Royals Rumblings - News for January 23, 2024
The Royals bullpen will look different in 2024.
Jaylon Thompson writes about the Royals’ bullpen situation.
This offseason, the Royals have sought to address their bullpen woes with experienced veterans. KC signed World Series-champion relievers Will Smith and Chris Stratton. They also acquired reliever Nick Anderson, along with starting pitcher Kyle Wright, from the Atlanta Braves.
That bullpen trio gives Royals manager Matt Quatraro options to finish games. Smith recorded 22 saves with the Texas Rangers and has a wealth of MLB experience. Smith starts his second stint with the Royals as Stratton and Anderson are newcomers to the organization.
Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter talks to Royals prospect Javier Vaz.
Javy talked about debuting in Columbia shortly after being drafted in 2022. One of the things that stuck out was that he said, “There wasn’t much data” and it was akin to playing sandlot or pickup baseball, essentially. I thought that was really interesting. Some Royals fans of the jaded variety may see that comment and say “See! JJ isn’t doing anything different than Dayton!” However, it makes sense when you look at the demographics of the age. In 2022, when Vaz debuted, the average hitter in the Carolina League age was 20.8. Most of the guys in the league aren’t old enough to buy alcohol.
RJ Anderson at CBS Sports ranks Royals prospects with Blake Mitchell on top.
It’s been more than two decades since a prep catcher chosen in the first round went on to have a good career behind the plate. (The last one was Joe Mauer, for reference.) That hasn’t stopped teams from trying. Mitchell, selected eighth overall last July, sounds good on paper. He has above-average power potential from the left side and he has a very strong arm (he was a legitimate two-way prospect) that ought to bolster his defensive value. If Mitchell comes close to his upside, he’ll be a good player. Alas, the extreme attrition risks associated with his type make it hard to view that as a probable outcome.
Preston Farr at Farm to Fountain has a Royals prospect fantasy draft with Alex Duvall.
Jacob Milham at Kings of Kauffman writes about some free agents the Royals should bring in for competition.
The Pirates sign Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.5 million deal.
The Tigers trade Tyler Nevin back to the Orioles.
The Cardinals sign Tommy Edman to a two-year deal, avoiding arbitration.
Infielder Rougned Odor is headed to Japan.
A look back at Scott Boras clients that signed after January.
Should the Angels be rebuilding?
Tigers prospect Jace Jung is not like his brother.
Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg reveals he has prostate cancer.
The 49ers considering calling Tom Brady before going with Brock Purdy.
Joel Embiid drops 70 points on the Spurs.
Are crossword puzzles good for your brain?
A Disney Imagineer comes up with the HoloTile, which could be a game-changer for VR.
The 150 greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
Your song of the day is Whitest Boy Alive with Burning.