By all means, MJ Melendez had a solid rookie campaign, especially on the offensive end. Melendez didn’t hit for a high average, as he only hit .217 in 129 games and 534 plate appearances in his rookie debut. However, he did hit 18 home runs, garnered 62 RBI, and posted a 99 wRC+, which is… Read More What Could MJ Melendez’s Defensive Outlook Be in the Outfield for the Royals?
It’s been an intriguing season for MJ Melendez in his rookie campaign in 2022. On one end, Melendez has been solid, if not unspectacular at the plate. That is demonstrated by his 102 wRC+, 18 home runs, and 62 RBI in 526 plate appearances going into Tuesday’s contest against the Guardians. While the 23-year-old former… Read More Three Metrics That Will Be Key For MJ Melendez in 2023
The Royals have lost five in a row, including three straight to the New York Yankees in the Bronx (they are currently 0-6 against the Yankees this year). While the offense has certainly cooled off after the All-Star Break, the Royals’ recent string of lackluster defense has been a primary contributor to Kansas City’s second-half… Read More Is the Royals’ Defense in 2022 As Bad As Fans Think It Is?
It hasn’t been an easy season for Royals fans, especially with the club’s record currently 25-43. And yet, while the playoffs will be on the back burner for at least another season, Royals fans do have a core of young hitters in the middle of the lineup that they can look forward to for years… Read More How Worried Should Royals Fans Be About MJ Melendez’s Defense?
The Royals failed to sweep the Athletics in Oakland, as they lost 4-0 in the series finale on Father’s Day. The loss brought the Royals’ record to 23-42 for the year, with a tough upcoming road series against the Angels coming up in Anaheim. For the most part, Royals president Dayton Moore and general manager… Read More Will the Royals See Some Major Roster Shakeups This Week?
When the Royals signed Salvy to an extension prior to the 2021 season, some serious questions were tied to the move. Would Salvy stay healthy over the course of the deal, especially after missing all of 2019 and significant time in 2020? Would he age gracefully at a position where players deteriorate quickly, due to… Read More Salvy’s Struggles Put the Royals in a Tough Spot
When the Royals made Bobby Witt, Jr. the Opening Day third baseman, it signified that the Royals were not only intent on winning, but playing their young players as soon as they were deemed ready, regardless of service time. Dayton Moore, JJ Picollo, and the Royals front office could have easily manipulated Witt’s service time… Read More Rivera, Melendez, and the Royals’ Offensive Youth Movement
On February 23rd, James Schiano of Pitcher List wrote a piece on trying to find fantasy sleeper pitchers by paying attention to the “rise” on their four-seam fastballs from 2021. While it was more specific to fantasy baseball play, it still fostered some food for thought, especially in regard to Royals pitchers. For those who… Read More Analyzing the Four-Seam Rise and Effectiveness of Royals Pitchers from ’21 (And What It Means for ’22)
Just wanted to get a quick post in on a Friday evening, especially since it’s been a while since I’ve done an edition of the “Jottings”. So, here’s a few Royals-related news bit from the past couple of days, and some of my thoughts in regard to those “Jottings”. Salvy Part of the 2022 Fantasy… Read More “Reporter Jottings”: Fantasy Catcher “Busts”; Last RFR Podcast on Royals Review; Spring Training Delayed
On Tuesday, Baseball Prospectus released their annual PECOTA Projections (which comes in a downloadable file for subscribers). Last season, I did write about some initial thoughts about the PECOTA projections for Royals players. This time around though, I wanted to have two separate posts, with one focusing on projections in relation to Royals hitters, and… Read More Three Good (And Two Concerning) Surprises from the 2022 Royals PECOTA Projections (Part 1: Hitters)
The Royals Reporter 