Whit Merrifield Owes the Kansas City Royals Nothing

Except you’ve got been residing beneath a rock, you are conscious that the Kansas Metropolis Royals made the trek to Toronto with almost 40% of their common roster “MIA” due to their vaccination standing. This calamity has allowed the remainder of the baseball world to get in a few well-placed jabs. But one way or the other, solely one in every of these gamers is receiving vital blowback for not getting vaccinated and it is as a result of he mentioned the quiet half out loud.

After the Royals launched their inactive listing going into their sequence towards the Toronto Blue Jays, Whit Merrifield claimed that he would consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine if it meant taking part in for a aggressive crew. Merrifield, with that quote, did extra to attempt to salvage what little commerce worth he has left. Generally the reality hurts, and typically it hurts essentially the most coming from somebody with the kind of profession he is had in Kansas Metropolis.

Regardless of this, followers really feel that Merrifield owed it to his teammates and the town to get vaccinated as a result of it might’ve proven loyalty to the crew. Nevertheless, it solely takes one journey within the way-back machine to comprehend that Merrifield solely repaid the Royals with the identical sort of respect they confirmed him early on. Earlier than everybody goes again to going after Merrifield, take a second to look at the proof beneath.

It is easy to assume that Merrifield was this extremely regarded prospect that was right here to assist carry the Royals via a rebuild. In fact, he was by no means presupposed to be a significant contributor and the Royals valued the event and taking part in time of a number of different gamers forward of him.

Listed here are three gamers’ minor league slash strains, residence runs, RBIs, stolen bases and video games performed for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

• Participant A: .225/.265/.361, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 36 SB in 191 video games
• Participant B: .300/.354/.391, 9 HR, 64 RBI, 24 SB in 139 video games
• Participant C: .290/.342/.414, 13 HR, 87 RBI, 48 SB in 255 video games

Keep in mind Christian Colon? He is Participant B and was a part of two of essentially the most vital moments in Royals historical past: scoring the profitable run within the 2014 American League Wild Card Recreation and driving within the series-winning run within the 2015 World Sequence. He was additionally a top-five prospect for the Royals after they chose him fourth total within the 2010 MLB Draft. 

Participant A nonetheless performs for Kansas Metropolis. With that mentioned, Adalberto Mondesi might simply be forgotten as a result of he is spent extra time injured and benched than he has on the sector regardless of being the primary prospect for the Royals.

One factor each of those gamers have in frequent is that they have been each part of the World Sequence crew. One other factor they’ve in frequent is that each ought to’ve been dropped from that crew for Participant C: Merrifield. The issue is that Merrifield wasn’t a prime prospect like these two. Regardless of being the higher participant, he was handed over for a spot that ought to’ve been rightly his.

Regardless of having the next OPS than each Colon or Mondesi and being an even bigger stolen base risk, he was by no means even thought of for a bench spot on that crew. (A fast reminder Merrifield drove within the game-winning run within the 2011 School World Sequence, so it wasn’t like he did not have expertise of taking part in in big-time video games.) Not like Mondesi, whose massive sport expertise was most likely relegated to intense MLB The Present 15 showdowns.

Merrifield made his debut in 2016, performed nicely, then received despatched again right down to Omaha as a result of he was Edward Olivares earlier than Edward Olivares — a promising participant the Royals had little interest in. Regardless of being the most effective second base possibility popping out of 2017 spring coaching, Merrifield was despatched to Triple-A Omaha so Mondesi and Colon may very well be given roster spots.

Since 2017, Colon has been DFA’d, Mondesi has gotten a lot extra second possibilities and Merrifield turned a two-time All-Star, hit king and three-time stolen base champ. In 2014, 2015, 2016, and initially of 2017, the Royals had the chance to embrace Merrifield as a part of their core. As a substitute, they determined to name up the likes of Colon, Mondesi, Cheslor Cuthbert, Dusty Coleman, Orlando Calixte and Paulo Orlando. The Royals by no means thought of Merrifield as a future piece of the crew till they completely needed to as a result of they ran out of choices. Whilst a fully-fledged member, he is put the crew first and moved positions in order that lesser gamers might get on the sector.

Keep in mind how Merrifield was probably the greatest defensive second basemen in baseball final 12 months? Do you additionally do not forget that initially of this 12 months, he was going to be moved to the outfield as a result of Mondesi wanted one other probability to show himself? Did Merrifield complain about getting shifted or about getting handed over for a World Sequence roster spot? Have you ever heard a peep out of him about how, until he can discover the fountain of youth, that is most likely his final 12 months in Kansas Metropolis? The reply to all of these is not any.

The truth that Merrifield expressed his reluctance to get a vaccine for a corporation that routinely picked worse gamers over him and went from world champions when he first received referred to as up in 2016 to hopeless, directionless and hapless in 2022 ought to shock no one. Merrifield’s profession got here despite the Royals, not due to it.

Keep in mind how massive a deal it was that the Milwaukee Brewers allowed Lorenzo Cain to achieve the ten-year threshold earlier than eliminating him in order that he might get a full retirement pension from MLB? Sadly, Merrifield will seemingly not play one other three or 4 years to have the ability to attain that full pension due to years like 2014 and 2015.

Why aren’t the opposite 9 gamers getting lit up like Merrifield? Merely put, Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Benintendi are each most likely gone on the deadline. The likes of MJ Melendez, Brady Singer, Brad Keller and Kyle Isbel are too vital to the long run and followers do not like Cam Gallagher, Hunter Dozier and Dylan Coleman sufficient to get labored up about their vaccine standing.

Merrifield is the proper goal as a result of he is been a longtime participant to the chagrin of the Royals brass, he is on the decline and he mentioned the quiet half that the remainder of these gamers have been pondering however have been sensible sufficient to not say.

No matter your stance on COVID-19 and the vaccine is will most likely decide how you’re feeling about Merrifield going ahead regardless of him simply being one in every of 10 gamers. I’ve received no drawback with what he mentioned and can keep in mind him for his greatness despite a corporation that had little to no perception in him.