Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (53-63) @ DETROIT TIGERS (52-61)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

08/13: RHP Patrick Murphy (3-1, 1.99) vs RHP Artie Lewicki (3-4, 4.45)
08/14: LHP Eric Skoglund (1-1, 4.45) vs LHP Scott Kazmir (4-5, 4.86)
08/15: RHP Jake Junis (9-7, 4.33) vs RHP Beau Burrows (3-9, 6.50)
08/16: RHP Heath Fillmyer (6-3, 3.88) vs RHP Michael Fulmer (9-3, 3.56)

GAME RECAPS

Thursday, August 13th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Kansas City (53-64) 2, Detroit (53-61) 3
Winner: Gerson Moreno (4-4) Loser: Adam Liberatore (4-2) Save: Joe Jimenez (19)
HR: None

ROYALS FALL IN YET ANOTHER ONE-RUN GAME

With thirty-seven one-run games going into Thursday night's game, the Royals led all of baseball in that category. They added one more to that tally, falling 3-2 in a frustrating display of poor situational hitting and baserunning throughout. In fact, rookie outfielder Seuly Matias left seven men on base in all by himself, including four in scoring position. Kansas City scored their only two runs in the seventh, but ended the inning on an 8-2 double play, leaving two men on base. The Royals also left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, when Patrick Mazeika and Matias each grounded into fielder's choice plays to end the rally with nothing to show for it. Speaking of nothing to show for it, Patrick Murphy turned in a second straight strong start, only getting tagged with two runs on a single in the fifth inning by Victor Reyes. Reyes would later score the winning run on a wild pitch by Adam Liberatore, which broke a 2-2 deadlock with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Murphy went seven innings, scattering six hits with four strikeouts and no free passes. The loss plunged the Royals to a season-worst eleven games below .500; and third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert left in the fifth inning, holding his right arm after a throw to first.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Angels (69-48) 13, Boston (65-53) 6
Cleveland (61-54) 6, Minnesota (60-55) 2
NY Yankees (60-56) 4, Toronto (63-55) 5
Kansas City (53-64) 2, Detroit (53-61) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Philadelphia (59-57) 4, San Francisco (58-57) 1
Chi. Cubs (71-44) 5, Cincinnati (64-50) 4
Atlanta (66-52) 10, Miami (53-60) 1
Colorado (62-53) 9, San Diego (40-74) 8 (Final/13)

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Twins RHP Ryan Pressly (elbow) to miss rest of 2020 and possibly 2021 after TJ procedure
Phillies release injured RHP Jerad Eickhoff; could possibly retire

Friday, August 14th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Kansas City (53-65) 7, Detroit (54-61) 8 (Final/10)
Winner: Joe Jimenez (2-2) Loser: Nathan Karns (3-3) Save: None
HR-KC: Peter Alonso (17) HR-DET: Derek Norris (2)

FRUSTRATIONS MOUNT; K.C. SUFFERS DEFEAT IN EXTRAS

The Royals continue to struggle in close games, this time with Willi Castro walking them off with a single to propel the Tigers to an 8-7 win in ten innings. The key play of the inning was Kody Eaves tagging up at second on a fly to center by Christin Stewart, getting into third just ahead of Braden Bishop's throw. Castro then poked his single to center, sending the Royals to their sixth defeat in eight games on the current road trip. Karns came in for the save as the Royals scramble to find someone, anyone, that can close games. He blew the save in the ninth, thanks to three singles in the inning, but managed to get out of the inning without any additional damage. Eric Skoglund also shares some culpability, as he allowed six runs in six innings, fanning just one with three walks. Upon entering the dugout, he threw his hat and glove in disgust in a display of frustration. The Royals held a 5-2 lead going into the sixth, but two RBI apiece from Derek Norris and Josh Harrison in that inning gave the Tigers the lead back. With Cheslor Cuthbert out for the time being, Peter Alonso is the lone deep threat for this team right now, as he walked twice, homered, and singled as part of a 2-for-3 day.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (57-60) 3, Seattle (53-64) 8
Oakland (57-60) 9, Chi. Sox (44-71) 12
Houston (63-53) 3, Baltimore (47-69) 2
LA Angels (69-49) 1, Boston (66-53) 6
Cleveland (61-55) 2, Minnesota (61-55) 7
NY Yankees (61-56) 4, Toronto (63-56) 1
Kansas City (53-65) 7, Detroit (54-61) 8 (Final/10)

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Texas (54-62) 1, Milwaukee (46-71) 3
Washington (51-64) 5, NY Mets (71-45) 0
Pittsburgh (51-64) 1, St. Louis (59-56) 2
Arizona (60-56) 4, LA Dodgers (68-50) 9
Philadelphia (60-57) 3, San Francisco (58-58) 0
Chi. Cubs (71-45) 0, Cincinnati (65-50) 1
Atlanta (66-53) 5, Miami (54-60) 7
Colorado (63-53) 3, San Diego (40-75) 2

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
White Sox OF Eloy Jimenez's hit streak reaches twenty
Nationals RHP Max Scherzer (shoulder) leaves start earl

Saturday, August 15th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Kansas City (54-65) 4, Detroit (54-62) 2
Winner: Jake Junis (10-7) Loser: Steve Cishek (1-3) Save: Adam Liberatore (2)
HR-KC: Peter Alonso (18) HR-DET: Kody Eaves (21)

JUNIS PICKS UP 10TH AS ROYALS WIN

Jake Junis became the first Royal to reach the 10-win plateau in 2020, allowing just two runs over six innings as Kansas City snapped a three-game skid with a 4-2 victory at Detroit. He fanned five with just two walks, with the only blemish a two-run homerun in the fifth inning off the bat of Kody Eaves. The win also gave him ten wins for the third straight season, with those three seasons on the heels of a nine-win campaign as a rookie in 2017. Nicky Lopez was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk, and Peter Alonso kept his modest hit streak alive with a two-run homerun in the eighth that proved to be the difference. Southpaws Joe Palumbo and Adam Liberatore combined for three scoreless innings in relief, with Liberatore picking up his first save as a Royal, and second overall on the season.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (57-61) 6, Seattle (54-64) 7
Oakland (57-61) 4, Chi. Sox (45-71) 5
Houston (64-53) 3, Baltimore (47-70) 1
LA Angels (70-49) 10, Boston (66-54) 8
Cleveland (62-55) 5, Minnesota (61-56) 4
NY Yankees (61-57) 6, Toronto (64-56) 7
Kansas City (54-65) 4, Detroit (54-62) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Texas (55-62) 7, Milwaukee (46-72) 4
Washington (51-65) 1, NY Mets (72-45) 7
Pittsburgh (51-65) 2, St. Louis (60-56) 3
Arizona (60-57) 4, LA Dodgers (69-50) 8
Philadelphia (60-58) 3, San Francisco (59-58) 4
Chi. Cubs (71-46) 2, Cincinnati (66-50) 6
Atlanta (67-53) 9, Miami (54-61) 1
Colorado (64-53) 4, San Diego (40-76) 1

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert (forearm) to miss three-to-four weeks

Sunday, August 16th, 2020 - First pitch, 12:15 CST
Kansas City (54-66) 9, Detroit (55-62) 10
Winner: Steve Cishek (2-3) Loser: Jorge Lopez (5-10) Save: Joe Jimenez (20)
HR-KC: Peter Alonso (19) HR-DET: None

