***Official 2021 Royals Season Repository Thread***

[ChiefsCountry]

For all things Royals for the new year.

Free Agent Signings:
Carlos Santana
Mike Minor
Michael Taylor
Ervin Santana

Top 10 Prospects:
1 Bobby Witt Jr., SS
2 Asa Lacy, LHP
3 Daniel Lynch, LHP
4 Jackson Kowar, RHP
5 Erick Pena, OF
6 Nick Loftin, SS
7 Kyle Isbel, OF
8 Khali Lee, OF
9 Jonathan Bowlan, RHP
10 Carlos Hernedez, RHP

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

NEW — Jakob Junis showed up to Royals spring training with a totally new arsenal.

His 23-year-old brother, Noah, is to thank.

A story about baseball's fragility, pitching development and two brothers who love what they do:https://t.co/5Jtxv2ehye pic.twitter.com/YYbcV1w0uU

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) February 25, 2021

Noah Junis should be a pitching coach.

[carcosa]

Fun team this year, folks!

[Coach]

The Royals won seven of the first eleven this April. They won seven total in April 2019. Same in April 2018 and April 2017. #Royals

— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) April 16, 2021

[PunkinDrublic]

Adam Eaton started a benches clearing brawl against the Indians. My God it’s easy to hate the White Sox!

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Waking up to the Royals again in first place.

It’s just good for the soul.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

Adam Eaton started a benches clearing brawl against the Indians. My God it’s easy to hate the White Sox!

Adam Eaton has always been a butthole.

Just like this one:

[KChiefs1]

https://theathletic.com/2522292/2021...ob-junis-more/

The Pitching Report (4/16): New pitches for Lance McCullers Jr., Jakob Junis and more
by
Eno Sarris

The report is back! With a new name — because we’re still trying to nail down some details behind the scenes, but also because this title and format allows for more creativity. You might find a full breakdown of one pitcher that caught my eye, or even just an inning. You might find a group of pitchers that are interesting for some reason. You might even find those Command and Stuff leaderboards we had here last year.

This week, it’s time to look at pitchers who are throwing new pitches. Thanks to Mike Kurland, and his new pitch mix change app, we can do a simple search that asks: which pitchers are throwing a pitch more (up 10 percentage points at least) who didn’t throw it at least 10 percent of the time last year (using that as a benchmark for “owning” a pitch)?

That list is below, with the newest Command+ and Stuff+ numbers. Those Stuff+ numbers are thanks to Max Bay, who picked up Ethan Moore’s stuff research and updated it.

Scanning the Command+ and Stuff+ numbers for this pitch, you realize quickly it’s a bit of an underwhelming list. Hey, if the pitch was amazing, they probably would have thrown it more before, right? There’s still the fact that adding a pitch (by throwing it more than 10 percent of the time), no matter how good it is, softens a pitcher’s third-time-through-the-order penalty, which would potentially allow them to pitch deeper into games. So it’s good news for all of these pitchers, really.

But it’s better news for some. Ideally, the new pitch would be good for action (Stuff) or location (Command) so that it can help the pitcher either get called or swinging strikes. A pitch like Huascar Ynoa’s sinker, which isn’t great at either, still leaves him searching for an action or command pitch other than his slider (114 Stuff+/99 Command+), as all of his other pitches are below-average in both respects.

A pitcher like Tyler Glasnow may get an incomplete on his report card here. There’s evidence he’s still figuring out how to use the slider best, and though you can put together a GIF like this one to highlight the difference between his curve and slider, it ends up being cherry-picking. Watch one of his starts and try to really nail down which breaking ball is which, and you’ll notice it’s not easy. Still, if there was a top-end pitcher who more desperately needed a third pitch, they aren’t obvious, so let’s call it a win for him anyway.

Jakob Junis, Cutter

Here is where we might see the best overall impact from a new pitch. Junis was a two-pitch pitcher, and according to STATS Perform, he still is. But Statcast is tracking a new cutter, so let’s see if we can tell the difference.

Maaaayybee? It’s interesting that STATS doesn’t see a difference because they use catcher signs in their work, and if there’s one sign for these two offerings then it’s probably just one pitch. Also, using Alex Chamberlain’s pitch type leaderboard, the slider has basically the same movement and stats to lefties and righties … but he throws a curve on that leaderboard, and not on Statcast.

So, let’s keep watching. Two breaking balls could be a big deal for Junis, who sorely needs a third pitch. His home runs per nine innings go up from 1.3 the first time through the order to 2.0 the third time through. For now, in fantasy, you’d want to hold him on your bench away from home and even home against better offenses, but he might still be a hold.

[KChiefs1]

The #Royals have won 54 consecutive games when leading after 7 innings, the longest streak in @MLB.#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/Krn6SHeMvS

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 16, 2021

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

The #Royals have won 54 consecutive games when leading after 7 innings, the longest streak in @MLB.#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/Krn6SHeMvS

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 16, 2021

They tried their best to almost give it away last night . . . . . . . thank goodness for Scott Barlow.

[RealSNR]

So when could we possibly call up Bobby Witt and not lose out on an extra year due to service time?

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

#Royals win! Through 10 games, this is tied for Kansas City’s third best start in the last 18 years. KC’s one of two teams in baseball yet to lose a series this year. @KCTV5 pic.twitter.com/jY5orK5bOW

— Jared Koller (@JaredKCTV5) April 14, 2021

What were the other 2? 03 and 15?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

What were the other 2? 03 and 15?

I'd assume it's the Dodgers.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

What were the other 2? 03 and 15?

I see what you are asking now....

Those would be my best guess.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

So when could we possibly call up Bobby Witt and not lose out on an extra year due to service time?

Late April/early May. A few more weeks.

I think they’re going to let him get his feet wet at AA first, though.

[siberian khatru]

Tonight's Royals/Blue Jays game has been banged. Doubleheader tomorrow at 1:10 p.m. & 5:10 p.m. Fans who have tickets tonight can use them for tomorrow's second game. If they can't attend tomorrow, they may be eligible for a voucher for future games.

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) April 16, 2021