Weekend Rumblings - News for September 29, 2018

Weekend Rumblings - News for September 29, 2018

Ned Yost doesn’t think this feels like a 100-loss team.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” Yost said. “I don’t feel like it’s been a horribly bad year. It’s weird. I’ve been on bad teams and it’s been bad-bad. This just doesn’t feel like a bad team, even with 102 losses.

”Did I want this team to have the worst record [in team history]? No, I didn’t want it. So I’m glad that won’t be the case.”

Ned also reveals his near-death experience last winter caused him to quit tobacco.

Royals pitching prospect Daniel Tillo talks about his first full pro season.

“I threw a fastball probably more than 75 percent of the time,” he said. “A lot of them knew it was coming, but it just had so much movement on it. That’s how I kind of got away with it this year.”

Tillo said he’ll have to become more versatile and unpredictable to remain a starter. He’s gotten constant feedback and instruction from those in the Royals minor league system.

“They tell me all that time that I’ve got to have three solid pitches,” he said. “And if I only have two, I’m going to have to move to the bullpen. I have to develop my off-speed (pitches) and keep making them better. If I can develop my slider and changeup more, I think my game could definitely elevate for sure.”

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City is perplexed by Hunter Dozier.

It sure seems like he’s been hitting much better over the last month or so, and he has, but he’s still sporting a sub-.300 OBP since the start of August. The power has improved, and he’s hit some big home runs but it’s just been kind of weird overall. And then there’s a real inconsistency, in my opinion, with his decision making. Sometimes he’s very heads up and is able to make the smart play but then other times, you wonder what he’s thinking.

Khalil Lee and Meibrys Viloria are named among the top 20 Carolina League prospects by Baseball America.

Travis Kelce is critical of Patrick Mahomes’ baseball skills as a kid.

Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich writes about the impact Lorenzo Cain has had on the team.

Justin Grimm is rebuilding himself in Seattle.

Aaron Judge had the top-selling jersey in baseball this season.

Grant Brisbee traces how the Braves went from cellar-dwellar to division champs in three seasons.

How did we end up with just two superteams instead of seven?

A federal grand jury is investigating MLB’s international dealings.

How Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez keep Mets broadcasts interesting in a lousy season.

A look back a the baseball career of wrestler Randy “Macho Man” Savage.

How the SNL SuperFans “Da Bears” sketch came to define sports fandom.

A hacker steals login information for 50 million Facebook accounts.

The most eyebrow-raising details of the fraud complaint against Elon Musk.

Whoa, Keanu Reeves is publishing books.

Your song of the day is Bill Evers with My Foolish Heart.