I would guess bullpen help.

It was Saberhagen in 1987. He went to 12-2 with a 2.25 ERA at the time. Finished 18-10.

God damn, have you looked at his game logs for that year?

13 complete games, 21 games of 8+ innings pitched, 25 games of 7+ innings. He only went less than 6 innings two times.

Sabes had one hell of a 3 year stretch from 1987 to 1989. This was his yearly avg through that stretch:

34 starts - 18 wins - 12 complete games - 3 shut outs - 260 innings pitched - 1.130 WHIP - 176 strikeouts - 52 walks - 0.7 HR/9 innings - 3.10 ERA

He was so damn good for a decent stretch, but those 3 consecutive years he was at his best. He didn't have the massive strikeout numbers, but the guy didn't walk anyone.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I&#39;m not sure if anyone ever talked to Sal Perez about his 2021, but I&#39;d love to know if he was just full-on &quot;screw it, grip it and rip it&quot; mode that year. <br><br>48 HR when he&#39;s never had 28 in any other year.<br>170 K when he&#39;s only once topped 120 in any other year. <a href="https://t.co/dWpb8ExYQQ">pic.twitter.com/dWpb8ExYQQ</a></p>&mdash; Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) <a href="https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/1796555162728947935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Baseball America thinks the Royals are going to take another prep player in its latest mock draft.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stor...aa-tournament/

6. Royals — Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.

The Royals have had the most smoke about a prep player of any of the other teams picking inside the top 10. Earlier in the spring Konnor Griffin was the name frequently mentioned with them, though over the last week or so I’ve heard that Rainer might be both the preferred target for Kansas City and more likely to be the first high school hitter off the board.

There are cases for both Griffin and Rainer as the top high school player in the class—the two are ranked back-to-back on the BA board—but model-heavy teams might prefer Griffin due to the fact that he’s nearly a full year younger than Rainer. Rainer does have the lefthanded hitting shortstop profile from Southern California, however, and you probably wouldn’t have to fight too hard to convince scouts that demographic has a better success rate than a prep hitter from Mississippi.

I’ve not heard this specifically, but would anyone be shocked if new scouting director Brian Bridges went after a prep pitcher he really liked in this spot? Given his track record with that demographic I’m not sure I would be—though it could simply be too early for that here at six given the talent available.

MLB Pipeline mock from Jonathan Mayo.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-pipelin...draft-coverage

6. Royals: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest (No. 4)
He shook off a slow start and now has 22 homers and a 1.327 OPS for the year. Who wouldn’t want to see him in a lineup with Bobby Witt Jr.?

ESPN'S Kiley McDaniel's mock

6. Kansas City Royals
Braden Montgomery, RF, Texas A&M

K.C. has been tied to almost every player in the top 10. I think they'd also take any of the first four projected picks if they get to this spot. They've also been linked to the top prep bats -- Bryce Rainer and Konnor Griffin -- but I think those are secondary choices. For later picks, the Royals have been tied to almost every prep pitcher in the draft, so I have a good chuckle whenever I get a phone call that another one comes up tied to them.

I like Montgomery quite a bit, and best of those options. He's a switch hitter, he has great tools, and he has been productive in college while also showing a feel from the strike zone. He's dead even on walks and Ks this year, which is encouraging.

True opportunity to be an on-base + power + baserunning + defense guy in a corner, and to be that quickly.

I'd really absolutely hate going with a prep player, especially a SS. Montgomery looks like a damn good choice. I like guys that keep there walk numbers close to there strikeout numbers. Guys that do that are rare and it seems to be an indicator that the player will be an average hitter at worst.

Speaking of guys that walk around the same rate as they strikeout, wtf is up with Vinnie? He's struck out 19 times in May with only 5 walks. He's had 13 games with a strikeout and 5 this month. He only had 5 double digit strikeout games his entire rookie year and he only had 6 double digit strike out games all of last year. From May 9th to May 30th of this year, so 18 games he had all 5 of those double digit strikeout games. During that 18 game stretch he's had just 2 walks to 17 strikeouts.

I think he's starting to press and is probably frustrated by his shitty luck. He has a .234 BABIP (Avg of last 2 years his BABIP of .279), but his EV is the highest it's ever been 91.8 (Avg of last 2 years 90.1 EV). His hard hit percent is 47% which is just behind his best season which was his rookie season in which he had a 47.1% HH%. It was 40.5% last year.

