Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

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SPRING TRAINING REPORT #3
U.S., D.R., to meeet in WBC final
By artoodeetoo
03/22/2020

U.S. TO PLAY DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TOMORROW NIGHT

The only remaining Royal still playing is closer Corey Knebel, and his American squad will be facing off against the Dominican team tomorrow night from Los Angeles. Knebel made his only appearance of the tournament on Friday night, pitching a scoreless inning and striking out the side in the process in an 8-5 loss to the Dominican Republic.

It is a New York-New York matchup in the final, with Noah Syndergaard facing off against Luis Severino.

HAND SHUT DOWN FOR REMAINDER OF SPRING

Royals southpaw Brad Hand left after just two-thirds of an inning with shoulder tightness during Thursday's 5-1 win over Minnesota in Spring action.

He was placed on the 10-day disabled list, and is not scheduled to pitch again the remainder of the spring, but should be available in time for Opening Day on April 2nd against the White Sox. An MRI was performed, but did not reveal any structural damage.

"It's a precautionary measure, but we tell our pitchers to not be heroes, especially in the spring," said manager Ned Yost. "If you're feeling some pain, let us know. It's not worth it this time of year to see if you can pitch through it."

ROYALS CUT SIX MORE

Pitchers Foster Griffin and Mitchell White, along with outfielder Seuly Matias, were optioned to Triple-A Omaha; along with first baseman Hunter Dozier, infielder Corey Toups, and pitcher Homer Bailey, who were assigned to Omaha's minor-league camp.

Matias impressed in his Spring stint, hitting .250 (12-for-48), with seven doubles, two homeruns, and eleven RBI; in which the latter led the Royals. Griffin and White both had disappointing outings prior to being sent down; with Griffin allowing seven earned runs in his last two starts, and White left his most recent appearance on Saturday early on with an elbow issue.

The team was off yesterday, and is off again today. They will return to the field tomorrow against Toronto, as the last full week of Spring Training begins.

SCORES
03/15: Kansas City 2, Texas 3
03/16: Tampa Bay 2, Kansas City 3
03/17: Kansas City 7, NY Yankees 2
03/18: Boston 2, Kansas City 4
03/19: Kansas City 5, Minnesota 1
03/20: Oakland 5, Kansas City 1
03/21: Kansas City 3, LA Angels 7

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U.S. SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS WBC TITLE
Japan's Darvish named Most Valuable Player of entire tournament
By Jason Frampton, MLB.com
03/24/2020

The Americans held off a late rally from the Dominican Republic as they took their second straight and overall WBC title with a 3-2 victory. Noah Syndergaard was named the player of the game, striking out seven in six and one-third innings to get the victory. Ian Happ and Mike Trout homered for the Americans, while the Dominican team scratched across two unearned runs in the seventh against Syndergaard, thanks to an error from the Cubs' Kris Bryant.

However, while Syndergaard was named the title game's MVP, the overall WBC MVP went to Bryant's Cub teammate in Yu Darvish. Darvish went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA, striking out twenty-nine in twenty innings over three starts, helping Japan get to the tournament semifinals, where they were dropped by the United States by a 9-0 count two nights ago. He left that game after just four innings and two runs, complaining of elbow discomfort, but had struck out eight with no walks at that point.

Japan manager Mitsiyashi Ioka noted that Darvish's injury was not serious, and that taking him out was a precaution. Later on, he noted that the Cubs had already inquired during the game about the extent of the injury, as Cubs' brass was watching the action unfold.

"They had called within ten minutes of him leaving the field," said Ioka through an interpreter. "They were very concerned."

Japan also lost to the U.S. in 2017 in the semifinals, as the Americans went on to defeat Puerto Rico in the title game. The U.S. went 7-1 in the tournament overall, falling just one win short of becoming the second team to roll through the WBC undefeated, with the 2013 Dominican title squad the only one to date.

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SPRING TRAINING REPORT #4
Royals finalize Opening Day roster; Hand activated from 10-day disabled list
By artoodeetoo
03/30/2020

ROYALS FINALIZE ROSTER; WILL CARRY THIRTEEN PITCHERS

With Josh Staumont being optioned to Omaha to clear room for Brad Hand on the 25-man active roster, the Royals finalized their 2020 Opening Day roster. They're one of a few teams that are opting to carry thirteen pitchers, especially since few teams actually have the versatility with their bench to carry a 13th pitcher over a 13th position player.

Outfielder Khalil Lee, right-hander Max Povse, southpaw Joe Palumbo, and Chris Ellis are also no longer with the Royals, as the former three are now in Triple-A Omaha. Ellis, who was picked in the Rule 5 Draft back in December, was sent back to the Cardinals after losing out to Ben Lively for a starting rotation slot. Palumbo had cleared waivers yesterday prior to being assigned to Omaha today.

One of the team's last top pitching prospects to remain with the club, lefty Daniel Lynch, was assigned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He pitched 100 innings for the Naturals last season, spinning a 4.86 ERA in the hitter-friendly league.

"I think we're a better club with one extra pitcher," said manager Ned Yost. "It'll give us a little more flexibility and will allow some guys to take on some different roles."

Despite having just three players on their bench, all three are capable of playing multiple positions. Backup catcher Patrick Mazeika can play first base as well. Jose Peraza has played all four infield positions, and left and center field. Brett Phillips has the range and arm to play any outfield position, and could be a valuable bat against right-handers.

With Danny Duffy working four innings in last night's Spring finale against the White Sox, Thursday will be the first time since 2016 that Danny Duffy won't be the Opening Day starter. Instead, Trevor Oaks will get the ball against Carlos Rodon on Thursday, while Duffy will get the call on Saturday.

