Weekend Rumblings - News for December 14, 2019

Weekend Rumblings - News for December 14, 2019

Sam Mellinger has some insight into how John Sherman may run the Royals differently.

This is dripping with nuance, but a team guided by sustainability will generally cut the peaks in exchange for avoiding the worst of the valleys. A team focused on winning 85 games every year will operate differently than one that’s OK losing 100 because it wants to win 95 down the road.

To put it in Royals terms: if sustainability was the ultimate goal, they would not have traded Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi for James Shields and Wade Davis in 2014 (which worked), or traded pitching prospects for Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto in 2015 (which worked), or traded Esteury Ruiz and Matt Strahm for Ryan Buchter, Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer in 2017 (which did not work).

Additionally, if sustainability was the goal the Royals would have traded Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain after the 2016 season for prospects who could provide a more — wait for it — sustainable future.

Lynn Worthy writes that coach Pedro Grifol is glad to be with the Royals.

In the past two years, Grifol has been in the running for three managerial opening — the Orioles, Royals and Giants — but has been passed over each time.

“Maybe 15 years ago I would be like damn, I’ve got to get that job,” Grifol said. “That’s not where I’m at. Where I’m at mentally is I’m in a really good place. I’m with the Kansas City Royals, they gave me a great opportunity to be in the big leagues.”

Tom Verducci at Sports Illustrated writes that Brady Singer will have a shot to make the opening day roster.

After a big first season in pro ball, Royals prospect Brady Singer, 23, will be given the chance to compete for a spot in the team’s Opening Day rotation. Singer went 12-5 with a 2.85 ERA last year in 26 starts in high A and AA. His workload of 148 1/3 innings (only about 22 innings more than what he threw as a sophomore at Florida) allows Kansas City to pitch him a full season in the big leagues without a short leash.

Starting Singer’s service time clock on Opening Day would give the Royals six years of control rather than seven years if they waited two weeks to bring him up. But Kansas City is so bullish on Singer that it will allow him the chance to pitch his way onto the team. If Singer does establish himself in the rotation, the Royals would fortify their bullpen by moving Jakob Junis or Jorge Lopez there.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy thinks a Yankees roster crunch could benefit the Royals.

With teams filling their roster there are some opportunities in trade to be had. The Yankees signings of Gerrit Cole and Brett Gardner leaves them with two roster spots that they need to free up. While I’m sure plenty of teams will be knocking on their door the Royals aren’t locked in on any high-end international players that I know of this year leaving an opportunity to spin some of that money to New York. The guy I’ve long coveted is Albert Abreu who I first saw with the Astros when checking out Nolan Watson in Greeneville during his draft season. The right-hander is probably a fringe starter thanks to some control issues but he possesses pretty electric stuff with a fastball in the low 100s and a power curveball with slider pace.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman looks at how to ease Salvador Perez back into the lineup.

Drake Downing at Royals Farm Report talks to Royals prospect Clay Dungan.

The Rays sign Japanese free agent outfielder Yositomo Tsutsugo to a two-year deal.

The Brewers sign pitcher Brett Andrerson to a one-year deal.

Are the Dodgers a good match for Madison Bumgarner?

The Mets and Yoenis Cespedes agree to restructure his deal.

The Marlins met with free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig.

Why the Winter Meetings were finally a success.

Who are the major free agents most likely to sign next?

The Angels still need a lot of pitching.

The financial troubles of the Florida Fire Frogs feed into the problems MLB has discussed about minor league baseball.

What happens if Tom Brady and the Patriots split up?

How Jürgen Klopp has shaped Liverpool in his image.

How the FCC lets your internet provider paint a rosy picture about your internet speeds.

Get to know the penis fish that is invading a beach in California.

Your song of the day is Miles Davis with Footprints.