But, that aside: this outfield is going to start drawing comparisons to the mid- to late-1980's Blue Jays of Bell, Moseby, and Barfield as far as arm strength goes. I think they actually lead MLB in outfield assists (and yes, admittedly that's partially because they allow so many baserunners, but let's take a win where we can!).
I know there are a lot more losses coming, but it's really nice to see this team gain some confidence that they belong at this level. And just think: if they can go 22-31 the rest of the way--something I wouldn't have dreamed possible last week, but it just might be--they'll finish 56-106 and avoid setting a record for worst Royals' team ever.
I haven't had a chance to use a good pun for awhile. If there is such a thing as a good pun, of course.
But yeah, the outfield can throw, and some of the guys who could also come up have good arms. It's a heck of a skillset to have. I'm fine with teams testing them, but we all know that the throw isn't always there, so having guys stopping at bases instead of taking a shot is a nice luxury.
I was digging into the schedule last night trying to see how likely it was that they could get to 57 wins and they have some winnable series:
2 vs. STL
3 vs. OAK
3 vs. PIT
6 vs. CWS
3 vs. DET
Of course, all of those teams see the Royals, winning streak or not, and think the same thing, so take it all with a grain of salt, but that's 17 games against teams that aren't in it. Cleveland for three in September could be toast. The Yankees at the end could be toast. They have six against Seattle. They're in it now, but if they lose six of nine or something before the first series, they might be circling the drain. It sets up to maybe pick up enough wins to avoid a franchise worst. And you're right - way more possible than I would have said a week ago.
And yes, even if the assists go down, which they certainly will once reputations are garnered throughout the league, the fact that baserunners will stay put is the next best thing!
I don’t even mind if they do set a loss record. Don’t want to let this FO off the hook or allow them to get complacent. But I am excited about them playing better. I can watch them play solid and lose with no problem. Hopefully better times ahead.
This is a true and underrated comment. I'm not saying that there are "good losses," but this team is just going to get beaten by better teams many times. It's when they beat themselves with baserunning gaffes, throwing to the wrong bases, taking bad routes in the outfield, and things like that that just drive me (and most of us) batty.
Wow, baseball can be fun after all, and 5 newsletters in 5 days, you must be on board again. I know I shouldn't get too crazy, but with a little bit of decent pitching, I could see them going 500 the rest of the way. Could you imagine a 29 24 finish to avoid 100 losses. We'll just have to see. Anyway great work David.
Great win. Taylor C is most nerve wracking pitcher to watch in baseball history, other than gene garber. And pulled it off even without Fermin in lineup.
This is the first week this year I haven’t felt like a chump for subscribing to Bally Sports. I’m not expecting anything tonight (five in a row will do me), but Brady’s been good at home since May and has generally looked solid lately.
Really good article by Ann Rogers on the development of Cole Ragans new slider. It's very encouraging what the staff and Ragans was able to do in a few weeks. As much as people want to bury JJ, I'm not ready to. Not saying he's the greatest, but he's not nearly as incompetent as some believe. The whole "we want mlb ready players" in deadline trades was just a smokescreen, and tho the Lopez trade is still mostly indefensible, if Ragans turns out to be a legitimate middle of rotation starter, we've already done well regardless of what the other guys do. Proof is in the pudding so to speak, but the last week sure has been fun. Massey looks like a starter, Garcia is a stud, Bobby is a stud. The infield is set with Pasquantino. Fermin has been impressive both offensively and defensively. Got a couple of months to get a better read on Melendez, Waters, and Isbel. We've got potential impact relief pitchers in the minors. Barnett and Champlain may be ready next year. Hope springs eternal.
It was excellent. I've said so many times that the actions are more important and even though the words sucked (and so did the Lopez deal), the actions were fine. They need to continue to try to be creative and actually have success doing it, but I think the deadline earned him more time in my eyes along with the changes in pitching development. I'm excited for the offseason and ready to be hurt again haha.
The we want MLB players is not a smoke screen. It’s been spoken about enough and 50% of the players they brought back were mlb level players. Like JJ, dislike JJ, I don’t really care. I do think the staff needs to be overhauled even if JJ stays. But that’s a offseason topic.
I saw a lot about the 10% of prospects trading at the deadline make it in yesterday’s stuff. Interesting for sure. But the fact that people are forgetting….even if it is only 10%, you have a get 10 via trade to make that 10% work in your favor even. And really that takes two years. But if you can get 10 over two years and you get one starter out of it. Your team will be better in the long run. But the Royals never got to 10 to make the odds even work in their favor. Think we got 4-5 this year. How many new players did we get 8? So say we get one starter (Ragans looks good and he’s 26 lol) then its a win. But you have to be transactional enough for the math to be in your favor. Now, I’ll give JJ credit he was transactional. Creative no, he may have tried to be, I can’t say. But transactional, yeah he was.
