Controversy Over Jac Caglianone’s Royals Promotion
Jac Caglianone’s recent promotion to the Kansas City Royals has sparked criticism from former Miami Marlins president David Samson.
While many fans were thrilled to see Caglianone, ranked No. 10 among MLB prospects, get called up, Samson expressed a starkly different opinion. “What Kansas City did is the most irresponsible move I’ve seen in quite a long time,” he said during a discussion at CBS Sports headquarters.
Interestingly, Samson’s concerns aren’t about the 22-year-old’s capabilities or readiness for the major leagues.
He went on, questioning the timing of the promotion. “If he’s going to be that good, how would you call him to arbitration a year earlier than if he had waited until around June 17th?”
By promoting Caglianone now, the Royals are essentially sacrificing control of this promising player for an additional year. If they had delayed the call-up until later, they could have retained an extra season before facing arbitration.
Of course, if Caglianone performs well enough to be among the top two in annual polls, he would earn a year of service. But then again, that’s not a guarantee.
This situation might not matter as much for wealthier teams like the Yankees or Dodgers, but for smaller market teams like the Royals, every dollar counts and strategic decisions are crucial.
Samson remarked, “I don’t know that teams that aren’t in the top 10 payroll calculations aren’t paying attention to dates. And the Royals force the matter. It’s a bunch of horse hockey. You take an extra two weeks, you get an extra year, and it complicates arbitration.”
He added, “This is the $10 million decision they made. He is Vladimir Guerrero Sr., and I think I’d better start now.”
Samson’s viewpoint presents a rational argument regarding long-term financial implications, yet it seems the Royals may be focusing more on immediate needs.
After making it to the playoffs for the first time in eight years last season, the Royals are eager to capitalize on that success.
Currently, Kansas City is engaged in a tight playoff race, sitting 7.5 games back from the wild card spots behind the Tigers in the AL Central.
The Royals are in dire need of offensive support, and Caglianone’s addition could enhance their lineup significantly.
During his time with Triple-A Omaha, he posted an impressive .319/.370/.723 batting average, tallying six home runs and 13 RBIs across 12 games, along with a 1.093 OPS.
Overall, he had a cumulative .322/.394/.553 slash line with a .947 OPS, including his time in Double-A.
In his major league debut on Tuesday, Caglianone made quite the impression, going 5-for-5 as the Royals’ designated hitter.
If he continues to perform well, Caglianone could become a crucial asset for the Royals in their pursuit of consecutive playoff appearances.
