I think I preferred Isbel not bunting since the Royals were down by one. I thinking bunting would have been a no-brainer if the game had remained tied in the bottom of the tenth.
The bullpen was a bit depleted after the short starts and I think it made more sense to try and win it in the tenth than to try and just get it to the 11th
That’s a great point on the bullpen, though Chris Stratton didn’t pitch in the whole series, which was sort of weird but also the situation didn’t really call for him at any point. I wouldn’t say I’m 100% on board with no bunt, but I definitely lean toward agreeing with the decision even though it didn’t work.
I felt the same way.....like going for two in the 4th quarter....either win or lose....but the 10th needed to be the last inning. That is actually why I like the runner on second rule.....it saves bullpens.
I need to find the look again, but the first full year it was in saved something like 50 or 100 extra innings compared to 2019. Staffs throw something like 44,000 innings in a season and the rule saved maybe 100 more.
Sunday's game was rough but it happens. I don't know that I disagree with any of the in-game decisions, the best players just didn't execute. Sucks but it happens, even to great teams. Process over results and you'll come out ahead in the long run.
With Wacha I'm not entirely sure what to think. Part of me sees the .350 BABIP, the middle of the pack hard contact rates, and the better peripherals and thinks it's maybe a blip, but the other part of me sees that he's given up 2 runs in 13 innings against the White Sox and 21 runs in 24.2 innings against everyone else. I'd say he's shown enough that he still has a grip on a rotation spot, but we have enough depth especially with Bubic coming back soon that his seat should be uncomfortably warm.
I generally agree on Wacha. I'd need to dig in more, but there are reasons to believe that he's much better than this and reasons for real concern. The rotation depth was always going to be a little thinner for the first two-ish months of the season unless someone emerged, but there should be guys like Barnett and Champlain a step away by midseason plus, as you mentioned, Bubic. We'll see how it goes. Wacha has had struggles before and revamped to figure it out.
Interesting, I liked the news on what the scouts are seeing with the lower guys. It’s not that there isn’t depth. It’s more if there is any high level depth. That sucks about Cross, because if we are waiting on Mitchell to make a fairly good sized impact…we are still waiting a few years. Maybe some other hitters can step up but sorta looks like the pitching is ahead of the hitting in the lower levels. Which…might be a good thing I guess. You can find bats easier.
Otherwise, it’s baseball. Nothing negative to say really. Would like the offense to not leave so much stress on the pitching here…but they are in a great spot yet.
I think the pitching is definitely ahead of the hitting and I don't love Jensen and Mitchell getting so much love compared to the rest of the league because catchers and development can be tricky. But, that said, both of those guys have a chance to be impact. My gut is that the hitters catch up a bit with the pitchers, and I do think the Cayden Wallace stuff was a little hasty personally.
Is there any outfield hope in the farm system? That’s what worries me the most. Especially when there don’t appear to be any on the major league roster.
I think Gentry will get it figured out. He always has. I'm pretty intrigued by some things Cross has done even if there's a chance for struggles at the next level. I do really think it *could* click because the tools are all there. Even last year, the ISO was solid. I really like Carson Roccaforte too. So there's some hope. They're behind there for sure, though.
Yesterday definitely sucked. I felt really good about it until the rug got pulled out from under them. The blowout didn’t bother me anywhere near as much. Frankly, I think that was what people expected in at least one game of that series. Not getting Blanco home really hurt but Salvy has been getting it done so, oh well. The fact that they are playing quality teams tougher is a good sign. Massey has been solid and I’m definitely happy about that. I’ve always been high on him. The next three games against the brewers will go a long way to showing what they are made of. Contenders or pretenders? Hopefully what they’ve accomplished so far isn’t just smoke and mirrors.
Yep, I think the series can be summed up as "baseball." Sometimes it sucks for one of the teams.
I think what the Royals are is an interesting discussion. They have issues, but they aren't a perfect team. If they were, they wouldn't have been picked to win 75ish games by most. But how they've gotten to their 92-win pace is legitimate. They have absolutely earned their record. What I'm curious about is if they can maintain it. The starting pitching depth has been and will continue to be tested as we get farther into the season. What they've gotten has generally been great. Will that continue? I wish I could tell you, but yeah, this is a big series this week. Hopefully they can play it without any rainouts/delays, but tonight looks tricky.
Wacha throwing fastballs at 90-ish in the middle of the plate is NOT getting it done! Was pleased to see Lynch actually execute his slider effectively against the Rangers. The Rangers are a good hitting team! Still very worried about sub 0.200 corner outfielders! I can accept Isbel being a 0.250 hitter IF he continues to play great defense!!!
In the interest of fairness, Wacha threw one fastball below 91.8 MPH. The pitch is not getting it done, but his velocity is basically in line with the past and actually up from last year.
I generally hated leaving Pratto off the roster but I understand three first base options is too much and he probably isn’t a good fit for just DH, but would it be the craziest thing to have him there and lose a little of that position flexibility? Would we miss Hampson, at all? I doubt they’d cut bait on Hampson so quick, but it sure seems like time to.
