Weekend Rumblings - News for October 26, 2019

Weekend Rumblings - News for October 26, 2019

Alec Lewis looks at how the Royals are revamping player development with some new hires.

And as of the past month, the Royals have hired hitting-development staffers Drew Saylor, Keoni DeRenne and Mike Tosar to work alongside Zumwalt, all of whom have different backgrounds that blend traditional baseball ideology with an understanding of the physics of the baseball swing and technological developments.

After the most recent hires, an idea surfaced. Why wouldn’t the Royals bring their premier prospects, some of whom struggled mightily in 2019, to work beneath the mountains and amid the desert? Work could help build relationships and camaraderie and provide a platform on how to conduct similar sessions with players such as this year’s No. 2 pick, Bobby Witt Jr., in the future.

Alec also had a Q&A session where he addressed the Mike Matheny rumors.

At its most basic level, I think it’s important to note one thing: People change; people evolve; people learn. Time does that for every person. Time in itself. Time away from what you’ve been doing. Time. Mike Matheny has had time off for the first time in a while this past year. And if you think he’s sat firm and strict in every, single idea he once had or belief he once held, you are probably very wrong. Did he have trouble maintaining the Cardinals’ clubhouse? At times, yes. Did he reject the use of analytics? At times, yes. But how can one, without talking to Matheny himself, analyze his approach without having discussed how Matheny has evolved and changed in the last year?

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy wonders if the Royals will consider drafting Dayton Moore’s son.

A legit draft prospect middle infielder with good athleticism and baseball savvy that you would expect from a General Manager’s son who likely profiles around a 2nd or 3rd round grade makes for an interesting decision for the team. The Royals have already drafted multiple kids who have relatives within the organization and took a GM’s kid last year but have never had to make a decision this early in the draft in regards to their own. Of course, they could finagle the whole thing with Robert saying don’t draft me because I’m going to Arkansas, take him later in the draft, pay him less than his draft value and up his father’s salary but what would be the fun and ethics in that?

David Scharff at Kings of Kauffman looks at Royals bounceback candidates for 2020.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco is honored with the Roberto Clemente Award.

The Red Sox hire Rays executive Chaim Bloom to head baseball operations.

Rob Manfred is dealing with a lot of controversies that has eroded trust in MLB.

Grant Brisbee looks at the worst commercials airing during the World Series.

Jeff Passan takes a closer look at the Astros culture that bred Brandon Taubman’s comments.

The Angels expect to raise payroll next year.

Umpire Rob Drake apologizes for his inflammatory tweets calling for civil war.

MLB top prospects talk about dealing with robot umpires in the Arizona Fall League.

Southampton ties a record for incompetence with themselves.

ESPN cancels a bowl game sponsorship with a company that doesn’t seem to exist.

Why the search for dark matter depends on ancient shipwrecks.

Is it time for American cities to stop growing?

Disney+ and Jim Henson Co. will create a puppet talk show.

Your song of the day is Miles Davis with But Not For Me.