Royals Rumblings - News for August 8, 2023

Cole Ragans was dealing last night.

And he blew his fastball by the Red Sox, reaching up to 98.5 mph and averaging 96.5.

“Felt like everything, for the most part, was commanded in the zone pretty well,” Ragans said. “It’s a good feeling going out there knowing that this is a really good lineup but also feeling like I can throw any pitch at any given time.”

A controversial called check swing late in the game ended up costing the Royals.

“Well, obviously I thought he went,” Quatraro said. “Vic makes the call, obviously he’s got the better angle. But I obviously disagree with that. …

“I can’t think of being much more frustrated than that. He gets the strikeout to move to extra innings. And then he didn’t. I don’t have much else to say about that.”

“It’s a tough job,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I’m not an umpire, so I’ll leave it at that. But it’s a tough job.”

Carlos Hernandez ended up giving up a walk-off grand slam.

“I just tried to do my job and help the team win,” Hernandez said. “Like I said before, it was a bad call and changed the outcome of the game.”

Quatraro said he didn’t see the grand slam. He was in the clubhouse after leaving the dugout due to his ejection.

“Yeah, I can’t think of being much more frustrated than that,” Quatraro said. “(Hernandez) gets the strikeout to move to extra innings and then he didn’t. I don’t really have much else to say about that.”

David Lesky at Inside the Crown writes a bit about the pick up of Joe Barlow.

He wasn’t as good last year and then was pretty bad this season for Texas. But he’s a guy teams like the Royals should absolutely be picking up regularly. He’s a Barlow who relies on a breaking ball more than his fastball, so that’s at least familiar, but it’s been a pretty good slider in the past. He also threw a curve a lot more in his successful 2021 season, so I wonder if the Royals try to get him back to what he was that season and get him back to the big leagues. Worst case scenario, they’ve spent a little time with a guy who has had big league success and they move on. Best case, maybe they can get him back and deal him for another Henry Williams type. It’s a good gamble.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports the Royals did try to trade Salvador Perez.

The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals were engaged in serious trade discussions for Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez on trade deadline day before the White Sox simply weren’t willing to give up the prospects the Royals sought.

Jake Mintz at Fox Sports writes about how Bobby Witt Jr. improved his defense.

For a crash course in rewiring his defensive approach, Witt’s personal hitting coach Jeremy Isenhower invited well-known private infield coach Nate Trosky out to his hitting facility in Tomball, Texas, for two days of intensive training with the young shortstop. In the nippy mid-December chill, Trosky, an eccentric, fast talking, sun-hat wearing, country-song singing, infield mental skills expert, ran Witt through nearly six straight hours of instruction.

“He was doing a lot of things that weren’t normal,” Witt said. “Making plays way harder for me than they’d ever be. I appreciated the focus on the mental side of the game.”

The Royals promote 2022 first-round pick Gavin Cross to Double-A among other promotions.

Aaron Boone is ejected again as frustration boils over for the Yankees.

The Orioles suspend broadcaster Kevin Brown because he mentions how the team struggled in the past to the Rays.

MLB hands out suspensions for the Jose Ramirez/Tim Anderson fracas.

Details emerge about the clubhouse incident that got Domingo German sent home to deal with alcoholism.

Rangers third baseman Josh Jung needs surgery on this thumb.

The Guardians claim outfielder Ramon Laureano off waivers.

The White Sox acquire outfielder Tyler Naquin from the Brewers.

A tribute to Cole Hamels.

The champion Houston Astros visit the White House.

Team USA’s FIBA Basketball World Cup roster is one of their youngest ever.

The ACC looks to add Stanford, and the Pac-12 looks to expand to replace departing members.

A trans-Atlantic joint venture aims to build new “international” space station.

Awe is good for your brain.

Barbie becomes the first film directed by a woman to hit the $1 billion mark in sales.

Your song of the day is T.Rex with 20th Century Boy.