Royals Rumblings - News for April 3, 2017

Royals Rumblings - News for April 3, 2017

Sam Mellinger is still skeptical the Royals can win and rebuild after talking to Royals owner David Glass.

“You’ve been around,” Glass said. “If I said to you, ‘We’re going to do all of the above. We’re going to transition, we’re still going to be competitive and we’re still going to win every year, and not go all the way backward to build forward, you’d tell me that’s impossible.’”

Please allow me to interject. I don’t think it’s impossible. I do think it’s very unlikely — even less likely than winning the 2015 World Series. I believe their smartest move would’ve been to go all out for 2017, let the free agents walk, collect the compensation picks, and build back up with three or so years of picking high in the draft.

Even the Dodgers and Yankees and Red Sox can’t win every year. The Cubs lost 101 and 96 games in consecutive years in their rebuild and got Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber with those high picks.

So, yes. I believe this other way is more effective, with a higher chance of success. And I believe the path the Royals have chosen is, well, not quite impossible. But close.

Rustin Dodd talks to Dayton Moore about the next generation of Royals players in the minors.

“I like the hunger of our players,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “I like the hunger in them. I like their desire to compete. We’ve got guys that have upside.”

The organization admits the system isn’t as strong as it has been, but things could change quickly.

Six years after boasting the best farm system in baseball, the Royals’ system now ranks somewhere in the sport’s bottom third. Yet club officials believe this only tells half the story.

“Is there a dip right now? Obviously, there’s a dip,” says Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo. “Am I ready to say that it’s because of our processes? No. Our processes are what got us the players that helped us win a championship.”...

“Salvador Perez was never on a prospect list,” Moore says. “He wasn’t even amongst the top prospects in the Carolina League, according to all the publications.

“It’s just very unpredictable. Baseball is like that.”

Check out complete coverage of Opening Day and the Royals from the Kansas City Star with their season preview.

ESPN gives the best and worst case scenarios for the Royals.

1. Best case: If the team pulls off another miracle, seven games against the Twins, six against the White Sox and a finale series against Arizona might be why. If the Royals get off to a fast start, announce a couple of extensions with their pending free agents and add at the deadline, K.C. could be challenging the Indians for an AL Central crown in September and October when the schedule looks soft.

2. Worst case: The Royals opponents' project to a .515 record in July, the team's toughest month of the entire season with the trade deadline looming. If the Royals can't score and the remade bullpen blows a few leads, GM Dayton Moore might have to buy another phone to keep up with the volume of trade-related inquiries after the team falls below .500 leading into the deadline.

Pete Grathoff looks at how the Royals lineup may look in 2018 if everyone leaves.

Ned Yost talks to Lee Judge about how he’ll manage this year.

Danny Duffy talks about growing up in California, including some tough bullying incidents.

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez had a nice tribute to Yordano Ventura last night.

Dayton Moore is among the twelve people who could have the biggest impact on the 2017 season.

Grant Brisbee ranks the pitching matchups on Opening Day.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny wants to be a wet blanket.

The Rangers may have demoted a reliever for clubhouse reasons.

Here are your team slogans for this year.

Six men in baseball who have done it all.

RIP long-time baseball executive Katy Feeney.

What is keeping Bill James out of the Hall of Fame?

South Carolina is your women’s basketball national champion.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self will be a Hall of Famer.

The 500-year old history of April Fool’s Day.

The Cat in the Hat is the villain in this mashup with the new trailer for It.

The New York Times discovers beer and barbecue in Kansas City.

Your song of the day comes recommended from Andy McCullough, it is John Fogarty with Centerfield.