Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

[artoodeetoo]

THE WEEK THAT WAS: AUGUST 12TH-18TH
Karns suspended; Lopez to disabled list for several weeks
By artoodeetoo
08/19/2019

08/14/2019: KARNS SUSPENDED FOR FIGHT IN INDIANS SERIES

Royals reliever Nathan Karns served a two-game suspension on Wednesday, the 14th, and Thursday, the 15th, for a brief fracas at the mound in the first half of a day-night doubleheader with Cleveland on Tuesday.

The Indians' Richie Shaffer drilled a long homerun against Karns, who took umbrage with Shaffer's reaction to the homerun. Karns threw behind the next hitter, Aaron Altherr, and tempers flared. When Karns threw behind him again, Altherr charged the mound and took a swing at Karns, who took him to the ground.

Altherr absorbed a three-game suspension, while Karns missed a pair of contests (not including the second half of the doubleheader; which he was eligible to pitch in, but did not).

08/15/2019: LOPEZ SUFFERS INTERCOSTAL STRAIN; WILL MISS 2-3 WEEKS

Just a day after allowing three runs in one and one-third innings in a 7-3 loss to Minnesota, Kansas City placed right-hander Jorge Lopez on the 10-day disabled list with an intercostal strain. He'll likely miss the rest of August, and the first week of September.

His fastball, usually in the upper 90's, had dipped into the 92-93 range, and according to pitching coach Cal Eldred, his breaking and offspeed offerings didn't show the same bite they had earlier in the season.

In 70 1/3 innings, Lopez has a 3.33 ERA with sixty-eight strikeouts and twenty-three walks. Josh Staumont was activated from his rehab assignment to replace him on the active roster, while Omaha infielder Kelvin Gutierrez (hamstring) was moved from the 10-day to the 60-day disabled list to make room for him on the 40-man.

08/16/2019: ROYALS DEAL MINOR-LEAGUER STOUT FOR CASH

The Royals dealt former 40-man roster occupant Eric Stout to the Dodgers, receiving cash considerations in return from Los Angeles. Stout threw 14 2/3 innings for the Royals in 2018; but was knocked around a bit, fashioning a 5.52 ERA, although he did fan nineteen with just six walks in that time frame.

In 346 2/3 minor-league innings, Stout posted a 3.54 ERA with 327 career strikeouts after being picked in the 14th round out of Butler in the 2014 draft.

[artoodeetoo]

MLB STANDINGS UPDATE

[artoodeetoo]

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (60-63) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (66-59)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

08/20: RHP Tyler Eppler (2-5, 6.29) vs LHP Danny Duffy (8-5, 3.87)
08/21: LHP Brandon Waddell (0-4, 8.25) vs RHP Jake Junis (10-5, 3.57)

GAME RECAPS

August 20th, 2019
Pittsburgh (61-63) 5, Kansas City (66-60) 4
Winner: Felipe Vazquez (2-3) Loser: Corey Knebel (3-4) Save: Nick Burdi (23)

ROYALS FALL THANKS TO LATE MARTE BLAST

Starling Marte's three-run homerun with no one out in the ninth put the Pirates ahead 5-4, and they would go on to hold the Royals scoreless in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-4 victory. Corey Knebel entered the game to face Marte with two runners on in the inning after Richard Lovelady put two runners on, thanks to a walk and an error from Cheslor Cuthbert. Max Moroff got Pittsburgh on the board in the seventh, hitting a two-run homerun against Danny Duffy. Duffy went seven innings; allowing just those two runs, while fanning four with two walks. Alex Gordon was 2-for-4 with two RBI, with both runs coming on a double in the first. Adalberto Mondesi also hit an RBI single in the first. Nicky Lopez drove in a run with a double in the sixth inning.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (53-73) 4, Cleveland (65-60) 3
Pittsburgh (61-63) 5, Kansas City (66-60) 4
Boston (81-46) 10, Tampa Bay (53-73) 4
Chi. Sox (62-64) 5, Toronto (52-74) 2
Detroit (42-83) 3, NY Yankees (83-44) 4 (Final/10)
Seattle (52-74) 2, Houston (83-44) 8
Oakland (59-69) 11, Texas (57-68) 12

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (64-61) 7, Miami (49-77) 2
Baltimore (56-69) 5, Philadelphia (63-64) 6 (Final/15)
Colorado (79-48) 4, NY Mets (78-47) 5
Milwaukee (63-63) 5, Cincinnati (42-86) 17
Atlanta (64-61) 3, St. Louis (75-51) 4
LA Dodgers (79-49) 5, San Diego (55-70) 2
Chi. Cubs (78-49) 7, Arizona (59-68) 2
LA Angels (60-66) 7, San Francisco (58-67) 1

