Eric Hosmer has a $147 million offer from the Royals

Eric Hosmer’s free agency, like everyone else’s this winter, is never ending. There haven’t even been many rumors, and we’ve covered the reasons for that before. Things are starting to pick up for him, however, as the Padres apparently offered him a seven-year deal, and now it’s being reported by Bob Nightengale that the Royals have their own seven-year offer out there, for $147 million.

The Padres’ offer is for $140 million, so Hosmer has to decide between a few things: location, familiarity, a slight difference in pay, chance to play on a winner again, and so on. That last part brings to light some questions about the Royals’ intent here: They’ve spent more the last few years than they used to, but not without letting everyone in the world know that they’re at their limits. Well, at least, the limits their owners are setting, as the Glass family absolutely could afford to spend more if they wanted to.

And that “if they wanted to” is the thing here. The Royals re-signing Hosmer won’t make them better than they were. It’ll just make them more expensive and with less flexibility to improve elsewhere on a roster that’s on the downswing, a roster without prospects to get excited about whose window is probably about to slam shut on Ned Yost’s fingers. Someone should sign Hosmer, and for a considerable amount of money, but are the Royals the team to do it?

You could ask similar questions about the Padres, given Hosmer’s will be the richest contract they’ve ever handed out should he sign, as they already have a first basemen in Wil Myers: One who has already tried and failed to make a go of it as an outfielder the last time there was a first baseman besides him in San Diego. They at least have prospects and promising young players, but the Padres have already made a habit of spending and then jettisoning when they don’t immediately win, so, who knows what the plan is here.

Can someone with money and a need sign Hosmer, or is that asking too much? Maybe it is in this particular environment where MLB teams are clearly already looking ahead to next winter’s free agents, and Hosmer is just doomed to be the luxury item on a disappointment.