FILLMYER IMPLODES AGAIN, ROYALS LOSE BY ONE

Heath Fillmyer put forth his second straight poor start, allowing nine runs in four innings as the Royals fell 10-9. Fillmyer allowed ten hits and walked three hitters, all while not striking out a single batter. Kansas City battled back from six runs down to tie the score at nine, no small thanks to some shoddy defense from the Tigers, who committed one error each in the fifth and sixth innings that led to five unearned runs charged to starter Michael Fulmer. It was a bit of a 'breakout' game for Khalil Lee, who collected four hits and two RBI, his first career MLB four-hit game, which also included his first triple. Peter Alonso drove in four runs, including two on a two-run homerun in the third. Jose Peraza extended his hitting streak to eight, while Alonso's hit streak also now stands at eight games.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (58-61) 7, Seattle (54-65) 3
Oakland (58-61) 6, Chi. Sox (45-72) 4
Houston (64-54) 2, Baltimore (48-70) 5
LA Angels (70-50) 5, Boston (67-54) 7
Cleveland (62-56) 3, Minnesota (62-56) 4
NY Yankees (61-58) 2, Toronto (65-56) 4
Kansas City (54-66) 9, Detroit (55-62) 10

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Texas (55-63) 1, Milwaukee (47-72) 3
Washington (51-66) 2, NY Mets (73-45) 5
Pittsburgh (52-65) 5, St. Louis (60-57) 2
Arizona (60-58) 7, LA Dodgers (70-50) 13
Philadelphia (60-59) 2, San Francisco (60-58) 6
Chi. Cubs (71-47) 3, Cincinnati (67-50) 7
Atlanta (68-53) 3, Miami (54-62) 0
Colorado (64-54) 4, San Diego (41-76) 5

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Angels release RHP Ervin Santana; was designated for assignment on Wednesday
Detroit signs free-agent reliever Justin Miller; Miller pitched for Tigers briefly in 2014

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

CUTHBERT TO MISS UP TO ONE MONTH
2019 All-Star suffered arm injury in Thursday's game
By artoodeetoo
08/17/2020

Kansas City's injury woes continue to mount, as they placed third baseman and offensive leader Cheslor Cuthbert on the 10-day disabled list on Saturday with what was termed as a forearm strain. He could miss up to a month, but most likely will be out between two and three weeks.

Through roughly two-thirds of the season, Cuthbert leads the team in homeruns (23), and RBI (79). The twenty-three homeruns are a new career-high, and drove in a career-high 118 runs in 2019.

He injured his arm on a routine play, making a throw across the diamond to record an out in the fifth inning of Thursday's game. He held his arm, wincing, after the play, and was replaced by Richard Urena. He didn't play on Friday night, as well.

In response, the Royals promoted Kelvin Gutierrez, and was in the starting lineup the past two games. Gutierrez was acquired from the Nationals as part of the Kelvin Herrera deal back in June of 2018, along with RHP Yohanse Morel and outfielder Blake Perkins, who has since been traded to the Diamondbacks.

Gutierrez is the first of that trio to reach the major leagues, as he went 2-for-9 with a pair of base hits in Saturday's game. With Cuthbert out for the next several weeks, he figures to get plenty of reps at third as the team looks ahead to 2021.

Cuthbert is the latest major contributor to find himself on the disabled list -- the Royals are also without shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, Opening Day pitcher Trevor Oaks, and relief pitchers Richard Lovelady and Drew Smith. Peter Alonso also missed a couple of weeks back in June with a back strain, and has played through nagging hip and ankle injuries in more recent weeks.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Nats' Scherzer dealing with shoulder problem
By MLB.com Staff
08/17/2020

PHILLIES RELEASE EICKHOFF; COULD RETIRE

Philadelphia released righty Jerad Eickhoff on Thursday after he elected not to surgically repair a torn tricep muscle in his right arm, as he suffered through multiple setbacks in his recovery. He also missed most of the 2018 season with injuries, including the same tricep in late July in which he underwent a procedure to fix the issue, missing the rest of that season.

Eickhoff also hinted that he would likely hang up the cleats after this season, barring "a miracle".

"I think this is just a higher power telling me that it's not meant to be," he said solemnly in a radio interview in Philadelphia. "I've been pretty fortunate to play a game that I love for over two-thirds of my life, and now I have to figure out what to do next. I think it's going to take a miracle at this point for me to play again after this season, but we'll see what happens."

SCHERZER TO MISS THREE TO FOUR WEEKS

Nationals ace Max Scherzer could miss "three-to-four starts" with a shoulder issue, according to manager Dave Martinez. Scherzer threw 114 pitches on Friday night in seven and two-third innings, and only left the contest after feeling a twinge in his shoulder.

It's been an underwhelming season for the Nationals, and Scherzer has an underwhelming win-loss record of 6-14, but his metrics are in line with his career marks. He's still striking out better than ten hitters per nine, and has just 2.6 BB/9.

ROYALS' CUTHBERT SIDELINED WITH ARM ISSUE

Kansas City's disappointing season took another downturn, as third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert will be shelved for at least several weeks with a forearm strain. He injured the arm on a throw to first in the Royals' loss to Detroit on Thursday, as he was replaced by Richard Urena in the lineup.

Cuthbert, who was a first-time All-Star in 2019, set a new career-high in homeruns prior to the injury, with twenty-three. He also leads the Royals in RBI (79), but is still a far cry from his career-best of 118 last season.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (60-57) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (54-66)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

08/18: RHP Jack Flaherty (6-8, 4.60) vs RHP Mitchell White (5-6, 4.95)
08/19: RHP Phil Klein (3-1, 2.58) vs RHP Patrick Murphy (3-1, 2.06)

GAME RECAPS

Tuesday, August 18th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
St. Louis (61-57) 6, Kansas City (54-67) 3
Winner: Jason Foley (4-3) Loser: Nate Jones (1-2) Save: Aroldis Chapman (22)
HR-STL: Yonder Alonso (22), Matt Carpenter (16), Jhoan Urena (6) HR-KC: None

BULLPEN IMPLODES LATE

Kansas City held a 3-1 lead going into the seventh, but the Cardinals stormed back with two in the seventh to tie the game, and then three more in the ninth to pick off the host Royals by a 6-3 count. The loss puts the Royals thirteen games below .500 for the first time this season. One of the closers on the by-committee approach being employed by the Royals, veteran Nate Jones, surrendered a pair of homeruns in the ninth, and took the loss. Mitchell White was solid for the Royals in his start, allowing just one earned run and two walks over six and two-third innings, but only struck out one. Patrick Mazeika, Jose Peraza, and Kelvin Gutierrez all had two hits for the Royals, with those three also driving in one run each.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Houston (66-54) 7, Chi. Sox (45-74) 6
St. Louis (61-57) 6, Kansas City (54-67) 3
Texas (55-65) 5, Toronto (67-56) 6
Baltimore (48-72) 3, NY Yankees (63-58) 5
Pittsburgh (54-65) 3, LA Angels (70-52) 2
Seattle (54-66) 1, Detroit (56-62) 3
Boston (69-54) 4, Cleveland (62-58) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cincinnati (67-51) 5, Washington (52-66) 8 (G1)
Cincinnati (67-52) 8, Washington (53-66) 9 (G2)
Chi. Cubs (71-48) 3, Philadelphia (61-59) 12
LA Dodgers (71-50) 6, Miami (54-63) 2
NY Mets (74-45) 5, Atlanta (68-54) 4 (Final/17)
Oakland (58-62) 2, San Francisco (61-58) 7
Minnesota (63-56) 4, Milwaukee (47-73) 1
Arizona (60-60) 2, Colorado (66-54) 7
Tampa Bay (60-61) 3, San Diego (41-78) 1

