[Royals] We have not tendered contracts to RHP Taylor Clarke and OF MJ Melendez. They are now free agents.

23 comments

  3. MJ seems like a class act. Wish him nothing but the best and please don’t abuse us once you figure it out.

  4. I’m a little surprised by Clarke . . . I can remember him coming in clutch late into the season.

    MJ will land somewhere. I hear the Bananas are expanding.

  5. It’s disappointing MJ never found a groove here, such lofty expectations as a prospect. He just was never good enough. Hope he finds success elsewhere if a team is willing to gamble on him

  6. I wish it would have worked, but at least we don’t have to go through another “MJ is the answer” season.

  8. JJ has given Dobby a sock. Dobby is free!! (MJ seems like a great guy but I am so glad he is gone)

  11. Oh man. Never like to see someone cut but it was time. I really hope he finds his feet somewhere. I was at the Dodgers game season before this one where he battled through an insanely long at bat to finally hit a grand slam. Wish him well.

  12. Disappointed that MJ could never have success. Yes, he sucked as a player, but I always respected that he seemed like he recognized his weaknesses and put in an effort to get better. He was rough the first half season as a outfielder, but you could tell he worked the offseason and came back better the next year. Then worked to remake his swing, even if it didn’t work for him in the end. Hope he can find success somewhere else, but it is probably for the best that he gets a fresh start in a new organization.

  14. I’m glad the MJ experiment is over, but I’m going to be annoyed in 3 years when he’s starting in an All Star game for Baltimore

  18. Mildly surprised by Clarke, but JJ has shown that he likes to churn the bottom of the bullpen and keep a fresh arm up. Clarke not having an option probably hurt him.

    If you look at roster resource, if Clarke was kept we would have no projected bullpen RHP we could send down to get a fresh arm up from Omaha. This will allow them to flex between Lange/Cruz/McArthur in that last spot versus being locked in to Clarke.

  22. As much as it’s sucked to watch MJ flail around for a couple years, I blame the Royals for not moving him off catcher sooner or trading him as a prospect when they clearly did not have a plan for him to catch long-term. And all the swing changes in the world couldn’t teach him a better plate approach. It sucks. I hope he succeeds elsewhere.

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