We've sucked so bad, the cynicism is justified. But to me it seems there are two types of fans. Glass half full and glass half empty. The Royals glass is currently, realistically, figuratively 70% empty, I get it. Not sure how long you've been a fan but I went thru the misery of the 1990s and 2000s. It was so brutal. And then we saw things starting to come together in 12 and 13. We are at 2011-2012 again imo. I guess what I'm saying is that I choose some degree of optimism. I quit following the team closely in the late 90s and 2000s when I just couldn't muster any more optimism. I'm either gonna believe in their future or go do something else less depressing.
In 2013, there was literally very close to a 100% chance that I'd be dead before KC ever won another World Series. I was diagnosed with what was supposed to be terminal cancer and the 2012 Royals had failed to step forward like many expected. But here we are still and the magic of those two years still brings me to tears. Go Royals.
Oh, my favorite player was Carlos Beltran if that tells you anything. So since the mid 90’s. But to be honest, I’ve got four kids now at various ages so I don’t watch near as much. I keep up in fantasy baseball with buddies quite a bit so my viewing these days are more “player” related than team related. But I keep up with the Braves a bit and have got a few Rangers games via t.v. In the area I’m in. Oh, I’ll be less cynical here as I get what you are throwing down. I fully believe players tell you what they are and FO staff. I think this staff has already told us what we are but since we changed one person everyone desperately wants to believe differently. Only time will tell. But what I do believe in is the talent of Witt, and I’ve seen enough of Vinny that I’m confident in those two…..but as my days of of Damon, Beltran, Sweeney, Dye, and Randa….god that was a fun lineup….will tell you…it takes more than a few but at least they aren’t bad and boring right now.
Thanks David. So I see some of Ragans and I think….that’s what Lynch was supposed to be. I know people succeed elsewhere but that’s interesting the Rangers couldn’t find a spot on the roster for the level of player we will never let go of. People succeed elsewhere all the time, it’s ok. We seem to cry about O’Hearn succeeding in Baltimore but forget the fact that Barlow was a stud here and couldn’t make it work in LA. I’m glad it looks like Ragans can hear, so hopefully it continues.
I do think it's interesting that the Rangers moved pieces for multiple starters and may have had one under their nose. I guess Chapman was worth it to them, which is why buyers often "lose" the long-term game at the deadline. Good for the Royals for getting in on it. Hopefully Ragans can keep it up.
David, maybe you can speak more into if they’ve had talks. But are we sure we shouldn’t offer Bobby a Julio Rodriguez type deal? Cause I think they should. The longer it goes it seems like he’s going to FA, so its almost either give him the Julio deal now, which again, I’m fine with….or use his as a Francisco Lindor type player where you hope you get close to .500 with him here…and then flip him near the end to try and restock.
I can tell you 100% that they've talked. I don't know when they last talked, but they have absolutely had conversations. It's interesting about that because I believe they either need to get a deal done or he has to be moved by the deadline in 2025. So it's not a rush other than it getting increasingly expensive. I don't know where it ends up, but it seems like they're in a good spot with him either way.
Interesting. It’s either sign him here within next year you would think, or the 25 deadline is interesting. See, now that’s a timeline. Get your squad competitive so you can use him to restock a team that is around .500, or sign him and have a long term middle of the order bat. But that’s your timeframe. 2025.
That's pretty much it. I'm not saying he'll ascend to Soto status or anything, but you saw the haul Soto brought back and it's because he could impact three pennant races. You're probably not losing *that* much value if you wait until that offseason, but that's when I'd do it if he isn't under contract through like 2032 already.
Here's the thing too. I think they can be a solid team by 2025. Will they? I don't know, but one more deadline and two more offseasons *can* be enough.
.500 by 25 needs to be the expectation honestly. That’s 10-15 game improvement each of the next two years. Does it go that way? No…a lot of times you get a 15 game uptick and then the natural regression the next year which is a real thing. So even if it doesn’t, I think that has to be the expectation though. You have 3/4 an infield. I’m not sure you have an outfield….at all…at least more than 4th outfielders but still. The one thing that gives me pause on that is the farm system. And yes, while i generally think it isn’t as bad as people say….as you are seeing now, when you bring everyone up with nobody behind them…..they have no good options. So IDK, long way to go…but its not unrealistic at all.
Off to the "pun"itentiary with you!
But, that aside: this outfield is going to start drawing comparisons to the mid- to late-1980's Blue Jays of Bell, Moseby, and Barfield as far as arm strength goes. I think they actually lead MLB in outfield assists (and yes, admittedly that's partially because they allow so many baserunners, but let's take a win where we can!).
