Royals Rumblings - News for May 17, 2022

Royals Rumblings - News for May 17, 2022

Dayton Moore and JJ Picollo discuss the firing of hitting coach Terry Bradshaw.

“I think at the end of the day, we just felt like we needed more urgency,” Royals president of baseball operations Dayton Moore said. “And we needed to be more focused on a few of the main things that we feel prepare hitters on a daily basis to go out and attack a major-league pitcher, a major-league bullpen and all the matchups that exists today.”

Jesse Newell writes things to know about new hitting coach Alec Zumwalt.

Anne Rogers writes about if we’ll see more changes.

The Royals remained adamant that, even though their pitching also ranks near the bottom of the AL, there haven’t been discussions about making a change with pitching coach Cal Eldred and bullpen coach Larry Carter.

“That hasn’t been discussed at all,” Picollo said. “We knew that the young starting pitching is going to go through ups and downs. You want them to make strides. … It’s about doing it consistently. It’s not like guys come up here and are showing no ability to pitch in the Major Leagues. They’ve shown some ability, and now it’s our job to get it out of them on a more consistent basis. That’s going to come with time.”

Sam McDowell writes that the firing illustrates a changing of the guard in the front office.

In fact, this move likely does not happen — or rather does not happen yet, I should say — without the organizational shift last September that promoted Moore to the president of baseball operations.

How so? Moore has shown a tendency to stick with players and coaches — to stand by people. He’s loyal to a fault. In his new role, he has taken on the global outlook the organization, as he’s referred to it. He’s stepped away, however slightly, from the day-to-day operations of the Major League team.

That job belongs now to Picollo, who felt it necessary to begin these difficult conversations weeks ago. I don’t point that out to recognize Picollo as cold-hearted — that’s not it — but rather to say he has just fulfilled one of the hardest requirements of his new role.

Taking the emotion out of it. Looking at the production.

Alec Lewis looks at the metrics that define the Royals so far this year.

Internally, the Royals keep track of their pitchers’ first-pitch strike rate.

“Every day,” manager Mike Matheny said this week in Arlington, Texas. “I get a report every day. Yeah. Still not where we want to be.”

The Royals’ first-pitch strike rate — 57.7 percent — ranks 30th in MLB. Last year, the club ranked 57.3 percent (30th in MLB).

First-round pick Frank Mozzicato will make his pro debut this week, Jared Perkins at Royals Farm Report writes about what to expect.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman wonders if Whit Merrifield is cured.

Darin Watson at U.L.’s Toothpick writes about the last game of the 2019 season.

Astros pitcher Jake Odorizzi is carted off the field after a leg injury.

Robbie Ray did not travel with the Mariners to Toronto for unspecified reasons.

Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. deletes Twitter after some embarrassing tweets surface.

Scott Boras says Michael Conforto may be ready to sign with a team after the draft.

Xander Bogaerts is open to in-season long-term contract talks with Boston.

Why the Rockies hired the son of the owner to be their pro scouting director.

Gabe Kapler has been a non-conformist manager for the Giants.

DJ Steve Aoki had a ceremonial first pitch to remember.

Drew Brees says he is undecided about his future and may return to playing.

The Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley between Chelsea and Arsenal on Sunday set an attendance record for the competition.

MiamiCoin crypto lost 88 percent of its value in less than a year.

All these space launches could delay your flight.

David E. Kelley, one of the biggest TV writers of the 90s, is back.

Your song of the day is Soundgarden with Black Hole Sun.