Royals Rumblings - News for May 29, 2019

Royals Rumblings - News for May 29, 2019

Lynn Worthy writes that Martín Maldonado may be figuring things out.

The other factor with Maldonado that’s easily forgotten or overlooked is that from a hitting standpoint he got tossed into the deep end of the pool almost immediately because he went unsigned for almost the first month of spring training.

“I’ve been feeling pretty good. I made some adjustments mechanically. I’m trying to be as consistent as possible. It was kind of hard at the beginning. I didn’t have much spring training. There were some days I felt really good, and there were other days where I didn’t feel good at all. I think that was that stuff you go through in spring training.

“Normally, for me, I’m used to get between 70 and 80 at-bats in spring training. This year, I probably got 12. I think I was a little behind, my offensive side. I think I started figuring it out, got more regular at-bats and I started feeling more comfortable.”

Rustin Dodd projects the Royals to take Bobby Witt, Jr. in the draft next week.

Under GM Dayton Moore, the club has traditionally tried to stay away from players such as Andrew Vaughn, an offensive-oriented college first baseman with some defensive question marks. So as appealing as the bat could be, they would probably look toward Witt or the next tier of athletic high school players (Witt will turn 19 in June, one of the biggest knocks against him). If the Orioles pass on Rutschman, that would change everything. With an emerging core of position players in the major leagues and a crop of college pitchers advancing toward Kansas City, Rutschman would be a great fit for the Royals’ rebuilding timeline.

Rustin also takes a look back at all the top-ten picks in Royals history.

Whit Merrifield wants YOU to vote him into the All-Star Game.

“It was just cool seeing your name listed with all the other great players in the game,” Merrifield said. “Now, I’m kind of past that and just want to get over the hump [and make the team].”

Clint Scoles writes about Josh Staumont working as an opener in the minors.

For Staumont it’s a role that he finds interesting. “It’s definitely different having to treat it as a start and also as a pen outing. It’s a little different, they usually have a lot more lefties stacked against you than coming out of the pen. I personally love it, it’s something to grow on, it’s something to work on. It’s definitely an adjustment and you have to take a different mentality to it. Being an opener is something different and something I really want to do. It’s just a matter of tinkering with it.”

Baseball Prospectus looks at the worst positions of the last two decades, and “Royals right fielder” makes the list.

I think Aaron Guiel exemplifies the Royals’ problems in right field. He was a 21st-round draft choice in 1992....

All told, Guiel played 307 major-league games, all but 44 for the Royals. While with the Royals, he played 156 games in right field, starting 141 of them. His efforts yielded the results displayed above. And in the 21 seasons of the 30-team era, he’s the fifth-longest-tenured Royals right fielder.

Tucker Franklin at Royals Farm Report writes why the trade deadline could be a big deal for Bubba Starling.

Royals pitching prospect Daniel Lynch is named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week.

ESPN’s Keith Law calls Witt to the Royals a “lock.”

Jim Callis at MLB.com writes Witt may be the best shortstop in the draft in decades.

The Tigers sign former Royals first baseman Frank Schwindel.

Leigh Oleszczak at KC Kingdom thinks it is time for Jorge Lopez to move to the bullpen.

Why MLB should change the rules so that the teams don’t have to play under conditions the Royals and White Sox endured on Monday.

Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera is placed on leave after being arrested for domestic violence.

Dustin Pedroia’s career may be over.

Two AL East teams are reportedly in a bidding war for Dallas Keuchel.

Tigers pitcher Daniel Stumpf is ejected for participating in a national anthem standoff.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington wants to change the concussion rules for catchers.

The 2017 draft has not produced much in results so far.

What is in the infield dirt?

Here is your NCAA college baseball tournament bracket.

A new California bill could require schools in that state to allow athletes to be compensated.

Sports Illustrated is sold to Authentic Brands for $110 million.

Too many people at the top of Mount Everest is causing deaths.

Elon Musk’s “hyperlook” is just a car tunnel.

Navy pilots are seeing unidentified flying objects on a regular basis.

Your song of the day is XTC with Reel by Reel.