Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for December 29, 2015

Royals clinch, Chiefs clinch, what a year.

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Dec 29, 2015, 8:00am EST

Royals Rumblings - News for December 29, 2015

Clark Fosler considers the possibility of Brett Eibner playing for the Royals next season.

Bottom line, Eibner had his first truly good minor league season in 2015 (i.e. one is which you did not have to use this phrase ‘the numbers don’t look great but..’) when he posted a .303/.364/.514 line in 100+ AAA games. He exhibited better pitch recognition, cut his immense strikeout rate to tolerable levels and then did all the other toolsy things he always had: hit with power, run, field and throw.

Now, as Sickels rightly points out, the PCL has spawned dozens (hundreds?) of good to great offensive seasons that never turned the player having them into a major league regular. He also accurately points out that Eibner is likely to see the average and the OBP take a real hit in the majors and characterizes Eibner as a Paulo Orlando type player with more power and less speed. I agree completely.

Buster Olney thinks its time for some of the unsigned pitchers the Royals may be pursuing could wait til the spring to sign.

For pitchers tied to draft-pick compensation, the strategy of waiting until after the start of spring training and perhaps after Opening Day to sign could be more workable, because their indoctrination into competition is more regimented, and in line with the typical injury rehabilitation process. Perhaps this would benefit Kennedy and Gallardo in particular, because by late March or early April, needs for them will inevitably develop as a contending team or two loses a starting pitcher to injury. If Kennedy and Gallardo wait until after Opening Day, their market value won't be dragged down by the draft-pick compensation rule, and they'd be in a better position to get multiyear deals and be back on the mound by sometime in mid- to late May.

John Viril at Kings of Kauffman thinks the Royals should make Chris Young their "Sunday starter."

Certainly, such a move will take some juggling. The KC Royals will need another bullpen arm capable of making a spot start. But the reward would be filling the fifth rotation slot on the cheap. By substituting a cheaper bullpen arm rather than a signing mid-tier free agent starter, Dayton Moore could free up money to sign Alex Gordon.

The Royals congratulate the Kansas City Chiefs for clinching a playoff spot.

Clint Scoles at Pine Tar Press considers a Jay Bruce trade to the Royals.

Jen Nevius at Drinking the Blue Aid has the latest Winter League recap for Royals playing ball.

Clubhouse Conversation talks with former Royals outfielder Scott Pose.

Aroldis Chapman is headed to the Yankees for four minor leaguers to give New York a mega-bullpen

The Dodgers claim they aren't cutting payroll on purpose.

Did Daniel Murphy misplay free agency?

Grant Brisbee writes that every team in the American League thinks they are a contender.

The English Premiere League is broken and its wonderful.

The most ridiculous health claims of the year.

How Nintendo reinvented Mario.

What to look forward to in television in 2016.