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Royals Rumblings - News for December 2, 2014

I hope we get "Baseball America's Critical Spirits of the Year."

By Max Rieper
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Royals Rumblings - News for December 2, 2014

In case you missed it yesterday, the Royals were named "Organization of the Year" by Baseball America.

Making it to the World Series by itself wouldn’t have made the Royals Baseball America’s 2014 Organization of the Year. It’s the path the Royals have taken that earned the award. General manager Dayton Moore and his staff built a World Series team the way they promised they would when Moore was hired, through scouting and player development.

Only two significant members of the 2014 World Series club were acquired as free agents. Moore’s staff has also been a beacon of stability. There have been a few moves here and there, but the vast majority of Royals’ front office that was celebrating the pennant victory were the same people Moore brought aboard in 2006.

"One of the presentations I made to Mr. Glass was the importance of continuity. Our major league roster will turn over from time to time, but we can’t afford to be replacing our scouting director, our farm director, our scouting supervisors year in and out. We have to create a great place to work," Moore said.

Awesome! When was the last time we won this award?

Oh.

Alex Gordon reflects on Game 7 and the decision not to go home.

"Trust me, I've had the question asked so many times and, obviously, if he sends me and I get thrown out, everybody's going to be asking him, 'Why didn't you hold him up?' So that's just part of the game. He probably did the right thing. It would've been a close play, so people are just going to say that kind of stuff," Gordon said....

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda," Gordon added with a smile. "I should have had [Jarrod] Dyson's speed or done a couple more sprints in Spring Training and I would've scored. You wouldn't even have to ask Jirsch."

He also says the Royals have not had any contract extension talks with him.

David Lesky at Pine Tar Press says the Royals lack of organizational depth could inhibit their ability to make a trade.

Let’s go back to Justin Upton for a second. How many players fit what the Royals need better than him? He’s a legitimate right-handed power source who can play right field. It’s a match made in heaven, but he’d cost the Royals either Danny Duffy or Yordano Ventura. Sure, they could give either one of those two up, but then where are they in the starting rotation? That leaves the Royals in a position where Jason Vargas is the number two starter in the rotation with no real help on the way. Why trade for Justin Upton with just one year left if they are going to hurt the team enough to get him that his presence won’t matter?

Royals season tickets are going digital next year.

Under the digital system, season-ticket holders can access their tickets and parking passes online and print them at home, for free, to bring to the game, or they can use a mobile device or tablet to display a barcode that will be scanned at the stadium. Fans will also be able to transfer or resell tickets digitally.

While the announcement said all tickets would go digital, an offline option will remain, however.

Scott Wadsworth, director of ticket services for the Royals, confirmed that fans uncomfortable with or unable to use digital ticketing can still have their tickets printed and mailed for "a nominal fee."

Despite a lackluster season, David Hill at Kings of Kauffman thinks Raul Mondesi has improved his prospect stock.

Of course, when discussing Raul Mondesi, one has to mention his age. At age 18, Mondesi was the youngest player in the Carolina League by a full year, and was just under five years below the average age for the league. The fact that Mondesi managed to collect 34 extra base hits, steal 17 bases and play stellar defense at that age is certainly remarkable.

Raul Mondesi, with a couple more years of development, could turn into a solid power/speed option for the Royals. At shortstop, he would truly be a rare breed, a player capable of hitting somewhere between ten to fifteen home runs while stealing thirty or more bases.

Baseball America's Jim Callis gives an ETA on Hunter Dozier.

So rest easy, Mike Moustakas.

Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson will be the Grand Marshall at the Christmas parade of his hometown in McComb, Mississippi. That's what the season of giving do.

Just because, here's Kauffman Stadium (nee Royals Stadium) and Arrowhead Stadium under construction back in 1973.

Speaking of Kauffman Stadium, don't expect it to be replaced any time soon.

Advocates of a downtown ballpark tried, but failed, a decade ago to get owner David Glass interested in abandoning the sports complex.

All of these facts have not deterred boosters of a new ballpark from drawing up plans and working behind the scenes to turn their vision into reality.

Discussions are being held about where a stadium might go, where vehicles could be parked without creating nightly traffic nightmares after games, and how transit lines and highway interchanges might be reconfigured.

Grant Brisbee is not a fan of Nelson Cruz signing a four year, $57 million deal with the Mariners.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce explains his, um, "gesture" on camera during the Sunday Night Game against the Broncos.

A comprehensive guide to NBA baby names.

The New York Film Critics Circle chose "Boyhood" over "Birdman" for Best Picture without even considering "Vampire Academy."

The internet had fun with the few seconds we got to see of the new Star Wars movie in the trailer released over the weekend.

Writing for Chipotle can be very lucrative.

Your song of the day is The Flaming Lips with "The W.A.N.D."

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