Royals Rumblings - News for June 21, 2017

Royals Rumblings - News for June 21, 2017

Danny Duffy threw some pitches yesterday.

That process continued Tuesday afternoon as Duffy faced live hitters during a 40-pitch session on the field at Kauffman Stadium. Duffy is scheduled to log a similar — but longer — session on Friday. He could head out on a rehab assignment next week. Barring setbacks, he is on a rough timeline to re-join the Royals’ rotation at, or shortly after, the All-Star break.

“It’s just about building up now,” Duffy said. “I understand you have to have patience when it comes to this kind of injury, but if they asked me to go today, I’d be ready to go on a rehab assignment.”

Nate Karns will restart his throwing program today after a setback.

The crux of the problem, Karns said, has been lingering discomfort on the top of his forearm. The issue did not allow him to properly finish off his pitches during side sessions, leading to the possibility of erratic command. The Royals have opted to exercise caution, waiting for the tightness to dissipate before moving onto the next phase of rehab.

“No one was really banking on it taking this long,” Karns said. “But the good thing is there’s no surgery, no major injury. The only negative is the time it took to kind of bounce back.”

Sam Mellinger is still a bit skeptical the Royals can make a run.

Last year, the Orioles and Blue Jays took wild-card spots with 89 wins. To get there, the Royals would need to finish 55-38. That’s a 96-win pace over 162 and, basically, what the Royals have been doing over the last six weeks.

* Remember, when the Royals were the best team in the American League wire to wire in 2015, they won 95 games.

It’s a big ask for them to keep up that pace over the last 16 weeks.

In other words, the Royals essentially packed all of the slump they could slump over 162 games into the first 30. No more. They’ve put themselves on a tightrope.

They can do it. They’re capable. They’ve shook out of worse situations in bursts, though never over this much of a season.

It’s possible. I wouldn’t bet on it.

Vahe Gregorian writes that the Royals should stay the course.

For his part, Moore has contended all along that he saw no earmarks of what would make for the precipitous plunge that seemed to be building in April.

“The players tell you everything you need to know: Are they competing? Are they hungry? … What’s their general health like? What’s going on in their personal lives?” he said. “There are so many different things that you have to factor in.”

All of those told him a correction was on its way — even if he couldn’t predict when it would take or how it will all play out in the long run.

So still nearly six weeks from the trade deadline that seems ever-present because of what could be seismic shifts ahead if the Royals are in sell mode, Moore has no reason to focus on that, even as others do it for him.

The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo sees Mike Moustakas as an upgrade for the Red Sox.

Moustakas is perfectly happy in Kansas City, the only organization he’s ever known. And while he wouldn’t say it, he’d love for the Royals to make an offer so he doesn’t have to worry about changing addresses. The Royals did that with Alex Gordon, who was wooed by other teams, but he stayed with the Royals - though he hasn’t been very good since.

Moustakas may take issues with those words being put in his mouth.

Jackie Bradley Jr. marvels at his college teammate Whit Merrifield.

The Red Sox visited the Negro League Baseball Museum.

Lee Judge has dinner with Drew Butera.

Old friend Ben Zobrist heads to the disabled list.

Pablo Sandoval is on the DL with an inner ear infection.

The Tigers think everyone is stealing their signs.

Anthony Rizzo violated the home plate collision rule.

Kanley Jansen is the new Mariano Rivera.

Clayton Kershaw has a dong problem.

Umpire Joe West dishes on players and tells what he would change about the game.

Tom Verducci worries that nothing happens too much in baseball.

Some Cuban baseball players are caught in purgatory.

Former Chiefs lineman Ryan O’Callaghan comes out as gay and reveals Chiefs staffers talked him out of suicide.

The Lakers trade D’Angelo Russell to try to land a big star.

Why sharks literally puke their guts out.

Daniel Day-Lewis will retire from acting.

Zima is back. Why.

Your song of the day is George Clinton with Atomic Dog.