Royals Rumblings - News for December 13, 2021

Royals Rumblings - News for December 13, 2021

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter looks at rising Royals prospects to watch, like reliever Will Klein.

I liked Klein as a “powerful but raw” arm when he was drafted in the fifth round by the Royals in the 2020 draft out of Eastern Illinois. I wasn’t sure how Klein would handle the lost Minor League season in 2020, but he seemed to develop well in the Royals system, despite not pitching competitively during the COVID-affected season. In 2021 in high-A Quad Cities, Klein pitched 70.1 innings in relief, and posted a 3.20 ERA, in addition to a 40.9 percent K rate and a 26 percent K-BB rate. While his BB rate was a little high (14.9 percent), he probably has the best pure stuff in the organization, especially on a fastball end.

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy looks at future reliever prospects.

Daniel Tillo - Tillo had TJ and wasn’t quite back to pre-TJ form last year as he recovered, but the good part was his velocity recovered fully with him hitting the mid-90s. Tillo’s control was iffy with a mid-teens walk rate, but his groundball percentage was back to near his average rates, earning a 53% groundball rate. That groundball rate is the key to his success as his fastball, changeup, and slider can generate groundball contact with his below 3/4 arm angle. The stuff all comes from the same angle and mirrors well. While I doubt he’s a backend guy, he could fit well as a 6th inning option that can give them plenty of appearances. Something that is valuable while in his pre-arb years.

The White Sox sign former Royals pitcher Brandon Finnegan to a minor league deal.

Former Royals third baseman Maikel Franco goes to the Nationals on a minor league deal.

Infielder Freddy Galvis signs a two-year deal to play in Japan.

The Cubs and Padres discussed an Eric Hosmer trade last summer.

The Mets have three finalists for their managerial opening.

How the Brewers almost didn’t make a trade for two Hall of Famers.

Clint Hurdle rejoins the Rockies as a special assistant.

Former Cardinals manager Mike Shildt is expected to take a job in the commissioner’s office.

Peter Gammons writes that injured players are caught in the middle of baseball’s lockout.

The case for pitching coach Leo Mazzone to be in the Hall of Fame.

A look at the horizontal approach angle.

The time Larry Bird played college baseball on a dare.

College football will outlaw the fake slide after it helped a quarterback run for a touchdown.

Things are not going well in Jacksonville for Urban Meyer.

The FBI discovered a real-life Indiana Jones in...Indiana.

Some of those that got into cryptocurrency got in too early to even realize they were owning something that would become valuable.

The eternal truth of Succession comes down to one thing.

Your song of the day is School of Fish with Take Me Anywhere.