Bobby needs to get far away from shortstop today

Isbel is back. Almost halfway through the season so it's time for that playoff push.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a> and Guardians game 1 as Kyle Isbel returns from the IL <a href="https://t.co/VKauDPTPKS">pic.twitter.com/VKauDPTPKS</a></p>&mdash; Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc) <a href="https://twitter.com/goldbergkc/status/1673779985339875330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I'm at the point where I'm willing to talk to the Dodgers about a package involving Witt and Barlow to see what they'd be willing to give back.

Trading Witt now would just be insanely ****ing dumb. Talk about selling low and not getting anywhere close to the value you could get if he finished the season on a hot streak. Also no way would we trade him in the middle of the season. He'd be a guy you trade in the off season.

It's been 30 games since he hit his low point for OPS .664, not including the first 2 weeks. Since then he's been on a hell of a pace.

If you extrapolated his last 30 games over a 162 games this is what ya get

178 hits, 27 2Bs, 27 HRs, 103 RBIs, 43 BBs, 113 Ks, 54 SBs, .282 BA, .328 OBP, .781 OPS

Now add that to his incredibly improved D at SS. He's 30th in the majors and 7th among ML SS in Outs Above Average. According to Fangraphs, so far he has the 6th highest DEF rating at SS (6.9). Last year he was dead last among SS that played 800+ innings with a -3.5 DEF rating.

He's got the 7th highest WAR at SS and if he continues to hit even remotely close to what he has been the last 30 days + the first month of the season, then there is absolutely no way you trade him. At worst that is the 3rd best SS in the game.

Bobby Witt Jr. has me finally really excited for what he might actually become. He didn't let a brief slump derail his entire season and has been hammering the ball and another exciting sign about this last month is that he isn't just lucking into hits. He has a .301 BABIP during that 30 day stretch.

Royals outfield defense should be improved now. That can help the pitching staff out.

Our leading RBI guy in the lineup tonight has 38. That makes me sad.

Been a pitching duel tonight

That was a mess but it's a run.

That was as bad of a play as I can remember.

And now a bad one for the Royals. Nicky Lopez has been thrown out at second base twice tonight.

Nicky's throw out at second was the ball don't lie for the previous snafu that the Royals got to score on lol

How the hell did Nicky Lopez bat .300 2 years ago? He is beyond worthless

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Juuuust a bit outside. <br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a> head to the ninth up 1-0!<br><br>TV: Bally Sports Kansas City<br>Stream: <a href="https://t.co/ulUYCaCPuW">https://t.co/ulUYCaCPuW</a> <a href="https://t.co/H7yTK5b66V">pic.twitter.com/H7yTK5b66V</a></p>&mdash; Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1673877454593613826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barlow ****ing shit

They better not blow this game that was handed to them. If they do they are not a good team.