Let’s all hope so. I don’t know why it took 6 seasons of failure to make these changes (and even longer in the minor league system), but a new start is better than what they’ve been doing.
To be fair, they did make some big changes in hitting development after 2019 and brought in a lot of new faces. I will never not believe Dayton was behind not making more changes because they started doing a whole lot more as soon as he was gone.
Dayton was a "believer" ( and I'm not even talking about his faith here, although that's 1 way it manifests itself ) . Nothing wrong with that, but at some point assuming everyone will improve just because you think it's nice to believe they will even though you have ZERO hard evidence for it stops working ( if it ever did in the 1st place ). I personally think Sherman got tired of the act at some point, hence "thanks, but there's the door".
Oh Singer. If you don’t change now, you will never change. I’m not buying in yet…but it is good to hear. The biggest thing to me is if the velocity comes back. If it doesn’t, players have re-defined their career’s before….he can do it. But will he? Million dollar question. I see a bit of a bounce back this year. Not as good as 2022….not as bad as last year. And you know what, that will play as we are only asking him to be a #4 right now….probably where he should have fit in all along in a big league rotation.
The biggest thing with the roster is we are starting to get guys to fit into what they really probably project to be. For example. Singer as a 3-4 starter. That plays. Massey as a bottom half of the lineup hitter, that plays better. Alex Marsh as a bullpen piece…we aren’t there yet but I’m very confident he can be a really good bullpen arm…and I know they don’t want to do that yet but that might be what he needs to be and will play. We are getting to the point of seeing if Lynch can become the lefty out of the bullpen if this year is another struggle. In fact call me crazy, but Marsh winning the 5th spot and Lynch a lefty out of the bullpen might be the way to go mid season if that plays out. Anyway, point is people are starting to get in the right spots for what the talent is.
I think that proves that there was something good that came out of 2023. I like JJ, so maybe I'm letting that personal bias come into play here, but I appreciate so much of what has happened since he took over. He had an honest assessment of the organization. He knew they weren't good enough, so instead of spending a little money on a bunch of bandaids (he did sign Lyles, which I actually would have understood for one year for the innings), he came out and said 2023 was about evaluating what they have. After they evaluated what they had, they made moves to do exactly what you said. They're putting guys in spots where they more accurately fit. And, as we've discussed, they'll continue to evaluate because teams always are and if the better spot for, say, Massey is not on a big league roster, I have confidence that he won't be on their big league roster in 2025.
Yep agree. I don’t have anything against Massey as an example. I think he can succeed. But it drove me nuts last year to see him in the 3 spots some nights. Think those days are over though.
About the only spots they don’t have any good answers for or people in the right spots is the outfield. All three are pretty big question marks to me. They REALLY need MJ to take steps forward this year in the outfield. If he hits but the defense still sucks…..its not ideal but you can hide him a bit with matchups and DH spot. Isbel is probably a 4th outfielder/defensive replacement guy. Hunter Renfroe….I’m not a believer…but I hope I’m wrong and the defense is playable. I think he’ll hit for some power….but he’s a bit like Velaslquez to me. If the power makes up for the rest ok. But man, this organization really needs MJ to work if they aren’t going to trade him, Cross to take a corner spot, or Gentry to take a corner spot. Be interesting to see play out.
I feel like it’s never mentioned that MJ has been preparing as a catcher every year of his career and never as a full-time outfielder. I’m not saying he will be a good defender, but he has the tools to be and he’s never been put in a good spot to actually improve his outfield play. They’re doing lots of work on first steps and reads off the bat that he likely missed a chunk of in previous springs because he was working behind the plate. You’re not wrong that it’s a big year for him, but the organization has failed him defensively much more than he’s failed, in my opinion.
I don’t think it’s MJ’s fault at all. The organization has handled him terribly and it’s pretty much malpractice. Its more that for the organization to take another step.Someone….somewhere….somehow has to step up in the outfield. They NEED MJ to work….or if not MJ, then Cross to figure it out….or someone to get it together in the outfield. I’m pretty sure numbers wise they were bottom 5 in MLB with outfielder WAR. I could be wrong, but thought I remembered reading that.
