We are 75 days away from Opening Day, so it’s probably time for me to shift from hockey “mode” to baseball “mode” regarding my fan and writing focus. With pitchers and catchers reporting next month, I wanted to focus on one Royals starting pitcher who’s mainly stuck out from the past two seasons: Cole Ragans.… Read More Should the Royals Explore An Extension for Cole Ragans?
The Royals roster construction is close to being done, especially with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp in Surprise, Arizona on Valentine’s Day. While there still are plenty of free agents remaining on the market, including relievers, it doesn’t feel likely that the Royals will go much over their projected $113 million payroll by that… Read More Looking at the Primary Pitchtype Cards of Three Royals Closer Candidates
When the Royals received Cole Ragans (along with outfielder Roni Cabrera) from the Texas Rangers in the Aroldis Chapman trade, there was initially some skepticism among Royals fans. After all, the Royals have not had a great history of pitching development, whether with arms they have drafted/signed or acquired through trade (Jorge Lopez was an… Read More Can Cole Ragans Anchor This Royals Rotation in 2024?
The great thing about baseball in Spring Training (Royals baseball especially) is that hope always runs high in the desert air of Surprise, Arizona. Like many Royals fans starved for success, I had high hopes for the season. Granted, did I think this team was a playoff-caliber squad? Absolutely not. They were too young and… Read More Reviewing My Royals 2023 Predictions (Part 1)
At 29-73 going into Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, the Royals are expected to be a “seller” by the August 1st Trade Deadline. It makes sense, as the Royals need to re-stock their farm system and find talent who can contribute at the Major League level in the long term, even if they may… Read More Carlos Hernandez May Be the Royals’ Most Difficult Deadline Dilemma
Going into 2023, there was hope that the Royals’ pitching staff would see some improvement under new manager Matt Quatraro and the pitching team of Brian Sweeney, Zach Bove, and Mitch Stetter. While many of the actual pitchers remained the same from the 2022 squad, there was hope that the new analytical approach of the… Read More Taylor Clarke and the Collective Struggles of the Royals Bullpen in 2023
With Aroldis Chapman officially a Texas Ranger now (the baseball team; not the Texas law enforcement agency), the Royals bullpen has gotten a little thinner in the late innings. While Chapman didn’t close out many games in his short tenure in Kansas City (only two saves in 33 appearances), he was utilized by manager Matt… Read More Three Questions Regarding the Royals Bullpen as the First Half of the Season Comes to a Close
The Royals officially ignited their hot stove season, not long after John Sherman’s press conference on Thursday. Friday afternoon before their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Royals announced that they traded Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers in exchange for two prospects. As expected, the deal has received mixed reactions among Royals fans… Read More Royals Trade Chapman; What Can We Expect from Cabrera and Ragans?
The Royals’ series in Miami ended with a thud, as the Marlins not only beat Kansas City 6-1 on Wednesday but ended up sweeping the series, bringing the Royals’ record to 18-44 overall for the year. It’s been a tough start to the month of June for the Royals, as they have been 1-5 this… Read More Royals Hit Low in Miami; Can They Rebound in Baltimore Before Returning Home? (With Trades Happening Soon As Well?)
I am going to the game today, so I hope to have a more in-depth piece tomorrow. However, just wanted to share some quick thoughts through a short “Jottings” post before I headed out to the K this afternoon for game two of this series against the Colorado Rockies. Trade Rumors Already Starting for Scott… Read More “Reporter Jottings”: Barlow Trade Rumors; AG Hurt; Analysis on Guardians Offense