Weekend Rumblings - News for September 15, 2018

Weekend Rumblings - News for September 15, 2018

Jorge Lopez left last night’s game with an apparent rib contusion after running into Hunter Dozier and will be re-evaluated.

Sam Mellinger looks at the great talent and concerning plate discipline of Adalberto Mondesi.

Internally, the Royals believe he can and will improve with this. Some in the front office believe he could become dramatically better. They see aptitude, athleticism, and good hands.

Mondesi has long arms, which means a longer swing and more difficulty in making contact, and he had four times as many strikeouts as walks in the minors. But he’s still just 23 years old, and for the first time is being pushed to study how pitchers are attacking him. One scout recently said Mondesi doesn’t always appear to have a plan — he’s not simplifying by looking fastball, for instance, or for a certain part of the strike zone.

“Just something as simple as that,” the scout said. “Give him some help.”

Danny Duffy talks about his off-season rehab plan.

The first step will be to work with Royals strength and conditioning coach Ryan Stoneberg and head trainer Nick Kenney to develop a precise offseason program that will target the issue -- strength and power from the rotator cuff.

”I will cut down on the running and substitute with more [rotator] cuff work, [stretch] bands, heavy-hand weights,” Duffy said. “If I do running, maybe I’ll bring a backpack with me with some bands in it and mix it up. Anything we can do to be more explosive. I know I have a lot of it left in me. I know that explosiveness is still in there.”

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City wonders how Jorge Soler fits on next year’s roster.

Looking ahead to 2019, the roster is a little bit cramped with Alex Gordon, the aforementioned outfielders, Jorge Bonifacio and Rosell Herrera, another new addition to the big club since Soler went down. Those five along with O’Hearn, Hunter Dozier, Whit Merrifield, Adalberto Mondesi, Salvador Perez and likely Cam Gallagher as a backup catcher leave the Royals with really one roster spot open given their proclivity to carry 13 pitchers. Soler can fit there, but one of two things needs to happen for it to work. They have to believe Herrera can handle shortstop because Mondesi is not a 162-game player like Alcides Escobar has been (for better or for worse) or they’ll have to move away from Herrera’s versatility and sign a utility infielder (please not Escobar) who can handle shortstop as a backup. But if they choose to sign that utility player and keep Herrera, I don’t know where Soler fits.

The Lexington Legends win the South Atlantic League championship.

A viral video star with spina bifida gets to meet the Royals.

MLB.com looks at each franchise’s greatest September hero, including George Brett for the Royals.

Burlington pitcher Marcelo Martinez is the only Royals prospect named to a Baseball America minor league classification All-Star team.

Craig Edwards at Fangraphs looks at the difference between starters and bench players.

Chicago prohibits Friday night games for the Cubs and it is time for that to change.

Aaron Judge is back, but he’s not hitting quite yet.

The Mariners are once again stuck in limbo.

How the Phillies can land Manny Machado AND Bryce Harper.

How a rookie manager won over the Cardinals’ clubhouse.

Former Mariners catcher Mike Marjama wants to help people with eating disorders.

IT’S RUTGERS/KANSAS GAMEDAY!!!!

Four long shot Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees that would be fun to see inducted.

Google’s prototype Chinese search engine reportedly links searches to phone numbers.

How musicians are dealing with lyrics from the past that may be problematic now.

The internet’s six wildest theories on the New Mexico observatory mystery.

Your song of the day is the Ornette Coleman Quartet with Turnaround.