SCORES
03/24: Toronto 5, Kansas City 3
03/25: Kansas City 4, Seattle 8
03/26: Baltimore 6, Kansas City 7
03/27: Kansas City 2, Houston 3
03/28: Cleveland 0, Kansas City 6
03/29: Kansas City 0, Chi. Sox 2

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2020 TEAM OUTLOOK
Kansas City set to embark on anticipated 2020 campaign
By artoodeetoo
04/01/2020

PROJECTED LINEUP
2B L Nicky Lopez
SS S Adalberto Mondesi
DH R Yoenis Cespedes
1B R Peter Alonso
3B R Cheslor Cuthbert
LF L Brian Goodwin
RF R Nick Castellanos
CA R Salvador Perez
CF R Kevin Pillar

BENCH
CA L Patrick Mazeika
UT R Jose Peraza
OF L Brett Phillips

STARTING ROTATION
RHP Trevor Oaks
LHP Danny Duffy
RHP Luis Cessa
RHP Jake Junis
RHP Ben Lively

BULLPEN
RHP Corey Knebel (CL)
LHP Richard Lovelady
LHP Brad Hand
RHP Nate Jones
LHP Jake Diekman
RHP Nathan Karns
RHP Jorge Lopez
RHP Drew Smith

DIVISION OVERVIEW

Much like the current presidential campaign, the baseball season is heating up as Opening Day commences tomorrow night at the K. Ned Yost, Travis Greenleaf, Dayton Moore, and other team staffers have all been consistent in saying this is the best they've felt about a Royals team since 2014, but as I said on the offseason blog, I hope there isn't too big a disconnect between expectations and possible reality. While the division as a whole isn't great, it's certainly better than it was last season. Yasiel Puig and Derek Dietrich are pretty big upgrades in the outfield and at third base, respectively. They also go four-deep in the rotation, and have a quality bench.

Detroit did a lot to improve their bullpen, easily their worst unit in 2019. Minnesota added Jose Abreu and Tyler Glasnow, while extending Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Jose Berrios. 2017 first-overall pick Royce Lewis, who was selected by the Twins that year, won the shortstop job outright with a huge spring. If they can get Miguel Sano back to his 2017 and 2018 form, the Twins will be a squad that could surprise. The White Sox might not be competitive this year, but they added a glut of young talent that should form the core of their next four to five seasons.

REASONS TO HOPE

The core of the lineup returns with AL Rookie of the Year Peter Alonso, Cheslor Cuthbert, and Salvador Perez, who all hit twenty or more homeruns last year. Perez's leadership returning is also an underrated factor. In addition, they'll return standouts in Nicky Lopez, Adalberto Mondesi, and Brian Goodwin. Add to the mix veterans in Yoenis Cespedes and Nick Castellanos, and this is a team that addressed it's most serious weakness from a season ago -- scoring runs (and more homeruns, to a lesser extent). Despite losing Billy Hamilton, they managed to improve their outfield speed and defense by acquiring Kevin Pillar to play center, with Goodwin and Castellanos flanking him on the left and right, respectively.

The bullpen is also ridiculously deep -- the Royals are one of the few teams carrying thirteen pitchers heading into Opening Day, due to the quality depth they have there. They are able to do this thanks to a solid bench with Jose Peraza, who can play second, short, third, left and center field. Brett Phillips, who was a starter last year, will provide solid defense and speed off the bench, with the ability to play any outfield spot. Reserve catcher Patrick Mazeika has experience playing first base, and is likely to get several games per month there to continue to build experience.

REASONS TO MOPE

Are the 2019 Royals a fluke? It took a series of career-year type of seasons to win eighty-eight games and make the postseason, and there are questions that they'll get that kind of production in 2020, now that the league has had a chance to adjust. For example, Goodwin had a 133 OPS+ and wRC+ of 132 over just 383 plate appearances in 2019. It seems like a decent sample size, but he's yet to play a full season in the majors. Can he maintain that over a full year? Plus, while the AL Central certainly can't be mistaken for the best division in the league, it's markedly better over 2019 as noted in the opening.

The rotation also has just two guys who have had success over multiple seasons -- Duffy and Junis. The other member of the rotation with a similar track record is now gone (Jimmy Nelson), having since been traded to the Mets, and then from there to Houston. It remains to be seen whether Trevor Oaks can continue his production without a high strikeout rate (5.6 K/9 in 2019). On its face, the acquisition of Lively looks like a good move, but there are injury concerns, and transitioning from the National to American League has taken its toll on many a pitcher.

As with most teams, there are question marks if injuries strike the rotation. They have some talented, but unproven prospects like Mitchell White, Foster Griffin, and Heath Fillmyer waiting in the wings should some veterans go down. Southpaw Eric Skoglund, who is serving an 80-game suspension for PED's, figured to be in the mix for a rotation spot before his suspension was announced.

BREAKOUT PLAYER

It's hard to tell how many high-leverage innings he'll get to pitch with the depth of the bullpen, but I'll go with Drew Smith. His sample size last season as a reliever was small, but managed to strike out nearly thirteen batters per nine out of the bullpen, flashing high-90's smoke to go with a devastating curveball and solid change-up. He pitched in some high-leverage innings in the postseason a year ago, including a scoreless three-inning performance in the Royals' ALDS Game 4 win over Houston.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

Offseason information back on Page 39 all updated through 04/01 (Opening Day).

