Weekend Rumblings - News for June 3, 2017

Weekend Rumblings - News for June 3, 2017

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City doesn’t necessarily think the Royals will do a firesale.

A lot of people see the injury to Danny Duffy as a reason why the Royals will sell, but I see it a different way. They have to tread water while he’s out for it to matter and the AL Central needs to continue to be lackluster, but I see the Duffy injury as an excuse to stand pat for a little while longer for the Royals. If they can just hang around, the Royals will look at Duffy’s return (and maybe the return of Nate Karns if he stays out) as “big ticket acquisitions” near the trade deadline. So if they’re still within five or six games of the division lead at that time, it’s not difficult to envision Dayton Moore and company seeing that as a reason to not do anything and hope that a team on the outskirts of the race can get back into it with those two returning.

Brandon Moss feels like his swing is returning to form.

"I find myself too much leaning toward the home run instead of dialing it back a bit," Moss said. "On days when I don't have [the power swing], I'm trying to do too much just to contribute or change a game with a home run. That's not good.

"When you're not hitting singles, you feel like you can't hit singles. If every once in a while you're hitting home runs, you start to think, 'Why even try to hit singles? Just keep doing what you're doing.' But that's when you get an inverse effect.

"So yes, I'm happier with my swing lately, but it's still not there. Just waiting for it to one day show up."

Jeff Zimmerman at Fangraphs gives his scouting report on Eric Skoglund’s first start.

With Skoglund, I have my reservations. The first is that he doesn’t seem like a finished product and could use some minor league season to tighten up all his breaking balls. If he stays in the majors, don’t expect the luck shown in his first start to continue. He easily could have given up six or more runs if the start came at Yankee Stadium.

Eric Hosmer and Mike Minor are named Royals Player and Pitcher for the Month of May. Hosmer hit .367/.421/.560 over the last month and Minor had scoreless outings in 11 of his 12 May appearances.

Royals first base prospect Chris DeVito hit for the cycle for Wilmington last night.

Jake Junis makes the Baseball America hot sheet.

The Royals will give away a Captain America bobblehead next month.

Some Royals players visit the VA Medical Center.

How the procedure on Seth Maness could be an alternative to Tommy John surgery.

A minor leaguer gets suspended 30 games for throwing a ball at a player in the middle of a fight.

How often have division leaders heading into June been able to hold onto first?

Let’s talk about Tampa Bay’s attendance problem.

The latest action from the NCAA baseball tournament.

Hundreds of unopened baseball cards found in one attic may be worth $1 million.

The Chiefs cut receiver Jeremy Maclin.

A ranking of pro sports mascots.

Hurricane season is here, but who is in charge of FEMA?

The modern movement to exonerate a 15th century serial killer.

Will there be a Game of Thrones prequel?

Your song of the day is Dexter Gordon with Blue Bossa.