It's been a tough market for hitters. Guys like Moss and Chris Carter who are legit consistent 30 HR guys couldn't find jobs.

Pedro Alvarez had 20+ HRs and an OPS over .800 last year and he had to settle for a minor league contract.

Whoa. I hadn't fully realized how wide spread the floating DH concept had become and its effect it was having on the market.

I'm sure Kendrys is ecstatic he signed the Blue Jays offer at the first possible opportunity.

You guys see the post game headline from a couple days ago on the angels sbnation site?

http://www.halosheaven.com/2017/4/15...mike-moustakas
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Good find on the article. I'm guessing stuff like this is written often when free agency looms for a locally raised player. Not sure how often it really happens. As some fans report in the comment section, the Angels have lots of bodies and $(thanks mostly to one of those bodies)tied up in corner infielders. I'd take Moose over any of their guys, but it would probably take them some work to make it happen. My guess is that Moose will be the guy the Royals try the hardest to obtain but we'll see. At the end of the day if he wants to go home and play, good for him. He certainly helped deliver all we could have ever asked of him.

Moustakas to the Angels would make a lot of sense if they can find the money and are willing to commit to another corner guy.

He'd be a hell of an upgrade for Jeffry Marte.

I think he's the guy KC would most like to keep, but if he hits 40 bombs this year, that prospect will get dicey.


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I would hate to see Moose in Anaheim. They don't deserve him.

http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/bas...later-in-week/

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Soler (oblique) could begin a rehab assignment later this week, Josh Vernier of 610 AM Sports Radio reports.
There was some thought that Soler might be cleared to play in minor league games as soon as Monday after he was able to take part in batting practice Saturday. However, since the outfielder was still experiencing some tightness with his oblique, the Royals want to give him a couple extra days off. It's not considered a major setback for Soler, who could head to the minors by the weekend if the soreness dissipates. Once he eventually rejoins the Royals, Soler will compete with Paulo Orlando for starting duties in right field.

Soler isn't competing for the job. It's his for the next 4 years

I agree with that. But, Orlando is sucking at the plate big time (128 BA, 299 OPS). Whit is tearing it up at AAA (412 BA, 1227 OPS). They could recall Whit and make him the regular RF until Solar heals.

I think that's exactly what's going to happen.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There is no <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitMerrifield">@WhitMerrifield</a> in the Omaha lineup &amp; he wasn&#39;t with the team during the national anthem. Read into that what you will.</p>&mdash; Tony Boone (@BooneOWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/BooneOWH/status/854002667273715712">April 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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I think paulo need to stay on we need to stop freaking out everytime the team or player is in a slump.

He's an adequate 4th OF but is sorely miscast as a starter, and with this roster, doesn't offer as much as either Merrifield or Mondesi to this roster.

I'm not freaking out because he's in a slump. Just saying his value isn't all that high, especially now that the league has scouting on him.


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Orlando and Butera and Colon are great for taking the brunt of those 100 degree Sunday steam baths in July and Aug

Whits gonna 2 hit bumgarner for the win.

LMAO

When we were teens, my dad would take me and my brothers out there after church. We'd go to Gates and get a giant mixed plate and take it in. (Not sure if they allow that anymore).

One brutal Sunday one of us tossed a half-eaten rib into the aisle. Within minutes that sucker started cooking. Like full boil. The kids in the section laughed and Art Stewart's wife (Fannie) got irked and got an attendant to sweep it up.

For weeks there was a giant skid mark there

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Your eyes aren&#39;t deceiving you - bullpens are melting down at an alarming rate in 2017. <a href="https://t.co/rlp5obT2k0">pic.twitter.com/rlp5obT2k0</a></p>&mdash; MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetworkRadio/status/853962933751205888">April 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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BRING IN PETER O'BRIEN!


(Only kidding. We're not that desperate yet)

Cub announcers talking Royals stuff on their broadcast. They think Soler is going to be a stud.

Giving Hammel & Wood love too.


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It's certainly not a question of tools, this guy has Wil Myers upside.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mV1Jw6HmGIg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Myers finally put it all together last year....but id take 28 HRs and 94 RBIs out of Soler. certainly

StatCast has an article today introducing a new metric, Sprint Speed. It's a measurement of outfield defensive speed. Pretty interesting read. They formulated the 2016 rankings, and Cain and Orlando were the 3rd and 4th fastest outfielders in the league. No surprise that Billy Hamilton was first.

Here is another new stat idea from Nate Silver. I really like this. There is a lot of interesting information at the link.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...lief-pitchers/

I didn't realize that they'd take clutch performances into account over there. These models are improving, but still aren't recognizing defense and relief pitching enough.

Whit up, starting in RF tonight per Flanagan.

cool!

Nice

What would it take to get Joe Buck in the booth to call the game tomorrow night?

