As the celebrated farm system of the Kansas City Royals slowly turns into the Major League franchise, it's clear that locking up many of the young players is going to become a concern and/or priority for the front office and the team's fans. Eric Hosmer is the likely first candidate of that lot, so it's not difficult to understand why some writers like Buster Olney are exploring the Royals' chances of signing him over the long haul.
Olney writes, "I asked a longtime agent to give me an estimate of what it would require for the Kansas City Royals to sign Eric Hosmer to a 10-year-deal, to lock him down. "I'd say $80 million to $90 million," he said." Those numbers might sound formidable and that's because they are. Recent contracts given to other young prospects like Evan Longoria and even Ryan Braun paled in comparison. But that's how much the times change from year to year, especially when Scott Boras is your agent.
Hosmer had a very strong rookie season and is expected to be a cornerstone first baseman for some time. However, if the Royals want to ensure that Hosmer becomes the team's true icon, thinking about a long-term deal would do a lot of good for both the team and player as well as public perception of where the team is going over the long haul.