Weekend Rumblings - News for May 9, 2020

Joe Posnanski writes about his favorite Zack Greinke stories.

Affeldt walked off the field sure that this was the second of those scenarios. He got back to the dugout and grumbled out loud, “Man, he must have been guessing but that wasn’t that bad a pitch.”

And that’s when 20-year-old Zack Greinke piped up: “Actually, it was a bad pitch.”

Affeldt looked up and felt utterly defeated. “Thanks, Zack,” he said with all the sarcasm he could muster.

“No,” Greinke said earnestly. “Really. I went back to the clubhouse to look at it on tape. It was really a bad pitch. Middle of the plate. You totally missed your spot.”

MLB.com lists the biggest villain for each franchise.

Royals: Robinson Canó

Infamous for: Not choosing Billy Butler for Home Run Derby teamCanó became an unlikely villain in Kansas City starting in 2012, the last time Kauffman Stadium hosted an All-Star Game. The second baseman was the captain for the AL’s Home Run Derby team and made the decision not to select Royals All-Star Billy Butler, which miffed Butler and Royals fans. Canó was booed loudly when introduced before the Derby, and fans cheered every time he made an out. In fact, Canó didn’t hit a single home run, a year after winning the event in Arizona. Since then, every time Canó has returned to Kansas City, he has been booed. Royals fans don’t forget.

Jim Callis lists each team’s best small school draft pick in history.

Royals: Kevin Appier, RHPTaken with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1987 Draft out of Antelope Valley JC (Lancaster, Calif.), Appier finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1990 and third in the AL Cy Young race three years later, when he led the league in ERA (2.56). Though he was an All-Star just once, the right-hander had eight 200-plus inning campaigns and finished his 16-year career with a 3.74 ERA in 2,595 1/3 innings, recording 169 wins as a 54.5 WAR player.

At Royals Academy, Clint Scoles gives his thoughts on the draft.

MLB is prepared to shorten the draft to five rounds.

The time some MLB players decided to become softball ringers.

Will Tony Gwynn be the last hitter to make a run at .400?

The joy and anxiety of watching baseball return in the KBO.

What it’s like to call KBO games from 7,000 miles away.

Bryce Harper thinks it is dumb to keep big leaguers out of the Olympics.

The Charleston River Dogs minor league club is laying out plans for having fans at games.

ESPN writer Ryan Hockensmith goes through all his worthless baseball cards.

The story behind the Yankees facial hair policy.

Ronald Souza tests positive for coronavirus just before his UFC fight on Saturday.

Ranking the Thursday Night Football matchups.

A polar vortex will bring snow to the Northeast this weekend.

Boba Fett is coming to The Mandalorian.

12 great movies about moms.

Your song of the day is Thelonious Monk with Bright Mississippi.