Royals Rumblings - News for September 19, 2016

Royals Rumblings - News for September 19, 2016

Sam Mellinger writes that while this season is a disappointment, it is forgivable.

This should be said: the Royals owe us nothing. Their last two seasons have been the greatest joy ride in Kansas City sports history, a worldview changing payback for decades of disappointments. They changed a franchise’s place, boosted a city’s self-esteem, raised flags and threw an unforgettable parade.

The Royals have made forever memories for fans around the region and beyond. Businesses in town have profited. Friendships have been made, and old friendships renewed. That’s the stuff that lasts, and that’s the stuff this group has gifted to a group of people who’d largely come to expect disappointment.

Ned Yost won his 1,000th game as a Major League manager.

The Royals broke a 29-year playoff drought. They won a World Series. They suffered through an uneven encore in 2016. And through it all, Yost kept managing games, kept adding to the total, kept putting up new frames in his office. And yet, if he was being honest, there was really only one personal number that intrigued him.

“The only two goals I ever set,” Yost says, “was win a World Series as a manager and get 1,000 wins. I just thought that would be a special number. It just meant you had some longevity.”

The Royals had fun with the return of Jason Vargas.

Mike Moustakas strolled through the Royals’ locker room prior to their matchup with the White Sox Saturday night, and announced a “national holiday.”

“It’s Jason Vargas Launch Day!” he called out. “You’re all witnesses.”

It may not have been a national holiday, but it was, indeed, the relaunch of Vargas’ career.

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City thinks we may be seeing the last of Wade Davis.

If you handed me some cash and told me I had to make a bet about where Wade Davis pitches in 2017 and my choices were KC or somewhere else, I think I’d lean toward somewhere else. The rumors at the deadline were telling to me, and I’m not convinced the Royals aren’t trying to not showcase him before the season ends. Holding him out of Tuesday’s game against the A’s was interesting given that he didn’t pitch on Monday, so he already had the day rest he’d likely need from his two long outings over the weekend. Maybe I’m reading way too much into it, but I think the Royals see his $10 million salary and a replacement already on the roster and think they could find a way to improve the team both through the return of Davis and the savings of not having to pay him.

Alcides Escobar is determined to play all 162 games this year.

"I talked to them the other day and said 'I want to play, no matter what'," Escobar said.

Royals manager Ned Yost marvels at Escobar's durability.

"He's got the knack of being able to stay healthy and recover quickly," Yost said. "He shows no signs of fatigue."

Leigh Oleszczak at KC Kingdom thinks bandwagon Royals fans are the worst.

Reymond Fuentes cleared waivers and is now a free agent.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals lose the Texas League championship.

The Tigers nearly signed Billy Butler.

The Indians continue to lose players with Carlos Carrasco now out for the year.

It is a specific kind of golden age for shortstops.

Jose Quintana is the best pitcher no one cares about.

The New York Times tweet on the television show Pitch ends up being offensive to female baseball fans.

Stephen Colbert sells hot dogs incognito at Wrigley Field.

North Dakota State is not an FBS football program, but should they be in the FBS rankings?

How WWE’s greatest female wrestler - Chyna - disappeared from the limelight.

Twitter is sued by an investor for failing to deliver user growth.

Why is Pluto emitting x-rays?

Bill Murray poured drinks at a Brooklyn bar owned by his son over the weekend.

Your song of the day is Bob Moses with “Tearing Me Up.”