Royals Rumblings - News for March 27, 2019

Royals Rumblings - News for March 27, 2019

Kyle Zimmer is ready to make his Major League debut if he gets the chance.

“I’ve had an image of what that would be like since I was two years old,” Zimmer said as camp wound down in Arizona. “That’s been my dream my entire life, so I’ve always thought of it. Sometimes it’s felt a lot closer than other times. Sometimes it’s felt it’s going to be impossible to get there.

“Right now, that picture in my head is a little bit sharper, a little bit more realistic, but it’s still not here. Until it is, until it’s happened — that’s when I’ll take a step back and be excited.”

And it sounds like he may get that chance.

Sam Mellinger considers breakout candidates for the Royals.

The talent has always been there, but combined with the promising outings one reason to believe is that Zimmer has tried something he hadn’t before. He spent time rehabbing with the forward-thinking crew at Driveline Baseball.

We could (and might) spend thousands of words on exactly what that means, and how Driveline’s philosophy counters and matches more traditional methods, but for now the shorthand is that Zimmer is seemingly closer to the big leagues than ever before.

The dream of him being a frontline starter someday might be dead, but there’s no question he can help a big-league team.

The Royals can be that big-league team.

Rustin Dodd of The Athletic profiles the cantankerous Ned Yost.

Here are some truths about covering Ned Yost: He still meets privately with the club’s traveling beat writers each day because that’s how managers did it in the old days. He prefers reporters who will take his shit and give it back. He still gets feisty after a brutal loss, a condition that he calls “having the ass.”

“I got to sit in my office for five minutes after a game and calm myself down and get my mind right for those three questions,” he says. “And I try to be good because I know I’m on camera. And then when I get done, I can get back to having the ass again.”

Baseball America reviews international signings by the Royals.

Most teams don’t commit resources to scouting Japanese high school players, especially underclassmen, since it’s rare for any of those players to sign with an MLB club after graduating. Righthander Kaito Yuki was an exception, signing with the Royals in July for $322,500 as a 16-year-old. Yuki is a good athlete with a lean, projectable build (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) and should be able to add to a fastball that reaches the upper-80s, along with feel for a slider.

Royals Farm Report has preliminary minor league rosters.

Jeffrey Flanagan previews the 2019 season for the Royals.

The Royals extend their agreement with Omaha for two more years.

Rain is in the forecast for Opening Day.

The Royals will offer reduced prices on beer and other items.

Clint Scoles has interviews with Dayton Moore, Ned Yost and others from Omaha.

The Clubhouse Conversation podcast talks to Ryan O’Hearn.

The Cubs sign pitcher Kyle Hendricks to a contract extension.

And Jacob deGrom also signs a deal with the Mets.

The Padres will carry top prospect Fernando Tatis, Jr. on the Opening Day roster.

Former Royals reliever Ryan Buchter says the new three-batter minimum rule will render pitchers like him obsolete.

MLB salaries are on pace to drop for the second straight year.

How baseball owners came to value profits over winning.

A minor leaguer is living in a bus to be thrifty this year.

Inside Oscar Gamble’s afro.

NFL owners vote to make pass interference calls and non-calls reviewable.

The man behind the last remaining perfect NCAA tournament bracket.

Airbnb has a hidden camera problem.

800 scientists says it is time to abandon “statistical significance.”

The story of how indie movie theaters are struggling to survive.

Your song of the day is The Pixies with Monkey Gone to Heaven.