Taking a crack at what the 26-man roster will look like when the Royals break Spring Training.

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) break down what the Royals will look like for Opening Day. Plus...

- J.J. Picollo is extended through 2030.
- Matt Quatraro's option for '26 is picked up.
- Cole Ragans gets an extension... kind of?
- The 26-man roster will be...
- Only a couple questions with the position players.
- The Rotation is easy.
- Questions in the bullpen.

Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs wrote that the Royals missed an opportunity with their outfield this offseason.

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) discuss whether the Royals could have done more and if they get the credit they deserve for the success they achieved last season.

- Were Lugo and Wacha really a "low-key" acquisitions?
- Were the Royals just lucky in 2024?
- Do the Royals have answers in-house?
- KC getting enough credit for the Jonathan India trade?
- Should KC have done whatever it takes for Santander?
- Fair to compare Royals with Witt Jr. to the Angels and Trout?
- Any Free Agents left for KC to target?

If you are going to win in the big leagues you have to be able to pitch.  The Royals proved that with their playoff run last year.  For a small market team developing pitching is a must.  Paul Gibson, the Sr. Director of Pitching Performance for the Kansas City Royals joins us to discuss KC's pitching development.

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) talk to Gibson about...

- What goes into Gibson's job?
- Communicating with the pitchers in the organization.
- Promoting pitchers that haven't put up big numbers yet.
- Alec Marsh's development.
- When and how to move starters back to the bullpen.
- Daniel Lynch's conversion to the bullpen.
- Teaching velocity. 
- Working with outside pitching academies.
- David Shields
- Ben Kudrna
- Pitching more innings.
- Developing pitching in Latin America.
- Young pitching in the system from Latin America.
- Asa Lacy
- Carlos Estevez

The Free Agent market is drying up quickly. What can the Royals still get done before heading to Arizona for Spring Training?

Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) and David Lesky (Inside the Crown/@DBLesky) pinch hitting for Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) discuss if the Royals can still find help on the market, plus... 

- Where to turn if there's not a bat?
- Could Kris Bubic be the key?
- Can the Royals still add to the bullpen?
- Where does Jonathan India play?
- How optimistic are we about Melendez's new swing? 

- How does the outfield fit together right now?
- Is there help in the system?
- What kind of win total are we feeling?

After a playoff season in '24, what's the best and worst the '25 season can be?

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) discuss what it will take for the Royals to actually take a step forward from the massive step they took last season and what could go wrong if the season heads South.

BEST CASE
- MJ Melendez breaks out! 
- Michael Massey hits 30 HR's.
- Joey Wiemer becomes an everyday player.
- Vinnie Pasquantino raps out 50 doubles.
- Maikel Garcia's bat takes a step up.
- Royals acquire an everyday OF at the deadline.
- The bullpen gets a boost.
- Kris Bubic becomes a #2 SP.

WORST CASE
- Injuries rob the Royals of Bobby Witt Jr. or Cole Ragans. 
- Who plays CF if Isbel gets hurt or can't hit?
- Jonathan India doesn't work out.
- Salvy gets old.
- Lack of bullpen depth.
- Vinnie gets hurt.

Royals First Baseman Vinnie Pasquantino joins the Pod to discuss the Royals run to the Playoffs, his incredible recovery from a late thumb injury and how much he uses analytics to play the game.

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) talk with Vinnie...

- Coming back from the late season thumb injury.

- What Vinnie’s offseason workouts look like.
- Defensive numbers at first.
- How to use analytics.
- Evaluating his 2024 season.
- Taking struggles personally!
- Pressure of the “Pasquatch”!
- Being a Jets Fan.
- It's OK... the Chiefs are his 2nd favorite team

Fueled by some unexpected seasons from their core player the Royals were the American League’s biggest surprise. Looking ahead to 2025 which Pitchers can the Royals expect to be better and which should they expect to be worse?

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) breakdown the core arms for the 2025 Royals after they discuss the Royals re-upping with Michael Lorenzen.

- Michael Lorenzon signs back with the Royals?
- Where does he fit best?
- Better or Worse
- Michael Lorenzen
- Cole Ragans
- Seth Lugo
- Michael Wacha
- Kris Bubic
- Alec Marsh
- Daniel Lynch
- Lucas Erceg

Fueled by some unexpected seasons from their core player the Royals were the American League’s biggest surprise. Looking ahead to 2025 which offensive players can the Royals expect to be better and which should they expect to be worse?

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) breakdown the core offensive players...

- Salvador Perez
- Freddy Fermin
- Vinnie Paquantino
- Michael Massey
- Maikel Garcia
- Bobby Witt Jr.
- MJ Melendez
- Kyle Isbel
- Hunter Renfroe
- Jonathan India

The rebuilding of the Royals Pitching Staff in 2024 was nothing short of remarkable.  Royals Pitching Coach Brian Sweeney discusses the thoughrts and processes behind building a top shelf pitching program.

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) talk about how the pitching staff came together and how the Royals will progress moving forward...

- How the 2024 Royals Pitching Staff came together.
- What went into Sweeney taking the PItching Coach job?
- Sweeney's core philosophy.
- Building trust with the pitchers.
- The building of Cole Ragans.
- Why the Royals wanted Seth Lugo so bad.
- Adding the slider to Michael Wacha's repetoire.
- Pitchers working with outside Pitching Instructors.
- Importance of being on the cutting edge of technology.
- How to switch a pitchers roles?
- Avoiding injuries.
- Reacting to Brian Sweeney's comments.

The Royals Hall of Fame Ballots are out. There's a long list of players with ties to the 2014/2015 World Series teams. Who measures up?

Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) are discussing the latest candidates for the Royals Hall of Fame as well as who should the Royals be looking at giving a long term contract to.

- Which player or players should the Royals be looking to lock up?
- Who is on Petro's Royals HOF ballot?
- Who would Rany vote for?
- Which player was the toughest cut?
- What player just makes the cut?