A good story David! I think the Royals have done a good job of strengthening their team for the 2024 season. However, perhaps their best move was bringing in a new scouting director because the demise of the Royals after the great 2015 season was their, in my opinion, their terrible drafts. The much ballyhooed 2018 draft of pitchers is now almost SIX years past and we are still wondering if any of these pitchers will have sustained success on the major league level!
I think Brian Bridges is a great hire. I wrote about it a few months ago when it happens and that's a huge move for sure. I also don't necessarily think that it's all on poor drafting considering they've gotten high marks for many picks that simply haven't panned out. I don't think they've drafted especially well, but to say it's a drafting issue takes the blame off the development team. And now both sides have been largely revamped, so we'll see what the results are moving forward.
You make a very good point on the development side for the Royals! If I was an owner of a MLB and millions of dollars invested in my players, I would be most involved in finding the best coaches/fitness trainers/doctors to keep my players in the best physical/mental shape for their careers. The 162 game baseball schedule is so grueling that the players have to be in great physical shape just to make it to October!
I've long said that teams should be paying 10 times what they're paying to all of those people behind the scenes. It's nice to know now that nutrition and general health is way more important today to organizations that it was even a few years ago. Too late, yes, but better late than never.
David, I knew a trainer for a MLB team that would carry vitamins and other nutritional supplements on road trips because the players would not spend their per diem meal money eating nutritionally good meals! Now, that was 20 years ago and hopefully today’s players are more cognizant of the value of good nutrition to their performance on the diamond!!!
That’s not surprising at all. It starts in the minors and the most successful organizations realized that a lot sooner than the less successful ones, almost to a team.
Kevin, I am not totally down on Singer because at times he looks like a dominating pitcher, but I agree with many that he needs more than just a sinking fastball and slider in his pitching arsenal. He was supposed to be developing a good change up. He also appears to become worn down over the long season?
He definitely needs to commit to the changeup. I think he's slowly buying in to what the new group of pitching coaches are telling him. Looking forward to what he'll be able to do as a #4 in the rotation as opposed to having to pitch at the front.
A good story David! I think the Royals have done a good job of strengthening their team for the 2024 season. However, perhaps their best move was bringing in a new scouting director because the demise of the Royals after the great 2015 season was their, in my opinion, their terrible drafts. The much ballyhooed 2018 draft of pitchers is now almost SIX years past and we are still wondering if any of these pitchers will have sustained success on the major league level!
I think Brian Bridges is a great hire. I wrote about it a few months ago when it happens and that's a huge move for sure. I also don't necessarily think that it's all on poor drafting considering they've gotten high marks for many picks that simply haven't panned out. I don't think they've drafted especially well, but to say it's a drafting issue takes the blame off the development team. And now both sides have been largely revamped, so we'll see what the results are moving forward.
You make a very good point on the development side for the Royals! If I was an owner of a MLB and millions of dollars invested in my players, I would be most involved in finding the best coaches/fitness trainers/doctors to keep my players in the best physical/mental shape for their careers. The 162 game baseball schedule is so grueling that the players have to be in great physical shape just to make it to October!
I've long said that teams should be paying 10 times what they're paying to all of those people behind the scenes. It's nice to know now that nutrition and general health is way more important today to organizations that it was even a few years ago. Too late, yes, but better late than never.
David, I knew a trainer for a MLB team that would carry vitamins and other nutritional supplements on road trips because the players would not spend their per diem meal money eating nutritionally good meals! Now, that was 20 years ago and hopefully today’s players are more cognizant of the value of good nutrition to their performance on the diamond!!!
That’s not surprising at all. It starts in the minors and the most successful organizations realized that a lot sooner than the less successful ones, almost to a team.
Among 1st-round picks in 2018, only Nico Hoerner, Shane McClanahan and Logan Gilbert have more bWAR than Brady Singer. Just saying.
Kevin, I am not totally down on Singer because at times he looks like a dominating pitcher, but I agree with many that he needs more than just a sinking fastball and slider in his pitching arsenal. He was supposed to be developing a good change up. He also appears to become worn down over the long season?
He definitely needs to commit to the changeup. I think he's slowly buying in to what the new group of pitching coaches are telling him. Looking forward to what he'll be able to do as a #4 in the rotation as opposed to having to pitch at the front.
All I want for New Years is a Melendez or Garcia trade. David still thinks it will happen, so I still think it will happen.