Royals Rumblings - News for April 13, 2020

Royals Rumblings - News for April 13, 2020

Lynn Worthy writes about the quartet of pitching prospects Royals fans are waiting for, talking to director of pitching performance Paul Gibson.

“I still believe that they all have stuff to work on. That would be one opinion,” he said. “I think most of the things they need to tune up or work on are things that they’re all capable of.

”I wouldn’t think that it’s going to be a long time (until they figure it out). That’s (manager) Mike Matheny and (pitching coach) Cal Eldred’s decision, as to when they feel the need and the time is right for them to be ready.”

Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna says the Royals told him he was too small as an amateur, and the Braves were the only ones to make an offer.

Mike Petriello at MLB.com writes about each team’s most impactful postseason play.

+23% cWPA — 1985 World Series Game 6 — Dane Iorg RBI single, 9th inning

You would have thought — or at least we would have — that given back-to-back World Series appearances in 2014-15, the biggest Kansas City moment would have had to come a little more recently than this. But no, we’re throwing this one way back to 1985, when the Royals entered Game 6 of the World Series down 3-2 to the Cardinals. They were down 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth — their season had just three outs remaining — hard to get more high-leverage than that. The first two Royals singled (with a little help from umpire Don Denkinger), then, after a sacrifice bunt, a passed ball and an intentional walk, pinch-hitter Iorg entered with the bases loaded. His single to right field didn’t just bring home the tying run, but also the runner from second, giving the Royals a walk-off win. They’d take Game 7 by a score of 11-0, and their first title.

Will Leitch at MLB.com writes about the 1983 season, which includes the Pine Tar Game.

The Pine Tar Game is a classic, incredible baseball incident, one that required the unique talents of George Brett and Martin, the incorrigible competitor just crazy enough to try to pull a stunt like disallowing a home run because of pine tar. A great, forgotten bit about this? When the game was eventually reconvened for the ninth inning three weeks later, Martin tried one last gambit: He attempted to persuade the umpires at that game, who were a different crew than the one at the original game, that none of the baserunners had touched the bases after Brett’s homer. It didn’t work (they had touched every base), but as always with Martin, you had to admire the effort.

Alex Gordon is keeping an open mind on when baseball will return.

Mark Teahen has a quarantine catch with John Buck.

Cal Ripken, Jr. has a message for Whit Merrifield, who has the longest active consecutive games played streak.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman profiles minor league outfielder Travis Jones.

Cubs All-Star infielder Glenn Beckert dies at age 79.

Some ideas for baseball players to compete while under social distancing measures.

Why sports may not be coming back any time soon.

Will we want to watch baseball in person?

SB Nation produces a video of the Jose Bautista/Roughned Odor beef.

The baseball league in Taiwan becomes the first league to begin its regular season.

Baseball hardest throwers are paying the price.

Is the Runs/Hits/Errors box on scoreboards obsolete?

Not many have had careers in baseball and punk rock, but Scott Radinsky has.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is a huge Phish fan.

Drew Brees agrees to work for NBC when he retires from football.

Former Titans safety Myron Rolle is on the front line as a doctor treating coronavirus patients.

Despite high grocery demand, farms put food to waste.

How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

Saturday Night Live gets a makeover with an all-Zoom episode.

Your song of the day is John Prine with When I Get to Heaven.