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Royals' Alonso, Braves' Acuna named AL, NL Players of the Week

Wednesday, August 19th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
St. Louis (61-58) 6, Kansas City (55-67) 9
Winner: Nathan Karns (4-3) Loser: Phil Klein (3-2) Save: Nate Jones (1)
HR-STL: Justin Williams (18) HR-KC: None

ROYALS MOUNT EARLY LEAD; COAST TO VICTORY

Seven different Royals drove in runs in this contest, as they raced past St. Louis in a 9-6 victory to split the two-game home series. Peter Alonso, Jose Peraza, and Patrick Mazeika all extended hitting streaks, with their streaks now at ten each for Alonso and Peraza, while Mazeika now has a modest streak of eight games. Patrick Murphy got the start, and was roughed up for five runs in four innings, allowing five hits and two walks, fanning two. Five Royals relievers combined to keep the Cardinals in check the rest of the way, with Nathan Karns picking up the victory in relief. He fanned three in two and two-third innings, allowing just one hit. Nate Jones picked up the save, getting a pair of outs in the ninth inning with the bases loaded, and the Royals up four.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Houston (66-55) 4, Chi. Sox (46-74) 6
St. Louis (61-58) 6, Kansas City (55-67) 9
Texas (56-65) 9, Toronto (67-57) 4
Baltimore (48-73) 1, NY Yankees (64-58) 5
Pittsburgh (54-66) 2, LA Angels (71-52) 5
Seattle (54-67) 0, Detroit (57-62) 1
Boston (70-54) 10, Cleveland (62-59) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cincinnati (67-53) 4, Washington (54-66) 8
Chi. Cubs (72-48) 5, Philadelphia (61-60) 0
LA Dodgers (72-50) 1, Miami (54-64) 0
NY Mets (75-45) 3, Atlanta (68-55) 2 (Final/15)
Oakland (58-63) 1, San Francisco (62-58) 4
Minnesota (63-57) 7, Milwaukee (48-73) 8
Arizona (60-61) 2, Colorado (67-54) 3
Tampa Bay (61-61) 7, San Diego (41-79) 2

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Royals RHP Mitchell White (back) day-to-day with back spasms
White Sox OF Eloy Jimenez's hit streak stopped at twenty-five

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS MAILBAG
Yost's job security, catching upgrades on topic
By artoodeetoo
08/20/2020

Is Ned's job in danger after this season's results?

No way. The job is his as long as he wants it, or unless they are 100+ loss dreadful for the next two seasons. And even then, his seat would be a little warm. What is weird, though, is that no extension has been announced to date. That doesn't mean that the two sides aren't talking, or not interested in extending. After his tree-stand accident a few years back, I can't imagine he's going to want to stick around too much longer. But the 2021 roster will be very much to his liking -- he's always done better with younger rosters, rather than veteran-heavy clubhouses with lots of egos.

If you had to pick one position to upgrade in the offseason, what would it be?

This answer might surprise some, but I think the Royals should, at the very least, pursue a catching upgrade this offseason. Patrick Mazeika is a good, perhaps very good, offensive player; but Salvador Perez's defense has cratered this season, leaving the Royals with no good, proven defensive options behind the plate (more on him later). Mazeika also has a fine throwing arm, and teams seem to respect it (just 44 SBA in around 700 innings), but has nine errors, isn't great at blocking bad balls, and is one of the worst pitch framers in the league.

Adley Rutschman is playing well for Single-A Lexington this year; but struggled in a short High-A Wilmington stint, hitting just .174 (4-for-23) with eight strikeouts, two walks, and no extra-base hits in six games, which might have spooked the Royals' brass from promoting him on a full-time basis too soon. I used to think that he might be a candidate for a quick rise through the minors; but I think he probably starts and ends next season in Wilmington, unless he hits so well they can't keep him there.

There won't be much available on the open market, but there are a few options if the Royals are willing to spend some money in the short-term. James McCann won't be cheap, and he's north of thirty -- but is enjoying a decent year with the A's. Welington Castillo, the former White Sox All-Star, will also be a free agent after this season after being traded from the Southside to Milwaukee this past offseason. Also, Yadier Molina is also going to be on the market this offseason for the first time. Other lesser, cheaper names that could factor into the equation are Matt Wieters, Martin Maldonado, and Francisco Cervelli.

Internally, Meibrys Viloria has had a solid year at the dish in Triple-A after a poor start, and is the only other catcher on the 40-man with any MLB experience, so he figures to get a much longer look in September. Deivi Grullon is the best defensive catcher not named Rutschman in the system now, and is on the doorstep of Triple-A, but has little to no offensive potential. Chase Vallot might be the only backstop in the system worse than Mazeika defensively, but has tremendous power; much more than Mazeika. Of the latter three, only Grullon is not on the 40-man roster.

Personally, I'd rather see the Royals at least kick the tires on a veteran backstop over what's in the system already, as much as Royals fans might not want to hear that. I only say this because the division is well within reach next year, as neither Minnesota or Cleveland inspires a lot of confidence, and the Royals really need to develop their young pitching. Someone like McCann or Molina, who have extensive experience working with young pitchers, would be worthwhile investments, even if just for a year or two while Rutschman continues to hone his skills in the minors.

What do you make of all the young pitching the Royals received in the past month?

At some point, we're going to break them down in a piece, but in the meantime -- it tells me that 1) they're not happy with at least some of the pitching they've drafted in the past handful of years; 2) they expect a handful of these guys to break into the big leagues sometime before 2022. For instance, Daniel Lynch is almost certain to be called up in September at the absolute latest, likely before. Max Povse was just called up recently, and Patrick Murphy has now made a few solid starts after a short bullpen stint.

They're also going to have to figure out what to do with southpaw Foster Griffin, who was added to the 40-man this year. Griffin has an ERA in the mid 5's; and appears to have hit his ceiling as a starter, but is averaging nearly 8 K/9 as a starter without a dominating fastball, so the bullpen could forge a new career path for him as a former first-rounder.

That's not counting others like Jackson Kowar, Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Zach Haake, and Derek West, who are all already in or on the cusp of Triple-A. They also have Joey Markus, John Rooney, and others such as Yefri Del Rosario in the mid-level (High-A, Single-A) minors. They seem to have figured out that you have to throw numbers at the rotation, and hope two or three of them develop into above-average arms or better. If they fail as starters, you move on from them, or they have a better-than-average shot at being a respectable reliever, depending on the kind of stuff and makeup they have.

The third (and most important reason, if you ask me) is that pitching "prospects" are overvalued in the market, whether you're buying or selling them. I'd venture to guess that more than 50% of prospects involved in these types of deals are pitchers, as they're crapshoots to develop, even more so than position players. If the Royals find themselves in the race next year, you can bet than a few of these guys might be moved again for a bat or a key starter at next year's deadline.

Was extending Nicky Lopez still worth it even if he doesn't hit more homeruns?

Yes, absolutely. He does so much to impact the game that overshadows his lack of power. I'd be shocked if he ever reached double-digits in homeruns in any season, but he seems to be the kind of hitter that's a lock for .300 every year, and he's improved his OPS despite a lower walk rate over last year, which tells me that his power and already-solid contact ability have improved. His triples are down, but his doubles are way up over his rate last year, and I think he could eventually be a 40+ double hitter with his speed and baserunning acumen.

