Royals Rumblings - News for March 14, 2017

Royals Rumblings - News for March 14, 2017

Craig Brown at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City was pretty impressed with Danny Duffy’s outing at the World Baseball Classic.

Duffy’s fastball sat around 93 mph which is probably where it should be at this point in the spring. His change was pure filth and his slider had some nasty bite. He even spun a couple of curves that landed in the zone and caught hitters off guard.

He looked ready. Duffy threw 63 pitches, which is a bit elevated for four innings of work, but was working on a strike zone that was tight on the left-handed side and was clearly trying to get hitters to chase once he jumped ahead. It is still spring training, so it’s difficult to discern a true plan (beyond getting outs) but it seemed like Duffy was trying to go for the strikeouts. Not a bad plan against an overmatched lineup. He’d pound the zone with strikes and then go off-speed once he jumped ahead. He wasn’t nibbling, he was expanding the strike zone. For the most part it worked, although it did lead to an early elevated pitch count. That matters only in spring. The way he looked last night, once he builds up his regular season arm stamina, he could have gone seven easy.

Matt Strahm is the only Royals prospect to make Fangraph’s Top 100 list.

I’m on Strahm as a starter not just because I think his changeup will progress to average as he continues to make up for lost development time due to injury, but also because he has excellent command of a vicious curveball that he regularly works inside to right-handed hitters. He’ll also run his fastball up to 96.

Peter Moylan is ready to show the Royals what he can do after pitching in the World Baseball Classic.

“That’s the plan — come back here and continue to pitch the way that I’ve been pitching for all the offseason, the first couple games here (at Royals camp), pitched really well against Cuba,” Moylan said. “So continue to get guys out.”

Nate Karns is working on his changeup.

The Royals re-assign Jake Junis, Miguel Almonte, Kevin McCarthy and Samir Duenez to minor league camp.

An extensive preview of which Royals prospects could play for the Lexington Legends this year.

The Royals announce their 2016 organization award winners.

Paulo Orlando celebrates the birth of his son, Derek Alexandre.

Grant Brisbee looks at whether each team should try to win-now, or win-later.

Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond is out for a month with a broken hand.

Yadier Molina blasts MLB for lax security for the World Baseball Classic.

David Schoenfield wants the Braves to trade for Evan Longoria.

Manny Ramirez’s contract in Japan includes all-you-can eat sushi.

The top 50 players of March Madness.

Was it worth it for Rutgers to accept an invitation to the Big Ten?

Critics hit Reza Aslan on his new show on religion for insensitivity....and eating human brains.

ABC is experimenting with miniseries.

The new season of Doctor Who gets a trailer.

Your song of the day is Don Henley with All She Wants to Do is Dance.