Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for September 16, 2021

Hail to the Chief.

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Sep 16, 2021, 8:00am EDT

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MLB: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals

Royals Rumblings - News for September 16, 2021

Lynn Worthy writes about how J.J. Picollo and Dayton Moore will make decisions.

“We don’t make decisions in a vacuum,” Moore said. “Every once in a while, someone has to press that leadership button and say the tie is now broken. I’ll be the one to ultimately have to do that.”

While both Moore and Picollo stressed repeatedly the collaborative environment of the front office and insisted that will remain, it appears clear Picollo will have a larger voice than in his previous role. Moore lauded Picollo’s leadership qualities and ability to create consensus.

“We’ve always worked together, and I would be foolish as a first-time general manager not to count on somebody that sat in that seat for 15 years,” Picollo said. “Fortunately, it is somebody that I’ve know very well. I’m very comfortable with how we’re set up, not only myself but others within our front office. That collaboration has always taken place and will continue to.”

Alec Lewis has more.

What this means moving forward is tough to peg without seeing in practice, but the skinny is this: Picollo will step into the ring of the main card each day, overseeing operations of the big-league club. This involves communication with staff, players, major-league scouts, the medical team, etc. Moore will stand around the ring, aware of the main card, but he’ll also be present in each element of the undercard. If that entails working with Rene Francisco and Albert Gonzalez internationally, so be it. If that allows him to sit in a home alongside a young Royals area scout as they talk with a high school player and pitch the Royals ahead of the draft, that’s what he’ll do.

“This opportunity allows us to commit in ways we haven’t had the chance to commit in the past,” Moore said.

Craig Brown at Into the Fountains applauds the new arrangement.

On one hand, this is just good leadership. Moore recognizes that Picollo possesses the knowledge and experience that will be helpful to the organization going forward. This is because Picollo has been instrumental in what Sherman called the “modernizing” of baseball operations for the Royals. Things Moore didn’t have the time to get as intimately involved with since he was busy with the day-to-day operations of the club. As the game has evolved and those things have taken on more importance, Picollo is uniquely positioned to become the next GM.

David Lesky at Inside the Crown had mixed feelings about keeping Dayton Moore at the head.

But my biggest concern is that Moore is still around. Whatever you believe about Moore, whether you think he’s a great GM, terrible or something in between, 15 years is long enough to have one person in a position. I have some very real questions about how much power someone can have in their position when the guy who had done it for 15 years is still around. And my concerns grew when Soren Petro asked about the organizational structure.

The first answer we heard was one that made it seem like this is a change in name only and nothing would be different. Moore answered that he would still have final say on big decisions. I understand that the president of baseball operations should have final say, but I just feel like it doesn’t afford Picollo the opportunity to truly do the job. And that’s without even getting into the fact that Moore’s history is one that isn’t easily evaluated.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Jackson County Executive Frank White are open to discussion on moving the Royals downtown.

Despite his fondness for the team’s current home, White said he was open to the possibility of the Royals moving from the county-owned Truman Sports Complex to downtown.

“As I have said from day one, we have a responsibility to ensure the county is using the tax dollars entrusted to us by our residents as effectively and efficiently as possible. Part of that responsibility is being open to opportunities to improve the impact our investments are making in the community, including a potential downtown stadium.”

Sam Mellinger loves the idea of the Royals moving downtown.

Sherman presented the move as mere potential, and the announcement as a solicitation for feedback. The Royals know they must make this more about what Kansas City could build, and less about what would be left. There are ways to incorporate and honor the team’s history in a new stadium and in a new location.

The case will need to be made that a downtown ballpark could be the sort of force multiplier that other cities have created. A downtown ballpark would be closer to more people, and to more options for fans before and after games. Baseball in general faces a challenge in the age and size of its fan base — this is a chance to reverse some trends in Kansas City.

Pete Grathoff got the reaction from fans, who are pretty split on the idea.

Salvador Perez talks to Lynn about his clutch hits.

“I don’t know,” Perez continued. “I’m just trying to do my job. Seriously, I don’t try to do too much. I’ve said that before. When I get too big, when I put myself under too much pressure, to be like we need a home run here, we need a guy from third base. When I kind of put pressure on myself, I don’t think things go that well. So I just get to home plate in that at-bat and just try to do my job.

The Royals get an executive back.

Source: Gene Watson, winding down his first year with the Angels, is going back to Kansas City to re-join their newly reconfigured front office, still headed by Dayton Moore. Watson, very well respected throughout the industry, previously spent nearly 15 years with the Royals.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) September 15, 2021