*** Official 2017 Royals Repository ***
 

Surprised that Quisenberry isn't on the list. He had many 3 inning saves.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...545f02f145.jpg
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Orlando sent down?


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JIMP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Merrifield also told me he grew up playing against Bumgarner. First plate appearance as an 11-year old, Bumgarner drilled him in the head.</p>&mdash; Nate Bukaty (@nate_bukaty) <a href="https://twitter.com/nate_bukaty/status/854444661708075010">April 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Also, for those who haven't heard, the MLB and the Umpires are negotiating to mic umpires after replays to explain the review and decision made like in the NFL and NHL.

IMO, I think this will be a welcomed addition, mainly for the fans at the game. Word is the ASG will be the beginning of mic'd umpires, continuing through the end of this season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Per Statcast, Royals&#39; average exit velocity with RISP is 83.4 mph. Second worst in baseball. That is a lot of soft contact.</p>&mdash; Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlannyMLB/status/854725738091753475">April 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Raul Mondesi has been brutal. No argument, but he's a 9 hole hitter who we expected to be overmatched.

Eric Hosmer is a far bigger problem right now, IMO. He has to start coming through with runners on base, and has to quit rolling over on everything. He's killing us in the cleanup spot.

Someone needs to just tell Hoz: "hey now, you're an All Star. Get your game on go play"

Hosmer and Gordon are bigger problems because they are veteran stars who aren't producing, and there's almost nothing you can do about it. Realistically, you're not going to bench them for any period of time. You just have to hope they snap out of it, and big time.

However, Mondesi is a problem you CAN do something about, starting with not letting him hit with the game on the line in a season in which you are supposedly trying to win as many games as possible in the last hurrah for a veteran group, the core of which could be traded if they don't win enough games by the trade deadline.

Just because Mondesi isn't THE problem doesn't mean he's not A problem, and one that CAN be addressed fairly easily, since half our roster consists of second basemen.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Whit Merrifield is starting at second base tonight.</p>&mdash; Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) <a href="https://twitter.com/rustindodd/status/854778454277070853">April 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The good news: Mondesi out.

The bad news: Orlando in. He's actually been worse than Mondesi.

Difference is Orlando has a track record of some positivity with the bat. Hopefully he's due.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals Tonight: Gordon 7, Moustakas 5, Cain 8, Hosmer 3, Perez 2, Merrifield 4, Escobar 6, Cuthbert DH, Orlando 9 (LHP Vargas)</p>&mdash; Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) <a href="https://twitter.com/rustindodd/status/854779264729853956">April 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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It's Madison Bumgarner at the K. I know I'm scarred, but what's the point?

The good news though is that if Merrifield performs then it sets up that he could stay at second and Soler could replace Orlando in the field when he is ready instead of automatically having Merrifield get sent back to the minors.

I think that's the likely scenario. I bet that over the next 10 days or so, while Soler rehabs, Mondesi becomes Jarrod Dyson: pinch-runner and start a couple of games a week.

I really like the versatility that Whit brings to the team.

Why cant they drop Colon over Merrifield?

They could, but they would really "drop" him -- he's got no options left, so he'd have to be DFA'd. I bet some team would pick him up as a backup IF.

Although, Josh Vernier on the 610 postgame last night was pretty confident that the clock is ticking on Colon; he all but said he's done in KC, and it's just a short matter of time.

BTW, seen Matt Strahm's line at Omaha so far?

5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K

He's eligible to be recalled Friday.

Not to sound too mean, but if we DFA him, it's really no loss. Must be a money thing?

As I mentioned, I am far from concerned about Strahm.

His stuff is fantastic. He just needs to control his nerves and I think he will be totally fine.

What a dream-crusher looks like up-close:
https://s12.postimg.org/n9ui2ow25/IMG_4367.jpg

looks like a hillbilly that is almost 0 and 3.

Synonymous :)

http://sports.yahoo.com/m/aaf3d70b-e...hes-woman.html

Looks like it was an exciting game- hits on and off the field.

Pitcher fWAR leaders:
https://s9.postimg.org/dnh4thp3j/Scr...1.19.41_PM.png

You can place your bet on the Royals winning the division and get 16 to 1 odds on your money at Bovada right now.

win tonight and tied for 1st place

Kapow!

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^^ this is really going to hurt his draft position punching a woman.

Trump!

I have no issues with it. Hitting and spitting on another adult makes you fair game.

People act so dumb at sporting events sometimes. Embarrassing

I have no doubt Both parties are to blame somehow

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kyle Zimmer did not return to the mound for the 2nd inning in Round Rock. No word or indication on why yet. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a></p>&mdash; Donny Baarns (@DonnyBaarns) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonnyBaarns/status/855218615527845888">April 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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We know why.


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Damn. He came this close to making it into May.

Hopefully he just wanted to catch the Chiefs schedule release.

