<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ready for a 60-game sprint.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AlwaysRoyal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AlwaysRoyal</a> <a href="https://t.co/LFBT1Rumiq">pic.twitter.com/LFBT1Rumiq</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1280268453643984899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals announce RHP Brad Keller and first baseman Ryan O’Hearn have each tested positive for Covid-19.</p>&mdash; Lynn Worthy (@LWorthySports) <a href="https://twitter.com/LWorthySports/status/1280596922940690435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here are statements from both RHP Brad Keller and 1B Ryan O&#39;Hearn: <a href="https://t.co/U7ePpRfV74">pic.twitter.com/U7ePpRfV74</a></p>&mdash; Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/alec_lewis/status/1280596881081540608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

O'Hearn will probably be fine. Keller might be another issue, he should be over it by opening day, but he's not going to have any time to stretch out and work his pitch count up.

It'll be interesting to see how these situations play out during a season, especially with pitchers.

I'm normally one who doesn't like to watch replays of games, but I've enjoyed watching the two 1980 ALCS games on the last two nights.

If you were really dedicated to the cause the entire team could just voluntarily contract Covid to gain antibodies that would at least be effective for the season. Unless you are Bartolo Colonlike or something. I really hope Rusty Kuntz is not coaching though. Hes actually very at risk along with alot of other coaches.

^^^

Pretty sure it was announced earlier that Kuntz was gonna be reassigned this season due to the pandemic.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bat to the future.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AlwaysRoyal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AlwaysRoyal</a> <a href="https://t.co/5zXQaqfO8q">pic.twitter.com/5zXQaqfO8q</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1281059702340825089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Kopech has opted out of the 2020 season. The 24-year-old, who has one of the best arms in baseball, was on his way back from Tommy John surgery. <a href="https://t.co/AqxWoFFH0E">https://t.co/AqxWoFFH0E</a></p>&mdash; Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1281711252025286656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals announce that catcher Cam Gallagher has tested positive for COVID-19. <a href="https://t.co/uZchjEebGy">pic.twitter.com/uZchjEebGy</a></p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) <a href="https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1281993577854308362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Royals’ three catchers on 40-man roster are out. Viloria is on IR, while Salvy and Gallagher have tested positive for COVID-19. Season starts in 13 days. <a href="https://t.co/JmtXkdqAJJ">pic.twitter.com/JmtXkdqAJJ</a></p>&mdash; Pete Grathoff (@pgrathoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/pgrathoff/status/1282004107180613632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yeah that's not good. He actually played in the game last night. This is going to be a good test to see how the team contains the virus.

Honestly, maybe for any sports team in any league... already seeing some buzz on Twitter about that.

Live instrasquad baseball.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yDqiJsKmxKk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Looks like Dini will handle the catching duties until Perez is cleared. Perez was quarantined fast enough and early enough that he's a decent bet to be back sooner rather than later. I've had friends where the virus ran its course in less than 2 weeks, especially with the asymptomatic (which I believe that applies to Salvy).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TV update: As I&#39;ve reported before, FSKC will air 59 Royals games (deal nearly done). One exclusive national game on FOX -- Aug. 6 here vs. Cubs. Also will be some &quot;co-exist&quot; telecasts on FS1 (also on FSKC), including:<br><br>Aug. 22 vs Twins<br>Aug. 29 at White Sox<br>Sept. 24 vs Tigers</p>&mdash; Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlannyMLB/status/1283057944028995585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Two years ago today, our nightmare ended. Perhaps someday you too will feel such cause for joy.

For on this day, July 14th, 2018, Cardinal Nation declared our Independence from Mike Matheny.

We held these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Except for Mike Matheny, who was as useless as a bag of smashed assholes.

May the Royals see the error of their ways far sooner than Bill DeWitt did...

We'll see. I didn't like the hire. However, he's saying all the right things that lead me to believe he's tried to learn from his mistakes and improve himself. As astonishing as it might be, people do change. People aren't enslaved to a "frozen in time" view we have of them. We'll see rather soon if that's the case with MM. For the Royals sake, I hope he's changed.

All I can say to this is what I said for years when he was in STL. Mike Matheny's biggest problem is that he's just stupid. Matheny's an unintelligent guy. He's a dumb jock, same as many dumb jocks we've all known. But/for his ability to don the tools of ignorance behind the dish, he'd have a job with his nametag on his shirt.

And I've never meant that as mean as it sounds, it's just as a clinical statement - Mike Matheny is of well below average intelligence. I have heard that from others who have worked more closely with him as well and I believe Duncan has had similar experiences.

Now I'm not prepared to say that one needs to be truly smart to be an effective manager - it may not be a pre-requisite.

But man, it can't hurt. And if it IS a necessity, no amount of commitment to change will make a difference.

Matheny was a guy we all wanted to see succeed here. He was loved by the fanbase. But the more you see/hear him speak, the more you realize that the guy's just a dim bulb and there's only so much you can do with those raw materials.

