Weekend Rumblings - News for March 19, 2016
The Royals talk about their window and whether or not they can keep everyone together.
"I don’t know when it’s going to happen, or if it’s going to happen,’’ Hosmer said, "but I feel there’s enough time to figure it out. The main thing here is realizing how special of a thing we have going on. We want to keep enjoying each other and every day and make the most of however long we are together. "What we’ve accomplished, we all kind of realize that if we continue to win and make it back to the postseason, we’re going to leave them no choice but to keep us.’’
Coach Rusty Kuntz is a big hit with the players.
"I was with Houston, my second or third year coaching," Kuntz recalled. "All the players would address me as 'Coach' because they were young guys and I was an instructor, and they grew up calling all their coaches 'Coach.' "Now, I would tell them, 'Hey, my name is Rusty. Call me Rusty.' But every spring, players kept calling me 'Coach.' They didn't get it. So after a while, I would just start calling them 'Player.' If you're going to call me 'Coach', I'll call you 'Player.' And then over the years, that just evolved into calling everyone 'Player.'"
Rustin Dodd details Chien-Ming Wang's tutelage under pitching guru Ron Wolforth.
The tests revealed a number of things, Wolforth says. For one: Wang had a difficult time throwing his sinker to the outside corner against right-handers, a sign of a mechanical issue with his front side. He was also failing to harness the power from his legs. At 6 feet 4 and 225 pounds, Wang has the build of a power pitcher. But for much of his career, Wolforth says, he survived with an arm that could touch 93 with little help from his legs.
"He asked: ‘Am I going to have to change anything?’ " Wolforth recalls. "I said: For the most part, no. But you’re going to have to use your legs a lot more." After three days in Florida, Wolforth formulated an offseason plan for Wang. He returned in January for another checkup. Wang was eager to master his altered delivery. "He was an exceptional student," Wolforth said. "Not just a good one. He might be one of the best students I’ve ever had."
In his last post for Pine Tar Press, David Lesky says that Reymond Fuentes could make this ballclub.
One guy who has made some fans both inside and out of the organization is Reymond Fuentes. He’s just been red hot this spring and offers a lot to the roster if he can hold his own with the bat. We all know how useful spring stats can be, but his .375/.483/.708 line is impressive nonetheless. I personally see Fuentes as a bit of a poor man’s prime David DeJesus, but that could be very useful for the Royals, both before Dyson returns and after. He fits the mold of the Royals as a contact hitter who plays solid defense. As it stands right now, he seems to be the early season platoon partner for Paulo Orlando and has a chance to stick on the roster when Dyson returns as the 25th man. I don’t see him as much more than a fourth outfielder long term, but it’s nice that there’s at least some upside.
Lee Judge talks to Rusty about each category of pitchers when they have runners on base.
Is trying to replicate the Royals super-pen an exercise in futility?
Adam LaRoche releases a statement on his retirement.
Yasiel Puig will face no suspension after being cleared in an alleged bar fight this offseason.
Kris Bryant pulls a great prank on a college baseball team.
Was Michigan State falling to Middle Tennessee State one of the biggest March Madness upsets ever?
Who is the face of the NFL?
Why did America build so many highways if they gutted the cities?
Waffle House has its own record label.
Your song of the day is The Decembrists with "Down by the Water."