Royals Rumblings - News for March 13, 2019

Royals Rumblings - News for March 13, 2019

Sam Mellinger looks at The Process 2.0.

When Moore talks about chasing what other teams are undervaluing, he is speaking the true gospel. In this way, the Royals are the ultimate Moneyball franchise. The A’s made the playoffs with it. The Royals won two pennants and a World Series with it.

The Process 2.0 is similar in leadership, and also in philosophy. The Royals got away from this for a few years, most notably when they chased power with Brandon Moss. But here they are, back to speed and athleticism, with a few important updates....

The specifics change, but the broader charge remains: Do what others aren’t.

Lynn Worthy writes more about how the Royals plan to use speed this year.

“We’re a team built on speed and athleticism, but speed ain’t worth a damn if you can’t get on base,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Approach at the plate is going to have to be a big part of our focus this spring, approach, two-strike approach, winning the 3-2 count, the real importance of getting on base. A real mindset of, when you walk up to the plate, your goal is to score a run.”

“That used to be the focus of offenses. Then it got to where now the focus is power, swing for the fences, don’t worry about the shift and see what happens. That’s not who we are. That’s not the type of team that we’ve built. That’s not the strategy that we can use to be successful.”

Jeffrey Flanagan writes that Chris Owings is proving to be quite versatile.

“He has been exactly as I have anticipated,” Yost said. “He had a rough year last year [.206 in 106 games with Arizona], but I expect him to have a bounce-back year. I know that he’s a very, very solid defender at any position I put him. He’s a lot like Whit. He’s on that same level. I’m very comfortable putting [Owings] anywhere on the field.”

The Royals make some more cuts.

Rustin Dodd profiles top Royals prospects Daniely Lynch, Brady Singer, and Jackson Kowar.

“There’s a certain level of just, ‘We’re all in this thing kind of together,’” Lynch says. “The Royals have done a great job of expressing that to us. It’s not about who’s gonna be the ace; it’s about a team and about us moving up together.”

The Royals want Singer, Kowar and Lynch to push each other and care for each other and understand each other, too. General manager Dayton Moore likes to say that “iron sharpens iron,” and the club is ready to turn up the heat and watch the process play out.

“There’s a sense of competitiveness between the three of them,” assistant general manager J.J. Picollo says. “And it’s really healthy.”

Vahe Gregorian details the career path of Whit Merrifield.

Alex Duvall at Royals Farm Report thinks it may be Bubba Starling time.

Billy Hamilton has no hard feelings towards the Reds.

Tim Tebow is assigned to minor league camp.

Joel Sherman thinks more teams should take the Reds’ approach.

Luke Hagerty, a 2002 first-round pick who never reached the big leagues, is turning heads with his high-90s fastball in Cubs camp.

Why the new Rangers ballpark won’t look like the one in Houston.

Kiley McDaniel at Fangraphs updates the draft board.

Houston pitcher Frances Martes is suspended 80 games for PEDs.

Minor league baseball officials are concerned that low player pay and widespread gambling could create problems.

The Brewers gave broadcaster Bob Uecker a cut of the playoff share.

The Chiefs trade away pass rusher Dee Ford to the 49ers.

Former KU football coach David Beaty sues the school for looking for ways to get out of his buyout.

IBM didn’t inform people when they used their Flickr photos for facial recognition training.

Elizabeth Hargrave turned a love of orinthology into a popular board game.

A live-action Sesame Street movie starring Anne Hathaway is in the works.

Your song of the day is The Revivalists with Wish I Knew You.