I'm hoping he doesn't let this go to his head and this is all a case of small sample size. Fingers crossed that his surgery didn't **** his bat speed. I love the Pasquatch and wanna see him crush it.

Player Date P Comment
Daniel Lynch IV
5/31/2024 P Sent to Minors (The Kansas City Royals optioned LHP Daniel Lynch to the minors.)
Will Klein
5/31/2024 P Recalled From Minors Rehab (The Kansas City Royals recalled RHP Will Klein from the minors.)

Oh thank god. Lynch needs to stay far away from anything other than a long relief role.

He did fine for a spot start yesterday.

He throws strikes I give him that but he gets hit HARD. One or two starts don't mean too much. He hasn't been great in AAA. I think he's a perfect long relief guy, though.

darn - keep coming here to see if we traded for any bullpen help.......

the search continues....

Whom are these bulls we keep in the pen, and why are there no heifers or cows?

?

I think they could possibly bring up Bubic (when done with rehab, should be close) and maybe Lynch for long relief. And an occasional spot start, similar to how they have used Lynch. Bubic, from the reports I have read, has torn it up in A, AA, and AAA, with the latter 2 being a long relief role.

And in case one of the SPs get hurt.

Lynch seems like he'd be good in an opener role. Just one time through the order and then pull him.

I'm really really excited for Bubic to come back up. If he can continue what he did last year, then he's a pretty valuable asset to add to either the rotation or to the pen.

Last year? Wasn't he essentially out the entire season? I think he had only like 2 or 3 starts.

Bubic pitched 3 games in April before TJ Surgery

Kris 2023 games

Yes I know he didn't pitch much but those first two games if the year right before he elbow gave in had given me all kinds of hope. I didn't have much to be hopeful for last year, so it didn't take much to get me excited, but his 2nd game he pitched last year was the best start he's ever had.

6 IP - 2 Hits - 9 Ks - 0 Walks - 0 ER

I've been high on Bubic since the minors and thought he might be the best out of the Royals pitcher heavy draft class. Brady has that title, but hell if he can be a guy that can be under a 3.5 era, then he's a pretty damn good little piece they could trade or utilize.

If the Royals want to improve the bullpen this year, they will have to be willing to part with some of the more wanted prospects. Blake Mitchell will need to be on the table. If they want to stay with the shit talentless relievers they have then they will just need to deal with that.

There is not a single prospect in our farm system that they'd be unwilling to trade.

Usually you don't have to give up a ton for relievers unless it's an elite guy with several years of control. If it's a rental it's usually midrange prospects. Scott Barlow had 1.5 years left and he got the Padres #10 prospect last year.

I agree I doubt anyone is untouchable though. One thing is this group of Witt/Vinnie/Garcia/Ragans is under control for a while so I don't think they'll take huge risks, but we have no idea what Sherman's gonna do in this situation.

Might explain why he ran out of gas so quickly last night. Seems like he was hurting.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Wacha was wearing a boot on his left foot tonight to take as much pressure off it as possible after a ball hit it in the first inning. Said it&#39;s &quot;definitely a little tender right now&quot; and that he&#39;ll get scans tomorrow. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a></p>&mdash; Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) <a href="https://twitter.com/anne__rogers/status/1796750118898561265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I don't think the Royals have the potential to win the World Series so I don't want them to make any big trades.

Timing along with quality supply may be an issue. This early in the season what teams with decent bullpen pieces are so far out of it that they would want to sell off some of those good pieces? This bullpen needs multiple quality arms to make the Royals actual contenders. Swapping out Chris Stratton (just to pick a name) for Chris Stratton Adjacent doesn’t make tons of sense. And who are we trading? I agree with what others have said in that relievers don’t necessarily cost a lot but who is trading a good reliever for some Royals lotto ticket prospect in early June. And we needed BP help stat. The BP collective ERA was over 5 in May.

That’s not the type of prospect you need to trade for bullpen rentals, though. Unless you’re buying a guy who is elite AND controllable, significant prospects don’t trade hands.

The last bullpen guy who got elite prospects back in return for a rental that I can remember was Aroldis Chapman, and that was a pretty unique situation … that also was almost a decade ago.

