Royals Rumblings - News for March 8, 2018

Dayton Moore and Co. say, “Just say no to smut.” Emma Baccellieri concludes:

Fight The New Drug focuses not just on porn addiction—which can be serious and debilitating—but on porn itself, specifically on “rejecting the idea that porn is healthy, normal, or cool.” The group is now praising the team as the first MLB club to take a stand against porn; at the end of the year, when the Royals have gone 68-94, at least they’ll be able to hold onto this.

Given the circumstances, it seems like a missed opportunity in not adding a win to their hypothetical season total. So on goes the Royals’ war with technology in all its evil forms.

Jeffrey Flanagan tells the disbelieving world that Alcides Escobar vows to be more selective at the plate:

Yes, Escobar, one of the most chronic free swingers in baseball over the past seven seasons, is spending this Spring Training devoted to changing his offensive approach.

”I don’t want to lose my aggressiveness if the pitcher throws strikes,” Escobar said. “But I want to work in Spring Training on walking more. ... I don’t care if they [strike me out] down here, but I will work on being more selective.”

Flanny also reports on Jake Junis’s first outing of the spring:

Junis also was curious how his new-grip curveball, which is more of a spike curve now, would serve him under game conditions.

”I threw a couple of strikes with it and a couple of balls,” Junis said. “But it’s encouraging.”

Former RR overlord Craig Brown opines that the Royals are tanking at tanking:

Bless Dayton Moore’s baseball heart, he can’t bear to do it. He just can’t bring himself to field a team that’s completely uncompetitive. (Hold that thought.) Here it is March and Moore is shopping in the bargain bin and uncovering a couple of useful parts.

Last week it was Lucas Duda. Monday it was Jon Jay. Both players fill needs for the Royals to field a competitive complete team. Neither is blocking anyone more deserving of playing time.

Let’s take a moment to step back and look at the roster. Yes, Hunter Dozier stands to lose time with Duda at first base. However, it doesn’t exactly make sense to anoint Dozier the starting first baseman at this point in his prospect journey. For starters, he played just 33 games last summer, losing time to a pair of injuries. Then there’s the fact he’s played just 99 innings at first base in his entire professional career. Granted, first base isn’t the most challenging position to play on the diamond, but there are certain nuances that need to be learned. The Royals, by their own conservative nature, have never relished throwing a prospect into a new situation in the majors. First base may well be Dozier’s position in the future. He can get some reps there in Triple-A, and if he’s ready, he will be in Kansas City soon enough. Duda isn’t in his way.

BP KC-mate David Lesky breaks down how the roster is coming into shape.

Maria Torres had this note on Adalberto Mondesí:

More from the Star, this time from Pete Grathoff:

Travis Sawchik writes of the struggles of baseball’s middle class.

At BP, Zach Crizer delves into whether the sport needs to develop a better baseball language as pertains to bridging a gap between the analytical and tradition schools of thought.

Jeff Sullivan notes that baseball keeps breaking the same record.

Rian Watt looks at the falling rates of fastballs thrown in MLB.

South African triathlete Mhlengi Gwala clings to hope after attackers sawed into his right calf.

Strap yourself in, we’re getting some more Tommy Wiseau.

Watch yerself some Hap and Leonard.

Go along with Finnish divers as they traverse a sunken Estonian prison.

Mike Judge and T.J. Miller attempt to further explain how the star’s departure from Silicon Valley came about.

The song of the day is “There is Hell in Hello, but More in Goodbye” by Jim O’Rourke from his seminal album Bad Timing.