START OF 2020 SEASON

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2020 BNN PROJECTIONS

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CHICAGO WHITE SOX @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS



PITCHING MATCHUPS

04/02: LHP Carlos Rodon (0-0, 0.00) vs RHP Trevor Oaks (0-0, 0.00)
04/04: RHP Hector Noesi (0-0, 0.00) vs LHP Danny Duffy (0-0, 0.00)
04/05: RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 0.00) vs RHP Luis Cessa (0-0, 0.00)

GAME RECAPS

April 2nd, 2020 - First pitch, 6:35 CST
Chi. Sox (0-1) 7, Kansas City (1-0) 8 (Final/16)
Winner: Drew Smith (1-0) Loser: Adam Morgan (0-1) Save: None
HR-CWS: Eloy Jimenez (1) HR-KC: Yoenis Cespedes (1), Cheslor Cuthbert (1)

ROYALS WIN LONGEST OPENING DAY GAME IN TEAM HISTORY

It took just shy of sixteen innings, but Cheslor Cuthbert sent the 10,000-or-so remaining fans home happy with a solo homerun off Adam Morgan in the bottom of the 16th, giving the Royals an 8-7 walk-off victory. Kansas City won despite two errors that led to two runs in the first nine innings, leaving twelve men on base. That figure included seven in the final five innings, twice having the winning run stranded at third. They had the leadoff man on in each of the last five innings as well. Nicky Lopez was a homerun short of the cycle, leading off the Royals' first with a triple before scoring on Adalberto Mondesi's groundball out. Lopez later doubled home a pair of runs in the fourth, before Yoenis Cespedes launched a three-run homerun further into the frame to put them up 7-3. Cespedes also doubled in the third, going 2-for-7 with a walk, double, and a homerun. Nathan Karns and Drew Smith were dynamite out of the bullpen; combining for ten strikeouts and just two baserunners in seven total innings, with Smith going the final four frames for the victory.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Detroit (1-0) 3, Toronto (0-1) 2
Chi. Sox (0-1) 7, Kansas City (1-0) 8 (Final/16)
Baltimore (1-0) 5, NY Yankees (0-1) 4 (Final/11)
Chi. Cubs (0-1) 2, Texas (1-0) 3
Houston (1-0) 2, Tampa Bay (0-1) 1
Cleveland (0-1) 7, Minnesota (1-0) 8
LA Angels (1-0) 2, Oakland (0-1) 1
Boston (0-1) 3, Seattle (1-0) 4 (Final/12)

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Mets (1-0) 6, Washington (0-1) 2
Atlanta (1-0) 7, Philadelphia (0-1) 3
St. Louis (0-1) 1, Milwaukee (1-0) 4
Pittsburgh (0-1) 4, Cincinnati (1-0) 5
Colorado (1-0) 5, Miami (0-1) 2
San Francisco (1-0) 12, San Diego (0-1) 6
Arizona (1-0) 3, LA Dodgers (0-1) 2

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Padres trade C Austin Allen to the Blue Jays for 1B Jose Marmolejos, C Riley Adams

April 4th, 2020 - First pitch, 5:30 CST
Chi. Sox (0-2) 3, Kansas City (2-0) 4
Winner: Jorge Lopez (1-0) Loser: Thyago Vieira (0-1) Save: None
HR-CWS: John Hicks (1) HR-KC Adalberto Mondesi (1)

GOODWIN SINGLE WALKS THE WHITE SOX OFF AGAIN

Brian Goodwin's RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth gave the Royals their second straight walk-off win, as they moved to 2-0 with a 4-3 victory. Single tallies in the first and third off Danny Duffy gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the third, but Adalberto Mondesi's first hit of the season came at a good time -- he drilled a three-run homerun off Hector Noesi in the bottom of the third to put the Royals in front until the seventh inning, when John Hicks led off the inning with a solo homerun off reliever Richard Lovelady. Lovelady settled in to retire six of the next seven hitters, walking one with four strikeouts. Nick Castellanos and Patrick Mazeika were the only Royals to reach base more than once, as Castellanos went 1-for-3 with a walk, and Mazeika was 2-for-4. Danny Duffy didn't factor into the decision, allowing just two earned runs in six innings of work, fanning four with one walk.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Detroit (1-2) 4, Toronto (2-1) 7
Chi. Sox (0-2) 3, Kansas City (2-0) 4
Baltimore (1-1) 6, NY Yankees (1-1) 13
Chi. Cubs (1-1) 8, Texas (1-1) 3
Houston (1-2) 3, Tampa Bay (2-1) 4
Cleveland (1-1) 8, Minnesota (1-1) 2
LA Angels (2-1) 4, Oakland (1-2) 5
Boston (1-2) 2, Seattle (2-1) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Mets (1-1) 1, Washington (1-1) 5
Atlanta (2-0) 8, Philadelphia (0-2) 5
St. Louis (1-2) 4, Milwaukee (2-1) 0
Pittsburgh (0-2) 3, Cincinnati (2-0) 9
Colorado (2-1) 11, Miami (1-2) 0
San Francisco (3-0) 6, San Diego (0-3) 3
Arizona (1-2) 3, LA Dodgers (2-1) 14

MAJOR TRANSACTIONS
White Sox place LHP Michael Strong (shoulder) on 60-day disabled list
Blue Jays place RHP Marcus Stroman (elbow) on 60-day disabled list

April 5th, 2020 - First pitch, 3:10 CST
Chi. Sox (0-3) 7, Kansas City (3-0) 8 (Final/10)
Winner: Jake Diekman (1-0) Loser: Zack Burdi (0-1) Save: None
HR-CWS: Avisail Garcia (1), Yairo Munoz (1) HR-KC Brian Goodwin (1), Yoenis Cespedes (2)