Now, would I trade Blake Mitchell for the right return? Sure would. Same with Gavin Cross. And anyone else in the system.

Blake Mitchell has a .410 wOBA and a 151 wRC+ in his first full pro season with low Single-A Columbia. That's with a 33.3% strikeout rate.

The A's are shopping Mason Miller for a big time position player prospect. Their reasoning is that Miller has ace upside and can be moved back into the rotation in 2025. But his injury track record is so bad that I can only see a team like the O's, that has an embarrassment of riches of position players, taking that chance.

Vinnie straight up destroyed that pitch

Who has the gdt thread MOJO that can get things turned around? It doesn't seem to be be...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Wacha has a “small, non-displaced fracture” in his left foot, manager Matt Quatraro said. He didn’t say when Wacha will be able to return, noting that it’ll depend on when the soreness subsides. Wacha is still able to play light catch on his knee to keep his arm moving.</p>&mdash; Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) <a href="https://twitter.com/anne__rogers/status/1797306307084485082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Oh no. That means Lynch might have to pitch

When does Bubic come off the IL?

Player Date P Comment
Daniel Lynch IV
6/2/2024 P Recalled From Minors Rehab (The Kansas City Royals recalled LHP Daniel Lynch from the minors.)
Michael Wacha
6/2/2024 P Placed on 15-Day IL (The Kansas City Royals placed RHP Michael Wacha on the 15-day injured list with a foot fracture.)

Gahhhhh is Bubic not ready to at least got 3-4 innings? Just looked.

He has 1 appearance that he went 3 2/3 innings - 1 Hit - 0 ER - 7 Ks - 1 BB

Lynch hasn't been terrible, but I really wanna see Bubic back.

2 gdt's to break the steak

Why do Royals players after a big hit point to both cheeks with their pinky fingers?

Isbel heading to the IL?

Sucks for him, but I hope so lol. I want to see Waters come up and take his job.

Re: a trade, if the Royals could get Mason Miller from the A’s for Blake Mitchell and a tack-on or two, I think you do it. Miller would have five more years of control, and Mitchell is a HS C who is admittedly hitting well in Low-A, but also striking out a ton.

Mitchell is on track to end the year as a top 50 prospect. I doubt the A’s get that type of offer elsewhere. Maybe have them throw in Rooker to go with it and send a little more back their way.

A great day to be at the park. With the heat and breeze, I was stunned that nobody got under one and sent it into the fountains.

Zerpa was visibly irritated by VP on that pick off attempt. It was towards the second base side of the bag, but from my vantage point, down low, halfway between 1st and home, VP should have caught the ball and applied a tag. But, these things happen.

Still, they came to the plate in the 9th, down two, having lost 6/7 and never wavered. Velasquez just torched that ball. Kind of found it hard to believe it got over Merrill’s head. Looked like he was playing fairly deep.

Helluva win.

I want what you’re smoking.

Hella humid for the opening chunk of the game and then the sun came out! The past week has been frustrating, and again, we haven’t lost more than 3 in a row all year. Pulling today’s game out of the fire was huge. So glad I got to see it! Almost had a miracle on Friday too, thanks to Nellie!

But this bullpen really needs help. Having Massey out really sucks too. MJ has been lousy. Do they swing a deal before Cleveland on Tuesday? Call someone up? I hope so.

Nice weekend crowds too, 30k, 25k, 22k. Another month over .500, and I’m betting those numbers improve. Fans are into it!

Yeah, Nellie did indeed smoke that ball. Off the middle of the wall. 4 more feet and it’s a game winning 3 run bomb.

Re: Mitchell's value or the concept in general?

I know Mitchell is off to a great start, but he does still hold a huge amount of risk.

I'd prefer to make a move like that without trading Mitchell, but Miller is an elite talent at the MLB level already.

Carter Jensen is also performing well and could be a good trade piece. Having 2 LH-hitting catchers who can hit at Lo and High A, respectively, isn't such a bad problem to have.

They are pointing to their eyes. It’s a new trend. It stands for “predator eyes” as in “I’m on the hunt”. Kids these days.

Seems Royals have a prospect or two in the minors at the catcher position. What does the future look like for Freddy Fermin in the organization? He's putting together a very nice year. With the organization mentioning being more transactional, any chance they could flip Freddy to improve the bullpen or strengthen the outfield?

