Royals Rumblings - News for October 3, 2022

Oct 3, 2022 - 12:00 PM

<a href= — Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images

Drew Waters talks to Anne Rogers about his power outburst this season.

The pull-side approach is something Waters has worked on in the cage and in batting practice with the Royals’ hitting coaches, hoping to see it translate into games.

“The biggest thing we’ve been talking about is just contact point,” Waters said. “Where we’re looking to make contact. It’s kind of the more front-to-back approach. Focusing what you want to do out front and letting what happens on the back side of the swing just happen. It’s been good. I’m seeing it in results in BP, in the cage, and now in the game. It’s encouraging.”

Anne also writes about Brady Singer’s terrific season.

That will be the fifth-best ERA by a Royals pitcher (min. 150 innings) since 2000. And only four pitchers in team history have thrown more than 150 innings with a better strikeout-per-nine than Singer (8.8) this year: Tom Gordon in 1991 (9.5), Zack Greinke in 2009 (9.5), Danny Duffy in 2016 (9.4) and Kevin Appier in 1996 (8.8)....

“Brady has set himself apart as an elite starter,” manager Mike Matheny said. “He needs to build off this. Remember the things that have allowed him to have success this season. It’s the consistent execution. It’s using that third pitch. It’s knowing the league better.

Salvador Perez missed Sunday’s game with thumb soreness.

After testing, the Royals are comfortable that Perez didn’t compromise the surgical procedure. They’ll proceed cautiously with his playing time, even though he’s lobbying to return before the season wraps up on Wednesday.

“Fortunate that, with all the testing they did, everything looked good where the repair was, and that didn’t seem to be an issue,” manager Mike Matheny said. “It was just sore. He and the medical team will give me direction for the next steps.”

David Laurila at Fangraphs talks to Bobby Witt Jr. about his rookie season.

“I think my season has gone pretty well,” opined Witt. “There are a lot of things I’ve learned from, and all of the failures I’ve gone through will only help me as I go forward. I think I’m going to keep getting better each and every year. It’s all about getting more experience, because who I am is good enough. I just need to keep sharpening my craft.”

Lynn Worthy writes about the season catching prospect Carter Jensen enjoyed.

The first thing that jumped to the mind of Royals director of player development/field coordinator Mitch Maier in regards to Jensen’s progress was a single word:

Work.

“He showed up every day and busted his tail, which was really impressive,” Maier said. “Not that we ever questioned that. But when you get a chance to see it day in and day out and you see an 18-year-old, 19-year-old enduring a long season, catching more than he has ever caught, knowing the toll that takes on your body, the toll a long season takes on your body, seeing that level of consistency with the work and then you see the results and see him get better throughout the year, it’s really encouraging at such a young age.”

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter writes that Drew Waters has made Michael A. Taylor expendable.

Royals minor league squads finished with the second-worst overall organizational record in baseball.

Former Kansas City Athletics infielder Hector Lopez dies at the age of 93.

Albert Pujols hits home run #702 and ties Babe Ruth on the all-time RBI list.

The Mariners end a 20-year post-season drought.

White Sox manager Tony LaRussa is expected to announce his retirement today.

Roger Maris Jr. wants separate home run records for alleged PED users.

The Angels agree to a $30 million deal with Shohei Ohtani for next year.

Charlie Morton signs a one-year, $20 million extension with the Braves.

The Mariners will activate Julio Rodriguez from the Injured List today.

The Mets and Braves are engaging in a terrific finish for the division.

There’s a new longest last name in MLB history - Simeon Woods-Richardson.