KARDIAC KIDS SWEEP SOX AT THE K

Yet again, the Royals needed a walk-off hit to dispatch the White Sox, this time off the bat of Kevin Pillar as the Royals won 8-7 in ten innings. This time, they had to come from behind to pull off the victory. They were down 7-3 midway through the fourth inning, before Brian Goodwin stroked his first homerun of the season to knock the lead down by one. They scored one in the seventh, and two in the eighth to pull even before Pillar's hit in the tenth to win it. Luis Cessa was knocked around in his first start of 2020, allowing seven runs in four innings. While not as dominant as Opening Day, Drew Smith tossed three scoreless innings in relief before handing off to Brad Hand and Corey Knebel in the eighth and ninth. Jake Diekman threw a 1-2-3 tenth to pick up the victory.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Detroit (1-3) 6, Toronto (3-1) 7
Chi. Sox (0-3) 7, Kansas City (3-0) 8 (Final/10)
Baltimore (2-1) 8, NY Yankees (1-2) 5 (Final/11)
Chi. Cubs (2-1) 11, Texas (1-2) 4
Houston (1-3) 0, Tampa Bay (3-1) 2
Cleveland (1-2) 3, Minnesota (2-1) 4 (Final/11)
LA Angels (2-2) 7, Oakland (2-2) 8 (Final/10)
Boston (2-2) 6, Seattle (2-2) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Mets (2-1) 7, Washington (1-2) 2
Atlanta (3-0) 5, Philadelphia (0-3) 3
St. Louis (2-2) 7, Milwaukee (2-2) 1
Pittsburgh (0-3) 4, Cincinnati (3-0) 8
Colorado (2-2) 2, Miami (2-2) 3
San Francisco (4-0) 5, San Diego (0-4) 3
Arizona (2-2) 2, LA Dodgers (2-2) 0

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Twins place RHP Trevor May (elbow) on 60-day disabled list
Reds place LHP Tyler Lyons (elbow) on 60-day disabled list

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KIPNIS SIGNED TO MINOR-LEAGUE CONTRACT
Veteran infielder to add quality depth
By artoodeetoo
04/06/2020

Former Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis has signed a minor-league deal with the Royals, as reported by Maria Torres of the Kansas City Star late last night via Twitter.

He is on his way to Omaha, where he'll begin play with the Storm Chasers on Thursday night against Colorado Springs.

Kipnis spent the first nine years of his career in Cleveland, hitting .268 with 110 homeruns, 249 doubles, and 132 steals. He also made two All-Star teams (2013, 2015), and went to the World Series in 2016 with the Indians.

After a strong 2018, where he hit eighteen homeruns and fashioned a .269 average, he missed most of the season with injuries, and hit just four homeruns in forty-one games.

With the minor-league depth in the upper minors thin in the middle infield, Kipnis is an excellent insurance policy should injuries strike the big-league club.

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INJURIES CLAIMING PITCHERS IN SEASON'S FIRST WEEKS
Stroman, Martes, Corbin among standout pitchers falling to elbow problems
By Evan Smith, MLB.com
04/06/2020

Cincinnati's Tyler Lyons and Minnesota's Trevor May are just the two latest pitchers to succumb to UCL injuries, as a half-dozen notables have been forced to the sidelines in recent days. Lyons was coming off a solid year in 2019, striking out 109 in eighty-four innings between the Cardinals and the Tigers. He made just one appearance for Cincinnati, feeling a pop in warmups before facing just two hitters against the Pirates. The first hitter, Marcell Ozuna, hit a 433-foot bomb before he fanned Gregory Polanco. Despite facing just those two hitters, he went on to pick up the victory.

Toronto's Marcus Stroman left his Opening Day start early against the Tigers, going just three innings before being diagnosed the next day with a torn flexor tendon. He'll miss the entire 2020 season after going on the 60-day disabled list.

It's a huge blow for new manager Scott Servais, who interviewed for and accepted the job after four largely unsuccessful years in Seattle. The Blue Jays don't have a lot of depth in the rotation after Gerrit Cole, as they have veterans Jesse Hahn and Brandon McCarthy, and youngsters Jon Harris, Justin Maese, and Patrick Murphy vying for starts. Harris (1st) and Maese (3rd) were drafted highly in the 2015 draft by the Blue Jays.

"We're going to see what they're made of pretty quickly," Servais quipped in a conference call to reporters upon learning of Stroman's diagnosis. "They're talented, but talent doesn't always play in this game."

St. Louis' Patrick Corbin is in the second year of a three-year contract he signed prior to last season with the club. After leaving a spring start early on the 15th of March with a torn flexor tendon, they missed out on Jimmy Nelson, who had been traded from the Mets to the Astros just a few days earlier in the wake of Francis Martes' shoulder injury. However, the Cardinals' starting rotation had a pretty solid first four games, with Carlos Martinez having the only so-so performance on Opening Day.

Cards general manager Michael Girsch, who was promoted to the role this season after John Mozeliak took on a more senior executive role, said that the team is "keeping their options open" when it comes to rotation arms, but that they are going to look inward first. Trevor Cahill made the team out of the spring as a swingman, and is slated to start tonight against the Pirates in Pittsburgh tonight.

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MINNESOTA TWINS (2-1) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (3-0)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

04/07: LHP Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 0.00) vs RHP Jake Junis (0-0, 0.00)
04/08: RHP Jose Berrios (0-0, 9.00) vs RHP Ben Lively (0-0, 0.00)

GAME RECAPS

April 7th, 2020 - First pitch, 6:30 CST
Minnesota (2-2) 4, Kansas City (4-0) 6
Winner: Jake Junis (1-0) Loser: Adalberto Mejia (0-1) Save: Corey Knebel (1)
HR-MIN: Byron Buxton (1) HR-KC: Salvador Perez (1)

