Royals Rumblings - News for April 16, 2015

Royals Rumblings - News for April 16, 2015

Alex Rios is not particularly pleased with the Twins after an errant pitch broke his pinky finger.

"It’s very frustrating when you get inexperienced pitchers coming to the mound and showing a lot of energy, and not being able to control their emotions," Rios said before Wednesday night’s game against the Twins at Target Field. "I think that’s a recipe for disaster, when you have guys like that, high-energy guys without being able to control their emotions. Then you put them in high-pressure situations, and they just don’t know what to do, I guess. Things like this happen."

Dayton Moore tries to explain why the Royals lead the league in getting hit by pitches.

"I think teams are trying to pitch us inside," Moore said. "There’s a lot of slide-stepping going on. A lot of guys are using the slide-step to try to control the running game. When that happens, pitchers tend to miss arm side. "I don’t think anybody is necessarily throwing at us intentionally. They’re just trying to make pitches. It’s just one of those deals right now."

Lee Judge thinks the Royals should send a message to the league by plunking a hitter.

But even when it’s not intentional, it’s still a good idea to let the rest of the league know that you won’t let your guys get hit and not respond. If a rookie pitcher gets over-amped and drills a guy on the other team and then one of his hitters gets drilled in retaliation, that rookie pitcher will get unpopular in his own clubhouse real quick. In the big leagues, players are much more in charge than you might think; managers or coaches can lecture or fine, but more often than not, players police players. You want Graham’s teammates telling him to be more careful in the future.

Wendy Thurm, now writing for Vice Sports, writes the Royals are out to make all the prognosticators look stupid again.

Keep in mind that the last couple of years amounts to a Pax Augusta for win-starved and arrow-riddled Royals fans, who celebrated the team's one World Series championship in 1985 only to suffer through 28 consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance. However, the worst of it is clearly over, and after decades of predictable failure, the Royals' revenge is fittingly tied to proving everyone wrong.

That reckoning between past and present is what makes the current Royals so easy to root for. If nothing else, it's a lot better than rooting for some analyst to be right.

As Shaun Newkirk pointed out, the Royals may be in on signing a Dominican shortstop and outfielder for a combined $3-4 million in bonus money.

Seuly Matias, CF, Dominican Video: Matias is rumored to have a deal with the Royals for $2.2 million, though some have suggested it may be as high as $3 million. Matias is a prototypical July 2nd outfielder, with above average speed that could be plus one day and a slight build, but above average power projection and a plus arm.....

Jeison Guzman, SS, Dominican Video: Guzman was another player I saw in October that stood out, though Guzman is a below average runner with below average power. He’s a very advanced defensive shortstop, maybe the best in this class, with very good feel for the bat head in games and scouts expecting the foot speed to come later. He’s expected to sign with the Royals for $1.3 million.

Former Royals pitcher Wilking Rodriguez was suspended 80 games for performance-enhancing drug use.

Matthew Trueblood at Baseball Prospectus talks about the Royals' improving playoff odds, but still shows some skepticism.

It only took the Royals a week to (nearly) double their Playoff Odds. Winning seven straight games to open the season will do that for you, especially if three of the wins come against a prospective competitor for your own division crown. It would be silly to pretend that there’s nothing sustainable here, but there’s an awful lot that is obviously unsustainable.

They’re hitting .353 on balls in play; opponents are hitting .229 on balls in play. The pitching staff has stranded 79.8 percent of the runners they’ve put on base, the fourth-highest rate in the league. They’ve committed just one error, and are tied for the highest fielding percentage in baseball. Most gallingly, they have a .202 ISO—this team that hit 95 home runs all year last season is one of the best power-hitting teams in the league so far.

MLB Daily Dish has a wrap-up of AL Central Division news including the Indians mounting injuries.

The Royals have caused a scheduling conflict that will prevent the Chiefs from hosting the Packers this football pre-season.

Toronto's turf may not be playable.

Saving home runs sometimes means diving over fences.

Speaking of going over fences, Colorado's Nolan Arenado made a good play.

The NBA playoffs are set, and once again, Kansas City did not make it.

The NHL playoffs are happening too, so here's a guide.

Patriots tight-end Aaron Hernandez is found guilty of murder.

The "In Living Color" cast, 25 years later.

People on welfare aren't spending their food stamps on steak.

Fivethirtyeight warns you to not be so happy with that tax return.

The FCC rules for net neutrality, but cable is not giving up.

Your song of the day is Old Crow Medicine Show with "Wagon Wheel."