On the other hand; and fans won't want to hear it, but it also makes him easier to move in case for some reason it doesn't work out, or if the Royals are still struggling several years down the road. His final year is only capped at $8M when you figure in his bonus structure, and even with that number, there's still some value in a guy with high contact rates, solid defense, and above-average baserunning ability.

Is there a role for Salvador Perez going forward?

Prior to this season, he signed a two-year, $17.25M contract, with the last $8M vested for 2021 with 400 plate appearances this season. With the emergence of Patrick Mazeika as a legitimate MLB hitter, the opportunities have been fewer and far between, so it seems highly unlikely at this point he'll reach that plateau with roughly 40 games to go. That said, with the active rosters expanding to twenty-six next season, it actually could open up a spot for someone like Perez who hits left-handers reasonably well. If he's willing to come back on a one-year, "prove-it" kind of deal as a part-time DH and occasional spot start behind the plate and/or at first base, it is a situation that could work for all parties.

Royals fans, however, should be livid at Dayton Moore and the team ownership for allowing him to play extra games in the Venezuelan leagues during the offseason. Frankly, with his body type, I think it's cut his prime short by two, maybe three productive seasons. Venezuelan winter league seasons aren't long; generally six to eight weeks in length. However, they aren't structured like professional leagues in other countries, meaning that schedules are fluid and teams can play double-digit games in a week. Essentially, he's logged roughly another full season's worth of games in a league that has no bearing on his MLB career.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

Sorry guys, been away for a while (work and house-buying keeps you busy!). Alas, I am going to discontinue the OOTP 19 work, but will pick this up on XX after the ASB, using the live start feature. Going to do some second-half previews, and then continue on in the same format as before.

Also, I am going to do something I've seen a few others do, and let the CPU handle my transactions. It's a bit more organic, and I get the sense that impending moves can be 'telegraphed' by articles that are written for this thread.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ALL POSTS AFTER THIS ARE OOTP XX

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB'S FOUR SECOND-HALF THINGS TO WATCH
Mets' drama will be closely observed
07/10/2019
By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

Will the trade market pick up? It's been slowly percolating, but nothing massive has come down the pipeline as of yet. As a reminder, going forward, there isn't a trade waiver period in August, so teams are going to have to put up or shut up, so to speak. The first five to six days of the second half may not bring much, but the last week before the break should be explosive.

Has a favorite emerged out of the American League? The Yankees, Twins, and Astros are the three division leaders, but they each have serious flaws. First base, even with Edwin Encarnacion, has been a black hole for the Yankees since the injury to Luke Voit. The Twins get Jake Odorizzi back in a week, but could use some bullpen depth behind closer Taylor Rogers. Houston is in much the same boat, as both Carlos Correa and Brad Peacock are set to return in a matter of days after the break ends. In fact, I'd probably put them at the front of the pack in that regard, but they could still use an additional bat.

What is the most compelling race in each league? The AL Wildcard chase will be fun to watch, with the Rays, Indians, Red Sox, A's, Angels, and the Rangers all within 2.5 games of each other. A hot streak to begin the second half could also put the White Sox in the chase, as well. They're just five back, but have a lot of teams to leapfrog. In the Senior Circuit, it can't be any other division besides the Central. The last-place Pirates are just four back of the first-place Brewers, so it's going to be a wild, wild ride. The NL Wildcard will also be fun to watch, with all of those NL Central teams, as well as the Nats, Rox, Phillies, and D-Backs all in the hunt. The Padres and Mets are longer shots, at 3.5 and five games back respectively, but have way too many teams to realistically pass up to have a real chance.

Speaking of the Mets -- can it get any worse? It's seemingly been a downhill slide since the 2015 World Series defeat. Mickey Callaway has been a disaster to this point. GM Brodie van Wegenen is snapping at reporters and personnel alike, and the Wilpons are villified in the fanbase and the New York media, with fans clamoring for them to sell the team. It's sad, because there's enough talent to be step-for-step with the Braves in the NL East, but management and lockerroom issues seem to be holding this team back. Unfortunately, I think it's going to get worse before it gets any better. Callaway's days appear to be numbered, and BVW could potentially lose his job, as well.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

FIVE STORYLINES TO WATCH
Yost's job security, potential trade chips on the docket
By artoodeetoo
07/10/2019

Who gets traded?

The trendy pick to get traded first is Whit Merrifield; but the Royals will demand a premium for him, and rightfully so. Other names to watch for are Danny Duffy, Homer Bailey, Jorge Soler, Martin Maldonado, and Ian Kennedy. Kennedy's found a nice niche as a closer, notching eleven saves with an ERA+ of 160. However, he's still under contract through 2020, and his $16.5M salary next season; plus the remainder of his 2019 salary, is probably going to have to be at least partially eaten in order for him to be moved. Still, it's a minor miracle that the Royals were able to salvage some of his trade value.

Duffy is signed relatively cheaply through 2021, and while he's been better over his last three starts (8 ER in 21 1/3 IP), his swing-and-miss rate is down, which has led to a career-low 7.3 K/9 so far in 2019. Bailey's surface numbers aren't great -- 4.80 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 6 QS -- however, his FIP and ERA+ are 4.54 and 104, and has posted a 1.2 fWAR and 1.2 rWAR, showing remarkable consistency. Plus, he's signed to a near-league minimum deal, making him a potential value buy.

Jorge Soler is a bit simpler of a case. He's much more budget-friendly (roughly $6M through next year), but are teams willing to put up with a near-30% strikeout rate? He's hitting for much more power, with career highs in doubles (17) and homeruns (23), but he's walking less and striking out more. He's probably not going to start for a playoff contender, but he'd be a very valuable bench bat against lefties, with the occasional spot start.

Will Adalberto Mondesi become a household name outside of Kansas City?

I think so. Many within baseball thought early on that Mondesi could have a Francisco Lindor-type impact for the Royals down the road, and that line of thinking is still rather prevalent.

While his walk and strikeout rates are better than his career averages to date, as well as his .310 wOBA (beats his 2019 true OBP of .299), a 94 wRC+ and 95 OPS+ are on the low side for a guy with the kind of pop he has in his bat. It's hard to believe he's still just twenty-three (will be twenty-four on July 27th), so he's still scratching the surface on what he can be.

That being said, he leads the Junior Circuit in triples (8) and stolen bases (28) at the break; and aside from some accuracy issues, his defensive metrics have improved year-over-year. If he can continue to show improvement with his approach at the plate, and continue to drive the ball gap-to-gap like he has shown so far, let the Lindor comparisons fly.

With Alex Gordon out, how will teams pitch to Hunter Dozier?

Gordon may miss up to a couple of months with a fractured cheekbone after taking a pitch off his batting helmet in Saturday's game with the Nationals. Without Gordon's resurgent bat in the lineup, Dozier and Soler will be the only two players that teams might fear going yard on any pitch.

Dozier, the team's first-rounder in 2013 and whom finished second in the AL All-Star voting at third base, has shown immense improvement over his 2018 numbers, nearly doubling his walk rate while slashing his K-rate by around seven percent over last year. Teams might stay away from him, opting to go after strikeout machines in Soler, Mondesi, or Lucas Duda.

How aggressive will Dayton Moore be with prospects in the second half?

He's already shown a proclivity to get new guys into the mix early, especially given the team's struggles this season. Nicky Lopez and Kelvin Gutierrez, notably, have seen significant time in the majors so far. Southpaw reliever Richard Lovelady also showed promise in his brief stint, fanning eleven in 12 2/3 innings of work. I also think we'll see right-hander Josh Staumont later on in the season in September; perhaps earlier, along with Lovelady.

