Royals Rumblings - News for September 30, 2022

Sep 30, 2022 - 12:00 PM

<a href= — Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images

Anne Rogers writes that Hunter Dozier is providing veteran leadership.

As Dozier describes it, his role as a veteran is to keep things in perspective, reminding his team that in baseball, it’s all too easy to move from a tough stretch into a winning streak.

“Keep it light,” he said. “We have a lot of young guys, a lot of rookies, and they’re playing well. We’re going to go through a little growing pain, but we’re coming off a really good series at home, a whole homestand. Just keep it light, tell them to keep going, work hard.”

Matheny on Ryan O'Hearn's role as a pinch hitter: "What Ryan O'Hearn has done, we will continue to talk about because that role of coming in as a pinch hitter, being one of the best in the game right now...." #Royals pic.twitter.com/VBeLP57uQg
— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) September 29, 2022

Lynn Worthy talks to Royals pitching prospect Ben Kudrna about his first full pro season.

“I like going to new places, getting to experience new things. I like being on my own. I think from a maturity standpoint, it’s great. You’ve got to figure out how to do things on your own. You don’t have mom and dad by your side to help you with everything. It’s what I asked for. It’s what I love. I like being independent, figuring things out, learning. Then, obviously, getting to play baseball day by day is also awesome.”

Jose Cuas was officially sent down to the minors, but he’ll travel with the team on the taxi squad.

“If you look at his ability to throw strikes, in the past and especially early on in the season, I think when you see that start to fall off a little bit, you’re just seeing fatigue,” Matheny said. “We talk about all the starters, about understanding that this time of year is new for them. This is way new for Jose.”

David Lesky at Inside the Crown looks at the road woes for Royals hitters.

For the season, the Royals are now 24-50 on the road. They average just 3.74 runs per game away from Kauffman Stadium. They finished their home schedule 39-42 and averaged 4.14 runs per game. But after going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and leaving 13 more men on base in a 2-1 loss to the Tigers, the pattern is impossible to ignore. Let’s take a look at the ineptitude.

In September, they are now 3-9 on the road and are a combined 23 for 101 with runners in scoring position with 93 runners left on base. Since the break, they’re 7-21 and a combined 40 for 187 with runners in scoring position with 189 men left on base. Yeesh, those numbers show how much trouble they even had getting runners on base at all for awhile on the road.

With the Royals now in last place, Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter thinks Mike Matheny will be fired after the season.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman writes about the Royals on the bubble this off-season.

The Mets will call up Francisco Alvarez, the top-ranked prospect in baseball.

What are the impacts of the new playoff format?

Can this be a “golden age of Dodgers baseball” if they only win one title?

Justin Verlander’s brother Ben is doing a documentary on Shohei Ohtani, but he also seems to be making a lot of it about himself.

Despite a disappointing season, the Twins will keep president of baseball operations Derek Falvey.

Rich Hill plans to pitch in 2023 at age 43.

Why are catchers so dang slow?

A preview of the free agent class of second basemen.

Ranking the 30 best guards in the NBA.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are....good now?