Royals Rumblings - News for December 19, 2023

Welcome to Kansas City, Michael Wacha!

The Royals welcomed Michael Wacha to the team, and Anne Rogers writes about what brought him to Kansas City.

“Seeing the young core that’s been coming up shows a lot of great potential,” Wacha said. “And then after getting on the phone with [general manager] J.J. [Picollo] and discussing the type of vision that he sees here, what he’s trying to build here, seeing those moves coming in… [there’s] a lot of excitement.”

J.J. Picollo liked his ability to win.

“This is really what I found fascinating, the teams he played on are a combined 162 games over .500,” Picollo said. So when we talk about adding to our clubhouse, winners and people that have been there, Michael certainly represents that.”

Craig Brown at Into the Fountains reacts to the free-spending Royals.

The cynical side of me (yes! That’s still very much a thing!) says this is Royals CEO John Sherman opening his team’s checkbook in order to advance his primary goal of building a new stadium. The realist side of me is struggling to care about the motive for these moves beyond anything that is seeking to improve the team. Yes. These two items go hand in hand. Sherman needs the votes to secure public funding for his stadium dream. The only way he can avoid defeat is to show commitment to improving the product on the field.

Win—or show a strong effort to attempt to win—and you get votes.

Pete Grathoff rounds up reactions by fans to the Royals’ signings.

Jackson County lawmakers introduced a proposal to extend the 3/8 cent sales tax for 40 years to build a new stadium for the Royals and maintain Arrowhead Stadium.

Jackson County Executive Frank White hinted Monday the legislature shouldn’t pass the ordinance until the Royals commit to building in Jackson County.

“My goal is to get a lease agreement and a community benefits agreement that’s going to be great for the taxpayers and all involved before we move forward,” White said.

One legislator argued this proposal is necessary to show the county’s commitment to the teams during the negotiation process.

“I think this was an effort to drive the Chiefs and the Royals to the table so they realize we’re not playing around, we’re trying to get this negotiated,” explained Legislator Manny Abarca.

Mike Hendricks writes about the pushback.

A day after The Star first reported on it, the legislature’s vice chair, Megan Marshall, posted on Facebook a scathing letter she had sent to McGee.

She called the lack of contingencies “alarming” and “troubling” and a betrayal of the trust that voters had placed in the legislature by electing its members.

“The glaring absence of a lease agreement hands the Royals a blank check for an additional 40 years,” she wrote McGee.

The Diamondbacks claim pitcher Collin Snider off waivers from the Royals.

The Braves release Matt Carpenter days after acquiring him.

Pittsburgh signs pitcher Martin Perez to a one-year, $8 million deal.

San Francisco signs catcher Tom Murphy to a two-year, $8 million deal.

The bidding for Yoshinobu Yamamoto will begin to heat up.

Julio Rodríguez will get the most money under the pre-arbitration bonus pool.

The Rays are pretty predicable on when they will trade the young pitchers.

The Orioles sign a new lease for Camden Yards.

Who has the best 1-2 punch in their lineup?

Hornets forward Miles Bridges was denied entry into Canada because of his criminal history.

Why its time for the Atlanta Falcons to clean house.

Could Apple hold the final nail in the coffin for X?

Home Alone is one of 25 movies selected by the Library of Congress for the National Registry.

How do people in other countries laugh online?

Your song of the day is Shakira with Waka Waka.