I don't know anything about his raw intelligence. If he's "less gifted" in that area, then hopefully a part of his improvement project was learning to listen and act on the advice of those more IQ gifted on his coaching and analytics staff.

That's what we need. A manager there to have others tell him what to do.

Sign me up for that shit, it can only end well.

And like that, Perez has been activated.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/...dor-perez.html

Please note we had Eagles fans telling us how much we would end up hating Andy Reid. Go in with an open mind


and a short leash.

DJ isn't just some random Cards fan invading our board to talk shit on Matheny. He's a valued member and I trust him immensely

We also witnessed Matheny's idiocy and laughed at DJ from afar for it.

Karma must be kicking us in the nuts for that one.

I didn't see a single Royals fan happy about bringing Matheny aboard all so he could take over for Ned in a year.

I'm not going to suck DJ's dick for claiming that diarrhea makes the bathroom smell bad.

Royals have traded Tim Hill to the Padres for 26 year OF Franchy Cordero and 23 year old RHP Ronald Bolanos, as per Flanagan...

Cordero hits freaking bombs. His only concern is he is always on the DL

Turns 26 in September so still 25 lol. Good job gmdm

Sure hope we can trade him or waste of a roster spot.

Duncan?

So great watching all the old playoff games from 85 on Fox. Almost wrote them a letter thanking them.

Ozzie: 2-23 .087 avg in the L. Always hated him. He dropped the wettest fart ever when it counted against great pitching (#1 in MLB fWAR and the highest of our 52 year history).

John 2-Door breaks his hand. Walking Underwear goes apeshit. Whitey ejected. It will never get better. (Whitey and George watched the Chiefs game in a luxury box Sunday before G7. Whitey tells George “Time to head over to the stadium” and George told him how’s my ass taste? Ok I embellished the last part. Rest is true)

Well they certainly got some potential. Cordero is still a bit raw but has monster power and good speed, and they also got a guy who could be a power reliever.

Duncan. Thoughts?

First thought is I've been slacking. Busy times around the Idaho homestead.

Re: The Hill trade. This is the exact type of deal you should be doing when you're bad.

Cordero has immense raw power and good speed (could play CF in Petco, which means he can play CF in KC) and also has a big arm. Very, very toolsy. He has contact concerns, but this is a HUGE upside play.

I don't know anything about the pitcher, other than he was ranked in the teens of what is one of the best 3-4 farm systems in baseball, so he has some talent.

Re: Summer Camp, the most interesting development to me is how good the reports are on Bobby Witt's ABs. Everything you hear/read about him refers to him battling in counts, making hard contact, and having quality ABs.

Considering his hit tool and K rate were the big concerns with him, that's about the best news you could ask for on him.

Re: Long-debated prospect Seuly Matias, his reports have also been positive. I wasn't aware of this, but his was hurt a few weeks into the 2019 season and played through it. His numbers nose-dived. So I'm not completely giving up hope, yet, on him.

San Diego is a team to trade with, their system is deep as **** and the GM that built that system needs to show results this year.

:clap:

Lately, I've been watching lots of baseball games from the past, including World Series and All-Star games and old Royals games. A couple of days ago, Youtube.com suggested this game for me, a Monday Night Baseball game from August 30, 1976, Royals at Orioles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3EExiBeEqA
. This was the year that Reggie played with the Orioles. He got booed at home during the game (see around 2:22 or so...in that same half-inning, future Royals manager Tony Muser gets an at bat). 1976 was also the year of the Royals first division title and the interesting batting title race and controversy between McRae, Brett, and Carew that went down to the last game of the year. I hadn't realized it, but McRae was batting .355 in late August that year.
Anyway, at about 2:16:40 into this game, there is a very interesting interaction that I had never heard about. Frank White is about to start his at bat, but he shows his bat to umpire Joe Brinkman. Then he exchanges the bat for a new one. I thought that White realized that the bat was cracked and he wanted to show it to the umpire to explain why he needed to trade his bat, but the announcers--Bob Gibson and Warner Wolf- pointed out that there was too much pine-tar on the bat and that Brinkman wanted White to switch the bat because of it. Then they referred to an incident the year before when Munson had a hit disqualified because of pine tar. Brinkman was one of the umps during the George Brett pine-tar game, 7 years later.
Isn't that something!?
Here's a blog post I found that talks about some of the pine tar games that preceded the famous one with Brett...https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-pine-tar-games/ That blog post doesn't mention this particular game. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone mention it, in fact.
Some of my fellow old-time Royals fans would probably find it interesting, though!

I should have mentioned that Monday Night Baseball used to be kind of a big deal. Back before Cable TV, there were only a couple of nationally-telecast games a week, and we Royals fans were always glad when our team was in one of them. If I recall correctly, the Royals hosted a home game the night of the big flood in Kansas City, September 12, 1977, that was on Monday Night Baseball.