Moreover, the much-discussed pitching draft class of 2018 is starting to come on the radar of Royals fans as they've reached the higher echelons of the system. The Double-A and High-A rotations certainly have star power, with all four 2018 first-round college pitchers housed within these two teams. Scott Blewett and Foster Griffin, a righty and lefty respectively in Triple-A Omaha, are a couple of names worth remembering.

2017 third-rounder Daniel Tillo is also in High-A, forming an exciting quintet of potential arms that could be hitting a major league mound sooner rather than later. Chances are, the aforementioned pitchers probably won't see a big-league mound until 2022 at the earliest, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Does Ned Yost's job security become an issue?

I don't think it does, but they're barreling towards a fourth straight losing season; and not only that, they've posted a record that has gotten worse each of those four seasons. He's signed through 2021, and he'll likely play out that contract, but I'm not sure I see him managing past that.

That said, if they don't show at least a modicum of improvement through the end of this season and into next season, he may force Moore's hand prior to '21. Hopefully, the young crew comes back fresh and motivated in the second half, and makes that a moot point.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

TOP 25 TRADE CANDIDATES
Smith, Merrifield top initial list
07/11/2019
By MLB.com Staff

This is MLB.com's initial ranking of the top ten trade candidates, and will be updated frequently throughout the next three weeks as trades happen, and rumors fly. This list does not include Wil Myers, who was originally on this list at #23 just last night before the Nationals acquired him earlier this morning for Brian Dozier (all stats current as of July 7th).

1. Will Smith, RP, Giants: Kirby Yates is arguably a hair above Smith in terms of ability, but Smith plays for a team that's not likely to contend, while Yates' Padre squad is still largely in contention, based on the standings and in public comments by GM A.J. Preller. Smith is a shut-down rental closer who throws from the left side and isn’t all that expensive ($4.225MM). He would upgrade every contender’s roster and suit every payroll. Accordingly, the acquisition cost will be high.

2. Whit Merrifield, UTIL, Royals: The late-blooming Merrifield is arguably the most versatile position player on the potential trade board. He's played first, second, third, and all three outfield positions, which is a tantalizing skill set for would-be suitors. Oh, and he steals a ton of bases, too. On the downside, he doesn't play any position extremely well (other than 1B), but he's much like a younger version of Ben Zobrist; so much so that the Cubs, among others, have shown some initial interest in the 30-year-old. He's also incredibly affordable and controlled through 2023 for just $21M over the next four seasons after this one. Dayton Moore has made it no secret that he expects nothing less than a premium return for him, and rightfully so -- the combination of affordability, versatility, and production warrants it.

3. Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants: MadBum has been better this season over recent seasons, but there are some telltale signs of age and wear. He’s posting an 3.99 FIP (4.16 ERA), but is allowing 1.4 home runs per nine. With a decent increase in velocity, his K/9 numbers have spiked back to 9.3 over 2018. Opposing hitters still have an 88.5 mph exit velocity, showing that along with a higher clip of homeruns being hit off him, his secondary stuff is probably not as sharp as it used to be. $12MM is not a bargain by any stretch, but cash-rich teams shouldn't have a problem snagging him if they want. That said, the Giants shouldn't expect a huge return unless they are willing to eat most of his remaining salary.

4. Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays: Stroman keeps the ball in the park (0.8 HR/9), doesn't walk many (3.0 BB/9), and should command a great return with an affordable $7.4M salary this season, and one year of control remaining beyond 2019. What's the catch? It seems like a good opportunity to cash in on a player that has had some ups and downs, but they could hold serve with him if they take a shot at contention next year, or if he shows interest in an extension.

5. Matt Boyd, SP, Tigers: If Al Avila wants to deal Boyd, he certainly still could. He's controllable for three more years beyond 2019; and despite a rough three weeks, is still talked about as one of the hottest potential trade chips out there. That said, his recent slump could work in Avila's favor -- his value may slip enough that he can reasonably say that he couldn't get the 'right' deal, and the Tigers get to keep their top starter for another year, when they'll likely go through this all over again next July.

6. Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays: Never a huge contact-hitting maven, Smoak's value has nonetheless dipped in recent weeks, slashing just .219/.358/.421. Despite that, he's striking out much less than his career averages (-5%), and still sports an ISO of .202, so the BA concerns should be somewhat alleviated. In addition, he's capable of playing an above-average first base at thirty-two years old, opening up the potential pool of suitors to NL teams as well as DH-needy AL squads. All-in-all, his $8M salary figure and better-than-average production (106 OPS+, 112 wRC+) makes him a solid rental piece.

7. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres: Being just three games back of the second wildcard spot, San Diego has maintained that it would take an overwhelming deal for to get them to bite on a trade for the hard-throwing reclamation project. He also has a year of control beyond 2019, further escalating his value. Yates has arguably been the best reliever in baseball this year and he’s earning peanuts ($3.06M). If and when the Padres do decide to sell, Yates should vault to; or nearer to, the top of this list.

8. Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Tigers: The 27-year-old Castellanos is a doubles machine, stroking twenty-nine through the season's first-half, ranking him in the top four in the Junior Circuit. If teams are willing to look past his defensive shortcomings, he could be a quality bat that thrives in a lineup with other accomplished hitters. At just a hair under $10M, he's not cheap, but it's a hurdle easily cleared by most teams, and is a prime trade-and-extend candidate as he enters just his age-28 season in 2020.

9. Alex Colome, RP, White Sox: While the Pale Hose sit just five games out of a wildcard spot, they have a tough road to hoe against the likes of the Angels, Rangers, A's, Red Sox, and Indians to reach the second position. About a month ago, it would have been crazy to consider trading him, but now I would imagine Rick Hahn has been fielding calls left and right. Despite a 2.08 ERA, he lacks the swing-and-miss stuff of more dominant closers like Yates, Smith, and Ken Giles (when healthy), but profiles easily as an eighth-inning arm with a spot save opportunity on a playoff contender. Would teams be willing to give up multiple assets for a $7.325MM set-up man?

10. Trey Mancini, 1B, Orioles: One of the Orioles' few marketable players, Mancini is a man without a position, as he's been limited to first base duty with Chris Davis handling the DH role. His lack of positional flexibility limits his landing spots, but it's hard to argue with his production at the dish -- he's posted a 131 OPS+ and wRC+, and an ISO mark of .231 in his age-27 season. However, adding his three years of additional control, his value should remain relatively high.

