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Royals Rumblings - News for January 28, 2016
New Royals beat writer Rustin Dodd opens his first mailbag with Royals fans and looks at the potential rotation.
Yordano Ventura and Edinson Volquez will sit at the top of the rotation — there are arguments for each to start opening day; Ian Kennedy appears right behind; Kris Medlen could be headed for the fourth slot; and the fifth spot could come down to a competition between Chris Young and Danny Duffy. In some ways, of course, it does not matter whether it is Young or Duffy. Both will likely log time in both the rotation and bullpen in 2016. Young saved the Royals’ rotation from injury during the first half of 2015. He then turned into a masterful postseason performance. But at age 36, he does not profile as a pitcher who will be counted on to make 30-plus starts.
David Schoenfield of ESPN looks at where the Royals rank among the all-time top defenses.
6. 2013-2015 Kansas City Royals. Their +93 Defensive Runs Saved figure in 2013 is the second-highest of DRS era (behind only the +95 of the 2005 Phillies) and defense was obviously vital to their playoff runs in 2014 and 2015. Maybe they lack that one signature, historic defender, but they've solid across the board.
Drew Butera still has the ball from the final out of last year's World Series, but he plans to donate it.
"I still have it," Drew Butera, the man who squeezed the final strike, told FOX Sports on Wednesday morning. "It's in a safe in my house. My plan is to donate it to the Royals. They have a Hall of Fame in left-center field (at Kauffman Stadium).
"As much as I would like to keep the ball and have the last out of the World Series, it's so much bigger than me. It wasn't just me winning the World Series. The ball belongs to the team, and I want to give it to them."
The Royals had the biggest jump in attendance out of any major North American pro sports team in the last decade.
Autograph session times for Royals FanFest have been announced.
Nebraska and Kansas will match up in a college baseball contest on April 27 at Kauffman Stadium.
Former Royals outfielder David Lough has signed with the Phillies, prompting a congratulations from former Royals infielder Elliott Johnson.
@DLough330 Thanks for having me for dinner at your parents' place. Your senior pic is great. Good luck w/the Phils! pic.twitter.com/cQv6l01dyI
— Elliot Johnson (@ElliotJohnson9) January 26, 2016
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