Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for March 31, 2020

Who is the best first baseman in Royals history?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Mar 31, 2020, 8:00am EDT

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Royals Rumblings - News for March 31, 2020

The Royals talk to Lynn Worthy about trying to develop players from afar.

“We’re putting things together for our players to keep them engaged, but also it’s a way for us to have a better understanding of what each kid is dealing with,” Picollo said. “There’s such a wide variety. Some kids really haven’t been interrupted with their workouts, whether it’s a home gym or a throwing partner.”

Picollo, who oversees the player-development side of the Royals’ baseball operations, participated in a Zoom call with a group of pitchers Friday, a test run to see what the response would be like from the players.

”It’s been interesting, a different way of teaching and a different way of learning,” Picollo said.

The club plans to do even more through its various web portals starting this week, including optional webinars on nutrition, pitch grips and the use of Edgertronic cameras. They’ve even set up online quizzes for players on game situations.

Alec Lewis looks at how the agreement by owners and players on a shortened season could affect the Royals.

Expanded rosters could ease certain roster decisions.

As situations stood three weeks ago, the Royals had a battle for their 26th man. Both first basemen Ryan O’Hearn and Ryan McBroom had earned spots, leaving outfielders Bubba Starling and Brett Phillips and utilitymen Matt Reynolds and Erick Mejia vying for two spots.

Starling and Phillips are out of options, meaning if the Royals designated one of them for assignment, there’s the chance another team could claim them off waivers.

Considering rosters could expand, both might have a better chance to make the squad.

Jeffrey Flanagan ranks the top first basemen in Royals history.

Sweeney’s tremendous career as a Royal included a .299 average over 13 seasons with an .861 OPS. And his career might never have unfolded as it did until manager Tony Muser pulled him aside in Spring Training of 1999 and essentially advised him to learn a new position other than catcher.

”He looked me in the eye and said, ‘You want the truth, kid? Well, you’ve got a zero percent chance of being a Kansas City Royal this year,’” Sweeney said. “I said, ‘Zero?’ And he said, ‘I was just at a meeting earlier today and they like you as a person, but they said you’ll never catch another day as a Royal.’”

Muser, though, was intrigued by Sweeney as a hitter. That spring, Muser told Sweeney, “Get a first baseman’s glove.”

Game cancellations means millions of lost revenue for the Royals, according to the Kansas City Business Journal (sub required)

Jorge Soler gives up a home run to his son.

Shawn Bauman at Kings of Kauffman writes about three prospects that need a promotion.

Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon is out for the year.

MLB managers talk about coping with the suspended season.

Imagining what baseball would be like in a world of social distancing.

If the season is cancelled, which teams would be hurt the most?

Clayton Kershaw thinks a December post-season would be risky.

The Nationals’ spring training site will be used as a coronavirus testing facility.

Two Cubs employees test positive for coronavirus.

Who has baseball’s nastiest fastball?

With no baseball to write about, Fangraphs is one of many sports sites struggling.