Royals Rumblings - News for June 14, 2022

Royals Rumblings - News for June 14, 2022

Sam McDowell writes about the first inning woes of Royals pitchers.

The Royals season ERA of 5.18 is 1.19 runs higher than league average over the full nine innings. Teams tend to perform better in the opening frame considering their best hitters are atop the lineup — imagine that — but the degree to which the Royals are allowing runs is alarming. Their first-inning ERA of 7.32 is 2.86 higher than league average. Heck, it’s 0.79 worse than anyone else.

The Royals are at least two runs better in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings than they are in the first. You’d like to pinpoint something in this trend — perhaps in the pre-game preparation — to tidy things up, but that’s probably an oversimplification because there are multiple variables at play.

David Lesky at Inside the Crown sees brighter things ahead for the Royals.

They’re still on pace for the worst record in team history But as I wrote on Friday, you can kind of start to see how it might come together if they make the changes they need to make. You see glimpses of it, which I’ll get to in the recaps, but you can see a great start from Jonathan Heasley or another great start to the start by Daniel Lynch and you can absolutely see it’s in there. They just need someone to figure out how to coax that out consistently.

And sometimes there is a confidence factor. The Royals had none of it for a long time. With a couple of losses in a row, they’re in danger of falling back into a hole, but they at least got a taste of some wins. And I’m sticking with it that I don’t think they end up losing 100.

Craig Brown at Into the Fountains reviews Daniel Lynch’s start over the weekend.

Anyway, back to Lynch…He escaped that inning but couldn’t navigate the sixth. Back-to-back singles with one out brought the dreaded Cal Eldred mound visit.

What do you think was discussed? Strategy on how to pitch Tyler Nevin? Idle chatter to buy time for Jose Cuas warming in the bullpen? Suggestions on where to find a live rooster? Whatever was discussed, it didn’t work. Four pitches later Lynch delivered a hanging slider to Nevin that was deposited over the wall in center, 425 feet from home.

Obviously, Cal Eldred didn’t suggest Lynch hang that slider. MJ Melendez set up looking for the pitch to break down and in. Still, the optics…oh, the optics.

Alec Lewis writes about Jorge Lopez and his son’s battles with chronic autoimmune diseases.

The Royals called up pitcher Daniel Mengden and placed Joel Payamps on the Injured List.

Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez made MLB.com’s June Rookie Hot List.

Preston Farr at Kings of Kauffman looks at four potential high value trades for the Royals.

Jacob Milham at Inside the Royals looks at a potential return from the Padres for Andrew Benintendi.

Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies fractures his foot.

Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez leaves the team for personal reasons.

The Reds activate third baseman Mike Moustakas.

Orioles CEO John Angelos says the team will never leave Baltimore.

MLB will fine parent clubs for the bench-clearing brawls of minor league teams.

Who could trade for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras?

Reds pitcher Hunter Greene has a new weapon.

How the Yankees’ hot start stacks up against other great teams.

MLB and Fanatics are hit with a lawsuit accusing them of an online merchandise monopoly.

The Dolphins were reportedly ready to pay Sean Payton $100 million to coach the team.

The NCAA is unlikely to approve college football transfer windows this week as it delays action.

What Bitcoin’s nosedive means for the environment.

The six forces that fuel friendship.

The best Pixar character bracket.

Your song of the day is The Beatles with Birthday.