Royals Rumblings - News for October 26, 2023

Preston Farr at Farm to Fountains analyzes Carter Jensen:

The real question for Jensen moving forward will be what his true identity at the plate will be. Can he become a serviceable backup catcher someday, drawing a fair amount of walks and providing average defense behind the dish? Or, can he settle in and drive the baseball more? If the latter is true, we’re talking about a potential All-Star caliber catcher in the Major Leagues.

Only time will tell, but at such a young age, it certainly looks like the power is blooming a bit. If so, his prospect status could be on the rise yet again by the midseason mark in 2024. It won’t be easy, however. After finishing a full season at High-A in 2023, will the organization have Jensen repeat the level next year? I’m not so sure there are any more questions in his game than there were when he was promoted pre-2023.

Trevor Vance and the grounds crew replaced the turf at Kauffman Stadium earlier this week.

Independence officials claim the city will lose $7.5 million annually in business activity should the Royals move. Do you ever patronize any Independence businesses before or after games? I’ve been to probably around 50 games and have never done so.

Speaking of the new ballpark, negotiations between the city council and the Royals continue to go smoothly with no drama whatsoever involved.

Your weekly AFL Royals update:

• Gavin Cross did not play this week. He has hit .286/.444/.357 in 18 AFL plate appearances, adding four stolen bases without being caught.
• Peyton Wilson made two starts at second base and one in left field this week, going 4-14 with a walk. He is hitting .276/.403/.466 in 72 plate appearances.
• CJ Alexander made two starts at first base and one at DH and went 3-13 with a triple and a homer. He walked and struck out thrice.
• Eric Cerantola did not pitch this week. He has a 3.38 ERA in eight fall innings with two walks and nine strikeouts.
• Rylan Kaufman made one appearance this week, surrendering a run. He has a 7.71 ERA in 4.2 fall innings with three walks and five strikeouts.
• Jacob Wallace threw one scoreless inning this week with a strikeout. He has a 6.00 ERA in six fall innings with six walks and nine strikeouts.
• Beck Way has tallied three scoreless innings this fall, walking one and striking out four.
• Angel Zerpa did not pitch this week. He has a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 fall innings with four walks and five strikeouts.

With leagues in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and other nations getting started for their season, several Royals will continue playing baseball as North America moves into winter. You’ll get a weekly update on those guys as well (as best I can anyway, this info isn’t always simple to find). The following players have made their winter ball debuts this week:

• Samad Taylor’s winter ball campaign in the Mexican League ended as quickly as it started. He played in eight games before a shoulder injury ended his stint with Yaquis de Obregan. In 32 plate appearances he hit .310/.344/.310 with two walks and ten strikeouts.
• Jorge Bonifacio has made a few pinch hitting appearances for Licey in LIDOM, going 0-4 with three strikeouts.
• Nate Eaton has been a regular for Licey at third base, going 4-22 with a double in the first week of games.
• Diego Hernández has played all three outfield spots for Gigantes. He is 2-13 with a double.

Chris Russo is tragically not retiring after Arizona’s Game 7 victory.

Ketel Marte is the NLCS MVP after setting an MLB record with a hit in his first 16 postseason games.

Max Scherzer will look to get right for the World Series after his struggles in the ALCS.

The Victor Wembanyama era began last night in San Antonio.

Sam Houston State, the only winless FBS team, tops this week’s College Football Bottom 10.

An agreement between Kansas City and the US DOT could provide funding for new rail projects.

Despite poor early returns, the American financial sector is increasingly embracing the use of AI.

Your song of the day is Way Less Sad by AJR.