[Biggp07]

November 5, 2024 — Negotiations and Noise
(OOTP25 Royals Journey – Manager’s Log)
________________________________________

PC Logan Chitwood must have talked to someone overnight, because the man who was thrilled yesterday about a five-year, $155K/year offer woke up today asking for more than double the salary… for a shorter commitment. His new demand: $325K for two years.

I stared at the message longer than I probably needed to. Not because I was angry — but because I was trying to understand it.

It’s always discouraging when a young coach suddenly shifts tone. Did someone whisper in his ear? Did he see another offer? Or did he realize he had leverage and decide to cash it in before pitching coaches get scooped up across the league?

Either way, I wasn’t willing to throw away the relationship — or the evaluation. He’s talented; I still want him. So I countered:

$330K per year for five years. A clear signal of commitment and belief in his future.

If he buys into that, great. If not… then maybe he wasn’t who I thought he was.

Meanwhile, Doug Robbins, our hitting-coach target, continues to favor the offer we extended last week — five years at $700K. I’m praying he doesn't get curious and start comparing notes with Logan. I want Doug to be the voice that changes our hitters’ entire approach in 2025. A lesser coach in that spot makes the whole plan wobble.

My “vision board,” as I jokingly call it, is built with both of them in mind. Without them? Well… let’s just say the image gets fuzzy and a little too close to “junior varsity.”
________________________________________

The Trade Noise Begins

Toronto rang this morning with the kind of trade proposal that makes you blink twice to see if you’ve misread something. My AGM, Picollo, practically lit up like a Christmas tree.

I… did not.

Their offer:

• 2B Rich Hernandez (rookie)
• RF Yunior Arias (rookie)

For:

• SP Brady Singer
• C Blake Mitchell

I declined immediately and made sure my tone left no ambiguity.

After that, I checked the league’s trade block. Nothing new. A few aging pieces from Chicago and New York, but no upgrades. No reason to pull the trigger.
Then came the one conversation that mattered.

I have been quietly working on moving Jonathan India, and today the market finally spoke. Philadelphia was the team that made sense — a need on their end, a need on ours — and the numbers lined up.
________________________________________

Figure 1. Trade Agreement — Jonathan India for Weston Wilson


________________________________________

The trade summary hit my screen: India to Philadelphia. Weston Wilson to Kansas City. Not a blockbuster. Not meant to be. But a corrective move — a roster alignment decision.

Then I opened Weston Wilson’s profile.
________________________________________

Figure 2. Weston Wilson — Scouting & Ratings Overview


________________________________________

A 30-year-old utility infielder with sneaky speed, better-than-average plate discipline, and real defensive versatility. Not a future star — but a professional. Someone Omaha can rely on. Someone who, if things break the right way, might give Kansas City something off the bench next year.

It’s the kind of move casual fans ignore, but the people in the clubhouse understand instantly. It clears the path forward. It resolves the uncertainty. It gets everyone on the same page.
________________________________________

Looking Ahead

It’s been only five days of the offseason, but it already feels like we’ve crossed weeks’ worth of decisions:

• Staffing shifts
• Negotiations that twist overnight
• Trade offers that make you question your colleagues
• Internal churn through every layer of the system

All of it funnels toward the same point — spring training, where everything starts to reveal itself.

It’s early. But it’s already exciting.
________________________________________

Built for the Crown — OOTP25 Royals Journey
________________________________________