This year was always a "find out" year for me. I'm fine with being largely inactive in FA.

They needed to find out if more effective and modern coaching could fix Lynch and Bubic and Keller and Singer. Unfortunately, that grade is pretty incomplete with the injuries to Bubic and Keller. Lynch has shown some promise.

I wasn't sold on Witt at SS, either, but again, they needed to see what they had with him. What we have seen so far is that he can play a roughly average SS. That's an improvement from last season, but for me, with Garcia showing such good defensive ability, I'd be talking to Witt about 3B or CF long-term.

From an offensive profile standpoint, I'm interested to see if Witt can keep it rolling. His peripheral numbers have improved (Strikeout rate down, walk rate up, hard-hit rate up, exit velocity up, line drive rate up, ground-ball rate down).

It's still not acceptable to be pacing for one of the 5 worst seasons of all time.

If you were going to publicly ask for a new downtown stadium you as an owner need to look like you give a **** and he doesn't.

Stealing home that's a new way to lose.

I take back anything nice I said about Garcia.

He's been a sack of rubber dogshit since I made this post.

That straight steal of home from Jose was some 2013-2015 Royals aggressiveness.

Walk off winner!!!

Hey! Hot as hell but what an ending! My Buddy and I took our kids out this afternoon. Had a great time

Freddy Fermin is one who is actually been decent this year. Legit backup catcher.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jordan Lyles is sick and will not start tomorrow. Pitching prospect Alec Marsh is expected to make his MLB debut. <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/1674529546949865472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Good. I barely care if we have baseball here. **** this guy.

The one plus for a couple of nicely placed free agents or trades is that it can help backfill the minors

seems like we are promoting anyone with a pulse these days

As bad as this team has been, they have shown flashes.
I for one do not want to see the Royals relocate to another state. **** that noise, and **** you who wants that!!!
Bad Royals baseball is still better than no Royals baseball.

If it resulted in another team like from NBA or NHL then I'm not sure I would oppose that.

NHL would probably be a better fit in this market. I can't imagine an NBA team in KC being able to attract and retain talent long-term.

Dayton Moore, I mean JJ Piccolo, has stated the Royals would like to receive players in trades that are as close to major league ready as possible. Where have I heard that before?

Why the **** are they so obsessed with that?

They're shitty.

Chapman traded to Texas.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have traded LHP Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers in exchange for LHP Cole Ragans and OF Roni Cabrera.<br><br>Ragans, a 40-man roster player, has been optioned to Omaha (AAA) and Cabrera has been assigned to the Royals Dominican Summer League team.</p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1674905940406026241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

About what you would expect for a rental reliever.

It's funny reading Facebook fans made about trading him lol

Cole Ragans has apparently had 2 TJ surgeries already. Roni Cabrera is a lottery ticket.

This is a bizarre take. So we can make maybe the best NFL player of all time happy and proud of the city he plays in but an NBA star is a bridge too far? With a university 30 mins away that has the best home court in all of college basketball? Multiple national titles with McDonald's all Americans? Sells out every game? I realize you cheer for Mizzou and don't understand success in college athletics but don't project your insecurities to a potential NBA franchise.

:Royals: Alec Marsh :Royals: Let's GO!! Marsh gave up a homer to the first batter he faced! He did get his first strike out though in the first inning.

That Mookie Betts guy seems pretty good. Royals should try to sign him.

Betts 2 Rs 0

Marsh is pressing and can't find the strike zone now. Time to give him the hook.

I just want a baseball superstar. Is that too much to ask?

Imagine being a franchise like the Red Sox and trading that away when you have the ability to keep him. Of course Boston deserves it for being a shithole

So they traded him for a guy that is 3-4 years away. Those are the kind of guys they should be trading for. This other pitcher is old and crap.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THERE IS NO ONE ON EARTH HOTTER THAN CARLOS SANTANA RIGHT NOW <a href="https://t.co/HDAmz34DPr">pic.twitter.com/HDAmz34DPr</a></p>&mdash; Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pirates/status/1674966133152129025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

SportsCenter had a crazy thing they just showed. Bret Saberhagen is still getting paid from the Mets 250k a year since 2004 and it will go to 2028.

Bobby Bonilla Day is tomorrow. He gets $1.19 Million dollars every July 1 from the Mets since 2011 in a deferred payment arrangement. He'll get that until 2035.

