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Hosmer open to talking extension with Royals

Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Eric Hosmer told reporters Monday that he's willing to negotiate a long-term extension to stay in Kansas City, but admitted he's in no rush to instigate talks as the Royals prepare to defend their World Series title.

Hosmer, who's one of several key Royals players eligible for free agency after the 2017 season, said that provided the current group stays together, he believes the "best opportunity is right here."

"It's everyone's dream to be drafted by one team, play your whole career for that team and have your jersey retired by that team," Hosmer said, according to MLB.com's Jeffrey Flanagan. "But I'm not going to go out in the media and get myself a (long-term) contract just by talking about it."

Selected with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft, the Royals first baseman is coming off a career year in which he hit 18 homers, 33 doubles, and posted a personal-best .822 OPS. He capped his impressive season with a daring slide at home during the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series to send the eventual title-clincher into extra innings.

"You look at what we've started in Kansas City, it's special," the 26-year-old said. "I got drafted by an organization I knew nothing about. It looks like a quick process (the last two years) but the truth is that guys like Salvy (Salvador Perez) and Moose (Mike Moustakas), we've all been together since the low minors. We feel like we've flipped this organization and that's a credit to Dayton and the front office."

Hosmer is among several teammates - including Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar - who remain under contract to the Royals for just two more seasons. Moustakas and Cain each signed two-year deals this spring that buy out their remaining arbitration-eligible seasons.

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