Royals Rumblings - News for July 22, 2019

Royals Rumblings - News for July 22, 2019

Bubba Starling hit his first Major League home run, writes Jeffrey Flanagan.

“I’m getting more locked in,” Starling said. “I felt pretty good today. [The home run] was pretty cool. But unfortunately, we came up short in the game. I’m more worried about wins and losses. Hopefully, we get [wins] in Atlanta.”

Lynn Worthy writes about that Lucas Duda misplay in the fourth.

“(Duda) just took for granted that the ball was down the line and got by him,” Yost said. “He just didn’t even think that Whit would be there. … I don’t know if he would’ve made the play to begin with. Whit grabbed it and threw it to the inside. I don’t know if he would’ve made the play to be honest.”

Worthy also writes about the decision to designate pitcher Wily Peralta for assignment.

“We just got to the point where he really struggled to duplicate his mechanics and throw quality strikes,” Yost said. “Stuff was still pretty good. The mechanics just fluctuated from outing to outing. He just really struggled to create any consistency in his game.

“When you’ve got a veteran guy who is really struggling, it doesn’t make sense when you’ve got young guys who can come up here and feel their way through it. Keep moving forward with the young guys.”

Jeffrey Flanagan asks about the exchange with catcher Meibrys Viloria in Friday’s game.

Flanny also provides an update on pitching prospect Daniel Lynch.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy writes about some players signed in last year’s international free agent class.

At the time it was thought that Omar Florentino would provide the offensive pop compared Wilmin Candelario’s defensive prowess. Things change with players ability at such a young age and while Florentino has struggled to hit, Candelario has shown an ability to handle himself at the plate. The smooth fielding shortstop entered Thursday with a .284/.368/.468 slash in 109 ab including three home runs. The Royals in the past haven’t left their talented shortstops in the Dominican League for a full season so it’s hard to draw comparison for Candelario but a 126 wRC+ in the league is at least a positive first step.

Jim Duquette at The Athletic ranks Nick Pratto as the #9 first base prospect in baseball.

Pratto has shown additional baseball acumen and runs the bases instinctively and his overall athleticism and plus arm may allow him to play other positions at the upper levels. Despite his first-half struggles in High A this season, Pratto remains one of the youngest hitters in the league, and his arrival in Kansas City will come fairly quickly once he makes the necessary adjustments.

royalscollector at Royals Farm Report writes that Ryan O’Hearn is on fire.

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros had interest in Martín Maldonado before the Cubs acquired him from the Royals.

A look at the six iconic baseball players inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Will the next few Hall of Fame classes be much smaller, however?

Games this weekend were plagued by scorching heat.

Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs argues the Rangers should make a Mike Minor deal.

A Mets pitcher is designated for assignment, takes a trip to Bulgaria, and ends up right back in the Mets clubhouse.

Dusty Baker’s son is a standout in the Cape Cod League this summer.

Baseball fandom is irrational.

Inside the fight to end the $1 trillion worldwide match-fixing industry.

An award-winning lamb is under investigation for performance enhancing drugs.

Money can’t buy happiness, but how you use that money can.

The best books about the moon.

Marvel announces ten Phase 4 projects for 2020 and 2021.

Your song of the day is REM with Man on the Moon.