Royals Rumblings - News for May 30, 2018

Royals Rumblings - News for May 30, 2018

Ned Yost would like to see defensive shifts outlawed.

Asked if he’d like to see shifts — usually a shortstop playing on the right side or a second baseman playing on the left side of the infield — outlawed, Yost nodded.

“Go for it,” Yost said. “Set it up. The game has changed so much. You can’t slide into second base (aggressively), you can’t make more than six visits to the mound, you can’t slide into home plate (through the catcher). I’m fine with all that.

“But you talk about low scoring, you talk about strikeouts, if you can eliminate the shift it’s going to increase offense. It’s hard to hit singles. It’s hard to bunch together runs. You’ve got to hit homers or doubles now.

Rustin Dodd profiles 2017 first-round pick Nick Pratto.

“Kind of reminds me of McCann in the batter’s box,” says Moore, the Royals’ general manager. “The way he hits, his sureness, his secureness as a baseball player.”

In the year since the Royals selected him in the first round, the comparisons to Hosmer have been easy to make. Pratto, who signed for $3.45 million, grades as a strong fielder. His power could come later. His makeup is solid. Pratto, though, has another model in mind: Reds first baseman Joey Votto.

“The way he approaches the game,” Pratto says. “The way he’s patient and really attacks his pitch. The way he plays a game with the pitcher. I think it’s awesome what he does.”

Brad Keller is ready to make his first Major League start tonight.

“He’s not afraid to just go get early-count outs,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “That should keep his pitch count low.

”He’s got a good two-seamer, a good four-seamer that cuts, good changeup. He’s got two fastballs that go the opposite way. He’ll be fine.”

Keller said he won’t have trouble sleeping on Tuesday night.

”It’s something I’ve done before, obviously,” Keller said. “I won’t be over-excited.”

A young fan who grew up in Africa had a blast at his first Royals game.

Bo Jackson and scout Colin Gonzalez will represent the Royals at the draft next week.

Which baseball players are throwbacks?

The Mariners are winning without Robinson Cano.

Keith Law doesn’t like that a top high school player is withdrawing from the draft.

Former Royals pitcher J.P. Howell joins an independent league team.

Jeff Passan writes about how the single is disappearing.

How long is the average playoff window?

The Lonely Island writes a song about Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire.

The President of the Philadelphia Sixers has been using secret Twitter accounts to criticize players and leak information.

How Cincinnati secured an expansion MLS club.

Facebook’s political ad policy is already causing problems.

Here is the data genetics testing companies can share.

The bad days have been really bad in the stock market this year.

Your song of the day is Dire Straits with Walk of Life.