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I love prospect ranking season. Dozens of websites offer up their “own” list of why your team’s prospects are riddled with upside that, if everything goes right, could live up to become the next Michael Douglas Trout (I don’t think his middle name is Douglas). Regardless of their eventual MLB careers, they are undoubtedly talented; all professional baseball players are. They are the best of the best when it comes to doing what they love. They were the fortunate ones that were able to have the right physical tools, the right grooming of said tools, and were in the right place at the right time to be discovered. They are very good at doing a very valuable thing.
I do not have that talent. You (probably) don’t have that talent. Don’t get it twisted, we’re all very good at something. But it’s likely not something worth hundreds of thousands, let alone millions or billions (unless you were on the ground level of this meme stocks thing).
It all got me thinking about what I am elite at and what would happen if it were a billion dollar business. Obviously giving bad fantasy football advice is up there. I’d be a major league pizza roll eater; Little Debbie snack cakes too for that matter. I’m incredible at getting True/False questions wrong. But I don’t think I’m elite at any of those things.
I think I am the closest to elite at knowing the lyrics to Shake Ya Tailfeather.
I am confident that I am the 1 out of 1 million that knows the lyrics to the song banger from the Bad Boyz II soundtrack. That’s the karaoke go-to as I can do that on command and acapella. If only that had any value...
On to the Rumblings...
MLB Pipeline released their Top 100 prospects rankings on Thursday night. Three Royals showed up on the list and they were predictable. (Witt Jr. #7, Lynch #29, Lacy #30)
7. Bobby Witt Jr., SS (ETA: 2022) 29. Daniel Lynch, LHP (ETA: 2021) 30. Asa Lacy, LHP (ETA: 2022)The Royals have the same number of Top 100 Prospects as they did a year ago, albeit with 2020 No. 4 overall pick Asa Lacy replacing Brady Singer (graduated) on the list. Lynch and Lacy could soon join Singer in the Royals’ big league rotation, and the organization has a deep crop of pitching prospects beyond their two prized southpaws. Witt has done nothing but impress in the pro ranks, improving and performing like a player who could reach the Majors ahead of schedule.
The Royals announced their 2020 team award winners.
Congratulations to our 2020 team award winners! pic.twitter.com/HlxykYJZTF
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) January 29, 2021
Davenport, Iowa (Home of the Royals’ new High-A affiliate) is renaming the street in front of their stadium to “Royals Way”.
Leigh Oleszczak at KC Kingdom writes that the Royals signing Marcell Ozuna would be a big splash.
Shawn Bauman at Kings of Kauffman wrote about a potential reunion with Jon Jay.
Potential Royals targets, Adam Wainwright and Joc Pederson, signed with not Royals. Wainwright returns to the Cardinals for 1 year, $8 million while Pederson is headed to the Cubs for 1 year, $7 million.
Major League Baseball made one of their best hires in a long time.
Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. has been named Senior Advisor to the Commissioner. He will consult with @MLB on a number of issues, with special emphasis on baseball operations & youth baseball development, and will serve as an ambassador at youth initiatives & at special events. pic.twitter.com/NoooGJTd7L
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) January 29, 2021
That hire will be a real...home run.
If you need any more good feelings about that hire, watch this video from MLB.
BREAKING: The Kid joins MLB …
— MLB (@MLB) January 29, 2021
Ken Griffey Jr. will serve as Sr. Advisor to the Commissioner with an emphasis on baseball operations, youth development and improving diversity at all levels of the game. pic.twitter.com/GMAF7fSOtr
The Athletic released Part 2 of their MLB Agent Survey Lots of good little one-sided nuggets in there.
BREAKING: Cardinals have agreed to acquire Nolan Arenado from Rockies, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal pending approval from both MLB and players’ union; Rockies sending Cardinals significant cash, believed to be in $50M range, and Arenado will be deferring money.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021
The Cleveland Baseball Team is planning on having fans at their ballpark at some point this season.
Miley Cyrus did the latest Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. She did some creative things with the platform but all I could think about while watching it was “She’s going for a sticky Lady Gaga thing now I guess...”
Adrenaline Rush of the Week
Being a member of Bills Mafia
I’m still very much jacked up about the Chiefs defeating the Bills last Sunday in the AFC Championship to advance to Super Bowl 55. But during the game (and in just about every big game that the Bills have played in) that it must be a sports high to root for that team. And from the looks of it, it’s exactly that...
LET THERE BE FIRE #BillsMafia (via ig:Scheffdaddy) pic.twitter.com/ANU0XqsBju
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 24, 2021
I mean it’s not enough to break through a table anymore. Now fire must be involved. And sometimes, one person on fire isn’t enough!
#BillsMafia table pic.twitter.com/f3kSu6zkri
— DeuceQuad 24 (@deucequad24) January 24, 2021
Adrenaline inside the right conduit is a powerful thing. Sometimes the jumper’s adrenaline just spills over to the crowd and others must also be part of the fun and risk surface burns (and/or an RV tire fire). It looks like something my fragile blogger body could be susceptible to.
But the biggest adrenaline rush might come from their young quarterback, Josh Allen. Chiefs fans are accustomed to seeing Royals owner, Patrick Mahomes, make jaw dropping plays. Josh Allen has similar ability to do the incredible, and that was on display in the AFC Championship.
What a pitch and catch from Josh Allen to TJ Yeldon #Bills #BillsMafia #NFL
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) January 25, 2021
pic.twitter.com/0uLEE8T8VD
No quit in @JoshAllenQB. #BillsMafia #NFLPlayoffs
— NFL (@NFL) January 25, 2021
: #BUFvsKC on CBS
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/RTcXvhOR4u pic.twitter.com/rjzAykpSRL
There is a difference in Allen’s and Mahomes’s’s’s’ ability to amaze and that’s the amount of time they spend in the other end of that spectrum. I’ve lovingly dubbed that range the “Go home, you’re drunk” range. That too was on display Sunday night.
Josh Allen could've easily thrown 2 INTs already today.pic.twitter.com/GEnZl60qTp
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 25, 2021
@BarstoolBigCat
— Travis (@tw_cunningham) January 25, 2021
Josh Allen pressing all the buttons on Madden pic.twitter.com/JUcyxqxQhM
this josh allen heave belongs in the hall of fame pic.twitter.com/WtYeRrkBdJ
— mike taddow (@MikeTaddow) January 25, 2021
That last one was something special. I’ve never seen that in my life outside of a rage quit worthy game of Madden.
I would be exhausted after watching that guy man the QB position of my favorite football team for 16+ games a year. Don’t get me wrong, Allen is a very talented and very young quarterback. The arm strength alone on that last video is ELITE. He will be in the discussion of top QBs for a long time. And he has an all time ability to make you hold your breath and pucker up.
Inject it straight into my veins...
Song of the Day
“Island in the Sun” - Weezer
We’re still in a pandemic. Wall Street is on fire. Accusations of treason are being thrown around like a drunk Josh Allen desperation ball. Can we please just chill out and take a break, please? Like...as an entire society? Is that cool? Let’s give it a shot today by starting out with one of the most chill songs ever made.
Also Weezer released a new album, “OK Human”, yesterday.