The 2022 Kansas City Royals probably didn’t expect to fight for the AL Central title, but they did have a different season in mind.
At 59-89, the Royals are already eliminated from playoff contention and are one of the weakest teams in the American League.
Ownership probably expected to be much closer to .500, with contention being a possibility for 2023 or 2024.
But things have really gone south, and the organization is firing Dayton Moore from the president of baseball operations position, effective immediately.
“BREAKING: Dayton Moore out as Royals president of baseball operations,” MLB insider Ken Rosenthal tweeted.
BREAKING: Dayton Moore out as Royals president of baseball operations. Story with @ByMcCullough: https://t.co/PQazogCsYc
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 21, 2022
It’s a somewhat surprising move because the Royals promoted Moore to president of baseball operations and JJ Picollo to general manager just a year ago, in September 2021.
If that’s the entire time they gave the project, the decision to let him go certainly qualifies as shocking.
The Engineer Of The 2015 World Series-Winning Team
Moore was the engineer of the team that went to two straight World Series in 2014 and 2015, winning the latter.
He put together that team, but should also be held responsible for the lousy play after that.
Years and years of rebuilding appeared to be coming to an end when the Royals put all their faith in shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., catcher MJ Melendez, first baseman Nick Pratto, and young pitchers Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Daniel Lynch, and Kris Bubic, among others.
Just a few of them, however, have been productive.
Moore also failed to trade Whit Merrifield at peak value and when he did it this year, he got almost nothing in return.
Moore had been with the Royals since 2006, but ownership evidently didn’t like the fact that the franchise is about to wrap up its sixth straight losing season.
Picollo will remain the GM for now.