Extremely likable kid.

Just terrible he could never stay healthy.

I think this is the final attempt.

We watched that go down from across the field, they had been standing and going at it for a good five minutes before the punch.

He seemed like he had all the talent but not the body type to contain it. Sucks for him.

Maybe he's getting traded?


ROFL

Hoping this is the end for Zimmer. Time to cut losses and move on.

*** Official 2017 Royals Repository ***
 

Compare & contrast the difference between Mondesi & Dansby Swanson?

I know the Braves have no shot & the Royals are in win mode but is that the only difference?

From the AJC:

Snitker not ready to drop Swanson or bench Garcia


Dansby Swanson and Adonis Garcia had the second- and fourth-lowest OPS in the National League entering Wednesday, but don’t expect Braves manager Brian Snitker to move Swanson from the second spot in the order or bench Garcia anytime soon. Snitker indicated Wednesday he’ll be patient.

“The experience I’ve had with (Garcia), I just want to keep running the guy out there and hopefully he starts doing what we think he can do,” Snitker said. “Dansby, it’s his second full year (of pro ball). Facing some really good pitching. He’s going to handle everything and get better and better. At some point in time we might have to adjust, but right now I think he’s in a good spot.

“He got a game-winner (walk-off hit) two days ago, and he faces one of the best in baseball yesterday (Washington ace Max Scherzer on Tuesday) and had a couple of really good at-bats.”

After struggling on offense in the season-opening series at New York, the Braves had an impressive .280 team batting average and 4.6 runs per game in their past 10 games before Wednesday, including four or more runs in nine consecutive games before a 3-1 loss to the Nationals and Scherzer on Tuesday. And they played nine of those games without Matt Kemp, who was their hottest hitter before straining a hamstring in the fourth game of the season.

Kemp has been on the 10-day disabled list and was scheduled to play a rehab game at Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday before rejoining the Braves for Thursday’s series finale against the Nationals.

“Ender (Inciarte) is coming, Freddie (Freeman) is doing what Freddie can do, and Nick (Markakis) is as steady as the day is long,” Snitker said. “We spread things out again tomorrow, hopefully, when we get Matt back.”

Swanson went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Wednesday’s 14-4 loss to the Nationals, dropping his average to .131 with a .159 OBP and .197 slugging percentage, and Garcia was 1-for-4 with a single to leave him with a .170 average, .214 OBP and .245 slugging percentage. Each had one double, one homer and three RBIs and each had started all 14 games, with Swanson batting second in every game and Garcia hitting seventh before Kemp got hurt and sixth after.

Swanson’s .355 OPS is the second-lowest in the National League and Garcia’s .460 is fifth-lowest.

In the past eight games, Swanson is 3-for-33 (.091) with no extra-base hits, one walk and nine strikeouts in that span.

Swanson had a .136 batting average on balls in play in his last seven games before Wednesday, and his line-drive rate had remained one of the highest on the team. Also, the Braves won five of those seven games, no small factor in Snitker’s decision not to shake up the lineup and move Swanson down.

“We’re not there yet,” Snitker said before Wednesday’s game. “I’m kind of a glass half-full guy. I’m thinking I’m seeing some really good things out of the kid, some good contact, things like that. So I’m thinking that’s going to translate the other way. He’s in a good spot up there amongst all those guys. I mean, he’s going to get good pitches to hit, especially with Free doing what he’s doing, then you put Matt back in the middle of those guys, and again we lengthen our lineup. I like that.”

For the season, Swanson’s .159 batting average on balls is play is fifth-lowest among NL qualifiers, two spots ahead of Garcia’s .178.

Freeman has been the other end of the spectrum, about as hot as a hitter can be. He’s hitting a majors-leading .440 with a 1.453 OPS (second in the majors) and reached base in a Atlanta Braves franchise-record consecutive plate appearances before grounding out in the sixth inning Wednesday.


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I am really sick of how we are using Mondesi. If we are going to insist on having him up here he needs to be used more like Dyson, only used less. Maximize his value with defensive substitutions and pinch running and limit his ABs.

They have to make some changes. It's such an unbearable joke watching this garbage

It's getting hard to watch

Time to return Escobar to leadoff so the offense will pickup.

He has to play every day. He needs the reps. It's looking more and more likely that he'll be going to Omaha when Solar is ready.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals to call up Jorge Bonifacio <a href="https://t.co/dtCyiygbF7">https://t.co/dtCyiygbF7</a> <a href="https://t.co/rpWKecDV2H">pic.twitter.com/rpWKecDV2H</a></p>&mdash; Royals Review (@royalsreview) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsreview/status/855419847798345728">April 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Who are they sending down?

Hopefully DFA Orlando

Or cut bait with Alshittys

If you want to give Mondesi 500ab just move him to SS and get the Alshittys experiment over already. They both cannot be in the same lineup