I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Slight schedule change on ItC because, well, I fell asleep early last night and woke up late today. To say sorry, how about a special Black Friday subscription deal to get all my #Royals analysis for 25% off?

The #Royals lost a big part of their pitching plan when Zach Bove left for the White Sox, but they made an inspiring hire. I wrote about Mike McFerren, the new assistant pitching coach, with a little insight from people way smarter than me.

Friday was the non-tender deadline and most of the #Royals decisions were easy, but there were some questions. I wrote mostly about the choices that weren't so easy plus included some non-tenders made by other teams who could interest KC.

Oh the #Royals made a very interesting hire for assistant pitching coach. Mike McFerran is not a name I know much about, but the background is certainly different. College guy until the last two years with the A’s system. And he’s only 32 years old.

Fridays are free on Inside the Crown! In Crown Jewels this week, I wrote about the #Royals signing Alex Lange, confidence in Cags (both from the Royals and himself) and my hypothetical HOF ballot that I'm already questioning.

This is the list. I ended up with 37 trade targets. I'm probably 37 short. Or more. But here are 37 players the #Royals could and maybe will target this offseason in trades.

Putting this out to make sure I finish it and to alert you to tomorrow's crazy newsletter, where I dig in on at least 32 trade targets (I might add more) for the #Royals. Click that link to make sure you get it in your inbox tomorrow morning.

The #Royals added Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac to the 40-man. That means they didn’t add Gavin Cross, Frank Mozzicato and Javi Vaz, among others. The 40-man has 39 players on it now.

The deadline to add players to protect them from the Rule 5 is today. I wrote about 10 potential adds for the #Royals on Friday. They obviously won't all get added, but they only have three 40-man spots right now, so you might see a move today.

Vinnie Pasquantino is an RBI machine, a fan favorite and seems like the glue in a strong clubhouse. The #Royals don't have to make a decision today or anything but that didn't stop me from weighing the pros and cons of extending him.

Fridays mean ItC is free for everyone! In this week's Crown Jewels, I look at the #Royals rumors from the week, the 40-man decisions coming in the next week and wondering if I'm way off in my trade philosophies.

Kauffman Corner streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss... - 2 new hitting coaches. - Salvy re-ups. - Cameron 4th in ROY... Why? - What's Mason Black? - Trade Rumors. - Passan says Gleyber Torres fits. Click below... tinyurl.com/m8e6zmsv

I was almost free of the weekly obligation to pretend to like Pat Strathman, but then the #Royals went and did a lot of stuff in the last week, so here I am again, talking about them with my arch nemesis on ESPN Wichita. How did I get so lucky?

Free agency is not the only way to add to the team, but it's the way that only costs money. Today, I looked at 50 players who might be of interest to the #Royals in free agency. Some are unlikely, but I'm nothing if not thorough.

Okay, the free agent primer is about ready to go. I was able to make it a nice, round 50 players to look at for the #Royals. It'll hit your inboxes tomorrow morning.

I'm guessing the Mason Black move is just about starting pitching depth. He has an option left. He hasn't been especially good in the minors since 2023, but maybe they see something there. It's a fringe roster move, so meh, but I guess we'll see.

The #Royals made a move I was not expecting in hiring Marcus Thames. I can't say I love it, but I also think it's important to dig a little into what he brings to the table. I did some research, talked to some people smarter than me and wrote about adding Thames to the staff.

I had a really big free agent guide newsletter I was working on for tomorrow but after talking to a couple of people, I’m instead going to have something on Thames and how his philosophies can work with Dawson‘s and how they can all work together with the overarching plan.

Doing some searching and waiting on some texts to come back about Marcus Thames, but I wouldn't hold his time with the White Sox against him. A lot of Yankees players have lauded him and the approach makes a lot of sense to me. Seems like it's all about hitting hittable pitches, which, I mean, yeah.

Being credited on @mlbtraderumors.bsky.social for breaking something is pretty damn cool.

The Connor Dawson hire is now official. There's another coach coming soon...

Fridays are free for Crown Jewels! This week, I look at the Salvy extension, losing Zach Bove, the #Royals uneven defense and a new player in the content game in town. Check it out and subscribe if you haven't already!

Sam Long is no longer on the #Royals 40-man roster.

Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner. @DBLesky, Les Norman and I broke down the top 5 things the Royals need to get done this offseason... Stadium, Hitting Coaches, Extensions, Chase Rates, and more. Apple tinyurl.com/ywckv9tf YouTube tinyurl.com/mrxk38yz

There's A LOT in today's Inside the Crown. I looked at the top 25 free agents and predicted homes for them since players can sign anywhere starting this afternoon. Bigger than that, I looked at Connor Dawson and what he can bring to the #Royals as hitting coach.

