Weekend Rumblings - News for October 22, 2016

Weekend Rumblings - News for October 22, 2016

Sam Mellinger looks at the different ways the Royals could go this winter.

Moore can get creative, too. Danny Duffy would likely make around $9 million through arbitration next year, his last before scheduled free agency. Duffy has been more outspoken about his love for the Royals than any player in recent memory. If he’s open to a contract extension, the Royals could structure it in a way to give him $5 million or so in 2017 and bigger raises after that.

They could do something similar with Kelvin Herrera, saving a total of around $6 million off next year’s payroll.

The Royals could also try to slow-play the free-agent market, after being among the earliest movers in recent offseasons. That means their eventual targets will be dictated more by outside forces instead of their own scouting convictions, which makes the outcome less predictable.

But here, they could look into Neil Walker (second baseman with pop), Colby Rasmus (right fielder with a productive past on a bounceback contract) or even circle back to Morales.

Brandon Warne at Today’s Knuckleball also looks at what the Royals face this off-season and thinks Wade Davis might go.

Dealing Davis also makes sense, not only in light of how well Kelvin Herrera pitched in his absence, but also based on what the market has paid for legitimate closers in recent months, but even that is an imperfect scenario. The in-season cost for an Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman is bound to be far higher than the offseason price, which is nothing to say of the fact that Davis, as of this second, isn’t in their league. He could get back there again, but by that point, he’ll be a free agent to-be and possibly a critical piece of the last contending Royals team we’re trying to craft, here.

John Viril at Kings of Kauffman thinks Mike Minor could become a reliever.

First of all, Minor’s contract is only $4.0 million. That’s a reasonable salary for a relief pitcher so the KC Royals wouldn’t be losing value. The Royals also need more bullpen depth after the 2016 pen failed to meet the prior standard of excellence that carried Kansas City to two consecutive American League pennants in 2014 and 2015.

The smart move might be to begin the season with Mike Minor as a bullpen arm. They could always stretch him out during the season if they need him in the rotation like KC did with Danny Duffy in 2016.

Sluggerrr is up for induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Who were the real villains of the Steve Bartman game?

Terry Francona is a really good manager.

Jon Heyman thinks baseball’s replay system needs to be redefined.

Can social media reveal more about the potential revenue teams can get from their fanbase?

Bill Murray crashes the White House press conference to rep the Cubs.

Why don’t we just make the bullpen catcher the emergency catcher?

Charlie Sheen won’t be throwing out the first pitch of the World Series for the Indians.

The NFL has known about the Josh Brown domestic abuse situation.

Here is your 2016 NBA preview.

Why was the internet screwed up yesterday?

What Barnes and Noble doesn’t get about bookstores.

10,000 “scrotum frogs” mysteriously die in Lake Titicaca.

Your song of the day is Ella Fitzgerald with (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons.