Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for February 11, 2019

The Royals still expect to win this division.

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Feb 11, 2019, 8:00am EST

Royals Rumblings - News for February 11, 2019

Dayton Moore expects to win in 2019.

“Major league players are paid to win baseball games,” Moore said in his office recently. “We’re going to expect this team to play well and win a lot of baseball games, so that hopefully in July there’s pressure on us as a front office to really improve the team for the final two months of the season.

“A lot of people say the Royals aren’t ready to take this step. But we’re not going to put limitations on this team. (Royals owner David Glass) says it all the time: Expectations drive results. Our expectations are to win our division.”

Brett Phillips is looking to make improvements at the plate.

So this offseason, Phillips has been busy tinkering with his swing mechanics and his approach.

”Making changes at this stage of your career, you don’t make big changes,” he said. “But it’s little things like not making as big of a leg kick, kind of quieting the legs down. It’s where my hands are. It’s small adjustments.

”You look at video, and you go, ‘Oh, that’s what I did wrong,’ or ‘That’s what I did right.’ But my swing is my swing. I’ve been doing it that way since I was five years old. Still, this offseason, I’ve been working hard and changing a few things. The question is always going to be, ‘How many times is he going to strike out today?’ But that was last year. That’s something I need to change going forward.”

David Lesky at Baseball Prospectus Kansas City likes the Brad Boxberger signing.

He walks a few too many and gives up a few too many home runs, but playing half his games in Kauffman Stadium with that outfield defense behind him certainly won’t hurt. While the league hit .544 with a .941 SLG on balls to the outfield, Boxberger allowed a .591 average and a 1.136 SLG. Many of the home runs won’t change with this move, but you’d expect an outfield of Alex Gordon, Billy Hamilton and either Brett Phillips or Brian Goodwin will gobble up an awful lot out there. It’s obviously not that simple, but it won’t hurt him to have those guys lining up behind him.

The Royals’ affiliate in Lexington will have a Fyre Fest Day promotion.

The Pirates sign former Royals outfielder Melky Cabrera to a minor league deal.

The Phillies are still interested in Mike Moustakas.

Madison Bumgarner will walk out of the stadium if the Giants use an opener.

Commissioner Rob Manfred says don’t expect a universal DH or major changes this year.

MLB is open to a new stadium in St. Petersburg.

The influence of WAR on modern front offices.

The Cardinals are among the teams being considered for a London series in 2020.

How much difference have pitch clocks made in the minor leagues?

Which college baseball programs produce the best Major Leaguers?

Is the AAF a sensible alternative to having no football at all this time of year?

The Raiders may play this season in Oakland after all.