ABANDON HOPE, ALL YE ROYALS FANS: Rany Jazayerli is losing faith in his Royals earlier than usual this year. Not that he doesn't have plenty of justification, but it's sad to see nonetheless. This week's "Rany on the Royals" is about the franchise's determination to not sign its best players to long-term contracts:
David Glass announced that the Royals could not negotiate any long-term deals with their players until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached.
...It could be that Glass is one of Selig's closest allies in the game, and has been reassured that a new CBA is coming, one that will prune the salaries of high-priced star ballplayers. Who can blame Glass for believing Selig? When has Allan H. Selig ever been proven wrong?
Regardless, Glass put his foot down, and squashed whatever hope remained. Refusing to sign your best young players to long-term contracts isn't fiscal responsibility; it's suicide. Offering young players long-term security in exchange for locking them at below market value (what they call "cost certainty" in the business) is the small-market franchise's weapon of choice. Glass's announcement was tantamount to throwing down arms and running from the field of battle. (This military reference brought to you by Tony Muser.)
Sign Jermaine Dye to a long-term deal? The Royals couldn't even get Rey Sanchez's name on a new contract. Employing the logic that has served the team so well for the past 12 years, the Royals decided they could live without a booming bat in right field a lot easier than they could live without a slick glove at shortstop. With Neifi Perez, the Royals were pleased they had killed two birds with one stone, even if in the process they strangled fan interest, butchered the trust of their players, and knocked off about six wins a season. Lee Harvey Oswald didn't do as much damage with a single shot.