Royals Rumblings - News for January 18, 2022

Royals Rumblings - News for January 18, 2022

Anne Rogers talks to Christian Colón about his transition into coaching.

When he hung up his cleats after a six-year playing career, four of which came in Kansas City, Colón reached out to the Royals’ front office to inquire about coaching.

“I would say halfway through my playing career, after being in the Major Leagues and then going back to the Minor Leagues, I figured I had a lot more to give to this game,” Colón said. “Eventually I want to be a manager. With the leaders that the Royals have, [president of baseball operations] Dayton [Moore] and [general manager] J.J. [Picollo] and [assistant general manager] Scott [Sharp], it just makes sense for me.”

Clint Scoles at Royals Academy reviews Royals international signings.

The Royals need to see some returns on their international investments. Carlos Hernandez’s arrival was a good sign that their strategy to take some older pitchers and add them to the system for cheap initial signings can pay off. The organization’s athletic and defensive strategy initially put in when GMDM arrived yielded very little results. Sal and Adalberto Mondesi provided some value positionally, but that has been it. Considering they have invested multiple millions into Mondesi, Elier Hernandez, and Seuly Matias with just Mondesi’s meager 4.6 rWAR return, the Royals staff needs to lockdown better results, especially with big-ticket players.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter writes about the Royals most likely to be traded in 2022, such as Scott Barlow.

This may be a surprising one to see, especially since Barlow not only emerged as the Royals’ best reliever last year (and closer) but also their best pitcher in general, as he earned the Royals’ team award for “Pitcher of the Year” last season.

Hence, Royals fans may think “why would Dayton Moore possibly trade his closer, especially if he believes they can win now?”

Well, if there is one thing that the Royals have done well since 2018, it has been finding solid relief arms at a discount and within the Royals system.

The Royals jokingly lent a hand to the Chiefs when they ran out of touchdown fireworks.

Mike McCarthy at Kings of Kauffman looks back on the Royals’ 1981 season.

Mizzou pitching coach Brian DeLunas dies at the age of 46.

Lefty Francisco Liriano announces his retirement.

Why the Blue Jays need to sign Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. to long-term deals.

Is baseball doing enough on diversity in the game?

Who could the White Sox trade away in a win-now move?

Jerick McKinnon made the most of his opportunity with the Chiefs.

Novak Djokovic could be barred from French Open as France passes a new vaccine law.

Crypto millionaires are moving to Puerto Rico, but locals are skeptical of them.

The curious history of the potato chip.

Is the new Scream movie part of a wave of self-hating sequels?

Your song of the day is Spoon with They Never Got You.