Memorial Day Rumblings - News for May 29, 2017

Memorial Day Rumblings - News for May 29, 2017

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus doesn’t expect the Royals to have a complete teardown.

Notice I said reloading and not rebuilding. It’s not that I think the Royals and Dayton Moore truly are opposed to a rebuild, but I just don’t think it’s feasible. This isn’t news to anyone, but the Royals currently have about $97 million committed to 10 players with Kelvin Herrera and Nate Karns arbitration eligible next season. It’s probably worth noting that Jorge Soler can opt in to arbitration after the season and cancel out his roughly $4 million guaranteed salary in 2018. I figured he’d play well enough to justify asking for $5 million or more, but that hasn’t been the case to this point. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that it’s difficult for the Royals to rebuild given the payroll constraints. Now, it would help if Ian Kennedy opted out to save $16 million. And if they could trade Joakim Soria, this deadline, that would save $9 million. But both those seem somewhat unlikely at this point, knowing what we know about this front office

John Perotto of FanRag writes the Royals know time is running out for their core.

“We all know it’s there,” Hosmer said of the possibility of the team being broken apart. “It’s been there since the start of spring training. You try not to think about it and I don’t think anybody in this clubhouse is dwelling on but we all know it’s a possibility.

“We have a very close-knit team and what makes it a little easier is that you have other people to go through this with.”

Brandon Moss is mashing changeups this year, a pitch he usually struggles with.

"It's one of those pitches," Moss explained, "that if a pitcher keeps it down or executes their location with it, it's the pitch I can't handle.

"But when they miss up or over the plate, it's a pitch I've always driven. It's always been that way. Last year was a little different. I would pull them foul, be out in front of it a little bit."

Royals pitchers discuss their arsenals.

Sometimes, though, it may appear that both Karns and Vargas throw knuckle-curves -- because they lift their index finger off the ball as they grip it.

"I leave my index finger off the ball because I treat that [index] finger sort of as if it's a training wheel," Karns said. "If I'm throwing a curve, sometimes the ball will catch the finger, but only if I need it to, as I throw it. I think the confusion comes from that sometimes pitchers, myself included, will put the tip of their index finger on the ball for a little different spin. But that's a spike curve. It's not a knuckle-curve."

Lefty Brian Flynn began his rehab assignment after breaking his ribs falling off a roof.

Sean Thornton of Bleeding Royals Blue rebuilds the Royals using OOTP Baseball.

Peter O’Brien is claimed by the Texas Rangers off waivers from the Reds.

A history of players who wore a “C” for captain, including one on the Royals.

Predict the first big name player traded this summer!

Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus gives fantasy reports for fictional baseball players.

A bizarre minor league strikeout on a pitch that only traveled a few feet.

An epic fail in the outfield for Steven Souza.

Hall of Fame pitcher and former U.S. Senator Jim Bunning passes away.

LaVar Ball coached an AAU team to a 52-point loss.

Arsenal wins a 13th FA Cup title.

Some would like to see Memorial Day moved back to May 30 so its meaning is not forgotten.

Data mining can help find tax cheaters.

Remembering the forgotten co-creator of Wonder Woman.

Your song of the day is Pearl Jam with Last Soldier.