Weekend Rumblings - News for July 6, 2019

Weekend Rumblings - News for July 7, 2019

The Royals battled in extra innings and emerged with a win in D.C, writes Lynn Worthy.

“It was big for us, especially after yesterday kinda giving up the lead and then giving it up again today,” Gordon said. “We could’ve put our heads down and took a loss. Give us credit for putting together a good inning and making something happen.”

Sam Mellinger looks at how the Royals can still make progress this summer.

1. Maximize trade values. Homer Bailey is the most obvious candidate. He’s pitching well enough and is so cheap that the Royals should expect multiple interested parties. The return won’t be huge — he’s still Homer Bailey — but whatever can be had for pending free agents should be had....

Jorge Soler is an interesting potential trade piece. He is 27, which is no longer young, but he’s beginning to grow into his talent. He is on pace for more than 40 home runs and if he can consistently rediscover his plate discipline he could help a contender willing to overlook his defensive shortcomings.

The Royals are open to trading Soler, but a deal like that is more likely in the offseason than ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Jeffrey Flanagan writes that Ian Kennedy plans to keep pitching after his current deal is done.

Kennedy’s five-year, $70 million deal with the Royals expires after 2020. And Kennedy told MLB.com that he wants to keep pitching after next season. Being a solid closer certainly could extend his career.

“I do want to keep pitching,” Kennedy said. “You can sign one-year or two-year deals, because even though you’re older, teams know you can still pitch and help a team. You look around the league and you see that all the time.”

Vahe Gregorian updates us on Salvador Perez’s arduous rehab process.

Since initially being devastated by the injury, Perez now playfully offers what amounts to a Yogi-Berraism (“It’s part of the life,” he said, smiling. “If I don’t play, I’m never going to get hurt”) among other philosophical approaches to this.

“I was super-sad, but now I say thank God, thank you for the Tommy John,” he told The Star in the clubhouse last week. “Because I have an opportunity to spend the time with my family that I never have time to do … and take care of a lot of stuff outside the baseball. I put my life in the good way.”

Lee Judge writes about why it is important for the Royals to stay upbeat.

Blair Kerkhoff writes about how the Royals landed an expansion franchise ahead of Milwaukee.

Jerry Seinfeld goes sidearm to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in New York.

MLB will honor C.C. Sabathia at the All-Star Game festivities in Cleveland, where his career began.

How the Home Run Derby became America’s pastime.

Dodger Stadium gets rattled by an earthquake.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with leukemia.

Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera is suspended the rest of the year.

Why don’t college relievers have more success in the big leagues?

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are headed to the Clippers.

How cycling defines the country of Belgium.

If aliens do call, what should we do?

The many easter eggs of Stranger Things 3.

Your song of the day is John Coltrane with Wise One.