Royals Rumblings - News for July 15, 2021

Royals Rumblings - News for July 15, 2021

Believe it or not, but Jim Callis over at MLB Pipeline loves the Royals’ draft and listed it as one of the seven best draft hauls.

Though taking Connecticut high schooler Frank Mozzicato at No. 7 stunned the industry, some clubs considered him the best southpaw in the Draft and it allowed the Royals to go big on two more prepsters, Kansas right-hander Ben Kudrna (second round) and Missouri catcher Carter Jensen (third). Alabama second baseman Peyton Wilson (supplemental second) is loaded with tools and versatility, New Jersey high school righty Shane Panzini (fourth) has a live arm and Mississippi high school shortstop Brennon McNair (11th) was one of the more interesting third-day sleepers.

Jeff Passan lit into Stephen A. Smith on ESPN re: Smith’s offbase criticism of Shohei Ohtani’s usage of an interpreter.

“Shohei Ohtani came to this country at 23 years old,” Passan said. “He left behind his family. He left behind his culture. He left behind his country. He left behind everything he knows to go and pursue the American dream. He wanted to come here and be great. And he is the sort of person who this show and who this network and who this country should embrace. We are not the ones who should be trafficking in ignorance.”

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman argues why you can’t sell Frank Mozzicato short.

Dig around a little on Mozzicato and you’ll discover some of the telling 2021 statistics now surfacing across the Internet that undoubtedly helped hook the Royals. Start with his astonishing, mind-numbing 135 strikeouts over 55.2 innings, an unheard of average of almost 22 every nine frames, then consider his 9-0, 0.16 ERA record. Prep stats, yes, but still dependent on talent.

And he threw four straight no-hitters this season while leading Manchester’s East Catholic High to the Class M Connecticut State Championship.

Royals Farm Report continues their draft coverage with a podcast on the first 10 rounds of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Is the Netflix of games just going to be Netflix?

Scientists are teaching robots to build Ikea furniture.

Bobby Witt hit another home run in Double-A.

It’s the last off day in the All-Star break. Tomorrow, the Royals will play the Orioles in a true battle for the titans. Thank you for enduring my somewhat truncated Rumblings, because I am bad at them. Max will be back next week for your regularly scheduled Rumblings content.

Question of the Day

What movies released in the last ten years are going to be considered classics in a few decades?

Song of the Day

Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen

...and Run Away With Me, Reharmonized by Adam Neely’s Jazz School featuring Kate Steinberg