MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 4, 2023

Matt Quatraro

Kansas City Royals

Press Conference

Q. What's this offseason been like compared to last year?

MATT QUATRARO: It's been a lot different. Just personally knowing where I'm going to be and not interviewing for the first time in several years and my family is in one place and so the stability part of it is really good.

I feel really good for where we are, the stuff we're doing behind the scenes. The people we're working with has been really fun and challenging at times, but really fun to continue to build.

Q. What does that behind-the-scenes work look like? I wonder if you could expand on that?

MATT QUATRARO: J.J. has made some changes in scouting and player development. Just for me, really trying to get to know people still. Getting hired in November, and before I knew it, Spring Training hit. You're working to build relationships and get to know people and let them know what you're about and hear people, listen to them.

So those have been the things that have been really fun. Getting to know the staff better, player development, scouting, and all those things, I enjoy that part of it.

Q. What's the biggest thing that you've learned about yourself from year one moving into year two that you want to work on as a manager going into next season?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, you are always trying to improve -- you know, your in-game decision-making is a big deal. Trying to put players in the best positions to succeed. I want to improve on that for sure. But more so than the stuff on the field as what I was just talking about. Building better, deeper relationships with people, understanding what their goals and motivations are and how I can help them to be better.

Q. When you look at you some of the players that stepped up last year, Bobby Witt, Jr., Maikel Garcia, and the like, who are some of the other players you want to see make that next jump?

MATT QUATRARO: I would start by saying those guys that took that jump, I would expect and hope that they continue to grow too. It really goes across the board. You want everybody to continue to grow.

I'm excited to get to see Vinnie back healthy. Great to see a full season out of Ragans, and we would expect Singer to be back to his form from before with a regular offseason to ramp up.

Really excited about what a lot of what Carlos did last year. Freddy had a break-out. Really excited about a lot of those guys. Hopefully Izzy can stay healthy. He's another guy that's kind of just scratching the surface of what he can do.

Q. You see the value of having (indiscernible). Somebody like Jordan Lyles who has struggled at times, but he was able to go deep in games. How valuable is that for you as a manager?

MATT QUATRARO: Yeah, any team needs guys -- you have to cover the innings, right? Jordan's numbers weren't what he would have liked or we would have liked last year, but bar none, he wanted the ball every outing, never wanted to come out of the game.

I would expect better results from him this year, but as far as the value in it, it's immense. Several times he saved us throwing eight or a complete game just to give the bullpen a blow in a long stretch of games. That's something that he has been blessed with is the ability to recover. Especially at this point of his career.

He's a valuable member of any pitching staff.

Q. How does your pitching have to improve for next year?

MATT QUATRARO: The strike-throwing has to improve. At times we saw that happen. Other times it was elusive. But overall the more you can challenge hitters, the more you can be in the zone, the more decisions they have to make, the better it is for us.

Q. Do you see a closer on that staff right now? (Indiscernible)?

MATT QUATRARO: Certainly the way the year ended, McArthur couldn't have been any better. I know we're actively trying to find guys that are quality relievers. I wouldn't say we have one right now, and I think putting players in the best position to succeed means putting them in spots where the matchups are good.

If there's somebody that emerges that we think that's the best role for him and for us, we would be open to it, but otherwise, more of a by committee.

Q. What are your thoughts on some of the new acquisitions this offseason, Nick Anderson, Kyle Wright, and Garrett Hampson.

MATT QUATRARO: Nick is exciting for me. He is a very neutral pitcher against righties and lefties. If he is healthy, he will be a difference-maker for us. He throws a lot of strikes. He has pitched in high leverage before. It's somebody you can trust to go out there and know what you are going to get.

I'm excited about Hampson. He fits our mold kind of of a versatility, speed, great guy, a team guy that's going to do whatever it takes to win games.

Kyle won't pitch for us this year, but that's a really, really advantageous pickup for us for going forward and somebody that obviously what he has done in the past is exciting, and hopefully he bounces back and can be that same guy.

Q. How much do you view Hampson playing? What's his role? I know he has been moving around as far as playing time.

MATT QUATRARO: It's tough to say. We'll look at how the matchups play out and who he best fits playing, when and who needs a break and those kinds of things. The fact that he can play every position on the field is going to lend itself to a lot of playing time.

Q. Him being right-handed, especially with (indiscernible) and Izzy out in center field, do you see that as an opportune situation?

