Royals Rumblings - News for April 29, 2022

Royals Rumblings - News for April 29, 2022

Mike Matheny is upbeat about the 2-4 road trip, writes Lynn Worthy.

“It was actually a really good road trip,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “We should’ve had a couple there in Seattle that we felt were right there. It could’ve looked a lot different. I know (the players) realize how we’re playing, the caliber of baseball.

“You keep playing good baseball, you keep doing things right, keep figuring out how to keep getting better in the spots we need to — and we know that’s going to be offensively — it’s going to happen.”

Anne Rogers writes about the Adalberto Mondesi injury.

The Royals thought about creating a load management plan for Mondesi this offseason, thinking it could help him stay healthy. But the nature of his injuries, and the unpredictability of when and what will be injured, led the Royals to back off that plan in Spring Training. Plus, scheduled off-days and rainouts during the first month offered enough time for Mondesi to feel rested and healthy.

“You look at what the nature of what he was doing, we haven’t been on the field pregame [because of the cold weather], the exertion — you just got to play,” Moore said. “You can’t second guess that at all. You can’t second guess it. He’s been trying to manage some things differently.”

Alec Lewis gets reactions from teammates.

Lopez has observed the psychological toll Mondesi has navigated these last few years.

“It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “It’s not even about being his teammate. It’s about being his friend. You hate seeing a guy go through that, especially a guy who worked really hard and wants to be playing. It’s just unfortunate. It’s just not fair.”

Vahe Gregorian writes that Mondesi needs sympathy, not mockery.

It’s one thing to feel disappointed as a fan, and it’s certainly reasonable to wonder how the Royals must further confront questions of his future.

It’s another, though, to ridicule a gentle soul who we should view not as somehow lacking in wherewithal or grit but perhaps star-crossed and certainly deserving of compassion.

Because before this is about anything else, this is about a human being with a remarkable gift that now seems to be in jeopardy of never being quite actualized.

That would be too bad for the Royals and anyone invested in them, but it has to be a devastating time for the sensitive Mondesi — who could use empathy instead of mockery.

Lynn Worthy gets the explanation for why Brady Singer was demoted.

“He’s been throwing the ball really, really well,” Royals president of baseball operations Dayton Moore said. “I think the shortened spring training probably didn’t do him any good. He didn’t get enough reps. We made a decision to go with some other people in the rotation, and to keep him in the bullpen simply doesn’t make sense. He’s too talented, too much a part of our future.

“He’s going to get stretched out. So that’s what we’re going to do. And as you know, the rosters are reducing here in a week or three-four days, next few days, so with rosters being reduced, you’d rather just be a little more proactive. He’s got a chance to pitch on Saturday in the rotation there in Omaha and get stretched out.”

The new Royals City Connect uniforms will be available in MLB The Show.

The latest Baseball America mock draft has the Royals taking Tennessee outfielder Jordan Beck.

Facing each other for the first time in MLB, the Contreras brothers exchange lineup cards.

Padres outfielder Wil Myers lands on the Injured List.

The Braves activate outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the Injured List.

Are the White Sox still Central Division favorites?

Seven players that could bounce back from slow starts.

Ken Rosenthal writes that pitchers want a pre-tacked baseball.

Pitchers are going with a first-pitch fastball less this year.

Minor leaguers petition to get paid for spring training.

Kansas has proposed using taxes on sports bets to lure the Chiefs.

The Chiefs will play in the first Amazon Thursday Night football game against the Chargers for the home opener.

Disney is working on a metaverse strategy.

Workers think less creatively in Zoom meetings than in person, according to one study.

James Corden is leaving The Late Late Show in 2023.

Your song of the day is A Tribe Called Quest with Scenario.