Royals Rumblings - News for June 21, 2023

Bobby Witt, Jr. has improved his timing at the plate, writes Anne Rogers:

Nearly a month ago, when the Royals opened a homestand vs. the Tigers on May 22, Witt and hitting coach Alec Zumwalt went to the field in the early afternoon for early batting practice, and what they worked on has been integral to Witt’s turnaround.

Since May 23, Witt is hitting .308 with eight extra-base hits — three doubles and five home runs — 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored. On Monday, he had two of the hardest-hit balls in the game: A 108 mph lineout to center field in the first and a 108.8 mph Statcast-projected 442-foot solo homer in the fourth off Tigers righty Reese Olson...

Per a tweet from the Royals last night, Mike Mayers has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Omaha.

Jared Perkins at Just Baseball checked in on Austin Charles, the last-round pick to whom the Royals gave a big signing bonus last year.

Is Jonathan Bowlan back to his best form? That’s what Kevin O’Brien asked in a piece that looks at Bowlan’s career as we anticipate his Triple-A debut this week.

At FanGraphs, Leo Morgenstern looked at old friend Jorge Soler’s excellent 2023 season: “He is on pace for 47 home runs, one fewer than his 2019 total but in a lower power environment. He’s striking out less than usual and walking more than ever, and his 149 wRC+ ranks tenth in baseball and sixth in the National League.”

Also at FanGraphs, David Laurila talked hitting with subject matter expert Giancarlo Stanton.

Some other old friends: the Reds designated Wil Myers for assignment, and the Rangers re-signed Ian Kennedy to a minor league deal.

Tanner Houck of the Red Sox is going to have surgery to put a metal plate in his face, to help it heal from being hit by a comebacker.

Victor Wembanyama is likely going to be drafted first overall in tomorrow’s NBA draft, but he made a stop at Yankee Stadium to throw this first pitch. Probably better stick to hoops.

Linguists have identified a new dialect of English, emerging from the Miami area.

Nine weird noises your house might make, and what to do about them.

Some Etsy sellers are making a killing by selling Taylor Swift-inspired merch.

Here is an interactive scrolling page to illustrate what can live at what depths of the ocean.

Everyone has brain farts and intellectual blind spots, so I hope we can all answer this question in the spirit of laughing with our fellow flawed humans, not at them: What is one of the dumbest things a person has said to you?

SOTD: The Chicks - You Were Mine