Royals Rumblings - News for February 27, 2017
Sean Thornton at Bleeding Royal Blue thinks the Royals should let Eric Hosmer walk.
If you noticed, a lot of the positives associated with him center around what he ‘could’ do. It feels a bit weird to me to think a player entering his 7th big league season is still being waited on to reach his potential, or that the numbers tell a different story than what most people feel about Hosmer off of the ‘eye test’. If you listen to the national media, they have some heavy love for Hosmer and in some ways I see it. Here is a guy who is young and charming, has had success on the national stage in both the playoffs and All-Star Game and is a fun interview. For many, this is the Hosmer they know and for many it is why they believe him to be the focal point of Kansas City’s offense. But the truth lies somewhere else and to many of us who follow this team religiously, it is a big reason why we believe the Royals should not even entertain negotiations.
Brandon Moss explains his approach to hitting.
“Instead of having this swing that’s kind of on a plane to try to hit these line drives, I made it steep to where you catch the ball and send it into the air,” Moss says. “That’s really the only thing. But it really wasn’t that hard of an adjustment.”
In baseball, of course, there is an old maxim that a player cannot try to hit home runs. They are the result of talent, timing and kismet, and to attempt to hit the ball over the fence is a fool’s errand. In Moss’s view, this is only half right. No player can hit homers on command. This is obvious. But you can massage the conditions to make them just right.
“You spend some time tinkering and figuring out how it’s easier to hit the ball in the air more often,” Moss says. “And then you do it.”
The loss of Jarrod Dyson could open up more time for switch-hitting Billy Burns.
Burns has speed, stealing 74 bases in 2013 in the minors. He swiped another 57 in 2014, including three with Oakland.
“It is something I love to do and it is something I’ve worked on my whole career,” Burns said.
Royals first base coach Rusty Kuntz has been tutoring Burns.
“Hopefully, I can continue to improve on that with the help of Rusty,” Burns said. “He’s one of the best resources in the game. It’s really been awesome to learn from him.”
Burns said getting an extra half-step lead and “knowledge of the pitcher could be the difference between safe and an out.”
Speaking of Dyson, he wants to challenge Salvy.
"We already talked about it when we went to Ace's [Yordano Ventura's funeral] service," Dyson told the Tacoma News Tribune. "I told him I was going to try him. And if he gets me, I'm going to tip my hat running off the field.
"And if I get him, he'd best believe I'm zooming on him. It's all fun."
Darin Watson at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City likes the options for the Royals at second base, particularly Christian Colón and Whit Merrifield.
The good news is that both players, based on PECOTA projections, look like they can be contributors this season. Merrifield’s projection is for 0.6 WARP, but in 346 plate appearances. Colon’s projection is for 0.5 WARP, but in 219 plate appearances. Put them together and you have a full-time second baseman at 1.1 WARP, which is nothing to write home about but at least is a positive contribution, given that their combined salaries probably barely crack the $1 million threshold. That’s better production than the Royals got from Omar Infante at a fraction of the price.
Drew Butera was scratched for oblique tightness.
Peter O’Brien is looking for a roster spot with the Royals.
Former Royals prospect Ian Ferguson talks about how anxiety derailed his career.
Boulevard Brewery shows off Royals-themed packaging for the new KC Pils.
What would Zack Greinke get if he was a free agent right now?
The Angels want to run more.
How MLB teams are trying to create good clubhouse chemistry.
Dave Cameron at Fangraphs tries to fix arbitration for relievers.
A history of fans running onto the baseball field.
Two Brewers prospects parody Wayne’s World.
Bleacher Report deletes a tweet about Dirk Nowitski after pressure from Mark Cuban.
Gonzaga falls for the first time this year, how does that affect their March?
Batman vs. Superman cleans up at the Razzie Awards.
Your song of the day is Aimee Mann with That’s Just What You Are.