We’re approaching a time when they might cut bait on Hampson, but that was never going to happen in the first month. It’s just bad business. The signing was whatever to me, but regardless, no team is DFAing someone they signed as a big league free agent fewer than 40-50 games into the season. And anyway, they had Velazquez available to hit and he did. He just hasn’t produced.
Great article. I loved the detail on the scouts feedback on our prospects. Thanks for sharing. So, I've been watching the Royals for quite some time and it has been pretty brutal the past several years. I watch almost every single game, even the ones last year. What I would like to say is that for the first time in years, it just feels different. The Royals are in almost every single game. Sure, the losses hurt but I can tell you I don't think any losses hurt the last 2-3 years. It feels like playoff baseball almost every game. It's fun. Sure, we are going to lose some tough ones like last night, we are going to get blown out every now and then, but we are also going to win some we shouldn't. Thanks again for the excellent detail into the Royals and the farm system!
Speaking about prospects, I was pretty excited about Derlin Figueroa after his performance down in the ACL last year. But just pulled up his stats at Columbia and it looks like he hasn't been great so far. Hopefully he turns it around.
I haven't heard anything bad about Figueroa. He's in a slump right now over his last six games. Heard something about him playing through something, but I don't know enough to comment on that. Prior to the last six games, he was hitting .295/.338/.459 in 69 PA.
I read an article today from MLB Trade Rumors and I find it very interesting (and a positive) that the Royals showed interest in Luis Arraez before he was traded to the Padres. Ken Rosenthal reported so I feel there is some credibility to it. The fact that they are looking feels like the right thing to do to bring in another at bat. Sounds like it didn't get very far but still, showing interest in May is promising.
If only I had the connections Rosenthal has. I'd heard the Royals were in on Arraez at some level before the trade but just couldn't confirm it, so I'm glad to see that I have a good source but also that an acquisition is on their radar. I asked around a bit and it sounds like things might heat up a little earlier than usual. Maybe not another one for a bit, but trades could be happening more than a week before the deadline this year.
Who isn’t thrilled with the Royals start!! So why do I have the yips? I feel like we still need a bat to get over the hump on games we’re hanging around but not winning. Agree with the fact that a team has to learn to win, and that’s where I see Frazier, Renfroe and the veteran pitchers making that difference.
I think I preferred Isbel not bunting since the Royals were down by one. I thinking bunting would have been a no-brainer if the game had remained tied in the bottom of the tenth.
The bullpen was a bit depleted after the short starts and I think it made more sense to try and win it in the tenth than to try and just get it to the 11th
That’s a great point on the bullpen, though Chris Stratton didn’t pitch in the whole series, which was sort of weird but also the situation didn’t really call for him at any point. I wouldn’t say I’m 100% on board with no bunt, but I definitely lean toward agreeing with the decision even though it didn’t work.
I felt the same way.....like going for two in the 4th quarter....either win or lose....but the 10th needed to be the last inning. That is actually why I like the runner on second rule.....it saves bullpens.
I need to find the look again, but the first full year it was in saved something like 50 or 100 extra innings compared to 2019. Staffs throw something like 44,000 innings in a season and the rule saved maybe 100 more.
Sunday's game was rough but it happens. I don't know that I disagree with any of the in-game decisions, the best players just didn't execute. Sucks but it happens, even to great teams. Process over results and you'll come out ahead in the long run.
With Wacha I'm not entirely sure what to think. Part of me sees the .350 BABIP, the middle of the pack hard contact rates, and the better peripherals and thinks it's maybe a blip, but the other part of me sees that he's given up 2 runs in 13 innings against the White Sox and 21 runs in 24.2 innings against everyone else. I'd say he's shown enough that he still has a grip on a rotation spot, but we have enough depth especially with Bubic coming back soon that his seat should be uncomfortably warm.
I generally agree on Wacha. I'd need to dig in more, but there are reasons to believe that he's much better than this and reasons for real concern. The rotation depth was always going to be a little thinner for the first two-ish months of the season unless someone emerged, but there should be guys like Barnett and Champlain a step away by midseason plus, as you mentioned, Bubic. We'll see how it goes. Wacha has had struggles before and revamped to figure it out.
Interesting, I liked the news on what the scouts are seeing with the lower guys. It’s not that there isn’t depth. It’s more if there is any high level depth. That sucks about Cross, because if we are waiting on Mitchell to make a fairly good sized impact…we are still waiting a few years. Maybe some other hitters can step up but sorta looks like the pitching is ahead of the hitting in the lower levels. Which…might be a good thing I guess. You can find bats easier.
Otherwise, it’s baseball. Nothing negative to say really. Would like the offense to not leave so much stress on the pitching here…but they are in a great spot yet.
I think the pitching is definitely ahead of the hitting and I don't love Jensen and Mitchell getting so much love compared to the rest of the league because catchers and development can be tricky. But, that said, both of those guys have a chance to be impact. My gut is that the hitters catch up a bit with the pitchers, and I do think the Cayden Wallace stuff was a little hasty personally.
