Royals Rumblings

Weekend Rumblings - News for May 6, 2017

Is Hosmer a wanted man?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper May 6, 2017, 10:14am EDT

Weekend Rumblings - News for May 6, 2017

In his mailbag, Rustin Dodd explains why the Royals won’t rush to make a trade even if the season looks bleak.

Yes, you theoretically could trade five months of a position player, instead of two or three, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a larger or better haul in return. For one, there aren’t many buyers out there right now. And more teams could be motivated to buy or go all-in in late June or July, sensing the opportunity to strike while their window is open. Get two or three teams in desperate need of help at third base or in the bullpen, and all of a sudden, the market increases.

This is an inexact science, which is to say there’s no perfect answer. The best hope for the Royals, if they end up in sell-mode, is not timing it right, but rather matching up well with the teams in contention.

Ned Yost says Miguel Almonte will probably work out of the pen.

“I focused on my mechanics and things have been going pretty good,” Almonte said through Royals coach Pedro Grifol, who interpreted the interview.

One noticeable change: Almonte has pitched more from the stretch this season and “feels more comfortable,” he said.

Almonte said he has no preference as a starter or reliever.

“Wherever they put me is fine with me,” Almonte said. “It’s not my decision. I’m going to do the job wherever they put me.”

Keith Law doesn’t see much of a market for Eric Hosmer this winter.

Most teams are more than set at first base for 2018, either with a major league player under contract or a prospect in the high minors who should be ready to step in next April. The entire market for Hosmer might just be the Yankees, the Mariners, and maybe the Marlins or Royals. Neither of those last two teams are going to hand Hosmer a five-year, eight- to nine-figure deal -- probably nothing close, assuming the Royals are rebuilding at that point and the Marlins are the Marlins. The two teams we most commonly assume will snap up an unsigned Boras client, Detroit and Washington, are both fully booked up at first. That makes Hosmer a free agent with few options, someone on whom interested teams can wait until January to try to sign him on a one-year discounted deal.

Clint Scoles at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City wants Raúl Mondesí to stop bunting.

The facts are the Royals need to have a come to Jesus meeting with Mondesi and tell him the bunting MUST STOP. To bunt with a man in scoring position and two outs is either a sign that he either has too little confidence in himself to get a hit or he just doesn’t understand why that’s a poor strategy. Either way, it shouldn’t be taking place.

The minor leagues are for development and Mondesi needs to be developing his ability to hit, not bunt. Instead, he should be working on pitch recognition while modifying his swing to make better and more consistent contact – whichever you prefer. The bunt, however, should be the last in a long line of things he should be working on and taking it away from him needs to be done. If he can’t understand that, then the Royals need to make him understand it.

Jon Heyman thinks David Robertson makes more sense for the Nationals than Kelvin Herrera.

Sam Mellinger says the Royals were interested in Tim Tebow, but had reservations.

To clarify: they liked Tebow's athleticism, but wondered about his priorities with the bonus, and request to still do TV.
— Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) May 5, 2017