ROYALS STAY UNDEFEATED THANKS TO JUNIS, PEREZ

Jake Junis fanned seven in seven innings of work, and Salvador Perez drove in three runs as part of a 2-for-4 day as the Royals defeated the Twins by a 6-4 count to stay undefeated on the young 2020 season. Kansas City led 6-0 after five innings, only to see the Twins mount a minor comeback in the late innings. Byron Buxton drove in all four of the Twins' runs, the first two on a double in the sixth against Junis, and then again in the eighth via a two-run homerun against Brad Hand. Jose Abreu also extended his hitting streak to twenty-one games, dating back to last season with the Cardinals. Nicky Lopez was 1-for-4, driving in two of the three Royals' runs in the second inning with a double.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Baltimore (2-3) 5, Toronto (5-1) 8
Minnesota (2-2) 4, Kansas City (4-0) 6
Colorado (4-2) 7, Tampa Bay (3-3) 3
Detroit (2-4) 3, NY Yankees (2-3) 9
Houston (2-4) 3, Texas (2-3) 0
LA Angels (3-3) 2, Seattle (3-3) 3
Boston (4-2) 7, Oakland (2-4) 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (3-3) 4, Cincinnati (4-1) 6
Philadelphia (1-3) 8, Washington (1-3) 4
NY Mets (4-1) 6, Miami (2-4) 0
San Francisco (4-2) 2, LA Dodgers (4-2) 9
Arizona (3-3) 12, San Diego (1-5) 2

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Surprising Giants, Reds in top three of initial Power Rankings released Monday
Padres top prospect Mackenzie Gore spins two-hit shutout against Arizona in MLB debut last night
Dodgers' Alex Verdugo has league's first five-hit day in 2020 season
Justin Verlander released by Angels; will pay entire 2020 salary of $7.5M

April 8th, 2020 - First pitch, 2:10 CST
Minnesota (2-3) 3, Kansas City (5-0) 1
Winner: Ben Lively (1-0) Loser: Jose Berrios (0-1) Save: Corey Knebel (2)
HR-MIN: None HR-KC Adalberto Mondesi (2)

ROYALS REMAIN PERFECT IN NAIL-BITER

You couldn't have pictured a better Royals debut for Ben Lively, as the right-hander blanked Minnesota through eight innings, striking out four while scattering four hits as the Royals shut the Twins out by a 1-0 count. However, he was pulled after just eighty-six pitches with a pair of solid left-handed hitters due up in the ninth. Richard Lovelady and Corey Knebel combined for a scoreless ninth, with Knebel picking up his second save. The game's lone run came in the third as Adalberto Mondesi hit his second homerun of the season off Twins starter Jose Berrios, who left soon after that homerun with an arm issue that was later diagnosed as a bicep strain. Both teams struggled to string hits together, as each team had just five hits in the contest, including just one extra-base hit each. Brian Goodwin reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with a single, two walks, and a stolen base.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Chi. Sox (0-5) 5, Cleveland (3-2) 6
Baltimore (3-3) 2, Toronto (5-2) 1
Minnesota (2-3) 0, Kansas City (5-0) 1
Colorado (5-2) 4, Tampa Bay (3-4) 1
Detroit (2-5) 1, NY Yankees (3-3) 7
Houston (3-4) 11, Texas (2-4) 3
Boston (4-3) 1, Oakland (3-4) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Chi. Cubs (4-1) 4, Atlanta (3-2) 0
Milwaukee (4-3) 5, Cincinnati (4-2) 3
St. Louis (3-3) 3, Pittsburgh (1-4) 4
Philadelphia (1-4) 1, Washington (2-3) 3
NY Mets (4-2) 2, Miami (3-4) 3
San Francisco (4-3) 3, LA Dodgers (5-2) 4 (Final/10)
Arizona (4-3) 6, San Diego (1-6) 5 (Final/11)

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Seattle designates RHP Dan Straily for assignment; lost 20 games last season
Yankees place RHP Zack Godley (shoulder) on 10-day disabled list, retro to 04/07/2020
Tampa claims OF Mark Zagunis from the Cubs, placed on 40-man roster

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PROSPECTS WITH MOST TO PROVE
Upper minor league teams' seasons to begin tonight
By artoodeetoo
04/09/2020

With the Royals' top four affiliates beginning play tonight, in lieu of a preview, here are the team's prospects that have the most to prove heading into the 2020 season. We'll go more in depth with the minor leagues as the season progresses.

Omaha -- Khalil Lee, OF: Lee, a 2016 third-round pick, had a solid second half with the Storm Chasers last season; but still only managed a .243/.336/.394 line in 599 plate appearances with just eleven homeruns in a hitter-friendly league, just one year after hitting twenty-four homeruns between High-A and Double-A in 2018. All is not lost for him, especially with his strike zone and defensive prowess, but another sub-par year at the plate might begin to bring up concerns he's hit his ceiling. That said, he's only twenty-one, so the optimism surrounding him is still high at this point.

NW Arkansas -- Daniel Lynch, LHP: Since being drafted in the first round in 2018, Lynch has skyrocketed through the minors, completely skipping Single-A Lexington and going straight to Wilmington after a so-so 2018 with the Burlington Royals. For the High-A Blue Rocks, Lynch was 7-1 with a 2.55 ERA in 70 2/3 innings before getting the call to Double-A, where he was tagged for 131 hits in exactly 100 innings of work. While he gave up only six homeruns, he struck out just seventy-five, which was a full strikeout per nine down from his Wilmington mark. His overall minor league numbers are okay -- 18-9, 4.09 ERA, 123 ERA+ -- but not what you'd expect from a first-round type of player.

Wilmington -- Kris Bubic, LHP: Another 2018 first-round selection, Bubic was a mystifying player in 2019. He walked just eighteen hitters with a 6.12 ERA in 128 innings with Single-A Lexington; and allowed seventeen homeruns, which is an outlier given his collegiate and professional career. He also struck out a decent amount (96 in 128 IP). He also had a few stints with High-A Wilmington, and in a limited sample was impressive, going 1-0 in six starts with the Blue Rocks, striking out twenty and walking just six in 31 innings of work. The Royals are hopeful they'll get the 2019 Bubic from Wilmington; and not from Lexington, in 2020.

