Weekend Rumblings - News for September 7, 2019

Weekend Rumblings - News for September 7, 2019

Ned Yost was impressed with Jorge Lopez, writes Lynn Worthy.

“He went through phases where he wasn’t very good,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We put him in the pen and are giving him another opportunity as a starter. He’s really kind of stepped up and taken advantage of the opportunity, really. … His stuff is as good as anybody we’ve got on our team.”

Christina DeNicola at MLB.com writes about Salvador Perez’s road to recovery.

“I throw every other day. Tomorrow, I’m going to go up to 75 feet with 25 throws,” said Perez, who lives in nearby Weston, Fla. “Next week, I think I’ll be going 90 [feet]. It’s a process. We’re getting close. Start hitting -- tee, cage. Not on the field yet, but I’m doing a lot of working out with my coach, working behind home plate [with] footwork, receive, catch some bullpens.”

Alec Lewis has a mailbag column, and he addresses whether Yost will continue as Royals manager.

Whether or not he’s ready to walk away from his passion for baseball is uncertain, but whether it’s this year or beyond, replacements are important to discuss.

Mike Matheny is a special assistant to Moore. He knows baseball and had success in St. Louis. Could he be an option? Certainly. Current staffers Dale Sveum, who has been with Yost since the beginning, and Pedro Grifol, who has been essential in Soler’s progression, Ryan O’Hearn’s resurgence and more, could be possibilities as well.

As far as outside candidates, none have emerged because, well, they aren’t necessary until Yost truly decides.

In his Friday notes, David Lesky considers whether the Royals will fill out the rotation with free agents.

Looking ahead at free agency, there are actually quite a few buy low type options who I could see the Royals jumping on. When it comes to free agency, there are so many questions as to how things play out that guys who previously would have gotten two or three years, might end up needing to play on a one-year deal. Could Michael Wacha be available as a one-year deal guy who could be flipped? Maybe so. Maybe Rick Porcello wants a one-year deal to rebuild some value. I would certainly have some interest in that. Kyle Gibson is another who might settle for just one year. All would be pretty solid options for the Royals. I’m not saying any of them will be available, but these are absolutely the type of pitchers they should target, in my opinion.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy talks to Kris Bubic.

You talked about that spike grip is that something in the offseason that you’re involving Rapsodo, Trackman data and using the technology available to develop your pitches or just using reps and gaining a feel for it?

A little bit of both. I’ll be honest I didn’t use any of that stuff until the last year of college at Stanford and even then I didn’t use it much there because I knew I was just a fastball/changeup pitcher. I could see with my own eyes when they were good and weren’t good. We had it In Idaho Falls and I was still just mostly a fastball changeup guy so I didn’t use it as much. Now this year in Wilmington with the curveball we’ve emphasized the Rapsodo and Trackman data a lot more and I’ve taken a lot of interest in it.

Ryan Sikes at Kings of Kauffman gives his thoughts on Ryan O’Hearn’s season.

Brian Goodwin has been a bright spot for the Angels this season.

Baseball Prospectus finds that attendance is down in part, to teams tanking.

What is the greatest collection of talent ever on one roster?

What players boosted their Hall of Fame chances this year?

Mike Minor does not believe he is the best pitcher in baseball despite what WAR says.

Washington, DC, will raze RFK Stadium, former home of the Senators and Nationals.

Former Dodgers GM Ned Coletti gets a job as an NHL scout.

MLB and the MLBPA consider testing players for opioids following the death of Tyler Skaggs.

Former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Chris Duncan dies at age 38 from brain cancer.

More girls are playing tackle football than ever.

Is Coco Gauff the future of tennis?

Facebook wants to get in the matchmaking business.

Nicki Minaj apologizes for her abrupt retirement.

The weird, short life of the Jeremy Renner app.

Your song of the day is Thelonious Monk with Pannonica.