Royals Rumblings - News for December 30, 2024
The Royals were a great story in 2024.
Blair Kerkhoff recaps the biggest Kansas City sports stories of 2024.
The signing of Witt proved to be the final of a flurry of offseason moves that reshaped the Royals, who lost 106 games the previous year. In late 2023, they added starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, among other acquisitions, and the results bordered on miraculous.
They became the sixth club since divisional play started in 1969 to post an improvement of at least 30 games. Witt’s incredible season — he led baseball with a .332 average while turning in a second straight 30-30 and winning a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger — led the way to an 86-76 record and first postseason berth in a decade.
MLB.com lists a realistic free agent target for each team.
Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen Offensive pursuits aside, the Royals would like to add depth to their pitching staff and find a versatile pitcher who can appear in the rotation or bullpen depending on the club’s needs. What better fit, then, than Lorenzen, who did exactly that for the Royals last season after they acquired him from the Rangers a day before the Trade Deadline? Lorenzen made six starts for the Royals before a hamstring injury sidelined him for a bit. In total, Lorenzen, who turns 33 next week, posted a 1.57 ERA across 28 2/3 innings with Kansas City. If Lorenzen’s plan, as detailed in The Athletic (subscription required), to be a two-way player for a contender for half of the season does not work out, the Royals have two open rotation spots heading into Spring Training. Lorenzen would fit well into one of them while increasing the competition for others — and bringing his bullpen experience for versatility.
Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter writes about who he would choose for the Royals Hall of Fame.
Soria is another complicated case, as he ended up leaving Kansas City on mixed terms after a successful start to his MLB career.
In 427 games with the Royals, Soria saved 162 games, the second-most since 1992 (behind only Jeff Montgomery, who is in the Royals Hall of Fame). His career ERA with the Royals was 2.82, and his fWAR of 9.8 is the second-best mark of any Royals reliever over that timespan.
The Kansas City Star chides the Royals and Chiefs for not being very transparent about their stadium plans.
These conversations are worthwhile. Yet there is little evidence either club, or responsible public officials, have pursued serious stadium dialogues with the people most affected by the issue: the public.
Shutting out meaningful public participation in the stadium debate is the wrong approach.
That’s true even if the teams pursue stadiums without a public vote. A new Royals stadium anywhere near the Kansas City urban core would likely need zoning and permits even if the team paid every dime of the cost, which it won’t. And residents in Kansas neighborhoods will undoubtedly demand some say in a baseball stadium project if the team builds across the state line.
Royals Weekly finds the off-season inaction excruciating.
Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman wants Gavin Cross to be bumped up to Triple-A.
Washington brings back first baseman Josh Bell.
The Cubs trade first baseman Matt Mervis to the Marlins for infielder Vidal Brujan.
The Dodgers meet with free agent Roki Sasaki.
The Angels and Tigers are interested in Anthony Santander.
The Giants are considering free agent first baseman Pete Alonso.
The Blue Jays were interested in Gleyber Torres before he signed with the Tigers.
Who could trade for Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo?
The Rays have had interest in Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford.
If Spencer Torkelson is out in Detroit, where could he land?
Shohei Ohtani and his wife are expecting their first child.
Iowa State defeats Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl and celebrate by eating the mascot.
The Ringer collects the best sports stories of 2024.
Top chess player Magnus Carlsen quits the championship after refusing to change out of jeans.
The remains of a baby mammoth preserved for 50,000 years is unveiled in Russia.
The Parker Solar Probe is safe after traveling within 3.8 million miles of the sun.
Your song of the day is Holly Humberstone with I Would Die 4 U.