I don't think I'd agree that he should have been a 4. What he did in 2022 was legitimate #2 starter stuff. Obviously there's always been the big issue of what happens if the pitches back off, which we saw in 2023. But yeah, if this doesn't get him to actually change, nothing will.
You’re obviously not wrong as he was pitching like a #2 that year. I’m just looking at the back of baseball card number now though as he has enough innings. He’s a 4.49 era with a 1.34 whip over course of his career. My point is that now is he’s a mid rotation starter….and a solid one. If he isn’t a #2 it’s ok we don’t have to jam him in there until he’s back to being in form.
Sure, but the back of his baseball card before 2023 was an ERA nearly half a run lower. I'm just saying I don't think they were wrong to think that's where he could slot. He's obviously much better suited to where he is.
Just to re-iterate my point a little more. I have Ragans in sharpie permanent marker for the cy young winner this year. Maybe we just put Singer in pencil for the number 2 spot if we want…but can erase quickly.
If anyone wants to crush my soul as a royals fan. It’s probably a Witt Jr injury or a Ragans injury this year. And throwing 100mph on Feb 28th….I mean what could possibly go wrong with that? I hope to god that’s part of the program. Lol
Would you feel better if he was throwing 96? I don't think the number is what's going to be what leads to an injury. If he's going to get hurt, he's likely going to get hurt regardless.
As a two TJ guy? Yeah, I might feel better at 96 to start and then if at 100 by season it’s all part of the plan. But ultimately, yeah, if he gets hurt he gets hurt. Gotta use the arm regardless. Really this is your fault. You should have yelled at him last week that Cy Young’s aren’t won in spring training.
Anne's article did a great job of getting me excited about what Singer could do this year. That, and what I randomly heard from him on one of the local radio stations (610, I think?) last week over my lunch break. He talked about being a new father and about Cole Ragans and about the new veterans on the team and he sounded like a guy who had a slice of humble pie and was working hard to improve.
I know Singer is, for whatever reason, one of those guys some fans dislike due to his perceived attitude in the past. I don't know if that's earned or not. Regardless, I think he's more mature now and maybe in a better frame of mind. I don't think it hurt at all that he went from maybe the best of a bad rotation going into 2023 to a guy who could easily lose his spot in the rotation over the course of a year.
I can definitely say that becoming a parent changes things. I think pretty much every person in the world who has ever become an involved parent would say the same thing. So that's a fair point. I also think that something I overlook quite a bit is how much of an idiot I was when I was the age most of these guys are and we expect them to not be that. Yes, they're paid handsomely but they're still a bunch of dudes in their mid-20s and, man, I can't pretend like I wouldn't have been hard-headed about something if I was told all my life how great I was at this one thing.
But I do think the humble pie helped too. I hope we see him use the natural talent with the newfound attitude to become really good again and form a 1-2 punch with Ragans.
These are the two reasons I think Singer actually commits to at least a third pitch this year. Wouldn't have bet on it a month ago, but now i think this mannish boy is becoming a man
I personally find Singer very frustrating. The talent is there and the work ethic. For most we have seen the problems for years now. My suggestion would be an enormous attitude adjustment. I just don't know if it's possible in baseball today. It's hard for an outsider to know him because he seems to shut down when interviewed. David, he should be your next interview.
He has been incredibly frustrating throughout his career. There’s been an unwillingness to change but I do think he addressed that some in Anne’s article. I also think there is something to the immaturity of young athletes.
Love this article as I love all of them!!! Agree totally about Singer. I've always believed in him, but he just needed the help from Sweeny. I hope to see another World Series win for KC in my lifetime!! Go Blue!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Singer hasn't made a substantial change to add anything yet. I hope he does. Maybe failure was the wake up call he needed. I honestly thought a demotion to AAA might be the wake up call he needed to add pitches. I hope failure did the trick. If not, he won't be pitching for the Royals much longer.
Agree 100% David! He has to have more than 2 pitches to be a starter in the big leagues!
Let’s all hope so. I don’t know why it took 6 seasons of failure to make these changes (and even longer in the minor league system), but a new start is better than what they’ve been doing.
