Royals Rumblings - News for January 31, 2018

Royals Rumblings - News for January 31, 2018

Ned Yost is embracing a rebuild.

Yost said he believes this rebuild could go faster than the last one.

”We’re further along this time than we were last time,” Yost said. “Guys like Cuthbert, Soler and Mondi and Paulo [Orlando] and Boni have all had some level of success at the big league level. Moose and Hosmer and Salvy hadn’t when I got there. They had to go through ups and downs, So I’m looking forward to what these guys bring to the table.”

Jeff Sullivan at Fangraphs looks at what the Royals are getting from the Athletics in Jesse Hahn.

Hahn reached the majors in 2014, and while his fastball hung around 91, he generated an impressively low contact rate. The next season, he gained about a tick and a half, yet the contact went up. The next season, he gained another two ticks, and the contact went up even more. This past season, Hahn’s fastball stayed around 94, yet the contact hardly recovered. Hahn, as a major-league starter, has gone from having below-average velocity to having top-fourth velocity, yet he’s oddly become more hittable, with mediocre numbers in Triple-A to boot.

He even comes with a curveball to dream on. Hahn’s curve in 2015 had the second-highest average spin rate in baseball. The next year, it was fourth, and last year, it was fifth. Hahn’s curve hasn’t changed shape, and it’s reminiscent of the curves thrown by, say, Seth Lugo, Collin McHugh, Rich Hill, and Adam Wainwright. It seems like the curve should be a better weapon than it is. It could be a wipeout pitch, but it just hasn’t worked.

Craig Brown at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City also looks at Hahn and his upside.

According to PitchF/X data, Hahn scrapped his four-seam fastball last year and went exclusively with the two-seamer. He also features a curve and slider that both get a healthy amount of ground balls. This collection of pitches make Hahn a reliable ground ball pitcher, although his sinker doesn’t feature a lot of sink and his ground ball numbers on the pitch actually declined last year.

Pete Grathoff has seven things you need to know about the two pitchers the Royals picked up.

Grathoff also points out that the Moss trade doesn’t necessarily mean the Royals are signing Eric Hosmer.

Alex Duvall at Royals Farm Report writes how he would handle Kyle Zimmer.

Jason Hammel comments on the slow off-season.

Brandon Moss blames the union for the slow off-season.

Prospects 1500 ranks the top 50 Royals prospects.

Nori Aoki returns to Japan.

The Reds sign reliever David Hernandez.

The Cleveland Indians will still profit from the Chief Wahoo logo.

MLB wants to add a runner on the bases beginning with the 11th inning of the All-Star Game.

To combat sign stealing, MLB wants to listen in on dugout phone calls.

Former Padres and Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers dies of cancer.

A look back at the all-female front office of the St. Catherines Blue Jays.

Alex Smith is getting dealt to Washington.

What its like to be a 7’7’’ high school basketball player.

There will be a feasibility study on a hyperloop between Kansas City and St. Louis.

The shallowness of Google Translate.

DC is developing another Superman prequel show without Superman.

Your song of the day is Elliott Smith with Miss Misery.