It sounds like the #Royals have added to their coaching staff with @dblesky.bsky.social reporting first that they are hiring Connor Dawson from the Brewers. I talk about it at @royalskeep.com @ibwaa.bsky.social

Hearing the #Royals are adding Connor Dawson to their staff as a hitting coach. Not sure if there’ll be more than him as part of the hitting team, but that’s a fun name. Dawson went to Olathe North and has been on the Brewers staff since ‘22 after being in the M’s org for a bit.

Heading on with Pat Strathman on ESPN Wichita to talk #Royals. Think of it as performance art where one man tries to stay professional while the other is Pat.

I'm sure people will love this news. The #Royals have exercised their 2026 option with...FanDuel Sports Network. So it'll be at least another year before anything really changes there.

#Royals sign Salvy to new $25 million contract that keeps the captain in Kansas City through 2027: www.mlb.com/news/salvado...

Source: Salvador Perez's new contract with the #Royals is worth a guaranteed $25 million over the two years. There's a signing bonus and some deferred money within the contract, but it essentially works out to $12.5 million a year.

Salvy is now signed through 2027.

Bummer about Bove, but I think we're getting close to a #Royals hitting coach hire who should be pretty well received.

The White Sox hired Zach Bove as their pitching coach. I was pretty afraid that would happen. Not necessarily the Sox, but losing him in general.

Bummer the Kyle Wright move didn't work out for the #Royals. Worth the risk, only trading Jackson Kowar to get him. Just couldn't get healthy. That's a spot off the 40-man with his release. I think you might see another open with Alec Marsh out for all of 2026 already.

Hey, be sure you're following @royalreportkev.bsky.social on here. Great #Royals content on the new site he's leading.

The final installment of me playing JJ for a day is here. I make some trades that shake up the roster, adding two bats and two arms and I stay under budget for the #Royals!

Your Free Friday Crown Jewels is here with a look at Michael Massey's role on the 2026 #Royals, the need for speed on this team and how I'd have voted for every award that we'll be readin about in the next couple of weeks.

Join @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and @sorenpetro.bsky.social on the Kauffman Corner YouTube live stream! Watch and comment with the link below… tinyurl.com/2s9awbhn

#Royals pitching was very good in 2025 after being very good in 2024, but there's another level they can reach. There's one thing in particular they don't do very well. They don't strike out many and a lot of that is because they don't get hitters to chase.

It's about that time for me to talk #Royals with Pat Strathman on ESPN Wichita. Please keep me in your thoughts during this difficult time. And listen to us.

I'm finally delivering on my promise to give you the second installment of "JJ for a Day." Today I look at who I would sign as free agents if I was running the #Royals. You'll never guess who...actually you'll probably guess. But it's still worth a read!

It's a Crown Jewels Friday, which means today's Inside the Crown is free for everyone! I wrote about the idea of trading from a 2025 #Royals strengths, the fact that they do have some legitimately good hitters and a look ahead to the World Series.

For the second time in three weeks, Pat Strathman has been afraid to talk to me. So I’m lucky that I get to talk #Royals with Chance Liebau today on ESPN Wichita. Join me in calling out Pat’s cowardice and tune in!

The Angels gave their new manager, Kurt Suzuki, a one-year deal. What a shit show.

Maikel Garcia took the step in 2025. With four years of team control, what does that mean for his future with the team? Today, I looked at whether the #Royals should give him an extension and what that might look like based on what he's primed to earn and what others before him have.

Really meant to get something written today for my second JJ for a Day newsletter, but, well, didn't. I promise it's coming tomorrow!

In this week's Crown Jewels (free for all to read), I write about the #Royals being linked to a big name (no, I don't buy it, but there's a nugget about it that I found interesting), the Gold Glove "finalists" and a way too early look at the Arizona Fall League.

Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Podcast. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I talk... Royals offense vs. playoff teams, Scott Sharp up for Rockies GM and which Royals are untouchable which should be trade bait. Apple tinyurl.com/4e79u4n5 YouTube tinyurl.com/y7mvxv4z

Kauffman Corner Pod streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss which of the LCS teams the Royals offense resembles, and... - 3 Gold Glove finalists for KC. - Scott Sharp to the Rockies? - Trade untouchables! Click the link below... tinyurl.com/yt7bh2ec