August 21st, 2019
Pittsburgh (62-63) 8, Kansas City (66-61) 6
Winner: Trevor Williams (9-9) Loser: Tony Cingrani (3-4) Save: Nick Burdi (24)

BULLPEN SURRENDERS LATE LEAD; ROYALS DROP BOTH ENDS OF SERIES

The Pirates topped the Royals by an 8-6 count, with the lion's share of the credit going to Pittsburgh's Gregory Polanco. The All-Star went 2-for-5, including a two-run homerun in the seventh that put the Bucs up for good, 7-6. They added a run later in the inning on a Josh Harrison single. Jake Junis was charged with five runs in six and one-third innings of work, with Tony Cingrani taking the loss after surrendering the Polanco go-ahead homerun. Brett Phillips went 2-for-4 with his 10th homerun of the season, while Nicky Lopez reached base four times as part of a 3-for-4 day.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (54-73) 9, Cleveland (65-61) 2
Pittsburgh (62-63) 8, Kansas City (66-61) 6
Boston (81-47) 4, Tampa Bay (54-73) 7
Chi. Sox (63-64) 12, Toronto (52-75) 6
Detroit (42-84) 0, NY Yankees (84-44) 5
Seattle (52-75) 1, Houston (84-44) 7
Oakland (59-70) 5, Texas (58-68) 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (65-61) 5, Miami (49-78) 1
Baltimore (56-70) 6, Philadelphia (64-64) 7
Colorado (79-49) 6, NY Mets (79-47) 8
Milwaukee (64-63) 5, Cincinnati (42-87) 4
Atlanta (64-62) 4, St. Louis (76-51) 5
LA Dodgers (79-50) 0, San Diego (56-70) 1
Chi. Cubs (78-50) 2, Arizona (60-68) 3
LA Angels (60-67) 2, San Francisco (59-67) 4

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
08/19: Orioles' Santander, Rox' McMahon earn Player of the Week honors
08/19: Red Sox acquire Justin Bour from Minnesota for minor-league IF Bobby Dalbec
08/20: Cubs activate RHP Juan Nicasio from rehab assignment
08/21: Rox' Jeff Hoffman out for season with elbow soreness; acquire OF Khris Davis from Oakland

[artoodeetoo]

CLEVELAND INDIANS (65-61) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (66-61)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

08/22: RHP Carlos Carrasco (6-7, 5.72) vs RHP Trevor Oaks (12-5, 2.95)
08/23: RHP Trevor Bauer (9-10, 4.44) vs RHP Luis Cessa (10-6, 3.77)
08/24: RHP Danny Salazar (9-5, 3.87) vs RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-4, 4.71)
08/25: RHP Mike Clevinger (5-7, 4.47) vs LHP Danny Duffy (8-5, 3.82)

GAME RECAPS

August 22nd, 2019
Cleveland (66-61) 10, Kansas City (66-62) 4
Winner: Carlos Carrasco (7-7) Loser: Trevor Oaks (12-6) Save: Randall Delgado (4)

ROYALS DROP THIRD STRAIGHT

Edwin Encarnacion drove in four runs, including three on a homerun in the second inning, as the Royals fell 10-4 to a surging Indians squad. Francisco Lindor also had his best game since returning from injury, hitting a three-run bomb in the sixth inning against reliever Josh Fields. Trevor Oaks had his worst outing in months last night, allowing seven runs on ten hits in just five innings, including the homerun to Encarnacion. He's given up seven longballs in his last five starts, including five prior to the fifth inning of those starts. Only David Peralta had more than one hit for the Royals, going 2-for-4 with an RBI single. Peter Alonso, Brett Phillips, and Alex Gordon all had RBI hits for Kansas City, who has now lost three straight and four of their last six. The loss also drops the Royals out of first place after a ten-day stay.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Chi. Sox (63-65) 3, Toronto (53-75) 6
Cleveland (66-61) 10, Kansas City (66-62) 4
Detroit (42-85) 1, NY Yankees (85-44) 6
Texas (59-68) 6, Minnesota (54-74) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (66-61) 7, Miami (49-79) 4
Colorado (80-49) 8, NY Mets (79-48) 5
Milwaukee (65-63) 9, Pittsburgh (62-64) 3
Atlanta (64-63) 3, Philadelphia (65-64) 4
LA Dodgers (80-50) 6, San Diego (56-71) 2

August 23rd, 2019
Cleveland (66-62) 7, Kansas City (67-62) 8 (Final/14)
Winner: Nathan Karns (3-2) Loser: Nick Goody (3-2) Save: None