Lexington -- Charlie Neuweiler, RHP: The 2017 fifth-rounder out of high school has shown impressive potential, but elbow issues have haunted him throughout his pro career to date. After an impressive 2017 where he spun a 1.76 ERA in forty-six innings (five starts) with the Royals' Arizona League squad, he took a step back in 2018 with Burlington, posting a 5.87 ERA in forty-six innings (nine starts) before experiencing elbow issues, and being shut down two-thirds through the season. Again with Burlington last year, he was off to a phenomenal start, this time as the team's closer before getting shut down again with arm issues. In 9 1/3 innings, Neuweiler had sixteen punchouts to just four walks with a 0.96 ERA. He says that he is back and his arm feels as good as it ever has, but is going to give starting a try again. If healthy, he has middle-of-the-rotation potential as a big-leaguer.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Angels release Verlander; MLB suspends Bryant, Newcomb for mound brawl
By MLB.com Staff
04/09/2020

VERLANDER BACK ON THE MARKET

Justin Verlander signed a one-year, $7.5M contract with the Angels in mid-January; but was released just mere days into the season, getting his walking papers from the Angels prior to his initial scheduled start yesterday. Interestingly, he didn't receive any serious trade offers despite reports of the Angels willing to eat some of the salary.

He appeared in just two spring training games in March as he continued to deal with a forearm injury that he suffered late last season. Southpaw Andrew Heaney was re-called from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Verlander's spot on the roster.

While Verlander has experienced diminished velocity in recent seasons, he had recieved interest from the Orioles, Blue Jays, and the Indians prior to signing with the Angels. The former two have dealt with season-ending injuries in their rotation (Phil Hughes, Marcus Stroman respectively), so look for those two teams to show interest again. --Evan Smith

INDIANS SIGN SALAZAR TO EXTENSION

With veterans Derek Dietrich, Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin, and potentially even ace pitcher Corey Kluber all headed for free agency in the offseason; the Indians were a big spender in the free agent market, and now have extended right-hander Danny Salazar to a massive contract extension that begins with the 2021 season.

Salazar, who just turned thirty over the offseason and had already signed a $10.7M tender for this season to avoid arbitration, signed a deal worth $114M total that could potentially keep him in Cleveland through 2026. There are no escalators in the deal, as he would make $19M each year for the life of the contract.

However, there are "escape hatches" built in for both the player and club -- Salazar can opt out after the 2023 season, and the team has an option on the sixth year that has a buyout of roughly 20% of his 2026 salary figure ($3.6M).

Kluber, who is making $13M in 2020, has a $14M team option for 2021. They just signed Yasiel Puig to a five-year, $89M deal this past offseason, and handed out two big contracts after the 2018 season -- extending shortstop Francisco Lindor, and signing outfielder A.J. Pollock to a six-year, $91.2M free agent contract. --Evan Smith

MLB HANDS DOWN SUSPENSIONS FOR BENCH-CLEARING FRACAS

The Cubs' Kris Bryant will miss four games, and the Braves' Sean Newcomb will miss one start as a result of last night's incident at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. Tempers flared in the fourth inning after Javier Baez hit a leadoff homerun; as Baez looked to have gestured towards the Braves' dugout as he rounded the bases, drawing some commentary from the big southpaw and a warning from the home-plate umpire.

Later on, Baez hit his second homerun in the top of the seventh against Newcomb, and again made some gestures towards the Braves' dugout as he made a slow trot around the bases. Bryant was the next hitter, and Newcomb plunked him with his first pitch, leading to the benches clearing as Bryant attempted to tackle Newcomb near the mound, but was held back by teammates and a few of Newcomb's Braves teammates.

"I'm not sure what (Javier) Baez's beef is with us, but they need to check themselves," said an obviously agitated Newcomb after the game. "I threw at Kris (Bryant) because I wasn't sure I was going to get another chance to face Baez. He's sticking up for his teammate, but if you have something to say, say it after the game. We're not going to get pushed around in our house."

Neither player is expected to appeal their suspension. --David LoPietro

TWINS CLAIM MOTTER FROM SEATTLE

Minnesota has claimed former Seattle shortstop Taylor Motter off waivers from the club. The 30-year-old Motter had a career year last year with the M's, slashing .265/.335/.397, with twenty-three doubles, thirteen homeruns, and sixteen steals in 525 plate appearances.

However, he's not a natural shortstop (as evidenced by his combined -8.0 UZR in 2018 & 19), and will play in the outfield, according to Twins manager Paul Molitor. Rookie phenom Royce Lewis won the starting shortstop gig out of the spring, and Motter gives them another experienced bat, likely in left field with Byron Buxton and Max Kepler in center and right, respectively.

Motter had played in just three games for the Mariners to date in 2020, with just one hit and walk apiece in eleven at-bats (.091). --Jason Frampton

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (5-0) @ DETROIT TIGERS (2-5)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

04/10: RHP Trevor Oaks (0-0, 4.50) vs RHP Jordan Zimmerman (0-1, 12.60)
04/11: LHP Danny Duffy (0-0, 3.00) vs LHP Steven Brault (0-0, 7.20)
04/12: RHP Luis Cessa (0-0, 15.75) vs RHP Buck Farmer (1-0, 3.60)

GAME RECAPS

April 10th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Detroit (2-6) 2, Kansas City (6-0) 13
Winner: Trevor Oaks (1-0) Loser: Jordan Zimmerman (0-2) Save: None
HR-KC: Nick Castellanos (1), Yoenis Cespedes 2 (4), Cheslor Cuthbert (2) HR-DET: Willi Castro (2), Kody Eaves (3)

