Royals Rumblings - News for May 15, 2021

Song of the Day

“Pursuit of Happiness” - Kid Cudi ft. MGMT

Seemed like an appropriate time to throw out a song about trying to maintain during struggling times. Hope you enjoy.

On to the Rumblings...

Lynn Worthy writes about Nicky Lopez’s handling of the inevitable return of Adalberto Mondesi.

“Obviously, we can’t wait to have him back because he’s just going to make our lineup that much deeper,” Lopez said of Mondesi. “But, personally, what it means for me — I can’t really think about that. I’m just going to think about each and every day I get the opportunity to play. When he comes back, we’ll see what happens, what they want me to do.”

Lynn also wrote about Kris Bubic’s performance, approach, and role so far this season.

In this week’s “Mellinger Minutes for Your Ears” by Sam Mellinger, he talks with Mike Matheny about the frustrating last 2 weeks.

Alec Lewis put on his brave pants (which is really a flame retardant jumpsuit) and held a mailbag at The Athletic.

I know it’s easy to focus on the negatives when on this kind of streak, so what are some positives that we can point to? — Drew C.

...

Another positive: Royals right-handers Kyle Zimmer (left trap strain) and Jesse Hahn (shoulder impingement) are making rehab assignments at Triple-A Omaha, meaning reinforcements are coming. Oh, and add this name into the mix: Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, whose rehab assignment begins Thursday at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Going back to Thursday for this next one that sterlingice missed (you naughty little piece of “rice”). Anne Rogers talked to Mondi about his injury/rehab assignment.

“I didn’t know it was going to be that bad,” Mondesi said when he learned of his injury. “But we’re back.”

Elite Sports NY did a power rankings of MLB teams, and I’m not sure which one between their ranking of the Royals right now or their note about it makes me question it more.

24. Kansas City Royals

If we could put them last we would. The Royals have lost ten straight and their downward spiral continues to beg the question: when will we see Bobby Witt, Jr.?

Royals prospect Jackson Kowar is one of many candidates to become the MLB’s 20,000th player.

Zachary D. Rymer at Bleacher Report wrote about the biggest pain point for every MLB team so far this season.

Kansas City Royals: What’s Up with Brad Keller and Hunter Dozier?

As recently as May 1, the Royals were seven games over .500 and comfortably in first place in the AL Central. But because there was an air of unsustainability to their early success, it’s not the biggest shock that they’ve since been humbled by an 11-game losing streak.

The Royals also have some individual stragglers to worry about, including purported ace Brad Keller and third baseman Hunter Dozier. Keller has an ugly 7.31 ERA through seven starts. And after signing an extension in March, Dozier is hitting just .140 overall and mired in a seven-game hitless streak.

David Hill at Call to the Pen tells us how the Royals went from the penthouse to the outhouse (in case you didn’t know already).

Mike Gillespie at KoK writes that the Royals can’t afford another sweep.

In case you missed it or forgot about it, here’s the collision of Hunter Dozier and Jose Abreu.

Adrenaline Rush of the Week

Imagining what animal you could defeat in hand-to-hand combat

Not that we here at RR condone harming animals by talking about this, but there was a survey circulating social media yesterday that asked what animal a person could defeat in hand-to-hand combat. The survey found that the only animals that people felt confident that they’d be able to defeat are a rat, a house cat, and a goose. The men surveyed also felt they could fend off a medium sized dog as well.

I’m no manly-man and I’ve been in few bouts of combat with anyone outside of my older brother, but I am confident that my line is somewhere between chimpanzee and kangaroo. I hate snakes and I’m not sure what my plan of attack would be on a king cobra, but I think I’d figure it out. A chimp is wiry and quick, but I think I can outsmart it. But a full grown kangaroo whips my ass 100 times out of 100.

They’re persistent...

They don’t mind taking a cheap shot or two...

And god help you if you run into this swole bastard...

Who are these drunk weirdos thinking they can take on anything above a wolf though? I mean maybe you get by a wolf, but you aren’t taking down a crocodile, gorilla, elephant, lion, or grizzly bear. I love that those people exist, because they’re likely trying out for my favorite guilty pleasure reality TV shows right now, but ya’ll need a reality check.

I saw a cow for the first time in a while last weekend and I just remember thinking “Damn I’m glad these things are docile, otherwise they could charge this piddly fence and stomp me out with the quickness!”.

I hope I never have to truly answer any of these insane hypothetical survival calls, but it is kind of a rush to think about them.

Have a Saturday everyone!