OTHER NAMES TO WATCH
11. Shane Greene, RP, Tigers
12. Danny Duffy, SP, Royals
13. Mychal Givens, RP, Orioles
14. Sam Dyson, RP, Giants
15. Tanner Roark, SP, Reds
16. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants
17. David Hernandez, RP, Reds
18. Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals
19. Tony Watson, RP, Giants
20. Jose Iglesias, SS, Reds
21. Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants
22. Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox
23. Corey Dickerson, OF, Pirates
24. Jorge Soler, OF, Royals
25. Mark Melancon, RP, Giants

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

STATS & STANDINGS UPDATE

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

DETROIT TIGERS (28-57) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (30-61)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/12: LHP Matt Boyd (6-6, 3.87) vs LHP Danny Duffy (3-5, 4.28)
07/13: LHP Matt Hall (0-1, 23.63) vs RHP Homer Bailey (7-6, 4.80)
07/14: LHP Daniel Norris (2-8, 4.96) vs RHP Brad Keller (5-9, 4.66)

GAME RECAPS

Friday, July 12, 2019 - First pitch, 7:15 CST
Detroit (28-58) 0, Kansas City (31-61) 7
Winner: Danny Duffy (4-5) Loser: Matt Boyd (6-7) Save: None
HR-DET: None HR-KC: Hunter Dozier (15)

ROYALS BLANK TIGERS TO BEGIN SECOND HALF

Danny Duffy tossed five and one-third shutout innings, and Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler combined for five RBI as the Royals whitewashed the Tigers in a 7-0 rout. Duffy walked four while striking out four, but scattered just three hits as scouts from reportedly a dozen teams looked on. Dozier kicked the scoring off with a three-run blast in the first against Matt Boyd, while Soler was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Whit Merrifield was 3-for-5, while Adalberto Mondesi was 2-for-3 with four steals, including stealing second, third, and home all in the same inning (fifth). He became the second Royal to turn the feat in team history (Willie Wilson was the other).

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (51-41) 4, Baltimore (28-62) 5 (G1, Final/10)
Tampa Bay (52-41) 8, Baltimore (28-63) 2 (G2)
Detroit (28-58) 0, Kansas City (31-61) 7
Toronto (35-57) 4, NY Yankees (58-31) 2
Minnesota (56-34) 2, Cleveland (49-40) 5
Houston (56-36) 7, Texas (49-43) 3
LA Dodgers (62-31) 6, Boston (49-42) 5 (Final/10)
Chi. Sox (43-44) 4, Oakland (49-43) 3 (Final/10)
Seattle (40-55) 3, LA Angels (48-44) 4 (Final/11)

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Pittsburgh (43-47) 3, Chi. Cubs (48-43) 4
NY Mets (43-48) 7, Miami (33-56) 3
Washington (47-43) 3, Philadelphia (46-45) 4
San Francisco (41-49) 6, Milwaukee (48-44) 5
Arizona (45-47) 3, St. Louis (46-43) 5
Atlanta (55-37) 3, San Diego (44-47) 2
Cincinnati (43-45) 4, Colorado (46-44) 5

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Washington deals IF Brian Dozier to the Padres for 1B/OF Wil Myers
Orioles trade RHP Nate Karns to the Diamondbacks for RHP Jose Almonte
Veteran RHP John Axford dealt from Toronto to Milwaukee in exchange for RHP Max Lazar, IF Connor McVey

Saturday, July 13, 2019 - First pitch, 6:15 CST
Detroit (29-58) 7, Kansas City (31-62) 2
Winner: Matt Hall (1-1) Loser: Homer Bailey (7-7) Save: None
HR-DET: Niko Goodrum (8), Nicholas Castellanos (11) HR-KC: Jorge Soler (24)

HALL, TIGERS EVEN SERIES

Jorge Soler was 2-for-4, including hitting his team-best 24th homerun; but Matt Hall was better, allowing just two earned runs over seven innings with ten strikeouts as the Tigers evened their three-game tilt with the Royals by a 7-2 count. Adalberto Mondesi continued his hot hitting from the previous weekend, drilling two more hits to raise his average to .272. Homer Bailey couldn't escape the first inning, going just two-thirds of an inning while walking four, allowing three hits, and not striking out a single hitter. The bullpen pitched well in relief, however, with Scott Barlow posting seven strikeouts in three innings of one-run ball. Brian Flynn, Jake Newberry, and Kevin McCarthy also combined to allow just one run in five and one-third innings between them.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (52-42) 3, Baltimore (29-63) 4
Detroit (29-58) 7, Kansas City (31-62) 2
Toronto (35-58) 4, NY Yankees (59-31) 6
Minnesota (56-35) 2, Cleveland (50-40) 5
Houston (57-36) 5, Texas (49-44) 2
LA Dodgers (62-32) 2, Boston (50-42) 5
Chi. Sox (43-45) 2, Oakland (50-43) 6
Seattle (41-55) 5, LA Angels (48-45) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Pittsburgh (43-48) 10, Chi. Cubs (49-43) 11
NY Mets (43-49) 0, Miami (34-56) 5
Washington (47-44) 3, Philadelphia (47-45) 7
San Francisco (41-50) 5, Milwaukee (49-44) 6
Arizona (46-47) 6, St. Louis (46-44) 0
Atlanta (55-38) 3, San Diego (45-47) 2
Cincinnati (43-46) 4, Colorado (47-44) 14

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Miami trades IF Neil Walker to Cleveland for IF Jorma Rodriguez
Pirates trade RHP Jordan Lyles to Philadelphia for P's Rafael Carvajal, Tyler Hallead and IF Edgar Made

Sunday, July 14, 2019 - First pitch, 1:15 CST
Detroit (29-59) 7, Kansas City (32-62) 8 (Final/13)
Winner: Tim Hill (1-0) Loser: Caleb Thielbar (0-1) Save: None
HR-DET: None HR-KC: Adalberto Mondesi 2 (11), Whit Merrifield (12)

ROYALS STAGE LATE COMEBACK; TAKE SERIES

Behind two homeruns from shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, and another from Whit Merrifield, the Royals were able to post an 8-7 victory, albeit in thirteen innings. Jorge Bonifacio's sacrifice fly with one out in the 13th brought Hunter Dozier home with the winning run off Zac Houston. Dozier had led off the inning with a double, and reached third on a groundout to the right side by Cheslor Cuthbert. Brad Keller left after just eighty pitches and four full innings with a sore back, but had fanned seven with just one walk in his abbreviated outing. He allowed five runs (three earned) in the contest, but the bullpen did a nice job of keeping the Royals in the game, allowing just two earned runs over nine innings. Ian Kennedy pitched a season-high three scoreless innings, while Tim Hill picked up his first victory of the season with two scoreless innings. Mondesi left the game in the eighth inning after a collision at second base; he was replaced by Nicky Lopez with Merrifield coming in from left field to play second. Cuthbert went from first base to left field. However, the injury is not expected to be serious.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Toronto (35-58) @ NY Yankees (59-31) -- PPD (Rain)
Tampa Bay (53-42) 6, Baltimore (29-64) 4
Detroit (29-59) 7, Kansas City (32-62) 8 (Final/13)
Minnesota (57-35) 6, Cleveland (50-41) 4
Houston (57-37) 6, Texas (50-44) 7
LA Dodgers (62-33) 3, Boston (51-42) 10
Chi. Sox (43-46) 2, Oakland (51-43) 8
Seattle (41-56) 2, LA Angels (49-45) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Pittsburgh (43-49) 4, Chi. Cubs (50-43) 5
NY Mets (43-50) 1, Miami (35-56) 4
Washington (48-44) 5, Philadelphia (47-46) 3
San Francisco (41-51) 5, Milwaukee (50-44) 8
Arizona (46-48) 2, St. Louis (47-44) 3
Atlanta (55-39) 4, San Diego (46-47) 9
Cincinnati (43-47) 2, Colorado (48-44) 6

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Oakland re-acquires IF Jed Lowrie from the Mets for IF Jurickson Profar, IF Logan Davidson
Indians RHP Danny Salazar (shoulder) could miss next start after setback
Pirates trade OF Corey Dickerson to Cleveland for P's Logan Franco, Eli Morgan and OF Skeiling Rodriguez

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

PLAYING THE ODDS: TRADE DEADLINE EDITION
Royals have marketable assets as deadline approaches
By artoodeetoo
07/15/2019

It's time to make some predictions on the odds of the eight most marketable players the Royals have. What goes into the percentages are the years of control remaining, salary obligations, and future value to the team going forward.

