Weekend Rumblings - News for March 25, 2023

Matt Quatraro named Zack Greinke his Opening Day starter.

“We’re witnessing a Hall of Fame career, and another step in that is another Opening Day start,” Quatraro said. “His seventh, which is pretty amazing. … To have somebody who’s been there, done that and able to handle the emotions and everything is great.”

Daniel Lynch will begin the season on the Injured List with a shoulder strain.

“It felt like my arm was stretching out of the socket, going with the ball,” Lynch said prior to the Royals’ 3-0 win over the Giants at Surprise Stadium. “To feel all that, I was like, I can’t go any further. It was just kind of a shocking thing. I was so excited for the season.

“I felt like my stuff was in a good place. I felt like I was in a good spot, very confident, very excited. I was bummed out. Had really high hopes. So that goes through your mind. But I’m glad I can get back soon and help the team for the majority of the season.”

David Lesky looks at how the Royals may replace Lynch in the rotation.

I think Singer may have potentially been a candidate to be left behind for a few days to get an extra start in, but whatever possibility that was is now gone. He has to be there. Where would they turn for the fifth starter? Is it Bubic on a pitch count? He may be able to throw 75 or so by the time it’s his turn. Or there is some creativity possible. Rogers spoke with Sweeney this week and he mentioned the possibility of piggybacking. I wonder a little if they’d look into an opener to start the year.

Sam McDowell writes about how the World Baseball Classic cost Brady Singer.

The silver lining for Singer, on the other hand, rests solely with soaking in the experience of the WBC — he says it’s the best atmosphere he’s ever captured, and there’s something to be gained with sharing a clubhouse alongside veteran starting pitchers at that level. His words.

It just comes with a temporary price.

“We knew there was that risk going into it,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, while acknowledging the obvious: The Royals sure would have liked to have seen Singer pitch more in the tournament. “In our discussions with Brady, we told him that before we see where you’re going to slide into (the rotation schedule) to start the season, we gotta see how this goes the next two weeks. We didn’t want to get too far ahead. So we knew there was a risk.”

Max Baker at the Star summarizes how Royals fared at the WBC.

The Royals will be on FOX or FS1 five times this year.

MLB announces Opening Day starting pitching matchups.

Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins is expected to miss the season after tearing his ACL.

The Cardinals sign pitcher Miles Mikolas to a two-year, $40 million extension.

Fox Sports ranks the 26-and-under talent on each team.

Brewers infielder Keston Hiura will not make the Opening Day roster.

Is Jordan Walker a star in the making?

With infield shifts banned, will teams employ two-man outfields?

MLB will stream all minor league games free on the Bally’s casino app.

A look at Cody Bellinger’s change of scenery with the Cubs.

Veteran infielder Jed Lowrie retires.

Reggie Jackson claims Bud Selig rejected his attempts to buy the Athletics.

How Markquis Nowell went home and became a March Madness legend.

Was Lamar Jackson’s fake agent drama about marketing a home gym?

Tall people are tired of being asked if they played basketball.

Is Blockbuster Video coming back?

How the f-word is used in HBO’s Succession.

Your song of the day is The Shangri-Las with Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand).