two more years until he was an unrestricted Braves Colón Contract international free agent and made considerably more money. But obviously the teams competing for his services believe it's enough of a factor that they're making late pushes to increase their offers. Cincinnati Signed to Play in Korea, (Samsung Tim Adleman A's new ballpark site talks break Reds Lions) down Owners of preferred area for proposed stadium cease discussions with team Cincinnati Cleared Waivers and Became a December 6, 2017 By Jane Lee/MLB.com Tim Adleman http://m.athletics.mlb.com/news/article/262990994/as-no- Reds Free Agent longer-in-talks-for-laney-college-site/ </p><p>Plans for the A's to build a ballpark near Oakland's Laney College have been derailed, after landowners of the selected Texas Signed as Free Agent, ( 2018- site decided to halt talks with the team. Mike Minor Rangers 2020)(three-year contract) It's an unfortunate and unsettling development for the A's, who just three months ago unveiled Laney College as their preferred site for a privately financed stadium, laying out a timeline that had them breaking ground in 2021 and opening the doors in '23.</p><p>A's president Dave Kaval was expected to spend much of the next year negotiating with the Peralta Community College District to purchase the land. But the governing board of trustees ordered the chancellor to discontinue conversations with the A's in a meeting Tuesday, per a report from the San Francisco Chronicle.</p><p>The A's expressed their disappointment in a statement released Wednesday morning: "We are shocked by Peralta's decision to not move forward. All we wanted to do was enter into a conversation about how to make this work for all of Oakland, Laney, and the Peralta Community College District. We are disappointed that we will not have that opportunity."</p><p>Despite growing opposition from Laney students and activists in recent months, the A's had hoped to appeal to them through a robust community engagement process, with plans that would include affordable housing and workforce training, among other ideas to generate revenue supporting the college.</p><p>It's unclear what the A's, who had recently named a design team for the proposed ballpark, will do next. They have played at the Coliseum since 1968, and rebuilding on the same site -- a seemingly easier plan to execute -- was one of their original options, before Laney won out.</p><p>Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf voiced through Twitter that "Oakland remains fiercely determined to keep the @Athletics in Oakland. It is unfortunate the discussion w/ Peralta ended so abruptly, yet we're committed, more than ever, to working with the A's and our community to find the right spot in OAK for a privately-financed ballpark." MLB TRANSACTIONS December 7, 2017 •.CBSSports.com http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions</p><p>TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION</p>