Ohtani is just on another level. 493 feet homer longest in majors this year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">4️⃣9️⃣3️⃣ feet for No. 30!<br><br>Shohei Ohtani is UNREAL! <a href="https://t.co/W7TxBembrj">pic.twitter.com/W7TxBembrj</a></p>&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1674985659272970241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sign me up

Whatever they paying him... it ain't enough

Roni Cabrera has a 172 wRC+ with an 18.8 BB% and 10.9K% in a repeat of the DSL as a 17-year-old. That's promising. But this league is such a crapshoot. Hard to put too much stock into the stats until they get stateside in the complex leagues.

But you never know. Fernando Tatis Jr. was a throw in like this in the James Shields trade.

Also, Cole Ragans is 25 with a 38.5% strikeout rate in Triple-A this year. Most likely he's just a mediocre lefty with command issues, but he's not a total lost cause. His outpitch is a changeup too, not the wipe out pitch in vogue these days.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cayden Wallace hit a baseball through the Ferris Wheel for his 8th homer of the year. <a href="https://t.co/lrAtZ24WUk">pic.twitter.com/lrAtZ24WUk</a></p>&mdash; Preston Farr (@royalsminors) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsminors/status/1674927505999024128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

How are teams in Oklahoma City and Charlotte and New Orleans and Sacramento and Indianapolis and Salt Lake and Portland doing in the modern NBA landscape at retaining their own stars and building true championship caliber rosters?

It’s not enough to hit on a star and be able to keep them. You have to be able to do that and attract other stars around them.

College sports has nothing to do with my take and has little bearing here. kU’s success as a basketball program is great and all, but it’s not going to have any impact on players’ desire to come to the KC market.

My trepidation about the NBA in this market is just that the landscape is skewed so far in favor of big markets it is a really fine needle to thread to build a champion.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s some footage of newly acquired OF Roni Cabrera, courtesy of JDB Baseball (<a href="https://t.co/24jOA7BZEj">https://t.co/24jOA7BZEj</a>)<br>6-1 frame, probably an average arm with good speed. He’s 5 for 5 on SB through 15 games so far. Looks more like line drive gap power than stuff that’ll clear fences, for now. <a href="https://t.co/RmxAG2mX7H">pic.twitter.com/RmxAG2mX7H</a></p>&mdash; Preston Farr (@royalsminors) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsminors/status/1675170488266682369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

OKC about to blow up. SGA did resign. I think the best way to make it so players don't jump ship is when their rookie contract is up, allow the team that drafted you to be able to offer you the MOST MONEY possible even if it's only 5-10M more.

To me, the biggest offender is MLB which doesn't have a true salary cap. It's virtually impossible to keep guys in MLB if they get good. NY teams spend 300-350M. Oakland spends 60M. If you have that big of a difference in spending you have already failed as a league. In the NBA everyone pretty much is spending 125M to 175M who is actually trying to compete regardless of market size.

You basically have to find someone like Giannis who you took a chance on long before they were great and even that's a bit of luck because Giannis has a Mahomes-like attitude about everything where he puts the team in front of his ego. Even though MLB is really unbalanced you still probably have more of a chance than you do in the NBA. There just aren't a lot of upsets and you have to have that kind of elite superstar or you have zero chance.

Baseball playoffs is getting hot at the right time, with mainly pitching.
NBA playoffs is superstar driven.
NFL playoffs in franchise QB driven.

I'm as big of a KU homer as you're going to find, but I agree the NBA market is a different beast. The fact the closest NBA team to Kentucky is pushing on 3 hours away, I just think you need a different calculus for the NBA that I'm not sure you can find in KC.

(But, KC's gonna be in the conversation now thanks to Patrick, so you never know).

Right. That helps you keep the ONE guy. But it is pretty hard to build to a championship level just through drafting and smart, second-tier FA pickups. You need that second and sometimes third big-ticket player to really have a chance.

All I'm saying. When similar markets in the middle of the country struggle so much, it makes me question the viability in KC.

Sure would be nice to see Lynch improve his strikeout rate

Clearly the Royals just need to play on national TV.

And Taylor Clarke blows

What's funny is that Fangraphs had Taylor Clarke listed as the closer in waiting earlier in the week once Scott Barlow and Aroldis Chapman were both traded.