ROYALS STAY UNDEFEATED THANKS TO JUNIS, PEREZ

With ten runs in the first four innings against Jordan Zimmerman, the Royals coasted to a 13-2 victory over Detroit to stay unbeaten on the season. Yoenis Cespedes hit a pair of homeruns, driving in four runs to lead the Royals' attack. Nicky Lopez and Brian Goodwin each had four hits, with Lopez reaching base five times in all with four hits and a walk. Goodwin also stole two bases, bringing his team-high total to four. Nick Castellanos also hit a homerun in his first game in Comerica Park as an opposing player, and was 3-for-5 overall. Trevor Oaks picked up the victory; his 20th career win, by going seven and two-third innings, fanning four with six hits and two walks.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Kansas City (6-0) 13, Detroit (2-6) 2
Toronto (5-4) 5, Cleveland (5-2) 6 (Final/10)
Oakland (4-5) 3, Houston (3-5) 1
Texas (3-5) 0, LA Angels (4-4) 8

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Dodgers (6-2) 12, Colorado (5-3) 4
Minnesota (3-3) 3, Philadelphia (1-5) 0
Cincinnati (4-4) 6, Pittsburgh (3-4) 12
Miami (4-4) 7, Atlanta (3-4) 2 (Final/13)
Tampa Bay (3-5) 0, San Francisco (5-3) 6
Chi. Cubs (6-1) 8, Milwaukee (4-4) 5
Boston (5-4) 2, Arizona (5-3) 7

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Orioles place Mike Moustakas (ankle) on 10-day disabled list, retro to 04/09/2020
Twins activate Eddie Rosario from the disabled list; designate Jorge Bonifacio for assignment

Saturday, April 11th, 2020 - First pitch, 1:10 CST
MKansas City (6-1) 0, Detroit (3-6) 3
Winner: Steven Brault (1-0) Loser: Danny Duffy (0-1) Save: Arodys Vizcaino (2)
HR-KC: None HR-DET: Jeimer Candelario (2)

ROYALS BLANKED BY BRAULT; STREAK STOPPED AT SIX

Steven Brault scattered six hits over eight and two-third innings as he and the Tigers handed the Royals their first loss by a 3-0 count, stopping the Royals' win streak to begin the 2020 campaign at six. Danny Duffy went six innings, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out five. The Royals managed just six hits the entire game, with no extra-base hits for the first time this season. Peter Alonso was 2-for-4 to lead the Royals offensively. Jeimer Candelario hit a solo shot off Duffy in the third, and Christin Stewart hit a two-run, two-out double in the sixth against the Royals' southpaw.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Yankees (4-4) 6, Baltimore (4-4) 3
Kansas City (6-1) 0, Detroit (3-6) 3
Toronto (5-5) 1, Cleveland (6-2) 3
Oakland (4-6) 7, Houston (4-5) 16
Texas (4-5) 5, LA Angels (4-5) 4 (Final/11)
Seattle (3-5) 1, Chi. Sox (2-5) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Diego (2-7) 3, St. Louis (4-4) 7
Washington (3-4) 7, NY Mets (5-3) 2
LA Dodgers (6-3) 7, Colorado (6-3) 10
Minnesota (3-4) 0, Philadelphia (2-5) 3
Cincinnati (5-4) 1, Pittsburgh (3-5) 0
Miami (5-4) 3, Atlanta (3-5) 1
Tampa Bay (4-5) 4, San Francisco (5-4) 2
Chi. Cubs (6-2) 2, Milwaukee (5-4) 4
Boston (6-4) 4, Arizona (5-4) 1

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Phillies agree to one-year contract with veteran RHP Justin Verlander
Nats claim Andre Ethier from waivers; veteran OF spent 2019 with Washington
San Francisco releases Jay Bruce from minor-league contract

Sunday, April 12th, 2020 - First pitch, 1:10 CST
Kansas City (6-2) 4, Detroit (4-6) 6
Winner: Buck Farmer (2-0) Loser: Luis Cessa (0-1) Save: Arodys Vizcaino (3)
HR-KC: Peter Alonso (1) HR-DET: Troy Montgomery (3)

KANSAS CITY DROPS RUBBER MATCH OF INITIAL ROAD SERIES

Peter Alonso went 2-for-4 and hit his first homerun of the season, but it was not nearly enough as Detroit was able to hold off Kansas City rallies in the late innings to claim a 6-4 victory and take the series. Luis Cessa struggled for the second straight start, allowing five earned runs in five and two-third innings, striking out four with three walks. Nicky Lopez collected three hits and an RBI, while Patrick Mazeika and Kevin Pillar each had a pair of base hits. Buck Farmer picked up his second victory for the Tigers, allowing just three earned runs (four total) over six innings, walking one and striking out one. Arodys Vizcaino notched save number three, pitching a scoreless ninth.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Yankees (5-4) 4, Baltimore (4-5) 0
Kansas City (6-2) 4, Detroit (4-6) 6
Toronto (6-5) 3, Cleveland (6-3) 1
Oakland (4-7) 5, Houston (5-5) 6 (Final/11)
Texas (4-6) 1, LA Angels (5-5) 4
Seattle (4-5) 9, Chi. Sox (2-6) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Diego (3-7) 7, St. Louis (4-5) 5
Washington (3-5) 0, NY Mets (6-3) 6
LA Dodgers (6-4) 5, Colorado (7-3) 6 (Final/12)
Minnesota (4-4) 9, Philadelphia (2-6) 5
Cincinnati (5-5) 1, Pittsburgh (4-5) 5
Miami (6-4) 3, Atlanta (3-6) 2
Tampa Bay (4-6) 6, San Francisco (6-4) 7
Chi. Cubs (7-2) 7, Milwaukee (5-5) 2
Boston (7-4) 1, Arizona (5-5) 0

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Orioles' Lindgren, Yanks' Frazier begin suspensions after seventh-inning fight on Saturday
Rangers acquire Alex Gordon from Arizona for Alex Dickerson and minor league infielder Andrison Pena
Carlos Correa, Houston agree to five-year extension worth $122M beginning in 2021; Correa has opt-out after 2021

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS SIGN MARTINEZ TO MINOR-LEAGUE DEAL
Former Rangers' farmhand will begin at Double-A
By artoodeetoo
04/13/2020

Kansas City signed former Rangers farmhand and independent leaguer Greidy Martinez to a minor-league deal on Friday, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. He appeared in his first game on Saturday night with the Double-A , pitching two scoreless innings and striking out four.

