Royals Rumblings - News for October 10, 2020

Man, I love October. We’ve got postseason baseball, NBA finals, NFL football, and NCAA football’s conference play all going on at once. You can sit down in the evening and find something competitive on TV that isn’t four guys my size throwing bags at a hole, which is all we had from April to July. I am indulging in every second of that sweet sweet competition every chance I get and no one can damper it for me. Not you, not my kids, not social media, not the elect...OK the election will probably ruin it. But for now, I’m just so thankful that sports fans have gotten this much. Saturday we get a full college slate. Sunday we get NFL, NBA Finals Game 6, and the ALCS starting at 6:30pm. Monday we get MNF and both LCS’s. Tuesday we get Tuesday Night Football and Game 7 of the NBA finals (if necessary). This weekend is the epitome of sports weekends. Treat yourselves to some couch time and soak it in!

Now, on to the Rumblings.

Vahe Gregorian sat down with Royals owner, John Sherman, to review the 2020 season.

Of course, the ongoing pandemic leaves questions even now about spring training 2021.

“We have to be ready to pivot in a couple of different directions,” Sherman said, “depending on what the next (few months) hold.”

Something he already knew but that also was reaffirmed by the last few months, crazy months that he reminds himself are only a short phase of a long-term investment.

Alec Lewis did a Royals mailbag at The Athletic and there were multiple little nuggets that I thought were interesting.

“(We need) a couple of more bats, especially guys that are going to be tough outs — professional-type hitters as we wait for the arrival of whether it be Kyle Isbel, Khalil Lee or others that may force our hand,” Moore said. “We’re not ready to simply say they’re going to be a part of the 2021 team on Opening Day. There’s a lot of questions there with the absence of the minor leagues in 2020.”

The Royals published a video meant to give more information on their Fall camps (structure, roster, intentions, etc). There are some very encouraging parts in there that I may have to dive deeper into soon.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman had some thoughts about extending Brad Keller

Keller redeemed himself, albeit in a short season, and the Royals should wrap him in a long-term deal as soon as they can.

But that time isn’t now. Baseball is, in the final analysis, a business, and hard financial times force businesses to reexamine and reshuffle priorities. Sherman and Moore have the Royals close to winning and should strive to keep the team nucleus, including their arbitration-eligible players, intact, and to add a starting pitcher and a strong bat. Money, though, is short, and management needs to avoid unnecessary expenses and spend first for what’s needed most.

Whitey Ford passed at the age of 91. RIP to The Chairman of the Board.

I’m not as big of an SNL guy as I used to be but I am a big Bill Burr guy so I’ll be tuning in this time.

Broadway will continue to be shutdown until next Summer.

HBO Max has ordered a new Green Lantern series by the guys who did the Arrow universe for CW and a writer from the original Green Lantern movie with Ryan Reynolds so...watch out for that (or don’t).

I don’t know what this movie is but I am so incredibly in on it.

Fantasy Football Start of the Week

Justin Jefferson WR MIN
Jefferson is a rookie for a disappointing offense in Minnesota but he’s stacked a couple of solid performances over the last 2 weeks and now he gets to go up against the Seattle defense which has given up 27.3 PPG this season and the 4th worst passing defense DVOA in the league. The over/under for that game is 57 and I like the over big time. I think Jefferson has a big week in prime time on Sunday night. Then again my first two picks so far were Raheem Mostert (hurt in the 1st quarter) and Jared Goff (did not do well) so what the hell do I know?

Song of the Day

Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra
Hand up, I had never heard this song until it opened Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2. But boy did I enjoy it after that. Both of those movies have great soundtracks. I’d suggest running through this Spotify playlist if you loved this era of music but not up for the Marvel movies. It should do the trick in getting you going on this Saturday morning. Make it a great day!