One name that’s been going a little under the radar this offseason is starting pitcher Zack Greinke. Remember that the latter is a free agent, he who comes out of a one-year contract and $ 13 million with the Kansas City Royals. The gunner had pleased many baseball fans (including the author of these lines), by signing an agreement with the team with which he was drafted sixth overall in 2002 and with which he aligned until at the conclusion of the 2010 campaign.
Is a renewal of vows between the two parties a realistic idea? It seems so, but for that, like any healthy and lasting relationship, it will be necessary to compromise so that everyone comes out a winner.
A beautiful love story
Aged 39 and having accumulated more or less 330 million dollars since the beginning of his professional career, money is not a factor in the life of the big right-hander, even if every athlete wants to be paid at his just value. It is surely in connection with this that last year, Greinke made a gift by returning to the sources for a contract after all reasonable.
He would have even refused to be traded at the trade deadline, wishing to spend the entire year at KC despite the difficult season of his family.
But now, if the colorful pitcher wants to extend his stay in Missouri, he will have to accept a different role. Indeed, whoever went one game away from winning a World Series with the Astros in 2019, when he was the starter of this said game, will have to agree to pitch fewer innings to promote youth development and improve the club. medium term. It launched 137 in 2022.
With Zack Greinke performing similar to what he did in 2022, the Royals will be undeniably better in 2023, but worse in 2024, get it? We would have to reduce his role a bit to give innings to players like Singer, Lyles and Yarbrough.
However, the mere presence of a quality veteran like Greinke to set an example for youngsters would be worth gold for any young player. In that sense, with a lower role, his contract should probably go accordingly. I see a base salary added to performance bonuses, like the number of innings pitched.
Plus, Zack Greinke loves Kansas City and Kansas City loves Zack Greinke. The fans are attached to him, sincerely. There is a saying in sport that either you sell victories or you sell hope to fans. In the case of the Royals, I would candidly tell you that neither one nor the other is sold! It would be a great source of joy for any club supporter to see one of the crowd’s favorites back, believe me!