Obviously, rental players (players controlled just through 2019) will most likely be moved. Players like Whit Merrifield, who have value not only on the open market; but to their current squad, will command the highest return.

(Players listed in alphabetical order)

Homer Bailey, RHP: 90%. He's had a few rough starts lately, but his 4.72 FIP could be much, much worse; and is actually just below the league average (95 FIP-). As long as he doesn't fall completely off the table over his next handful of starts, I'd expect the Royals will move Homer for a lottery ticket-type of prospect. Plus, he's making the league minimum, so even with his so-so numbers, he's still a solid value.

Jake Diekman, LHP: 90%. He's pretty affordable, with about $1M left on his 2019 figure, and then a mutual option for just $5.75M in 2020. Walks are high (5.8 BB/9), but a 12.8 K/9 is a career-high, and he's getting swings-and-misses at a 16.8% clip, the best of his career. His groundball rate of 68% is also going to expand his list of suitors.

Lucas Duda, 1B: 5%. Unless his bat heats up in the coming weeks, or injuries strike at the first base or DH spots around the league, Duda doesn't have enough value to be moved by the team. He's an OK defender (1.1 DSR), but all of his homeruns are against RHP, and has a checkered injury history. He's a rental bat, so for a team needing a left-handed bench bat, he's not the worst option.

Danny Duffy, LHP: 10%. Duffy is the only one on this list with more than two years of control left, as he's still owed about $37M through 2021. He doesn't have quite the velocity he used to, and has had to rely on his secondary stuff more often to get outs. He was paid several years ago to be the ace of this staff; however, has really been anything but. I think teams will have a hard time reconciling taking on that kind of salary for a guy who is a mid-rotation arm at best.

Billy Hamilton, OF: 15%. Hamilton's value is in his basestealing and defense, so no one is going to give up a lot to get him. With a 4.1 UZR and 75% stolen base rate (18-for-24), his highest value is as a pinch-runner and fourth OF. He'll work best for a National League squad that needs extra depth.

Ian Kennedy, RHP: 5%. He's still owed about $23.5M through the end of next season, which means he's probably a Royal at least until about this time next year. If the Royals would be willing to eat some of his salary, then it could happen this season, but indications are that ownership is looking to get as much fat off the books as possible, so eating money isn't on the table. Plus, he's one of the few reliable bullpen arms this team has.

Martin Maldonado, C: 55%. Maldonado's been here before, going from the Angels to the Astros a few years ago in a deadline deal. Salvador Perez and Cam Gallagher are coming back next year, and they have catchers Meibrys Viloria and MJ Melendez waiting in the wings in the high minors. I doubt the return for him would be anything to write home about, but for generally a defense-only guy, even a low-level prospect should suffice.

Whit Merrifield, OF/2B: 1%. I understand this is probably low-balling the actual chances, but Dayton Moore wants a king's ransom for Whit, as he should. I don't think it's going to take any less than one or two Top 150-type prospects, plus a B-level prospect to get it done. Whit is on the wrong side of thirty; and while he's proved that he's a legitimate MLB standout right now, how many more years of productivity does he have before he drops off? That's what prospective trading partners are going to have to weigh.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (43-46) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (32-62)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/15: RHP Ivan Nova (3-7, 5.92) vs RHP Jake Junis (4-9, 5.69)
07/16: RHP Dylan Covey (1-4, 4.58) vs RHP Jorge Lopez (1-7, 6.75)
07/17: RHP Lucas Giolito (11-3, 2.91) vs LHP Danny Duffy (4-5, 4.00)
07/18: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (7-7, 5.26) vs RHP Homer Bailey (7-7, 5.26)

GAME RECAPS

Monday, July 15, 2019 - First pitch, 7:15 CST
Chi. Sox (43-47) 2, Kansas City (33-62) 3
Winner: Jake Junis (5-9) Loser: Ivan Nova (3-9) Save: Jake Diekman (1)
HR-CWS: Eloy Jimenez (16) HR-KC: None

JUNIS, ROYALS HANG ON FOR THIN WIN

With the Royals needing a big outing out of a starting pitcher, the Royals got it in Jake Junis as the veteran righty tossed seven and one-third innings of two-run ball, striking out a season-high ten in a 3-2 Royals victory. Kevin McCarthy got the Royals out of a jam in the eighth, getting Jose Abreu to roll into a double play with a man on first and one out in the inning. Jake Diekman worked around a one-out walk to pick up his first save of 2019. With two runs in the first and one in the third, the Royals led 3-0 after three innings before the White Sox added one each in the fourth and fifth to cut the lead to one, but Junis and the bullpen held fast to give the Royals their third victory in four games since the second half began on Friday.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Toronto (36-58) 2, Boston (51-43) 1
Chi. Sox (43-47) 2, Kansas City (33-62) 3
Detroit (29-60) 3, Cleveland (51-41) 5
Tampa Bay (53-43) 1, NY Yankees (60-31) 10
Houston (58-37) 6, LA Angels (49-46) 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Dodgers (62-34) 2, Philadelphia (48-46) 7
Cincinnati (44-47) 7, Chi. Cubs (50-44) 6
Pittsburgh (43-50) 4, St. Louis (48-44) 8
Atlanta (55-40) 6, Milwaukee (51-44) 10
San Francisco (41-53) 6, Colorado (50-44) 8

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Altuve, Marte named Players of the Week
Yankees, Dodgers, Twins remain atop the newest Power Rankings

Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - First pitch, 7:15 CST
Chi. Sox (44-47) 5, Kansas City (33-63) 3
Winner: Dylan Covey (2-4) Loser: Jorge Lopez (1-8) Save: Alex Colome (20)
HR-CWS: Brett Nicholas (1) HR-KC: Hunter Dozier (16)

BULLPEN STRONG IN ROYALS DEFEAT

Making his first start since May 29th, Jorge Lopez gave up five earned runs in four innings, fanning five with two walks and seven hits as the Royals fell 5-3 to the White Sox, evening up the four-game set at one win each. Bubba Starling, who was just called up from Omaha to make his MLB debut, stroked an RBI double in his first at-bat, but was cut down on strikes in his next three plate appearances. The bullpen again did an admirable job cleaning up the starters' mess, tossing four innings without allowing a run, and fanning ten White Sox hitters in the process without a walk. Scott Barlow, who replaced Lopez to begin the fifth, struck out the first four hitters he faced before leaving with an apparent ribcage injury. Kevin McCarthy and Brian Flynn closed out the game, each fanning three.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Seattle (42-56) 7, Oakland (51-44) 6
NY Mets (43-51) 3, Minnesota (58-35) 5
Arizona (47-48) 3, Texas (50-45) 2
Washington (49-44) 3, Baltimore (29-65) 2 (Final/11)
Toronto (36-59) 4, Boston (52-43) 5 (Final/10)
Chi. Sox (44-47) 5, Kansas City (33-63) 3
Detroit (30-60) 5, Cleveland (51-42) 3
Tampa Bay (54-43) 13, NY Yankees (60-32) 9 (Final/15)
Houston (59-37) 5, LA Angels (49-47) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Diego (47-47) 2, Miami (35-57) 1 (Final/10)
LA Dodgers (62-35) 6, Philadelphia (49-46) 7
Cincinnati (44-48) 4, Chi. Cubs (51-44) 8
Pittsburgh (44-50) 10, St. Louis (48-45) 2
Atlanta (56-40) 15, Milwaukee (51-45) 12
San Francisco (41-54) 5, Colorado (51-44) 7