MATT QUATRARO: I wouldn't want to say it's only a platoon for him because there's going to be righties that he matches up with well too. Again, we have to be mindful of the youth. Maikel wants to play every game. Bobby wants to play every game. We have to do what's right by them too to keep them fresh as the year goes on.

The ability for Garrett to be a guy that even if he doesn't start, he comes in, can be a defensive upgrade, a pinch-run, he's going to have a lot of value for us.

Q. What do you remember about your interactions with Cleveland's new manager?

MATT QUATRARO: He's one of my favorites, man. He was on the first team I ever managed in the Minor Leagues. Somebody that's really been fun to follow his playing career, but also now that he's getting this opportunity, in a weird way it is gratifying to see somebody that you hope you had some influence or impact on their -- not his career, but his life.

He's just such a quality person. It really makes me feel good to see he and his family get this opportunity.

Q. Is there any advice you would give to a first-time manager, anything you learned last year that you would impart on someone in that position?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, for him specifically, knowing the people in Cleveland, the thing I've told him is you are just surrounded by really, really good people. Ask questions, listen. It's just such a great environment that I feel really good, comfortable for him that he is going to -- knowing him as a person and the sponge he kind of is as to seeking knowledge, he's in a great spot for that.

Q. Are there moments in your first year on the job where your head is spinning or it seems like a lot to handle just because you haven't done it before? How do you get through those?

MATT QUATRARO: I think you try to approach every day the same. You try to think about what could happen. If you get hit with something that you weren't anticipating, you try to handle it in stride. And you have to rely on the people around you and the systems you have in place to deal with stuff like that.

Yeah, sometimes it gets a little fast, and you try to take a step back and say, okay, what's the right decision here for the player or for the organization and just take it one step at a time. One decision at a time.

You can't solve tomorrow's problem today, right, or tomorrow's issue today. That's how I try to handle it, and I try not to get too far out ahead of myself.

Q. Are there any future big league managers on the Royals 40-man right now if you look into your crystal ball?

MATT QUATRARO: I have given that zero seconds of thought until you asked that.

Yeah, I would have to give that a little more thought. Come back to me. I will think about that for you.

Q. In an era of title inflation in front offices, what do you think you should be called? What should your job title?

MATT QUATRARO: I don't know. Manager. I like my title.

Q. Offensively what are some things that you guys are targeting that you would --

MATT QUATRARO: Offensively? We're comfortable with the position players we have. We're going to look to upgrade if we can.

If there are opportunities to upgrade, maybe a right-handed bat or if somebody sneaks through that can complement our infielders. Because now that we have Hampson, other than Massey, we're pretty right-hand heavy in the infield. So like I've said plenty of times, you can never have too many good players, and if we have a chance to compile some depth, I think we'll be open to a lot of different things.

Q. I just wonder what role (indiscernible) is going to play for you next year. What does 2024 hold for them?

MATT QUATRARO: I think we're completely anticipating him being an outfielder. It's great versatility to have. If something happens, I'm sure during the spring he'll do some drill work and stuff to just get his hands moving and stuff, but overwhelmingly we're considering him an outfielder.

Q. When you look (indiscernible) and Angel Zerpa said he really wanted to attack hitting and be on the aggressive in that (indiscernible) championship game. What did you like about his performance, and secondly, what did you like out of seeing Daniel Lynch going through a couple of innings as well?

MATT QUATRARO: First of all, Zerpa, that's what he does. He's not going to back down from anybody. He is going to throw a ton of strikes and come after guys. We saw that down the stretch in the Big Leagues.

I thought it was tremendous that he was open to that to go pitch in the Fall League, and he attacked not just that last game, but he attacked that whole season as a growth opportunity. That's not always common for a guy that's coming out of the Big Leagues to go to the Fall League with that attitude, so I really commend him for that.

More so than Lynch's outing in the Fall League, I was really happy that he went to Winter Ball and pitched in the Dominican. That's an opportunity for players to experience a completely new lifestyle, style of baseball, the environment down there. You're on your own. So I was really happy that he went down there and made the five or six starts that he made because he missed so much time last year. I think that showed a lot about his character.

Q. Just to confirm, he is open for Spring Training and everything like that?

MATT QUATRARO: He just got back, I believe, yesterday. He just got back from the Dominican and says he feels good. He lives here in town, so hopefully we have a chance to maybe see him. I know Brian is talking to him regularly. I have no reason to think he's not.