Veteran Drew Storen, who was signed for minor-league depth, was placed on the NW Arkansas disabled list with elbow discomfort, and is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season.

Now twenty-six, Martinez was signed as an international free agent in 2012 to a $20,000 bonus, but didn't make his first professional appearance until 2014 as a 20-year-old, striking out twenty-nine in 28 1/3 innings with a 2.22 ERA with the Rangers' Dominican League squad.

He bounced between the Dominican League and the Arizona Rookie League until 2017, when he was surprisingly released despite a career ERA of 2.23 to that point.

He spent 2019 with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, striking out forty-six in thirty-five innings with a 3.60 ERA. The Braves signed him to a minor-league contract in early September of last year, but didn't make any appearances in their system. He was released by the Braves on April 8th, and was snapped up quickly by Kansas City.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Correa extends with Houston; Verlander lands in Philly
By MLB.com Staff
04/13/2020

CUBS, ROYALS, ROCKIES TOP NEW POWER RANKINGS

To no one's surprise in the early going, the three teams with the league's best records to date sit atop the newest power rankings. Kansas City, who didn't appear in the top ten at all last season, came in second this week after debuting at number-four last week.

Chicago owns the league's best mark at 7-2, followed by Colorado's 7-3. The Royals are 6-2, but started out 6-0 before dropping the last two games to the Tigers.

The defending champion Mets and Indians round out the top five.--Evan Smith

CORREA, ASTROS SIGN MEGA-EXTENSION

Carlos Correa signed a one-year, $17M deal with incentives to avoid arbitration in early November, but had always intended to sign something more long-term. That has now come to fruition, as the Astros announced a five-year, $122M extension with the star shortstop yesterday morning.

As with most contracts with players yet to hit free agency, there is an out for Correa after the 2021 season, which was his scheduled year to hit the open market. That said, his salary jumps to $26M per season if he elects to opt-in for the final four years of the contract that runs through 2025. He's slated to make $18M in guaranteed dollars in 2021, with bonuses up to $450K. If he hits his bonuses each season, he stands to earn an extra $2M, approximately. --Jason Frampton

VERLANDER, PHILLIES AGREE TO ONE-YEAR DEAL

The Phillies announced a contract agreement with free-agent righty Justin Verlander on Saturday, agreeing to a $1.25M base salary with a $500K bonus if he surpasses one-hundred innings this year. The Angels had released him just four days ago, prior to his first scheduled start with Los Angeles.

Jerad Eickhoff, who went seven innings in a victory over the Twins last night, was diagnosed with a torn tricep after an MRI post-game revealed the injury. With bullpen arm Matt Albers also going to the disabled list yesterday with a torn UCL, it appears that Verlander could either have a role in the bullpen or in the rotation. --David LoPietro

GORDON TRADED TO THE RANGERS

Just a few days after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks, the Rangers have acquired former Royal Alex Gordon via trade. They sent Alex Dickerson and minor league infielder Andrison Pena in return, and Arizona will pick up roughly 70% of Gordon's remaining 2020 salary ($3.5M), and will also pick up 70% of his 2021 salary if Gordon meets his 400 plate appearance vesting threshold this year as part of the deal.

Gordon signed a two-year, $10.4M deal with the Diamondbacks in early December; soon after free agency opened, with the $5.2M vesting option for 2021. With Willie Calhoun now primarily holding down the DH role with the Rangers, Drew Robinson had started the season in left field, but went down with a broken hand on Saturday.

The veteran Gordon gives them a better defensive option, and actually had one of his better offensive seasons in recent years last year with the Royals, with a 1.1 WAR, 95 OPS+, and a .249/.347/.390 slash in 454 plate appearances.

In twenty-five plate appearances (six starts) for the D-Backs, Gordon had slashed .182/.308/.182 with no homeruns or RBI. --Evan Smith

FRAZIER, LINDGREN SUSPENDED FOR MOUND ALTERCATION

Clint Frazier of the Yankees and southpaw Jacob Lindgren of the Orioles began serving suspensions handed down by the league office yesterday, as they were involved in a shouting match that ended in fisticuffs for a few brief moments in Saturday night's game between the two teams. Frazier was suspended for four, while Lindgren was hit with an eight-game suspension.

Tempers had ignited two nights ago on Thursday, when Didi Gregorius hit a monster homerun and taunted the Yankees' bench as he rounded the bases despite being down eight runs. Gregorius hit two more homeruns in Saturday's game, including another long homerun in the seventh, where he rounded the bases too slowly for Lindgren's liking. Lindgren, who can touch triple digits, hit Frazier with a 96-mph fastball which caused the umpires to intervene and the benches to clear.

However, something Lindgren said set Frazier off, who had gone halfway down the first base line, jawing with Lindgren. He suddenly sprinted to the mound; and teammates separated them, but not before Lindgren landed a punch on Frazier's jaw. --Jason Frampton

NATS CLAIM ETHIER OFF WAIVERS

Well, Andre Ethier is back in the nation's capital, where he spent 2019. However, he's not likely to get a ton of playing time with youngsters Victor Robles and Juan Soto now playing starring roles, along with veteran acquisition Khris Davis.

That said, Ethier, who just turned thirty-eight; is a solid clubhouse presence and should provide some leadership to the younger players on the roster even in limited playing time.

Last season, he put up a respectable 2.3 WAR and 141 OPS+ in just 307 plate appearances, hitting ten homeruns with twenty-three doubles and forty runs scored, including a slash of .292/.401/.520. --David LoPietro