To be fair, they did make some big changes in hitting development after 2019 and brought in a lot of new faces. I will never not believe Dayton was behind not making more changes because they started doing a whole lot more as soon as he was gone.
Dayton was a "believer" ( and I'm not even talking about his faith here, although that's 1 way it manifests itself ) . Nothing wrong with that, but at some point assuming everyone will improve just because you think it's nice to believe they will even though you have ZERO hard evidence for it stops working ( if it ever did in the 1st place ). I personally think Sherman got tired of the act at some point, hence "thanks, but there's the door".
Yep, that’s all about right to me.
Oh Singer. If you don’t change now, you will never change. I’m not buying in yet…but it is good to hear. The biggest thing to me is if the velocity comes back. If it doesn’t, players have re-defined their career’s before….he can do it. But will he? Million dollar question. I see a bit of a bounce back this year. Not as good as 2022….not as bad as last year. And you know what, that will play as we are only asking him to be a #4 right now….probably where he should have fit in all along in a big league rotation.
The biggest thing with the roster is we are starting to get guys to fit into what they really probably project to be. For example. Singer as a 3-4 starter. That plays. Massey as a bottom half of the lineup hitter, that plays better. Alex Marsh as a bullpen piece…we aren’t there yet but I’m very confident he can be a really good bullpen arm…and I know they don’t want to do that yet but that might be what he needs to be and will play. We are getting to the point of seeing if Lynch can become the lefty out of the bullpen if this year is another struggle. In fact call me crazy, but Marsh winning the 5th spot and Lynch a lefty out of the bullpen might be the way to go mid season if that plays out. Anyway, point is people are starting to get in the right spots for what the talent is.
I think that proves that there was something good that came out of 2023. I like JJ, so maybe I'm letting that personal bias come into play here, but I appreciate so much of what has happened since he took over. He had an honest assessment of the organization. He knew they weren't good enough, so instead of spending a little money on a bunch of bandaids (he did sign Lyles, which I actually would have understood for one year for the innings), he came out and said 2023 was about evaluating what they have. After they evaluated what they had, they made moves to do exactly what you said. They're putting guys in spots where they more accurately fit. And, as we've discussed, they'll continue to evaluate because teams always are and if the better spot for, say, Massey is not on a big league roster, I have confidence that he won't be on their big league roster in 2025.
Yep agree. I don’t have anything against Massey as an example. I think he can succeed. But it drove me nuts last year to see him in the 3 spots some nights. Think those days are over though.
About the only spots they don’t have any good answers for or people in the right spots is the outfield. All three are pretty big question marks to me. They REALLY need MJ to take steps forward this year in the outfield. If he hits but the defense still sucks…..its not ideal but you can hide him a bit with matchups and DH spot. Isbel is probably a 4th outfielder/defensive replacement guy. Hunter Renfroe….I’m not a believer…but I hope I’m wrong and the defense is playable. I think he’ll hit for some power….but he’s a bit like Velaslquez to me. If the power makes up for the rest ok. But man, this organization really needs MJ to work if they aren’t going to trade him, Cross to take a corner spot, or Gentry to take a corner spot. Be interesting to see play out.
I feel like it’s never mentioned that MJ has been preparing as a catcher every year of his career and never as a full-time outfielder. I’m not saying he will be a good defender, but he has the tools to be and he’s never been put in a good spot to actually improve his outfield play. They’re doing lots of work on first steps and reads off the bat that he likely missed a chunk of in previous springs because he was working behind the plate. You’re not wrong that it’s a big year for him, but the organization has failed him defensively much more than he’s failed, in my opinion.
I don’t think it’s MJ’s fault at all. The organization has handled him terribly and it’s pretty much malpractice. Its more that for the organization to take another step.Someone….somewhere….somehow has to step up in the outfield. They NEED MJ to work….or if not MJ, then Cross to figure it out….or someone to get it together in the outfield. I’m pretty sure numbers wise they were bottom 5 in MLB with outfielder WAR. I could be wrong, but thought I remembered reading that.