I know there are a lot more losses coming, but it's really nice to see this team gain some confidence that they belong at this level. And just think: if they can go 22-31 the rest of the way--something I wouldn't have dreamed possible last week, but it just might be--they'll finish 56-106 and avoid setting a record for worst Royals' team ever.
I haven't had a chance to use a good pun for awhile. If there is such a thing as a good pun, of course.
But yeah, the outfield can throw, and some of the guys who could also come up have good arms. It's a heck of a skillset to have. I'm fine with teams testing them, but we all know that the throw isn't always there, so having guys stopping at bases instead of taking a shot is a nice luxury.
I was digging into the schedule last night trying to see how likely it was that they could get to 57 wins and they have some winnable series:
2 vs. STL
3 vs. OAK
3 vs. PIT
6 vs. CWS
3 vs. DET
Of course, all of those teams see the Royals, winning streak or not, and think the same thing, so take it all with a grain of salt, but that's 17 games against teams that aren't in it. Cleveland for three in September could be toast. The Yankees at the end could be toast. They have six against Seattle. They're in it now, but if they lose six of nine or something before the first series, they might be circling the drain. It sets up to maybe pick up enough wins to avoid a franchise worst. And you're right - way more possible than I would have said a week ago.
Six of their last 15 games are against the Astros, so that might be a bloodbath--or it might not. Baseball is baseball.
Hey, they took two of three from the Dodgers. But yeah, those six don't seem like winners.
And yes, even if the assists go down, which they certainly will once reputations are garnered throughout the league, the fact that baserunners will stay put is the next best thing!
I don’t even mind if they do set a loss record. Don’t want to let this FO off the hook or allow them to get complacent. But I am excited about them playing better. I can watch them play solid and lose with no problem. Hopefully better times ahead.
This is a true and underrated comment. I'm not saying that there are "good losses," but this team is just going to get beaten by better teams many times. It's when they beat themselves with baserunning gaffes, throwing to the wrong bases, taking bad routes in the outfield, and things like that that just drive me (and most of us) batty.
“Batty.” I see what you did there.
Any reference to the Shaker needs to be rewarded!
Five in a row...WOWSERS! It is fun, just like the ol' days.
Wow, baseball can be fun after all, and 5 newsletters in 5 days, you must be on board again. I know I shouldn't get too crazy, but with a little bit of decent pitching, I could see them going 500 the rest of the way. Could you imagine a 29 24 finish to avoid 100 losses. We'll just have to see. Anyway great work David.
They were making daily trades, so I had to write about them! And winning helps too. It's hard to skip over a win if I have the time to write.
I was thinking about how to avoid 100, and I'd still give it less than a 1% chance, but it's higher than it was a week ago!
Great win. Taylor C is most nerve wracking pitcher to watch in baseball history, other than gene garber. And pulled it off even without Fermin in lineup.
Right? He puts the first two away on three pitches and then utterly loses the strike zone for the next three.
He's struggled so much lately and it just sort of hit out of nowhere after he had pitched so well. Very frustrating.
This is the first week this year I haven’t felt like a chump for subscribing to Bally Sports. I’m not expecting anything tonight (five in a row will do me), but Brady’s been good at home since May and has generally looked solid lately.
Really good article by Ann Rogers on the development of Cole Ragans new slider. It's very encouraging what the staff and Ragans was able to do in a few weeks. As much as people want to bury JJ, I'm not ready to. Not saying he's the greatest, but he's not nearly as incompetent as some believe. The whole "we want mlb ready players" in deadline trades was just a smokescreen, and tho the Lopez trade is still mostly indefensible, if Ragans turns out to be a legitimate middle of rotation starter, we've already done well regardless of what the other guys do. Proof is in the pudding so to speak, but the last week sure has been fun. Massey looks like a starter, Garcia is a stud, Bobby is a stud. The infield is set with Pasquantino. Fermin has been impressive both offensively and defensively. Got a couple of months to get a better read on Melendez, Waters, and Isbel. We've got potential impact relief pitchers in the minors. Barnett and Champlain may be ready next year. Hope springs eternal.
It was excellent. I've said so many times that the actions are more important and even though the words sucked (and so did the Lopez deal), the actions were fine. They need to continue to try to be creative and actually have success doing it, but I think the deadline earned him more time in my eyes along with the changes in pitching development. I'm excited for the offseason and ready to be hurt again haha.
The we want MLB players is not a smoke screen. It’s been spoken about enough and 50% of the players they brought back were mlb level players. Like JJ, dislike JJ, I don’t really care. I do think the staff needs to be overhauled even if JJ stays. But that’s a offseason topic.
