Weekend Rumblings - News for April 29, 2023

The Royals failed to cover second, leading to a bunt double on Friday.

How? Kansas City lost track of Taylor. The Royals didn’t cover the bag at first ... or second.

“I did a bad job on that because I usually come in (in) case he pushes it hard, then try to get to first,” Massey said. “I kind of got caught for a second, so I should have been at first base. Once I got there, I should have realized I have to get back to second as well. That’s just a blunder that I can learn from.”

Manager Matt Quatraro got tossed for the first time.

“These guys are battling their [butts] off,” Quatraro said on the field moments before being ejected for the first time in his big league coaching career in his club’s eventual 8-6 loss at Target Field.

“I thought clearly, that last pitch to Massey was a ball. Massey did a great job of controlling himself. Didn’t show up the umpire. It was a spot where I thought I had to stand up for the guys. I thought they’ve handled themselves really well, as has the whole team, whether they’re in the game or not. It was a spot where something needed to be said.”

Vinnie Pasquantino opens up about the team’s struggles.

“Nothing that can really be said,” Pasquantino said. “We are all professionals. We know what we have to do. We get it. Baseball is a funny game because it’s an individual game but a team sport. So you’ve got to show up and do your job.

“ Still, the offensive struggles and the losing have affected the Royals’ clubhouse demeanor. “I know guys are pissed off,” Pasquantino said.

“There’s a lot of frustration and anger. We know we can be better than this, but we have to do it.”

Matt Quatraro commented on Zack Greinke’s uncharacteristic start on Thursday.

“It was unusual, it seemed like a little bit (of) lack of command,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “The pitch count got up there early, even the innings where they didn’t put up (a lot of production) — they scored one, scored two. The pitch count was elevated, it just didn’t seem like he was commanding it as well as he normally does.”

He also commented on Nick Pratto’s return to the team.

“Nick’s a big part of what we’re going to be,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s going to help us hopefully at the plate, like everybody, but he’s also a really good defender. Allows us to keep Vinnie from playing every single day at first base. We’ll have a good rotation going as we have in the outfield. He’ll provide some versatility.”

David Lesky at Inside the Crown notes the Royals have had a brutal schedule early on.

But it’s not just that they’ve had a very difficult schedule. They’ve also had some of the more brutal pitching matchups I can remember. I tweeted this yesterday and it’s no longer entirely accurate, but the Royals went into yesterday’s game having faced a pitcher who received Cy Young Votes in 2021 or 2022 in 10 of their first 25 games. It’s not a perfect method because someone like Jose Berrios, who has really struggled since 2021 got votes that year, but the reason I looked it up is it seemed like the Royals were facing a very high caliber of pitcher seemingly every other day. And, as it turns out, in addition to those 10 games, they’ve also faced a pitcher currently in the top-30 in fWAR in four more games.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter still believes in Brad Keller.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn takes responsibility for their poor start.

A look at the Cardinals outfield situation.

Shohei Ohtani almost hit for an historic cycle.

Who have been the best players in baseball through one month?

MLB tells the Braves to stop celebrating with a big hat that is not the official sponsor.

What to know about this weekend’s Padres/Giants series in Mexico City.

Who are baseball’s best horizontal hitters?

Why fans couldn’t save the Oakland A’s.

ESPN fires reporter Marly Rivera after she is caught on tape cursing out another reporter.

Longtime Pirates shortstop and college basketball standout Dick Groat dies at age 92.

What’s up with ESPN’s NFL Draft Probability metric?

Felix Anudike-Uzomah says it was surreal being drafted by his hometown Chiefs.

Is Morocco’s king missing?

How long can humans live?

Citadel is a $200 million bust for Amazon Prime.

Your song of the day is The Dartells with Hot Pastrami.