Royals Rumblings - News for November 6, 2017

Royals Rumblings - News for November 6, 2017

Mike Minor is looking to cash in on free agency.

“I thought all season that I could do any part of the pen,” Minor said then. “And this just kind of showcases it. Maybe I could (close) with another team … or this team.”

The Royals remain interested in a reunion with Minor. Yet the decision could hinge on the price point and the direction of the franchise. If the club loses out in free agency and elects to embrace a rebuild, spending considerable money on a free-agent reliever would make little sense. In that case, the goal might be finding the next Minor, a reclamation project who rejuvenated his career in Kansas City.

Ian Kennedy elects not to opt out of his deal.

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City isn’t quite ready to blow it all up.

I am of the belief that the Royals should be rebuilding, but I’m also not completely gung ho about tearing it down to the studs in 2018 and doing what the kids refer to as “tanking.” Part of that is because I’m not sure they have the parts to actually bring back enough to make it worth trading these guys. If your argument is that you might as well be brutally bad if you’re not going to be good, I get it, but I also think that’s less true in baseball than other sports in terms of draft position. The reason I’m not so gung ho on that is something I’ve mentioned before. I think the Royals can be whatever it is they’ll be in 2018 and still rebuild the system quickly with the extra draft picks (and draft allotment) and their international spending being reset. If some of the lower level guys like Khalil Lee, Chase Vallot, Michael Gigliotti and others progress and some others like Nicky Lopez step up, the system can really climb up the rankings along with the new players they bring in.

Prospect Nicky Lopez adjusted his swing and is drawing attention in the Arizona Fall League.

So on one of his first days in the Arizona Fall League last month, Lopez finally closed up his stance and stood straighter at the plate. He cut the moving parts out of his approach, better balancing his 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame, and took a hack at a practice pitch.

His swing was smoother. The ball jumped off the bat differently....

“This seems to work the best,” Lopez said. “I’ll just keep riding this out until I have to make another adjustment. Hopefully I don’t need to.”

Royals Farm Report profiles Nick Pratto.

The Royals will wear a special 50th anniversary patch next year.

The Dodgers congratulate the Astros with a full-page ad.

One bettor may have won $10 million on the World Series.

Johnny Cueto and Masahiro Tanaka also decline to opt-out of their deals.

The Cardinals could offer young pitching to get Giancarlo Stanton.

The Mariners are interested in bringing back Jarrod Dyson, but are wary at a multi-year deal.

BABIPs you shouldn’t have bought into in 2017.

A look at 2018 Rookie of the Year candidates.

A projection of college football bowl matchups and boy is it a mess.

Blockbuster hockey deal!

The bleak world of The Girlfriend Experience.

A guy filmed a commercial to sell his girlfriend’s used 1996 Honda Accord.

Alex Trbek once ate so many pot brownies, he was in bed for two days.

Your song of the day is Jacob Miller with Charlie Brown’s Lament.