Our catchers seem to be good at catching the virus.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Royals announced C Nick Dini and LHP Daniel Tillo have tested positive for COVID-19. They&#39;ll go on the IL.</p>&mdash; Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/alec_lewis/status/1284209479748407302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The real question here is does the addition of Cordero mean that the Royals have given up on Starling or Phillips?

I'm not sure what they're going to do. I thought Bubba looked lost last year but by all accounts he's looked solid in camp and deserves a shot. Phillips is still an elite defender and the Royals value that. This would be less of a question if Franco didn't have 3B locked down, but I guess they can move guys around.

I think the Royals are collecting a lot of lotto scratchers right now. Cordero could get injured in two weeks and Phillips/Starling are back in the rotation.

But, I think the hope is that one of these toolsy guys will have a Cain like flourish. Ultimately our MVP of the 2015 year (and just so damn fun to watch). Cain in the outfield singlehandedly got my roommates into baseball in 2013 (who previously said they just "didn't get the game").

Phillips is a really good outfielder but the stick so far just isn't there, Starling to me looks like a 4A guy.

T-Mobile is once again offering MLB.TV and a yearly subscription to The Athletic for free to all of their customers.

Signups begin Tuesday.

Intrasquad game tonight being live streamed on Royals Facebook channel.

Watched game 7 of the 1985 World Series tonight & now I’m watching game 5 of the 2015 World Series.

Good times.

When is the first televised game

Curious if this includes sprint since the merge.

I just Googled it and found that yes, it also applies to Sprint customers

https://www.tmonews.com/2020/07/t-mo...rting-july-21/

It's not the Royals but there's actually real exhibition baseball on ESPN and MLB Network tonight. I believe it's the first major American sport to have a game in months.

I believe I heard 610 say opening game. Friday.

Bobby Witt is taking it to Duffy. Doubled in his first AB, singled in his second AB. Looking good out there.

Follows it up by scorching another double to left off Blewett.

Nice, thanks!

I think he’ll be on the team next year.

Witt is going to be our 3rd baseman sometime next year. Him and Mondesi will make a very nice side of the infield.

Or he plays SS and Mondesi moves to CF or possibly 2B.

Witt should be in the starting line up day 1

2020 Royals Official Offseason/Season Repository
 

Reds released Derek Dietrich. He hit 19 HR’s for them last year.

For the Reds and Dietrich, this ends what was briefly a very fruitful relationship. The former Marlin signed a minors pact with the Reds heading into 2019, earned a roster spot and then went into the summer as one of the game’s hottest hitters. Dietrich posted a ridiculous .304/.400/.841 line with 12 home runs in just 80 plate appearances in May, but his production cratered after that. He finished the season a .187/.328/.462 hitter with 19 homers in 341 PA, though that line was still 2 percent better than league average, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric.

The 31-year-old Dietrich, to his credit, has consistently been a better-than-average offensive player since his career started in 2013. He owns a lifetime triple-slash of .246/.334/.427 (108 wRC+) with 79 HRs in 2,438 trips to the plate, though most of the lefty-swinger’s damage has come against righties. Defensively, Dietrich has garnered extensive experience at several positions (first, second, third and left). While Dietrich hasn’t graded particularly well at any of those spots, his versatility in the field and history of respectable offense should enable him to catch on elsewhere.

Any interest by the Royals?

Exhibition game at 7 on FSKC. Excited to watch these next couple of nights.

No game-day thread? Where the **** is Lew? This is all we have man!

Having a scotch and a cigar and watching the game on the back patio.

Have we beaned any Astros yet?

Trivia:


What Royals employee (and former radio DJ) first suggested we play music on the PA instead of the organ all the time?

Not yet. Save it for the games that count


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Well that was nice to see...

The Man behind the Golden EIB microphone

Bubba gets a 2 run jack.

Spring Training and Exhibition is easy when the pitcher doesn't give a **** and throws FBs

https://twitter.com/letitflytom/stat...440214019?s=21

I vote River Market.

Would rather have it on the riverfront...

with all due respect tommy:

YOU GO TO HELL AND YOU DIE!!!

Downtown, River Market...All are better than by the Dennys in East Kansas Shitty

Yeah it wouldn't be hard to find a better spot than where they play now. That area is such a complete and total shit hole. I like the idea of a downtown stadium.

Keller and Junis are gonna miss some time. I'd run out Singer and Kowar. I'd love to see Bubic, but there is no way that happens unless a bunch of pitchers catch the Vid.

Wouldn't it be best to not start those clocks early since we're probably what, 2-3 years away and that is with a couple of more good drafts.

I’ll celebrate a 15-45 season. That should get us the #1 pick.

If we're counting on future drafts to be competitive then we're probably more than 2-3 years away.

They need to be competitive for the sake of position players.

If they stay 'down' for one week, with the way they're prorating service time, it doesn't burn a year of service.

I don't think that will be bad enough.

Guys, the Orioles lost 108 games last year, got worse, and play a much harder schedule (AL East and NL East only? Brutal). I legitimately think they're going to win like 12 games and set the record for worst winning percentage in baseball history.