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
White Sox designate 1B Yonder Alonso for assignment; claim 1B A.J. Reed off waivers

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - First pitch, 7:15 CST
Chi. Sox (45-47) 8, Kansas City (33-64) 2
Winner: Lucas Giolito (12-3) Loser: Danny Duffy (4-6) Save: None
HR-CWS: Yoan Moncada (18), Brett Nicholas (2) HR-KC: Lucas Duda (4)

BATS SILENCED AS ROYALS LOSE IN LAUGHER

It wasn't a good day for Danny Duffy or the Royals' offense, as All-Star Lucas Giolito shut the Royals down to the tune of two runs over seven innings as the White Sox took a 2-1 lead in the four-game series with an 8-2 victory. Duffy surrendered a pair of homeruns in the first two innings, with Brett Nicholas' three-run homerun in the second of the inside-the-park variety. However, Duffy did strike out seven in his five innings of work without a walk, tossing ninety-seven pitches and leaving with a 7-2 deficit. Adalberto Mondesi extended his AL-leading triples count to nine, driving in Whit Merrifield with one of the two Royals' tallies on the night. Lucas Duda provided the other run with a solo homerun in the fifth. Mondesi has also hit safely in eleven of his last thirteen contests, including four two-hit games. Four relievers combined to hold the White Sox to just an unearned run, with Wily Peralta being charged with the unearned run in the ninth following the second of two Cheslor Cuthbert errors at third base.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Detroit (30-60) @ Cleveland (51-42) -- PPD (Rain)
Seattle (42-57) 4, Oakland (52-44) 5
NY Mets (43-52) 3, Minnesota (59-35) 8
Arizona (48-48) 9, Texas (50-46) 6
Washington (50-44) 6, Baltimore (29-66) 1
Toronto (37-59) 8, Boston (52-44) 4
Chi. Sox (45-47) 8, Kansas City (33-64) 2
Tampa Bay (55-43) 1, NY Yankees (60-33) 0
Houston (60-37) 6, LA Angels (49-48) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Diego (48-47) 6, Miami (35-58) 5 (Final/11)
LA Dodgers (63-35) 14, Philadelphia (49-47) 4
Cincinnati (44-49) 1, Chi. Cubs (52-44) 2
Pittsburgh (44-51) 4, St. Louis (49-45) 5 (Final/11)
Atlanta (56-41) 4, Milwaukee (52-45) 5
San Francisco (41-55) 0, Colorado (52-44) 4

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Reds extend RHP Tanner Roark to three-year, $43.3M contract
Cubs acquire RHP Kevin Shackelford from Cincinnati for RHP Bailey Clark
Cardinals OF/3B Jose Bautista set to retire at season's end

Thursday, July 18, 2019 - First pitch, 12:15 CST
Chi. Sox (46-47) 7, Kansas City (33-65) 6
Winner: Caleb Frare (1-0) Loser: Homer Bailey (7-8) Save: Alex Colome (21)
HR-CWS: None HR-KC: Hunter Dozier (17), Lucas Duda (5)

LATE RALLY STYMIED, ROYALS DROP THIRD STRAIGHT

Hunter Dozier and Lucas Duda hit back-to-back homeruns to lead off the eighth, pulling the Royals to within one; and the hot-hitting Dozier came up again in the ninth, this time with men on the corners with one out. However, Alex Colome was able to coax a ground ball to get a double play, and the Royals' rally fell short by one run in a 7-6 defeat. Homer Bailey went seven innings, allowing six hits and six runs with three walks and strikeouts apiece. Tim Hill each pitched an inning, with Hill allowing what ended up being the winning run on a fielder's choice with one out. Ian Kennedy worked around a two-out single for a scoreless ninth inning. Whit Merrifield collected three hits, including a double. Despite the GIDP to end the game, Dozier was 2-for-4, hitting his 17th homerun and collecting yet another double. Adalberto Mondesi also had a two-run single in the fifth to extend his hit streak to a modest six games.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Detroit (30-61) 1, Cleveland (52-42) 10 (G1)
Detroit (31-61) 15, Cleveland (52-43) 10 (G2)
Oakland (52-45) 6, Minnesota (60-35) 7
Toronto (38-59) 5, Boston (52-45) 0
Chi. Sox (46-47) 7, Kansas City (33-65) 6
Tampa Bay (55-44) 5, NY Yankees (61-33) 0
Houston (60-38) 6, LA Angels (50-48) 7 (Final/11)

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Diego (49-47) 2, Miami (35-59) 0
St. Louis (50-45) 8, Cincinnati (44-50) 4
LA Dodgers (63-36) 3, Philadelphia (50-47) 4
Washington (50-45) 1, Atlanta (57-41) 4
Milwaukee (52-46) 3, Arizona (49-48) 5
NY Mets (43-53) 1, San Francisco (42-55) 3

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Angels sign LHP Jorge de la Rosa to one-year contract
Cubs LHP Xavier Cedeno designated for assignment
Angels placed RHP/OF Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) on 10-day injured list, retro to 07/17/2019

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS SWAP DIEKMAN TO COLORADO
Staumont re-called; Speier's contract selected
By artoodeetoo
07/19/2019

The Royals have made their first major trade of the season, dealing left-hander Jake Diekman to Colorado for three minor leaguers -- catcher Joel Diaz, right-handed pitcher Alexander Guillen, and the notorious PTBNL (sounds like a cool hip-hop stage name).

Josh Staumont was called up from Omaha, where he'll get his first taste of big-league action since being drafted in the second round in 2015.

Diekman signed a contract this past offseason that will pay out $2.25M in 2019, with a $5.75M mutual option for 2020. His surface numbers are rather ghastly (0-5, 5.12 ERA, 98 ERA+), but sports an FIP of 4.02, and is holding hitters to a .203 BA (including a .167 BAA by left-handed hitters). He's also keeping the ball in the ballpark, with just three homeruns allowed in just shy of forty innings, which will play well in Colorado.

His problem is, and always has been, issuing walks; and this year has been no exception with a healthy 5.4 BB/9. But he's averaging a career-best 12.8 K/9 this year, and he has a GB% of 68.8%, including 76.3% in his past five outings.

Out of the two known players received in the deal, the prize is the six-foot-one, 185-pound Guillen, who has sixty-five strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings of work at the Double-A level, sporting a tiny 1.24 ERA. He spent just ten days in High-A to begin this season, striking out seven in eight and one-third innings for Lancaster before getting the call-up.

Despite not having overwhelming velocity, he has three solid, above-average pitches (two-seamer, slider, change-up), and moves them all pretty well. He also has just eighteen walks between his two stops in 2019, going from 4.4 BB/9 in 2017, to 3.7 last season, to 3.3 this year. He can run his fastball into the mid 90's, but typically sits in the low 90's (90-93).

Diaz will reportedly begin at High-A, where he played in the Rockies' system before coming over. Catching prospect Sebastian Rivero will drop down to Single-A, where he'll get more opportunities behind the plate to develop his defensive skills, as he was on the same squad as arguably the best defensive catcher in all of MiLB in MJ Melendez.

He won't offer much in the way of power (just 89 XBH out of 501 career hits), but has a decent .272/.329/.360 slash, and has thrown out 33.3% of would-be base stealers (45-of-135) in his career.