ROYALS WIN IT IN EXTRAS

Kansas City and Cleveland duked it out for fourteen innings; with an Adalberto Mondesi single in the 14th providing for the winning run, as the Royals evened their crucial series with the Indians by an 8-7 count. Alex Gordon led the Royals offensively with a 2-for-4 performance, drawing three walks in the process. Nathan Karns picked up the victory, going three innings for the second straight night, allowing just a solo homerun in the 12th to Edwin Encarnacion.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (67-61) 8, Tampa Bay (54-74) 5
Cleveland (66-62) 7, Kansas City (67-62) 8 (Final/14)
Baltimore (56-71) 2, Boston (82-47) 10
NY Yankees (86-44) 13, Toronto (53-76) 2
Texas (60-68) 4, Minnesota (54-75) 2
Seattle (53-75) 2, LA Angels (60-68) 1
Detroit (42-86) 5, Chi. Sox (64-65) 6 (Final/10)

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Milwaukee (66-63) 8, Pittsburgh (62-65) 4
Miami (49-80) 3, NY Mets (80-48) 4
Atlanta (64-64) 2, Philadelphia (66-64) 3
St. Louis (77-51) 10, Cincinnati (42-88) 3
LA Dodgers (81-50) 7, Arizona (60-69) 2
Houston (85-44) 1, San Francisco (59-68) 0
Oakland (59-71) 4, Colorado (81-49) 6
Chi. Cubs (78-51) 4, San Diego (57-71) 9

August 24th, 2019
Cleveland (66-63) 2, Kansas City (68-62) 6
Winner: Jimmy Nelson (6-4) Loser: Danny Salazar (9-6) Save: None

NELSON, MONDESI KEY ROYALS TRIUMPH

Adalberto Mondesi fell a triple short of the cycle, and Jimmy Nelson came through in a big way with a complete-game performance as the Royals clinched at least a series tie with a 6-2 victory over the Indians. Nelson's performance came at a time when they needed it the most, allowing the bullpen to rest after a taxing several days. He fanned five and walked just one over nine innings, allowing a pair of solo homeruns for the only runs he allowed on the night. Mondesi was 3-for-3, hitting a three-run homerun in the fourth, and a two-run double in the sixth.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (68-61) 2, Tampa Bay (54-75) 1
Cleveland (66-63) 2, Kansas City (68-62) 6
Baltimore (56-72) 1, Boston (83-47) 6
NY Yankees (87-44) 6, Toronto (53-77) 5
Texas (60-69) 3, Minnesota (55-75) 6
Seattle (54-75) 15, LA Angels (60-69) 1
Detroit (42-87) 1, Chi. Sox (65-65) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Milwaukee (66-64) 2, Pittsburgh (63-65) 7
Miami (49-81) 1, NY Mets (81-48) 3
Atlanta (64-65) 3, Philadelphia (67-64) 4
St. Louis (78-51) 7, Cincinnati (42-89) 4
LA Dodgers (82-50) 6, Arizona (60-70) 5
Houston (86-44) 11, San Francisco (59-69) 1
Oakland (59-72) 3, Colorado (82-49) 11
Chi. Cubs (79-51) 6, San Diego (57-72) 2

August 25th, 2019
Cleveland (66-64) 3, Kansas City (69-62) 4
Winner: Richard Lovelady (6-5) Loser: Brad Hand (2-7) Save: None

ROYALS WALK OFF IN THE NINTH

Brian Goodwin was 2-for-5 with two RBI, including the game-tying hit in the ninth in the Royals' 4-3 victory. Cheslor Cuthbert walked with the bases loaded after Goodwin's hit to bring home the winning run, giving the Royals the series victory, and their third straight win. Richard Lovelady picked up the win out of the bullpen, his sixth of the season. Danny Duffy went just five innings, but fanned eight while allowing just six hits and two walks.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Washington (69-61) 10, Tampa Bay (54-76) 2
Cleveland (66-64) 3, Kansas City (69-62) 4
Baltimore (57-72) 5, Boston (83-48) 2
NY Yankees (88-44) 9, Toronto (53-78) 3
Texas (61-69) 7, Minnesota (55-76) 0
Seattle (54-76) 4, LA Angels (61-69) 9
Detroit (43-87) 2, Chi. Sox (65-66) 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Milwaukee (66-65) 3, Pittsburgh (64-65) 4 (Final/11)
Miami (49-82) 2, NY Mets (82-48) 10
Atlanta (64-66) 3, Philadelphia (68-64) 5 (Final/11)
St. Louis (78-52) 3, Cincinnati (43-89) 4
LA Dodgers (82-51) 3, Arizona (61-70) 5
Houston (87-44) 2, San Francisco (59-70) 1 (Final/10)
Oakland (60-72) 7, Colorado (82-50) 6
Chi. Cubs (80-51) 8, San Diego (57-73) 1

