I am just posting a quick “jottings” piece today, especially with no Royals game for a third-straight day. The Royals have a pretty advantageous stretch, as they play Baltimore, Texas, and then Colorado on the road. It’s not out of the question to think that the Royals could not just get the bats going during this road trip, but perhaps make some traction up the AL Central standings as well before the return to Kauffman Stadium next week.
Anyways, here are the “jottings” for this week.
Talking “Positive” About the Royals with Jacob from “Royals Rundown”
I went on with Jacob Milham of the “Royals Rundown” podcast in a pretty impromptu podcast (it only went 15-20 minutes). It is definitely tough to focus on the positives at this time, especially with the Royals near the bottom of the AL Central standings.
However, Jacob and I had a nice talk about some positive stories currently going on in Kansas City, and we also brought up some reasons why Royals fans should still be optimistic, even after a rough start to the 2022 season.
Check out the episode, and if you haven’t subscribed to “Royals Rundown”, please do so. Jacob and Lucas (The Beat of KC) are doing some fantastic work, even in the midst of a tough Royals season thus far.
Talking BABIP with Lee of “This Week in Fantasy Baseball”
In addition to having a cadre of great fantasy baseball writers, Pitcher List also has a great Fantasy Baseball podcast network with some really impressive podcasts out there for those who enjoy fantasy or just baseball in general.
One of those podcasts is “This Week in Fantasy Baseball” which is hosted by John Ke and Lee Keller. John was unable to join us, but I had a great conversation with Lee, as we talked about my article on Pitcher List’s “Going Deep” section where I talked about low BABIP hitters at the start of the season, and dug deeper into what contributed to those low BABIP marks.
It was a great conversation, and Lee and John are putting out a great product for fantasy baseball fans on “This Week in Fantasy Baseball”. You can find our conversation as well as the podcast’s Twitter below:
For Royals fans, Lee and I talked about Whit Merrifield and Carlos Santana being greatly affected by BABIP this season. So, take a listen if you want to know whether I think they will rebound or continue to struggle at the dish.
Thank you Lee and John for having me on and look forward to more episodes of your fantastic podcast on Pitcher List!
Jorge López’s Renaissance in Baltimore (And How It’s Tied to His Sinker)
Even though he struggled in Kansas City, I always have been a fan of López, even when he was drafted by the Brewers back in 2011. While I thought the days of him being a solid starter were obviously behind him, I did think he could thrive in a bullpen role in the right situation.
And it seems like he has found that situation in Baltimore, as he is posting a 1.32 ERA and has four saves in 12 appearances and 13.2 innings pitched.
In my latest “Going Deep” piece for Pitcher List, I talk about the difference for López this year, and how his breakout is primarily tied to his increased slider effectiveness. The link to the post can be found in the Tweet below:
The Royals may be facing López this weekend, especially if they are down in the ninth inning against Baltimore. Hopefully, the Royals will not, as it means they are winning, which is something that this organization needs at this time in order to rejuvenate the fan base.
Nonetheless, López has been a great story, and it’s been nice to see him rebound after struggling as a starter/reliever from 2018 to 2019 with the Royals.
Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
The Royals Reporter 
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