Royals Rumblings - News for November 1, 2021

Royals Rumblings - News for November 1, 2021

David Lesky at Inside the Crown takes a closer look at Brady Singer.

The shift in the shape of the pitch may have actually helped him against righties as they hit .242 with a .298 SLG against it compared with .205 but a .455 SLG against it in 2020. Some of that is probably due to it getting a little big, but it makes me wonder if maybe he wants to refine a bit and go to more of a cutter against righties, but keep the bigger slider against lefties moving forward. That’s a change that isn’t quite as big as developing a changeup since I see a cutter is more of a refined slider than a fastball (though it’s technically a cut fastball for whatever that’s worth).

To view it in a different way, it’s easy to see what hitters saw from the slider in 2020 compared with 2021.

Craig Brown looks at the Royals’ Gold Glove candidates.

No, the advanced metrics do not care for Perez’s defense, but I’ve long maintained that the metrics aren’t that great of a way to measure the catcher and first base positions as they’re so unique defensively from the other six fielding roles. (I’m not counting pitchers here.) Still, Baseball Savant puts the run value of Perez’s framing in 2021 at a whopping -19, nine worse than his closest peer. Among the other finalists, Murphy was worth eight runs and Maldonado was good for a single run. The data has Perez getting more calls on the high strike and the edges, but not faring as well on low pitches or offerings on the corners.

Advanced metrics aside, the voters will use the eye test and reputation. Oh, and those times he literally won games with his defense. And the fact the SABR Defensive Index component of the award for catcher takes blocks and caught stealing into account…Perez should be a lock for his sixth Gold Glove award.

Kris Bubic talked analytics with Fangraphs.

“The last few years I’ve kind of had a passion for the analytics side of the game, and just better-understanding numbers, better-understanding all of that. I think [being a broadcast analyst] is definitely something I could see myself doing at the end of my career — or maybe bringing that to a team, working in the front office.”

“They’re both changeups, but they’re two completely different changeups,” the Stanford-education southpaw said when asked to compare his signature pitch to that of teammate Jackson Kowar. “You were talking about Devin Williams, and I’d say his is pretty similar to that in terms of it being a higher-spin changeup. He spins it more than he spins his fastball. His axis is pretty much purely sidespin… If you were to watch an Edgertronic video of it, he’s really turning that thing over and getting pure sidespin, as opposed to how I’m staying behind it a little bit more and really just killing spin.”

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter wonders if the Royals should bring back Zack Greinke.

Greinke also proved to be apt at producing groundballs from batters, as his groundball rate was 44.4 percent and his GB/FB ratio was 1.38, both significant improvements from 2020.

Greinke would thrive not only in Kauffman Stadium’s spacious grounds, but also would benefit from the Royals’ solid defense behind him, as the Royals had four Gold Glove nominees, and ranked 6th in team outs above average, according to Baseball Savant.

Jerry Edwards at Inside the Royals continues his trade series with a potential deal to send Whit Merrifield to Seattle.

The Royals are behind an effort to get a sports gambling legalization bill on the ballot in Missouri.

Last night may have been the last MLB game ever without a designated hitter.

Buster Olney (INSIDER) writes that baseball may do away with the “opener.”

The Dodgers will decline the option on reliever Joe Kelly.

Who will get the A’s - Oakland or Las Vegas?

Beloved Red Sox second baseman and broadcaster Jerry Remy died at at age 68.

Albert Pujols wins it with a walk-off hit in his first winter league game in the Dominican.

Minor leaguers want a say in a potential vaccine mandate.

Yasiel Puig settles his sexual assault lawsuit and wants to return to baseball.

Former Royals farmhand Jamie Romak will retire after 19 years in professional baseball, including the last five as one of the top sluggers in Korea.

The nominees for the BBWAA Career Excellence Award are Tim Kurkjian, Marty Noble, and Allan Simpson.

What would be the “All-Funky” team from the 70s?

TCU parts ways with football coach Gary Patterson.

Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley will step away from football to work on his mental health.

Scary movies used to be marketed towards kids - what changed?

Someday we may be able to talk to whales.

Chinese social media influencers are posing by a Shanghai Costco and claiming they’re in Los Angeles.

Your song of the day is Vampire Weekend with Diane Young.