Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for August 31, 2016

Why have you forsaken us, mantis?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Aug 31, 2016, 8:00am EDT

Royals Rumblings - News for August 31, 2016

Sam Mellinger writes about what it would take for the Royals to make the playoffs.

The Royals don’t need to continue scoring five runs a game — last year, they scored 4.5 per game — but to make up ground they’re going to have to win at least a few shootouts.

The win in Boston on Sunday was a particularly good sign — Yordano Ventura was let down by his defense, but gave up four runs (three earned) in 4 1/3 innings. The Royals won anyway, with that wild sixth inning.

Speaking of the rotation, I still think that’s the weakest part of the team, even as the starters have been nothing short of terrific for about three weeks. Beginning with Aug. 4, Royals starting pitchers have surrendered more than three earned runs in just four of 23 games.

If you could promise me that will continue, I would bet diaper money on the Royals making the playoffs and begin writing that mea culpa.

But he still holds firm that it is unlikely the Royals will be in the post-season.

The Royals remain unlikely to make the playoffs. They began the workweek three games out of the playoffs, one of seven teams holding or close enough to a wild card spot to dream. That’s not just the projections of various computer models. It’s the honest judgment of a team whose best stretch in two years has brought them only to the edge of the playoff race.

But, this much should be said — if the Royals do get in, they’ll be a mother of an opponent for somebody.

Craig Brown at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City gives his thoughts on the acquisition of Daniel Nava.

He’s insurance and a bat to come off the bench down the stretch. With the Royals outfield stocked with Alex Gordon in left, the Jarrod Dyson/Paulo Orlando combo set in center and Lorenzo Cain in right, Nava won’t figure for much playing time. And since Yost so rarely uses pinch hitters (the Royals have 33 pinch hit at bats, the fewest in the AL), it’s difficult to see exactly who Nava would come off the bench for and in what situation.

Still, there could be a moment. Josh Willingham in the Wild Card game anyone? Useful inventory, if deployed properly can reap benefits. And as we learned from a previous grand slam, it’s usually a good idea to properly leverage your match-ups.

A Wade Davis update:

Wade Davis tonight in Omaha: One inning, one hit, two strikeouts, 15 pitches, 13 strikes. (via @OMAStormChasers)
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) August 31, 2016