Royals Rumblings - News for March 2, 2020

Royals Rumblings - News for March 2, 2020

Salvador Perez talks about being behind the plate for the first time in over a year.

“It was emotional,” Perez said. “It was kind of like Opening Day — once you catch the first pitch, it’s a regular game. I blocked some balls, threw to second base between innings. It was all great.”

Mike Matheny likes what he sees from Brady Singer.

“He had [fastball command] in the first inning. It wasn’t there in the second, got into a bind and figured out how to use his second pitch. I was fun to watch. He tried not to show any emotion, but I did it. I was excited for him. That was pretty good stuff.”

Greg Holland continues to perform well in spring training.

“I feel like I repeated my delivery well and threw a lot of quality pitches,” Holland said. “At this point in spring training, I’m trying to key in on more throwing pitches in the strike zone. A couple of breaking balls I threw, later in the season I might try to expand the strike zone with those. But I’m trying to throw them for strikes because that’s a lot harder for me to do than throw it below the zone.”

Danny Duffy is looking to rebound, writes Jeffrey Flanagan.

Duffy agreed and noted that the ball seems to be coming out of his hand with ease this spring.

“It’s coming out really hard,” Duffy said. “I feel like I got a couple ticks more. We’ll see. I haven’t had a [radar] gun on me yet. I asked Cal [Eldred, Kansas City’s pitching coach] once, and he didn’t want to tell me. But the ball is coming out of my hand really good.

Sam Mellinger looks at reasons for optimism and concern this year.

As much as anything else, the Royals lost 25 games when tied or leading after seven innings last year. They blew 53 leads. Fifty-three! That’s the most in baseball, and 17 more than the league average.

Think about this: The Royals lost 11 more games than they won when tied after seven innings. They lost nine more than they won in extra innings.

Just win half of those and the record starts to look much different. These are the small things. They turn into big things, especially when the results don’t matter — when they’re not made to matter.

”There’s got to be an urgency,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “Mr. Glass used to say it all the time: Expectations drive results. If you expect to be .500 you’re not going to be better than .500.

Lynn Worthy writes that Kelvin Gutierrez is ready if needed.

“My whole career the coaches have said the same (thing), you need your contact more in front,” Gutierrez said. “That will help you hit the ball more in the gap.”

Being able to drive the ball into the gaps has been a focus of his because he knows teams traditionally expect a power bat out of the third base position.

”I needed more confidence in (my ability to do) that,” Gutierrez said of hitting the ball out in front. “Sometimes I started cheating because I’m trying to hit the ball in front. This year, I have more confidence in that. My line drives were hard.”

Stephen Woods, Jr. left Saturday’s game with an ankle sprain.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman writes about Royals players with and without options.

Sam Turner at Full Press Coverage previews the Royals season.

YouTube TV reaches agreement on a temporary deal with Sinclair to keep channels like Fox Sports Kansas City.

The Royals partner with Boulevard Beer on a new brew this summer.

Kenta Maeda requested a trade from the Dodgers because of the way they used him.

The Rockies name Wade Davis their closer while the Mariners won’t have a set closer.

Aaron Judge will need more tests on his injured shoulder.

Free agent Collin McHugh is cleared to begin throwing.

Veterans like Jarrod Dyson are trying to prove they still have value.

Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has a new stance behind the plate.

A closer look at minor league attendance in 2019.

Pro baseball resumes action in Japan, but with no fans in the stands, due to coronavirus.

Players will no longer be tested for marijuana, but they can still be subject to penalties for marijuana use.

Sporting Kansas City wins their season opener, plus here’s what you need to know about the new MLS season.

Tony Romo will get $17 million a year to talk about sports.

A tiny wormhole on a table top could shatter our sense our sense of reality.

What’s next for Disney with Bob Iger leaving?

A eulogy for Universal’s Dark Universe, a huge Hollywood misfire.

Your song of the day is David Bowie with Rebel Rebel.