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
08/22: Orioles southpaw Nestor Cortes suffers torn elbow ligament, will miss most of 2020 as well as 2019
08/23: Rays LHP Blake Snell could miss all of 2020 with torn UCL; will need surgery
08/24: Cardinals acquire OF/3B Nick Castellanos from Detroit for Jedd Gyorko and two minor-league pitchers
08/25: Yankees win tenth straight with 9-3 victory over Toronto

[artoodeetoo]

THE WEEK THAT WAS: AUGUST 19TH-25TH
Royals sign pitching coach to two-year extension
By artoodeetoo
08/26/2019

08/20/2019: YOST HINTS AT LIMITING STARTERS' INNINGS DOWN THE STRETCH

With the September 1st roster expansion in the windshield view, Ned Yost is looking forward to the option of limiting his starters' innings as they push towards the playoffs. With reliever Jorge Lopez out; and a bullpen-taxing series against Cleveland, the long-time Royals skipper is relishing the chance to use some fresh faces out of the bullpen to keep the starters and main bullpen stalwarts fresh.

Most notably, Trevor Oaks and Luis Cessa have been feeling the pinch of late-season baseball -- they have struggled in their last handful of starts. Oaks has surrendered six homeruns in his last five starts after just four homeruns allowed through the first four months of the season.

Cessa has a 6.10 ERA in four August starts, although he has fanned twenty-two in 20 1/3 innings of work in the same time frame.

08/23/2019: ROYALS EXTEND PITCHING COACH CAL ELDRED

After a solid initial season in 2018, the Royals brought pitching coach Cal Eldred back for 2019 on a one-year extension. This time, the Royals have extended him again, but for the next two seasons. Eldred has the Royals' pitching staff ranked in the top five in most major pitching categories in the American League, including the third-best team ERA (4.00) and second-best starters' ERA (4.08).

The only major category where the Royals aren't in the top five as a team is strikeouts; but even then, they have jumped from 14th in 2018 up to 11th in 2019 to this point. A lot of the jump is due to the bullpen, where nearly every relief pitcher is averaging better than a strikeout per inning. In 2018, the Royals had the fifth-best bullpen ERA, but struggled to miss bats in the late innings.

The exact terms of the extension weren't immediately available; but Eldred has been mentioned as a possible managerial candidate at the end of the season, and it appears the Royals might be getting out ahead of that with this move. Eldred, at 51 and a former MLB pitcher himself, has a son, C.J., that pitches for the Royals' rookie affiliate in Burlington.

08/25/2019: STAUMONT SHARP IN RETURN; INJURES OBLIQUE IN SECOND OUTING

It was a short stay for reliever Josh Staumont, as the hard-throwing righty went back on the disabled list with a strained oblique. He'll miss the next five to six weeks, but he'll be eligible for the playoffs if the Royals are still in the hunt upon his return.

Staumont made just two appearances, allowing one walk in one and one-third innings, fanning three. He left the game after just one hitter in the Royals' 8-7 14-inning victory over Cleveland on Friday night, the 23rd.

[artoodeetoo]

MINOR LEAGUE STANDINGS UPDATE, PT. 1

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MINOR LEAGUE STANDINGS UPDATE, PT. 2

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REDS PINK-SLIP WILLIAMS; ALOMAR'S FUTURE IN DOUBT
Long-time exec had been with team since 2008
08/26/2019
By David LoPietro

It appeared earlier in the summer that Reds GM Dick Williams' job was safe through the end of the year at the very least, but that notion was put out to pasture earlier this morning, as the Reds have fired Williams just short of completing his fifth year on the job. Cincinnati has the worst record in baseball, though not by much, with a 42-90 mark.

Of course, this move also puts into doubt the future of first-year manager Sandy Alomar Jr. It is unlikely that a managerial move will be made until a permanent successor is put into the GM's chair, but Alomar is likely on a warm seat heading into 2020 if he's retained.

Reds team president Walt Jocketty, who promoted Williams to the top personnel job after his ascension to the role of team president, said that a "thorough" search for a new general manager will begin in earnest.

"I've considered Dick a close friend these past ten years, but this franchise has to go in a new direction," said Jocketty in a press conference announcing the move. In that same press conference, Jocketty said that he would take over day-to-day operations of the team until a new GM is named, likely in the weeks after the regular season ends.

It will take several days for some potential replacements to come into focus, but a few names to watch for are former Marlins GM Michael Hill, former Braves GM Frank Wren, and even former Reds GM and current MLB Network analyst Jim Bowden.