Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for October 26, 2016

Winner takes on the Royals, right?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Oct 26, 2016, 8:00am EDT

Royals Rumblings - News for October 26, 2016

MLB Trade Rumors has their off-season outlook for the Royals.

Ultimately, the Royals are in a somewhat unenviable spot — stuck in the middle between contention and a need to rebuild. They probably feel this is their last shot at contending with this core, but there are myriad holes throughout the lineup and few ways to patch them without sending payroll soaring into uncharted and unsustainable territory. The Royals reportedly operated at a loss this season, so tacking on tens of millions more to the payroll isn’t a sound business decision.....

Nonetheless, a poor start to the 2017 season could be the precursor for a summer sale, and even if the Royals are able to contend in the AL Central next year, this is a franchise that is destined for a significant amount of turnover beginning next winter, at the latest, when its core hits the open market.

Sam Mellinger reminisces about the Royals’ championship and marvels at what the Cubs or Indians fans are about to experience.

One of my favorite things about that run was watching the cars pull over on I-70, beyond the left field fence. They parked on the side of the interstate, and got out, I imagine either taking pictures, or just watching, or just listening. Maybe they couldn’t afford tickets. Maybe they tried, and couldn’t find anyone willing to sell. That year’s World Series tickets might be the only time in human history that something has been more expensive in Kansas City than San Francisco.

I wouldn’t have traded the experience, but I would’ve liked to have seen what it looked like from the shoulder of the highway. Police would come along and shoo the loiterers away after a few minutes, but sure enough, another car would take the place soon. I just don’t know that I’ll ever be in the middle of something like that again.

I think about all of this as the Indians and Cubs begin the World Series tonight. One of them will end a championship drought much longer than the Royals’. I really don’t care who wins. I’ll be happy for the fans of either team. They deserve it, the ones who’ve believed through all the reasons to turn away. Good for them. We know what that’s like here in Kansas City.

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City thinks about the little things that could have changed the Royals season in a big way.

The reports from Moose’s rehab stint weren’t great. He was still rusty and needed to get some timing back. After striking out 10 times in 105 at bats before going on the disabled list, he struck out three times in four at bats in his first game back. I remember commenting at the time that it looked like he came back too early. And then came doom. A popup was hit in foul territory down the left field line. Alex Gordon came in. Moustakas went out. They both went down. Moose was out for the year. Gordon was out for five weeks. That’s the season right there.

That will be my biggest “what if”, I think, from the Royals 2016 season. More than anything else, the decision to bring Moustakas back to the big leagues before he was ready to come back hurt the Royals in a way that nobody could be blamed for and nobody could imagine. What if they had just let him stay in Northwest Arkansas for a few more days? It’s a chain reaction that probably didn’t keep the Royals from the playoffs, but you never know.

Josh Staumont was named Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Week.

There is a petition to replace Joe Buck for Bob Uecker for the World Series broadcast.

Even the data seems to think the Cubs have been cursed.

There is a massive payroll disparity in the World Series matchup.

The Indians beat writer who wrote the team off jumps in Lake Erie on a bet.

Everyone seems to have forgotten the White Sox won a World Series in 2005.

The director of Major League talks about his ideas for a sequel and why he chose the Indians as a subject.

Players will boycott a showcase in the Dominican Republic in response to a proposed international draft.

The Tigers are beefing up their analytics department.

Great story about the big league prospect who became a hitman.

Seattle may be one step closer to an NBA franchise.

The New York Giants finally release Josh Brown for his domestic abuse.