Royals Rumblings - News for June 27, 2024

Hopefully this series win gets the team back on track.

Bobby Witt Jr. was the hero yet again in yesterday’s comeback win:

That’s when Witt lined the first pitch he saw from Marlins reliever Huascar Brazoban out to the center-field wall. Witt was thinking triple out of the box — quite literally after his first step, he said — and he made it from home to third in 11.12 seconds, electrifying the Royals’ dugout and the crowd at Kauffman Stadium with his eighth triple of the year.

“He’s that spark plug for us,” third baseman Nick Loftin said.

What followed was — finally — some offensive momentum for the Royals. Vinnie Pasquantino brought Witt home with a game-tying single into center field before Salvador Perez followed with a go-ahead RBI double, and the Royals knocked three more hits along with a walk en route to a five-run inning and a 5-1 win over the Marlins to salvage a series win.

Kansas City’s farm system is in a much better place than it was a couple years ago ($):

Part of the system’s offensive uptick can be attributed to a stronger investment in development, particularly when it comes to younger coaches fluent in analytics and adept at teaching. Every level of the Kansas City system features at least two pitching coaches and two hitting coaches, many of whom are new to the organization within the last few years.

“There’s a level of compatibility, character and the way they believe in coaching and teaching, along with the competency and domain knowledge and skill set they bring through their experiences and their learning to where we felt we can construct and put that puzzle together,” Royals farm director Mitch Maier said when asked about the kinds of traits the team has sought in its new hires.

“We’ve put a very diverse group together to help us reach all players, from a Spanish-speaking player, a high school player, a college player from a big school, a player from a small school, a high pick, a low pick, whatever. We have individuals in every role who have the experience and knowledge compatible with what we believe it means to be a coach within this organization.”

Seth Lugo is thriving in MLB, 15 years after nearly being cut from Centenary’s baseball team:

Not bad for a kid who pitched in just eight games as a Centenary freshman and then entered a 2009 meeting that included then-associate head coach Mike Diaz where the plan was to kick him off the team.

“(Lugo) said, ‘Give me another chance. I promise you will not be disappointed,’” Diaz said.

Tuesday, Lugo pitched six innings against the Miami Marlins, struck out eight and allowed just two hits. He lowered his ERA to 2.29 (third best in the Big Leagues) and now leads MLB with 110 innings pitched. He’s a 34-year-old veteran on one of the youngest, brightest teams in baseball.

George Brett has become good friends with old rival Goose Gossage.

Batters now have the technology to take virtual at-bats against any pitcher, even between innings.

Oklahoma State’s Carson Benge wants to get a shot as a two-way player in pro ball. ($)

This year’s Miami Marlins are historically walk-averse.

Your guide to the best Independence Day celebrations in Minor League baseball.

This week’s injury roundup:

• Seattle right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo is headed to the IL with a calf injury.
• Houston right-handed pitcher JP France will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
• Milwaukee catcher Gary Sánchez is headed to the IL with a calf injury.

11 Texas A&M baseball players, including six starters from their College World Series lineup, have entered the transfer portal following head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s defection to Texas.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will use up to $775 million of public funding for a new stadium.

In the end of an era, USWNT legend Alex Morgan was left off the Olympic roster.

Georgia took down Portugal in a historic Euros upset.

The New York Knicks have reassembled Villanova’s old championship squads, but at what cost?

Three French players were drafted in the top six in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Stone Cold Steve Austin is now an Instagram cat dad.

There have been few winners at the box office so far in 2024.

In a battle of an old villain versus a new one, the RIAA is going to war with AI.

Oslo just put out an all-time tourist ad.

Your song of the day is The Wind Cries Mary by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.