I don't think I'd agree that he should have been a 4. What he did in 2022 was legitimate #2 starter stuff. Obviously there's always been the big issue of what happens if the pitches back off, which we saw in 2023. But yeah, if this doesn't get him to actually change, nothing will.
You’re obviously not wrong as he was pitching like a #2 that year. I’m just looking at the back of baseball card number now though as he has enough innings. He’s a 4.49 era with a 1.34 whip over course of his career. My point is that now is he’s a mid rotation starter….and a solid one. If he isn’t a #2 it’s ok we don’t have to jam him in there until he’s back to being in form.
Sure, but the back of his baseball card before 2023 was an ERA nearly half a run lower. I'm just saying I don't think they were wrong to think that's where he could slot. He's obviously much better suited to where he is.
Just to re-iterate my point a little more. I have Ragans in sharpie permanent marker for the cy young winner this year. Maybe we just put Singer in pencil for the number 2 spot if we want…but can erase quickly.
If anyone wants to crush my soul as a royals fan. It’s probably a Witt Jr injury or a Ragans injury this year. And throwing 100mph on Feb 28th….I mean what could possibly go wrong with that? I hope to god that’s part of the program. Lol
Would you feel better if he was throwing 96? I don't think the number is what's going to be what leads to an injury. If he's going to get hurt, he's likely going to get hurt regardless.
As a two TJ guy? Yeah, I might feel better at 96 to start and then if at 100 by season it’s all part of the plan. But ultimately, yeah, if he gets hurt he gets hurt. Gotta use the arm regardless. Really this is your fault. You should have yelled at him last week that Cy Young’s aren’t won in spring training.
Maybe you'd feel better, but it would be largely meaningless.
Anne's article did a great job of getting me excited about what Singer could do this year. That, and what I randomly heard from him on one of the local radio stations (610, I think?) last week over my lunch break. He talked about being a new father and about Cole Ragans and about the new veterans on the team and he sounded like a guy who had a slice of humble pie and was working hard to improve.
I know Singer is, for whatever reason, one of those guys some fans dislike due to his perceived attitude in the past. I don't know if that's earned or not. Regardless, I think he's more mature now and maybe in a better frame of mind. I don't think it hurt at all that he went from maybe the best of a bad rotation going into 2023 to a guy who could easily lose his spot in the rotation over the course of a year.
I can definitely say that becoming a parent changes things. I think pretty much every person in the world who has ever become an involved parent would say the same thing. So that's a fair point. I also think that something I overlook quite a bit is how much of an idiot I was when I was the age most of these guys are and we expect them to not be that. Yes, they're paid handsomely but they're still a bunch of dudes in their mid-20s and, man, I can't pretend like I wouldn't have been hard-headed about something if I was told all my life how great I was at this one thing.
But I do think the humble pie helped too. I hope we see him use the natural talent with the newfound attitude to become really good again and form a 1-2 punch with Ragans.
These are the two reasons I think Singer actually commits to at least a third pitch this year. Wouldn't have bet on it a month ago, but now i think this mannish boy is becoming a man
I personally find Singer very frustrating. The talent is there and the work ethic. For most we have seen the problems for years now. My suggestion would be an enormous attitude adjustment. I just don't know if it's possible in baseball today. It's hard for an outsider to know him because he seems to shut down when interviewed. David, he should be your next interview.
He has been incredibly frustrating throughout his career. There’s been an unwillingness to change but I do think he addressed that some in Anne’s article. I also think there is something to the immaturity of young athletes.
Love this article as I love all of them!!! Agree totally about Singer. I've always believed in him, but he just needed the help from Sweeny. I hope to see another World Series win for KC in my lifetime!! Go Blue!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Thanks, Joe! I’m not sure if I fully believe in Singer myself but he’s at least saying the right things now.
For sure.
Fully agree with you on that facet, actions do speak louder than words! So we will have to see!! Keep up the good work!!
Singer hasn't made a substantial change to add anything yet. I hope he does. Maybe failure was the wake up call he needed. I honestly thought a demotion to AAA might be the wake up call he needed to add pitches. I hope failure did the trick. If not, he won't be pitching for the Royals much longer.