I saw a lot about the 10% of prospects trading at the deadline make it in yesterday’s stuff. Interesting for sure. But the fact that people are forgetting….even if it is only 10%, you have a get 10 via trade to make that 10% work in your favor even. And really that takes two years. But if you can get 10 over two years and you get one starter out of it. Your team will be better in the long run. But the Royals never got to 10 to make the odds even work in their favor. Think we got 4-5 this year. How many new players did we get 8? So say we get one starter (Ragans looks good and he’s 26 lol) then its a win. But you have to be transactional enough for the math to be in your favor. Now, I’ll give JJ credit he was transactional. Creative no, he may have tried to be, I can’t say. But transactional, yeah he was.
We've sucked so bad, the cynicism is justified. But to me it seems there are two types of fans. Glass half full and glass half empty. The Royals glass is currently, realistically, figuratively 70% empty, I get it. Not sure how long you've been a fan but I went thru the misery of the 1990s and 2000s. It was so brutal. And then we saw things starting to come together in 12 and 13. We are at 2011-2012 again imo. I guess what I'm saying is that I choose some degree of optimism. I quit following the team closely in the late 90s and 2000s when I just couldn't muster any more optimism. I'm either gonna believe in their future or go do something else less depressing.
In 2013, there was literally very close to a 100% chance that I'd be dead before KC ever won another World Series. I was diagnosed with what was supposed to be terminal cancer and the 2012 Royals had failed to step forward like many expected. But here we are still and the magic of those two years still brings me to tears. Go Royals.
Congrats and way to go! One day at a time Kenny!
Oh, my favorite player was Carlos Beltran if that tells you anything. So since the mid 90’s. But to be honest, I’ve got four kids now at various ages so I don’t watch near as much. I keep up in fantasy baseball with buddies quite a bit so my viewing these days are more “player” related than team related. But I keep up with the Braves a bit and have got a few Rangers games via t.v. In the area I’m in. Oh, I’ll be less cynical here as I get what you are throwing down. I fully believe players tell you what they are and FO staff. I think this staff has already told us what we are but since we changed one person everyone desperately wants to believe differently. Only time will tell. But what I do believe in is the talent of Witt, and I’ve seen enough of Vinny that I’m confident in those two…..but as my days of of Damon, Beltran, Sweeney, Dye, and Randa….god that was a fun lineup….will tell you…it takes more than a few but at least they aren’t bad and boring right now.
Thanks David. So I see some of Ragans and I think….that’s what Lynch was supposed to be. I know people succeed elsewhere but that’s interesting the Rangers couldn’t find a spot on the roster for the level of player we will never let go of. People succeed elsewhere all the time, it’s ok. We seem to cry about O’Hearn succeeding in Baltimore but forget the fact that Barlow was a stud here and couldn’t make it work in LA. I’m glad it looks like Ragans can hear, so hopefully it continues.
I do think it's interesting that the Rangers moved pieces for multiple starters and may have had one under their nose. I guess Chapman was worth it to them, which is why buyers often "lose" the long-term game at the deadline. Good for the Royals for getting in on it. Hopefully Ragans can keep it up.
David, maybe you can speak more into if they’ve had talks. But are we sure we shouldn’t offer Bobby a Julio Rodriguez type deal? Cause I think they should. The longer it goes it seems like he’s going to FA, so its almost either give him the Julio deal now, which again, I’m fine with….or use his as a Francisco Lindor type player where you hope you get close to .500 with him here…and then flip him near the end to try and restock.
I can tell you 100% that they've talked. I don't know when they last talked, but they have absolutely had conversations. It's interesting about that because I believe they either need to get a deal done or he has to be moved by the deadline in 2025. So it's not a rush other than it getting increasingly expensive. I don't know where it ends up, but it seems like they're in a good spot with him either way.
Interesting. It’s either sign him here within next year you would think, or the 25 deadline is interesting. See, now that’s a timeline. Get your squad competitive so you can use him to restock a team that is around .500, or sign him and have a long term middle of the order bat. But that’s your timeframe. 2025.
That's pretty much it. I'm not saying he'll ascend to Soto status or anything, but you saw the haul Soto brought back and it's because he could impact three pennant races. You're probably not losing *that* much value if you wait until that offseason, but that's when I'd do it if he isn't under contract through like 2032 already.
David Lesky just gave me a timeline that makes complete sense and is not based completely on hope. Someone get this man a front office job.
Here's the thing too. I think they can be a solid team by 2025. Will they? I don't know, but one more deadline and two more offseasons *can* be enough.
.500 by 25 needs to be the expectation honestly. That’s 10-15 game improvement each of the next two years. Does it go that way? No…a lot of times you get a 15 game uptick and then the natural regression the next year which is a real thing. So even if it doesn’t, I think that has to be the expectation though. You have 3/4 an infield. I’m not sure you have an outfield….at all…at least more than 4th outfielders but still. The one thing that gives me pause on that is the farm system. And yes, while i generally think it isn’t as bad as people say….as you are seeing now, when you bring everyone up with nobody behind them…..they have no good options. So IDK, long way to go…but its not unrealistic at all.