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Royals Rumblings - News for May 26, 2017

Alcides Escobar is the Iron Man of Royals baseball.

By Max Rieper

Royals Rumblings - News for May 26, 2017

Ryan Fagan at The Sporting News looks at the trade value for Royals players.

Barring injuries, there aren’t many playoff-bound teams in the market for a first baseman. Maybe the Angels (if they decide to buy) and maybe the Yankees (if Greg Bird continues to struggle when he returns from the DL) and maybe the Astros. That’s about it. Certainly not enough teams to get into a bidding war for Hosmer. The thing is, if the Royals are going to trade him, they ideally would do it now, while Hosmer’s on a hot streak (.374 over his past 26 games), which doesn’t exactly mix with hoping a trade market develops for him down the road.

This is speculation, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that Hosmer could return as a free agent this offseason. The Royals won't offer the biggest contract, but if Hosmer finds the market for his services lower than he hoped for, maybe he opts to return to a franchise and fan base that loves him unconditionally at a lower salary than he could land elsewhere.

Jeff Passan looks at which teams are best and worst positioned for the best free agent market ever - in 2018.

For a small-market team, particularly one with a reputation for low payrolls, the Royals are treading in some big-money territory. Next year their guaranteed money is the seventh highest of any team. In 2019, they remain in the top 10, with more than $80 million committed. If the next few years entail a rebuild – and the Royals’ situation certainly warrants that – this may be more the five-year variety than three-year fixer-upper.

Craig Brown at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City takes a bit of an issue with Alcides Escobar's new record.

(A quick Escobar aside. There was much talk about Escobar and his consecutive start streak as he set a Royals record last weekend. It was his 213th consecutive start at shortstop, passing Paul Schaal. It was a record that speaks to the Royals stubbornness to acknowledge Escobar simply isn’t that good. Or it speaks to the Royals inability to produce a shortstop good enough to replace Escobar. It’s not like the bar is set all that high. Anyway, this is a record that brings to mind the Royals of the mid-aughts, not the championship teams of 2014 and 2015.)

Dayton Moore says he has nothing going on the trade market.

And that he turned down some deals last summer.

The Royals will skip Miguel Almonte’s spot in the rotation.

Hot hitting earned Chris DeVito a promotion to Wilmington.

"He’s really had an unbelievable start," assistant general manager J.J. Picollo said. "We knew he had power. For guys who have that tool, it’s all about trying to access that tool. But he did a great job.

"He did it with some guys around him who were struggling, and he still remained patient. He was waiting for his pitch, and when he got that pitch he wasn’t missing it."

The Royals are on pace to set a franchise home run record, but it isn’t helping.

A look at Mike Moustakas photographs throughout the years.

Peter O’Brien is again designated for assignment, this time by the Reds.

Rookie Koda Glover is the new Nationals closer.

Let's not get that excited about the first place Brewers quite yet.

Despite Rob Manfred's efforts, pitchers are working even slower this year.

The Yankees are in first place, but fans aren't coming out to the stadium.

The Twins are reportedly going to pass on prep pitcher Hunter Greene with the first pick in the June draft.

Frank Mason pens a goodbye to the University of Kansas for The Player's Tribune.

Qatar is still abusing World Cup workers.

Members of The Anniversary, The Get Up Kids, and The Gadjits are forming a 90's Kansas City indie rock superband.

A ranking of the best training montages in movies.

A contestant loses his mind on The Price is Right when he breaks the Plinko record.

Your song of the day is Josh Berwanger with I'm Down Again.

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