Royals Rumblings - News for November 2, 2020

Royals Rumblings - News for November 2, 2020

ESPN has the Royals ranked #24 in their “way-too-early” power rankings.

The Royals have some interesting young pitchers in Brad Keller, Brady Singer and Kris Bubic, with Josh Staumont as a potential closer, but there are still huge gaps across the roster, especially on the offensive side of things. They need to figure out center field, second base and left field, and even Adalberto Mondesi Jr. now looks like just a placeholder at short until Bobby Witt Jr. arrives in a couple of years. This ranking could be selling the Royals a bit short, as young pitching can carry a team if it comes fast (and 2020 top pick Asa Lacy may not need much time in the minors), but they need to find some hitters.

Will Leitch at MLB.com has pressing questions for each team this off-season.

Royals — Will Danny Duffy be forever a Royal? The Royals left-hander has seemingly been on the trade block forever, but he remains, for now, a Royal, as he famously demanded he be “buried.” He’s in the last year of his contract, though, and the Royals have a core group that may not include him. He can always come back to be buried in Kansas City, if he wants.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy is high on pitching prospect Rylan Kaufman.

I’ve moved Rylan Kaufman inside the Royals Top 30. Having seen Kaufman in ‘18 at instructs I was blown away by the tools and possible development....The lefties fastball is into the mid-90s and the natural spin rate on his curveball 2700-2800 rpm and other pitches he oozes big league starter from his 6’4 frame. Don’t be shocked if he lands in A-Ball and quickly flies up the Royals ranks.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter thinks it is bad that Pedro Grifol can’t seem to get a managerial job.

And still, despite being able to offer so much as a manager, Grifol will be on the Royals staff again in 2021. I’m not mad, because I love Grifol. However, I am disappointed. I am disappointed for him and the game of baseball. Latino players are making a bigger impact than ever before, and yet, we continue to see that same representation in the managerial ranks. As of now, the only Latino managers in Major League Baseball are Montoyo of the Jays, Luis Rojas of the Mets, and Dave Martinez of the Nationals. Hence, only 3 managers of the total 30 in baseball are Latino (10 percent), even though nearly 30 percent of MLB players identify if Latino. If baseball truly wants to cater to a rising population of Hispanic/Latino fans (around 60 percent of the Hispanic population consider themselves baseball fans), then there needs to be more representation, and not just from players, but managers as well.

David Scharff at Kings of Kauffman writes that first base could be interesting for the Royals next year.

Some Royals executives are up for the head job with the Angels.

Six players receive Qualifying Offers.

Seven bold predictions on this off-season.

Sports Illustrated predicts where the top 50 free agents will sign.

Michael Baumann at The Ringer writes why the Tony LaRussa hire is bad for baseball.

Alex Cora is among the finalists to win his old job back in Boston.

Why 2020 is a sign of things to come for MLB.

A retool by the Nats will depend on how much they are willing to spend.

Meet the man behind 80,000 scoreboard facts.

Five players to watch in the KBO playoffs in Korea.

Japan is using high tech devices to see if they can fill their stadiums to capacity next year.

The Patriots dynasty is going extinct.

Nebraska keeps defying the Big Ten.

The “Bob Ross Experience” opens in Indiana.

Who was that at the end of the first episode of this season of The Mandalorian?

Sean Connery is the reason we have wisecracks in action movies.

Your song of the day is Wyclef Jean and Canibus with Gone Till November.