Now they list Carlos Hernandez as next in line, followed by Amir Garrett.

Enhancing the slider is the key to this happening for Lynch.

I laughed entirely too loud at this. Thank you.

Royals won last night. 1-0 on FOX Game of the Week lol

Royals looking like the 15 Royals today

I love the aggressiveness. Kyle Isbel scores from third on a shallow fly to right off the bat from Bobby Witt Jr.

Can they hold the lead? :shrug:

Yes! Brady Singer has 12 swinging strikes!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Royals have become the MOST aggressive team in baseball! <a href="https://t.co/taoRZ6EX8z">pic.twitter.com/taoRZ6EX8z</a></p>&mdash; Royals Daily (@RoyalsDaily_) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalsDaily_/status/1675586764793163776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Royals take the series from the Dodgers, after splitting a series with Rays last weekend.

They’re now 7-8 in their last 15 games.

I think of all the Royals series wins this year have came against the NL West - Giants, Padres and Dodgers.

This is the Royals that we all deserve!!

My guy Maikel Garcia goes 4-4.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Salvador Perez has been selected to his 8th career All-Star game, per <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> <a href="https://t.co/h15kgFJmPT">pic.twitter.com/h15kgFJmPT</a></p>&mdash; Royals Daily (@RoyalsDaily_) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalsDaily_/status/1675623676509659141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I absolutely adore the fact that we just took 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers. LMAO LMAO LMAO

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cole Ragans - the pitcher acquired for Aroldis Chapman - gave up 5 runs in 4.2 IP with 5 K and 0 BB in his debut for Omaha. 75 pitches, 50 strikes. All five runs came in the fifth, three of them on a home run by Matt Mervis.</p>&mdash; Royals Review (@royalsreview) <a href="https://twitter.com/royalsreview/status/1675712638284713987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I think Ragans is less the target in that deal - Cabrera is the type of intriguing, young lottery ticket I like to see them target in deals.

But it WAS his longest outing in some time. Texas had him working out of the pen, so he’s got to build back up.

It also looks like the Hr came on a cutter, a pitch he should pretty clearly fix or scrap from looking at the data on it.

I saw that he had been working out of the pen. 2 time TJ surgery doesn't make me believe he can do anything.

Yeah, he's a lottery ticket, too.

The good side is that he's already worked back from the second surgery and recovered his velocity AND his plus secondary (the changeup).

The down side is that he's old, and his re-injury risk has to be considered fairly high.

The mid-season trade market for good relievers just isn't that high. I like taking a couple of riskier swings and hoping you land one.

They should be able to get a little bit more out of moving Barlow, if they go that route, since he has another year of control beyond this one. But I wouldn't expect anything insane for him.

Former Royal makes the All Star team.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A moment Brent Rooker will never forget �� <a href="https://t.co/r6dNcDftkK">pic.twitter.com/r6dNcDftkK</a></p>&mdash; Oakland A&#39;s (@Athletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/1675626665404416001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Adding the link as well just in the case embedded video doesn't work because Twitter is a dumpster fire right now. https://twitter.com/Athletics/status...26665404416001

Thats a nice start to the game

What in the hell was Castro doing?

Disappointed in the Royals batters in the second half of the lineup. One inning, the #4 hitter took a walk and the next two swung at the first pitch and popped it up. And all of the swinging at pitches up in their eyes. Where's the coaching? Isn't this something they should be working on?

Michael A. Taylor is such a good OF. Nicky should have been in scoring position.

Garcia is red hot and is probably the best defensive 3B in the league. He's got the 2nd highest UZR/150 among infielders. He's 10th in the league in outs above average and is 2nd among 3rd basemen.

Yep it looked like a sure gapper but not with Taylor out there

Clarke ****ing blows

Goddamn mother****ing Taylor Clarke

There was a point in this thread where someone said Clarke was the only bright spot we had this year.

He went 16 scoreless straight innings in May and early June. But he turned back into a pumpkin.

I think we have something with Garcia guys

Maikel Garcia kinda reminds me a bit of Joe Randa, except with more speed. Plus, he's a couple years younger than Randa was when Joe hit the big leagues. Hopefully Maikel can get a little more power in his bat in the coming years as he fills out and gets more adjusted to the league.