Royals Rumblings - News for July 31, 2018

Royals Rumblings - News for July 31, 2018

Dayton Moore is “embarrassed” by the team’s play this year.

“I’m embarrassed the way our major-league team has performed. OK? I didn’t necessarily expect us to be in the playoffs this year, but I didn’t expect us to be on pace to lose 100-plus games,” Moore said. “That’s embarrassing to me personally, it’s embarrassing to our organization. Mr. Glass doesn’t expect that, either, and so we’ve got to do a better job of that. ...

In a fan mailbag, Jeffrey Flanagan discusses the rebuild.

Moore has told me repeatedly he is disgusted by the losses this season, but he has trusted the process before and will again. More than anything, he wants this rebuild to be successful much longer than the last one. In other words, Moore wants to be able to sustain a winning culture beyond a three- to four-year window. At the Winter Meetings, he didn’t present a time frame to be competitive again, but it was assumed it would not be until 2020 or ‘21. There’s a better nucleus this time around in the rebuild, and if the college pitchers taken in this year’s Draft advance quickly -- along with position players Khalil Lee, Seuly Matias and MJ Melendez -- being competitive again in 2020 -- and fun to watch -- isn’t out of the question.

Clint Scoles at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City looks ahead at who should be added to the 40-man roster this winter.

If the Royals had the candidates then they could move plenty of parts on the current roster to make room for players on the 40-man roster but I don’t see them making a bunch of additions. Clearly, Josh Staumont will be protected and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Scott Blewett (offseason) added as a big body who can hit higher velo and may be hidden in a bad teams bullpen. Alongside those two pitchers, Arnaldo Hernandez should be added by September to be given a look, as should Schwindel with his bat the past two seasons.

The Astros acquire closer Roberto Osuna, who is currently suspended for domestic assault.

The Yankees acquire Lance Lynn from the Twins.

How the Nationals’ clubhouse became a mess.

Billy Hamilton could be a secret weapon teams could trade for.

The Cardinals are looking to move former Royals slugger Jose Martinez.

The Athletics scrap their season ticket plan with a more flexible membership-based plan.

Players to be named later who became All-Stars.

Who will be in next year’s Hall of Fame class?

Jose Mesa got mad at Omar Vizquel and threw baseballs at him for the next five years.

Was baseball sending a message with Babe Ruth’s plaque?

Tax reform eliminates business deductions, will that hurt baseball ticket sales?

Lebron James opens a public school for at-risk kids.

Fortnite’s grand e-sports plans are off to a shaky start.

The inability to develop a new space suit may hinder NASA’s space program.

Can HBO give Deadwood a proper ending?

Alex Trebek may leave Jeopardy in 2020, who could replace him?

Your song of the day is Madness with Embarrassment.