Thanks for the update David. It appears to me that the conveyer belt of players that will be necessary to keep Bobby Witt in KC. Is emerging.
The system is in way better shape than I think most realized. There's still plenty of work to do, but I don't think it's completely dire.
Is there any outfield hope in the farm system? That’s what worries me the most. Especially when there don’t appear to be any on the major league roster.
I think Gentry will get it figured out. He always has. I'm pretty intrigued by some things Cross has done even if there's a chance for struggles at the next level. I do really think it *could* click because the tools are all there. Even last year, the ISO was solid. I really like Carson Roccaforte too. So there's some hope. They're behind there for sure, though.
Yesterday definitely sucked. I felt really good about it until the rug got pulled out from under them. The blowout didn’t bother me anywhere near as much. Frankly, I think that was what people expected in at least one game of that series. Not getting Blanco home really hurt but Salvy has been getting it done so, oh well. The fact that they are playing quality teams tougher is a good sign. Massey has been solid and I’m definitely happy about that. I’ve always been high on him. The next three games against the brewers will go a long way to showing what they are made of. Contenders or pretenders? Hopefully what they’ve accomplished so far isn’t just smoke and mirrors.
Yep, I think the series can be summed up as "baseball." Sometimes it sucks for one of the teams.
I think what the Royals are is an interesting discussion. They have issues, but they aren't a perfect team. If they were, they wouldn't have been picked to win 75ish games by most. But how they've gotten to their 92-win pace is legitimate. They have absolutely earned their record. What I'm curious about is if they can maintain it. The starting pitching depth has been and will continue to be tested as we get farther into the season. What they've gotten has generally been great. Will that continue? I wish I could tell you, but yeah, this is a big series this week. Hopefully they can play it without any rainouts/delays, but tonight looks tricky.
Thanks for the scouting report!
Wacha throwing fastballs at 90-ish in the middle of the plate is NOT getting it done! Was pleased to see Lynch actually execute his slider effectively against the Rangers. The Rangers are a good hitting team! Still very worried about sub 0.200 corner outfielders! I can accept Isbel being a 0.250 hitter IF he continues to play great defense!!!
In the interest of fairness, Wacha threw one fastball below 91.8 MPH. The pitch is not getting it done, but his velocity is basically in line with the past and actually up from last year.
I generally hated leaving Pratto off the roster but I understand three first base options is too much and he probably isn’t a good fit for just DH, but would it be the craziest thing to have him there and lose a little of that position flexibility? Would we miss Hampson, at all? I doubt they’d cut bait on Hampson so quick, but it sure seems like time to.
We’re approaching a time when they might cut bait on Hampson, but that was never going to happen in the first month. It’s just bad business. The signing was whatever to me, but regardless, no team is DFAing someone they signed as a big league free agent fewer than 40-50 games into the season. And anyway, they had Velazquez available to hit and he did. He just hasn’t produced.
Great article. I loved the detail on the scouts feedback on our prospects. Thanks for sharing. So, I've been watching the Royals for quite some time and it has been pretty brutal the past several years. I watch almost every single game, even the ones last year. What I would like to say is that for the first time in years, it just feels different. The Royals are in almost every single game. Sure, the losses hurt but I can tell you I don't think any losses hurt the last 2-3 years. It feels like playoff baseball almost every game. It's fun. Sure, we are going to lose some tough ones like last night, we are going to get blown out every now and then, but we are also going to win some we shouldn't. Thanks again for the excellent detail into the Royals and the farm system!
I think “learning how to win” will be helped greatly by having more than 4 MLB batters in the line up
Speaking about prospects, I was pretty excited about Derlin Figueroa after his performance down in the ACL last year. But just pulled up his stats at Columbia and it looks like he hasn't been great so far. Hopefully he turns it around.
I haven't heard anything bad about Figueroa. He's in a slump right now over his last six games. Heard something about him playing through something, but I don't know enough to comment on that. Prior to the last six games, he was hitting .295/.338/.459 in 69 PA.
I read an article today from MLB Trade Rumors and I find it very interesting (and a positive) that the Royals showed interest in Luis Arraez before he was traded to the Padres. Ken Rosenthal reported so I feel there is some credibility to it. The fact that they are looking feels like the right thing to do to bring in another at bat. Sounds like it didn't get very far but still, showing interest in May is promising.
If only I had the connections Rosenthal has. I'd heard the Royals were in on Arraez at some level before the trade but just couldn't confirm it, so I'm glad to see that I have a good source but also that an acquisition is on their radar. I asked around a bit and it sounds like things might heat up a little earlier than usual. Maybe not another one for a bit, but trades could be happening more than a week before the deadline this year.
This is good news that the front office is in the market to make the team even better!
Who isn’t thrilled with the Royals start!! So why do I have the yips? I feel like we still need a bat to get over the hump on games we’re hanging around but not winning. Agree with the fact that a team has to learn to win, and that’s where I see Frazier, Renfroe and the veteran pitchers making that difference.