Royals Rumblings - News for September 1, 2017

Royals Rumblings - News for September 1, 2017

In his mailbag, Jeffrey Flanagan writes why the Royals are limited on which free agents they can bring back.

The Royals simply don't generate the revenue from their local television deal that medium-sized and large-sized markets do. Owner David Glass has subsidized team losses for years and has put any profits back into the team, but he isn't about to take massive financial hits. Kansas City has been setting franchise-record payroll marks year after year, but to keep Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Jason Vargas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Mike Minor would simply cost too much. Don't be surprised, though, if general manager Dayton Moore finds a way to keep two or three.

Jon Heyman at Fanrag considers the future of Dayton Moore.

GM Dayton Moore could have opportunities elsewhere; it just depends on whether he’d leave Kansas City, which is now home for him. He’s one of the better GMs in the game, but the Glass family gave him a lot of rope at first, when he informed them the rebuild could take awhile (it did, but they got it done, resulting in two straight World Series appearances). While Moore signed a five-year deal a couple years back, word is that the Glasses have suggested to him it’s up to him what he wants to do with his career. Moore’s said to have turned down multiple chances elsewhere, and while he surely understands he’s in for a rebuild in KC now, he’s believed to savor such a challenge. And, one colleague said, “It might be tough for him to leave.”

The Royals may be losing patience with Alex Gordon as he continues to struggle.

“We got to score runs,” Yost said. “Just going day to day right now. I’ve got no set plan. (Bonifacio) had a good night last night, hit a homer, hit the ball good a couple of times. Just go with Boni again.”

Nicholas Sullivan at Kings of Kauffman wonders if Whit Merrifield had made the Opening Day roster.

When Merrifield was called up the Kansas City Royals were an even 6-6. (They have a losing record with him!!?? What makes you think he would have helped in those first 12 games??) Fair points, but hear me out.

Of the six losses, three came by deficits of one or two runs. In those three games, Mondesi was a collective 2 for 10 with an RBI, five strikeouts and three runners left on base. It could have been worse, he was 2 for 32 in all of the other games in which he played.

Merrifield, for what it’s worth, homered in his debut. Mondesi hit just one during his 42 at-bats with the Kansas City Royals this season.

Video surfaces of Danny Duffy’s car as he is passed out in the Burger King drive-thru.

The Royals will donate $10,000 to Hurricane Harvey victims.

Jeff Passan thinks it is time for MLB to have a DUI policy.

The Angels acquire Justin Upton and Brandon Phillips.

The Rangers pick up pitcher Miguel Gonzalez.

Justin Verlander is traded to the Astros.

J.A. Adande thinks the decrease in African-Americans in baseball has caused a decline in stolen bases.

How many players have gone from the best player in baseball to the worst, as Albert Pujols has done?

Are the Indians the team to beat in the American League?

Would MSNBC analyst Chris Hayes get a single hit if he played a full-season of Major League Baseball?

How Turner Field was transformed from the home of the Braves to the home of Georgia State football.

Ed Cunningham walks away from his college football analyst job, disturbed by the brain trauma.

The Red Cross is drawing a lot of criticism on how it is handling disaster relief funds.

Netflix ventures into the Chuck Lorre multi-cam sitcom with Disjointed and it is predictably awful.

An oral history of Jim Harbaugh’s cameo on Saved by the Bell.

Your song of the day is The Stooges with Search and Destroy.