Weekend Rumblings - News for January 5, 2019

Weekend Rumblings - News for January 5, 2019

Jeffrey Flanagan writes the Royals are hoping for a healthy Kyle Zimmer, now that he has re-signed.

“It feels like I’ve been given a new life,” Zimmer told MLB.com in October as he worked at the Royals’ Spring Training facility.

Zimmer reported then that he was throwing pain-free for perhaps the first time in his professional career.

There may have been interest from other teams in Zimmer, but Royals general manager Dayton Moore told MLB.com on Friday night, “This was based on our evaluation of Kyle from our people seeing him in the instructional league.”

Rustin Dodd gives nine predictions for this upcoming Royals season.

9. Ryan O’Hearn will hit 31 homers in ’19.

Yes, we’re rather bullish on O’Hearn, 25, who clubbed 12 homers in 44 games last season. He must improve his performance against left-handed pitchers. And it’s also possible that the league could adjust — he still plays half his games in Kauffman Stadium.

O’Hearn, however, displayed prodigious power last spring training and during his first months in the majors. The Steamer projection system has O’Hearn hitting 22 homers in 143 games. But if he remains healthy, he should easily surpass that number.

David Lesky will continue his Friday notes and he writes about the expectations for this team.

In spite of the knowledge that 2019 doesn’t really matter for anything, I do find myself wondering what the ceiling for the team could possibly be. I know that’s not always a wise thought process to have given that we still don’t really know what the team is like, but I think the ceiling is at least a lot higher today than I expected it would be at this time last year. A lot of that is because of Adalberto Mondesi and a lot of that is because of Ryan O’Hearn, but both those things happened in 2018 and at least gives us something to look forward to in another rebuilding season (sorry Dayton).

Minor league outfielder Tyler James is highlighted as a speedster in the organization.

The Royals try to find at least one 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale in every Draft, and they landed James in the 25th round out of William Carey (Miss.) in 2017. He led the Rookie-level Arizona League with 31 steals in his pro debut and the Rookie-level Pioneer League with 38 last summer.

The Dodgers sign former Royals outfielder Paulo Orlando to a minor league deal.

You won’t see “Superman” Michael Wheeler at Kauffman Stadium this summer.

More details on Royals FanFest this month.

Former Royals pitcher Luke Farrell is claimed off waivers by the Rangers.

The White Sox make a formal offer to Manny Machado.

It’s time for some Bryce Harper game theory.

What does it take for a new advanced stat to go mainstream?

Is Twins catcher Willians Asudillo an MVP candidate?

The Rays will close their upper deck to reduce capacity to 26,000.

How a minor league stunt could cost $60,000 in fines.

Former Chiefs player Jared Allen is taking up curling and aiming for the Olympics.

Jimmy Butler is already causing problems in Philadelphia.

A history of when authoritarians decide to literally change the time.

How “Mean” Gene Okerlund and “Super Dave Osborne” were reality TV show pioneers.

The movies and TV shows to look forward to in 2019.

Your song of the day is Hank Mobley with Carolyn.