They need Freddy for now, though. I don't think he has shown enough to make some team think he's an above-average starter for them. Having a good backup is important if you want to use Perez aggressively at 1B and DH.

If there was a reasonable offer on the table to bring in Randy Arozarena, would you pull the trigger?

He's a big name but having a terrible season at the plate. He's also highly marketable.

I heard Jeff Passan mention it and thought it was a good question.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two days off in a row for Drew Waters. <br><br>Gavin Cross was removed yesterday with no apparent injury and is out of today’s lineup as well. <a href="https://t.co/vS8Hdlrlko">https://t.co/vS8Hdlrlko</a></p>&mdash; Preston Farr (@royalsminors) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsminors/status/1797317074924318780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

An early look at the reliever trade market:

https://www.royalsreview.com/2024/6/...r-trade-market

Avasail Garcia was released by the Marlins. He’s been bad…but much better than Melendez

Jerry Garcia currently would be much better than Melendez.

He's a shithead that I wouldn't anywhere near the Royals locker room. The Marlins released him but still have to pay whatever remains of $12 mill for this year, $12 mil next year and a $5 mil buyout in 2026. The Marlins.

I don't know what happened this time but they were willing to eat $20+ mil to make him go away.

Day ??? of wondering why MJ Melendez isn't in Omaha

My new bootlegged shirt from China arrived today and none of my information appears to have been stolen

Not sure whats going on there at the bottom with the font or that skyline and its hilariously tacky but no ragrets

Bout to run to Costco then Home Depot just so I can walk around in it while making direct eye contact with people

https://i.imgur.com/GFqPy8F.jpg

What do you mean none of your information appears to have been stolen? Don't pay with a credit card. Use crypto.

Yup! This.

Time to stuff the ballots and get BWJ and Salvy in there for the 2024 ASG!

looks like a pretty significant storm will hit the cleveland area around first pitch, and probably isn't clearing out until around 8:30 pm eastern time. Might be a late night tonight if there's a delay.

That would be something, time travel and all :eek:

BWJ is a bad ass for sure, but making the ASG as a 14yo would be something unprecedented.

That and BWJ would be 13 years old.

Link to the 2024 ballot…

https://www.mlb.com/all-star/ballot

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Incoming rain postpones tonight’s game. Brady Singer will start tomorrow. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a> <a href="https://t.co/Evu3RE2mIz">https://t.co/Evu3RE2mIz</a></p>&mdash; Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) <a href="https://twitter.com/anne__rogers/status/1798459337121435955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Some bitches in Cleveland

You can tell it's a bad offensive season by looking at the OPS of some of those positions. National League OF is atrocious. It's not the era of Hank Aaron-Willie Mays-Roberto Clemente in the NL OF.

This sucks. News on Massey isn't great. And back issues just never seem to go away. Looks like we'll definitely need to add a bat now along with some relievers if we wanna stay in this thing.

https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/roya...d-roster-moves

I forgot about Jordan Lyles. Hope he gets resolved whatever is going on with him that put him on the inactive list.

Isn’t Massey’s condition genetic and was always a known roll of the dice?

Stinks but hopefully there’s a contingency plan

He's just what we need. A 6.28 era back pitching. I'd rather have Lynch and I hate Lynch.

Was it Jeff Passan who suggested the Royals might make a move on Randy Arozarena?

I'm not saying I want him back on the team but just a guy missing half the season for "personal reasons" make me think of something affecting him or someone close to him that's not baseball related.

Yeah it was him. He was just throwing out the scenario as a possibility. Not saying it was anything either team was considering.

He's playing like dog shit this year but maybe that means we can get him cheaper. He's better than some turds we run out there.

He will rebound. There is no way he's as bad as he's shown.

He added a bunch of muscle in the offseason, he said 20 lbs, and it's slowed his bat speed down.

These dudes make millions of dollars. It literally baffles me that they all don't hire competent trainers for themselves (see - Patrick Mahomes). There was literally zero reason for Randy to add 20 lbs of muscle, yet someone allowed him to do it, or at the least, did not talk him out of it. And I'm pretty certain he uses a trainer, because at his size, you don't just go easily add 20 lbs of muscle on your own. You need a very well executed plan to accomplish that when you are already very muscular to start with.