Weekend Rumblings - News for July 22, 2017

Weekend Rumblings - News for July 22, 2017

Ian Kennedy has thrown his curve more because the changeup hurts his hamstring.

“It was the only pitch I would throw where I could feel (the hamstring),” Kennedy said. “Sometimes I would go into it and I’d forget about it and I’d throw a change-up and it would send, like, a zing from my knee to my groin to remind me I wasn’t fully healthy yet.”

Michael Bauman at The Ringer debates what the Royals should do.

No matter what, next year is going to suck, and GM Dayton Moore has two options: He could sell off his free agents–to-be now, figuring his team isn’t that great, and retool, if not for 2018, then for 2019 or 2020. Or he could go all in now and add players at the deadline, chasing the 11.8 percent chance of a playoff spot Baseball Prospectus gives him, since that’s the best shot he’s likely to get for a few years.

It’s a difficult decision made more so by the involvement of the core of the 2014–2015 teams, and depending on how Kansas City’s next week goes, it could become another suitor for Gray, Darvish, or Lance Lynn, or it could flood the market with Vargas, Moustakas, and Cain. I don’t know what Moore’s going to do. Not only that, I don’t know what I’d do if I were Moore.

Aaron Gleeman and the Baseball Prospectus staff discuss what the Royals should do.

Mains: In terms of what Kansas City could get, I can think of a couple big-budget teams in the AL East that could use a corner infielder or two (this is less true now than when I originally wrote it), and one has a really good farm system. I'll defer to Craig on this, but I'd think a highly regarded prospect is worth more than a sandwich pick for losing a player rejecting a QO. I do see that as the calculus: Can you get more for trading one of these guys than a mid-30s draft pick?

Goldstein: Sure—if you can get a highly regarded prospect. I think the biggest return probably comes for Cain, of the three. But it's not just a sandwich pick, right? It's the bonus slot that comes with it. If they did get three picks in addition to their other first rounder, they'd probably border on the top bonus pool in the league (we can probably approximate most of this). That type of bargaining power and flexibility could be really valuable, depending on the strength of the forthcoming draft class.

Buster Olney expects the Royals to hold off on selling at the deadline.

So while Kansas City hasn’t played well over the past 10 days and sits three games out of first place in the AL Central, the Royals' front office continues to send signals into the market that it is trying to win with this group one last time. Sources say the Royals have been talking about adding a couple of cost-efficient starting pitchers and a reliever to prop up the efforts to win now. Barring a total collapse, the Royals will probably ride out this effort.

Some ESPN writers think the Royals could be a fit for Yonder Alonso.

If the Royals end up as buyers, the lefty-hitting Alonso would be a good fit for a KC club that's struggled against righties and needs more production than Brandon Moss has provided

Rustin Dodd gives injury updates on Raul Mondesi, Bubba Starling, and Cheslor Cuthbert.

A Kansas City coffee shop gets a surprise from Peter Moylan.

Eric Hosmer wins the Heart and Hustle Award for the Royals.

The Royals are one of the least-hated teams in America.

How much do teams overpay for free agents from other teams?

Stephen Souza blames Oakland’s field for his hip injury.

The Pirates and Cardinals will play in the “Little League Classic.”

Joe West wants to preserve the sanctity of umpiring.

The absurd history of the name “The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.”

Stacy Piagno becomes just the third woman to win a game as a pitcher in a pro game.

Should Nationals franchise records date back to the Expos or the Senators?

The resignation of Hugh Freeze continues a downward cycle for Ole Miss.

Kyrie Irving wants out of Cleveland.

Vice Sports will be no more.

Soundcloud has a broken model that drove artists away.

It is so hot, police in Maine are seeing too many naked people.

Your song of the day is Von Freeman with Hard Hittin’.