Royals Rumblings - News for August 26, 2020

Over at Beyond the Box Score, Devan Fink compares our Josh Staumont and James Karinchak of Cleveland.

Both Karinchak and Staumont have taken baseball by storm. In 13 appearances into Monday, Karinchak has thrown 14 ²⁄₃ innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits, with 28 strikeouts to just six walks. He’s only faced 53 batters, so yes, you’re reading this correctly: Karinchak currently has a 53 percent strikeout rate. Likewise, Staumont has appeared in 12 games, throwing 11 ¹⁄₃ innings. He’s only allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits, with 23 strikeouts to just six walks. He’s only faced 49 hitters, yielding a 47 percent strikeout rate.

Karinchak and Staumont aren’t inherently connected; they just both fit the theme of “newly-dominant relief arms” here in 2020. However, people have noticed the similarities between the two, drawing comparisons on both their stuff and their results. Now, it’s time to officially enter this into relief pitcher canon: A true, 100 percent confirmed and accurate comparison of our two new favorite pitchers, James Karinchak and Josh Staumont. There will be no questions.

The crew at MLB Pipeline tabs a prospect from each team who might draw trade interest:

Royals: Michael Gigliotti, OF (No. 29)*Kansas City is another team that’s unlikely to trade from its prospect depth this year, especially when guys such as Brady Singer and Kris Bubic have already made their debuts. Gigliotti, 24, doesn’t fit into the organization’s long-term plans and has never appeared above the Class A Advanced level, but he has a solid bat, can really run and is a natural center fielder who can play all three outfield spots. He was sidelined for most of 2018 after requiring ACL surgery on his right knee but bounced back in 2019 to slash .282/.369/.368 with 22 doubles and 36 steals in 87 games.

In another listicle, Will Leitch of MLB.com calls Trevor Rosenthal Kansas City’s “out of nowhere star.”

Cleveland is bringing Mike Clevinger back from their alternate site after his self-inflicted banishment for violating team protocols on COVID-19 safety. Maybe just in time to shop him to other teams?

Speaking of the Spiders and people on that team who remind us why it matters where people go and what they do and what their part in the larger social contract is, Cleveland manager Terry Francona is dealing with some pretty serious blood clotting issues on top of the gastrointestinal surgery that initially sidelined him last week.

Longtime prospect writer John Sickels shared the deeply personal reason he has left the baseball writing game. Content note for child sexual abuse.

Over in New York, Aaron Judge is back from the IL.

At The Athletic ($), Zach Buchanan catches up with a few MLB photographers, whose jobs are dramatically different this year.

Legendary sprinter Usain Bolt has tested positive for COVID-19.

What does the CDC’s updated guidance on travel and quarantining mean?

Will you try the spicy McNuggets that McDonald’s is introducing next month?

These four things might be ruining your shower’s plumbing. Quick side rant: I’m a property manager for a company that handles around 400 properties. I cannot tell you how many plumbing and HVAC calls are completely preventable. It is simple: don’t put anything down any drains except water, soap suds, natural waste, and toilet paper. Flushable wipes are a lie. Drano is bad for plumbing and just moves clogs further down the pipes. On the HVAC side, your furnace will work way better for way longer if you change the filter and keep your vents/registers free of obstructions. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Reddit discussion of the week: What’s something dumb you believed as a kid?

Here is a fun slideshow looking back at the first-ever VMAs, back in 1984.

SOTD: In honor of ‘Born To Run’ turning 45 this week, here’s Bruce Springsteen. What a damn luxurious sound for an opening track. Because I am significantly younger than the album, I can’t imagine putting that record on and hearing it starting this way, for the first time. Wish I could.