Weekend Rumblings - News for May 19, 2018

Weekend Rumblings - News for May 19, 2018

Sam Mellinger thinks Dayton Moore may have a tougher job now than when he started

And to be sure, in so many important ways, the Royals are much better than when Moore took over. The scouting department is funded, minor-league teams have proper equipment, and a general reputation of competency exists.

If the Royals were a house, they’d be a definite fixer-upper, but one with good bones. Twelve years ago, they were basically a condemned building with a weird smell coming from the basement.

But purely in terms of talent, cost, age and what’s coming for the future, the 2018 Royals may be in worse shape than in 2006.

Royals minor league pitcher Bryan Brickhouse had Tommy John surgery, retired, came back, and might have a career as a reliever now.

“In the back of my mind, I’m kind of tempering it with there may be some disappointment at the end of the day,” Picollo added. “But Brick always competed well, and he had major-league stuff the little bit of time we did get to see him pitch.”

Once at spring training, Brickhouse was regularly hitting 96 to 98 mph with his fastball. And then one day, on a back field in Surprise, Arizona he finally met his goal. He unleashed a fastball. The radar gun popped. It read: 100 mph.

“That was something I worked toward every single day,” Brickhouse says.

David Lesky of Baseball Prospectus Kansas City thinks the Royals should listen on trades, but not pull the trigger unless they’re bowled over.

Trade talk around the internet has started, and the Royals find themselves in an interesting position. Unlike last year, they have no hope of turning things around, so if the right deal were to come along tomorrow, they can and should jump on it. That said, there are so many teams out of it and so many marketable players who will be on the trade market that buyers don’t have to be desperate just yet. If the Royals were to shop guys like Mike Moustakas, Kelvin Herrera and Jorge Soler today, they shouldn’t settle for a package that doesn’t change the path of the farm system. I know that seems silly given the fact that none of the three are likely to return a package like that, but it’s May 18 and there’s time for teams to get more desperate as there potentially becomes more separation in the standings.

Five years ago, Ned Yost made his “third baseman tree” comment, and Pete Grathoff feels he may have been vindicated.

Bob Nightengale talks to Soren Petro about how badly Eric Hosmer wanted to stay in Kansas City, and how the Braves wanted Dayton Moore.

After this year’s washout, the Royals have scheduled an exhibition game against Omaha again for next year.

A look at how the many small things that led to the Royals losing the 2014 World Series.

Drew Butera loses a bet to a fan with cancer, so he colors his hair pink.

Clay Buchholz will start Sunday for the Diamondbacks.

The Rangers are ready to start dealing veterans.

Buster Olney warns that the third baseman trade market will be flooded.

Aaron Judge is hitting even better with an even worse strike zone.

Grant Brisbee imagines the day in the life of a baseball gambler 20 years from now.

College third baseman selected early in the draft have been virtually bust-free.

The Arizona Diamondbacks decided to all dress as Saturday Night Live characters.

The Dodgers acquired both Goeddel brothers this week.

Winners and losers from the NBA Draft Combine.

Florida Atlantic University falsified reports to the feds to comply with Title IX.

Kemper Arena will become “HyVee Arena” and is close to re-opening as a youth athletic center.

Hippos poop so much they are killing all the fish.

Cartoon Network will try to bring back Thundercats.

The politics of Mario Kart.

Your song of the day is Thelonious Monk with In Walked Bud.