\"A dim view of humanity\" -Lee Judge
I didn’t care for baseball as a young child. I knew the Royals were in the World Series, but I was more enamored with the guy in the red uniform doing backflips when he ran on the field than I was with any Royals players. At school, we were asked to draw a picture of […]
12 days ago | 1 read
Fangraphs just launched a new feature called FanGraphs Lab. They’re basically putting up some data visualization tools that people can play with and then asking for feedback on those tools, along with ideas for other things people might want. I thought I would go play with them and see what you can do so you […]
12 days ago | 3 reads
Spring training always brings optimism — and tough questions. In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco break down the latest developments from Kansas City Royals camp, starting with standout performances from non-roster invitees like Jac Caglianone, who continues to turn heads. The hosts also address early concerns about […]
12 days ago | 1 read
Unless you’ve been living under the proverbial rock, you are aware that baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, 2026. MLBPA’s new leader, Bruce Meyer, says that the lockout is “all but guaranteed”. The owners want a salary cap and seem prepared to hold out until they get one. The owners have talked tough […]
12 days ago | 2 reads
Stephen Kolek’s injury from Wednesday was diagnosed as a left oblique strain: Kolek will be shut down for the next five to seven days, but it could be more depending on what the scan shows. “We’re obviously hopeful it’s not too serious,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “[Kolek] is the guy that probably you would have […]
13 days ago | 2 reads
The Royals will try to end their two-game losing skid this afternoon against the local Arizona Diamondbacks. Ryan Bergert pitches in his second game, after throwing a scoreless inning in his first time out. The royals won’t start many regulars today, with Lane Thomas at DH, and a good look at young hitters Jac Caglianon […]
13 days ago | 3 reads
Prospects are fun because you can dream big on them, but oftentimes they’ll break your heart. The bust rate is high because (1) it’s very difficult to project how an 18-year-old kid will play when he’s 24 years old; and (2) playing in the big leagues is very, very difficult! A lot of fans try […]
13 days ago | 2 reads
For years, Salvador Perez has been the Royals’ mainstay behind the plate. If he’s been healthy, he wants to catch, and catch he has. But the past several years have seen an aging, albeit still productive Perez shift more to first base and designated hitter. Last year, he appeared in 92 games behind the plate […]
13 days ago | 1 read
When you speak of the World Baseball Classic to Royals fans, their most vivid memories will be how two of their most important players heading into the 2023 season – Bobby Witt Jr. and Brady Singer – were participants on Team USA. Bobby and Brady were going to be vital to whatever success the Royals […]
13 days ago | 3 reads
Anne Rogers writes about the pitchers working on new pitches this spring. Add Schreiber to the list of pitchers working on a kick-changeup, a pitch he introduced last season but then worked on consistently the entire offseason. The right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA and will be a reliever the Royals turn to in middle- to […]
14 days ago | 3 reads
The Royals take on their biggest rivals in baseball today – the Seattle Mariners. Noah Cameron makes his Cactus League debut. Does he actually have to “win” a rotation spot? Kameron Misner is in the lineup – he’s been up five times this spring and has yet to put the ball in play with two […]
14 days ago | 4 reads
Baseball is a team game, with everyone on the roster contributing in their own way. Some players get the accolades, the awards, the Whataburger endorsement opportunities. But there are other players that grind, that do the “little things” that help the team win ballgames. Today’s question of the day is “who is the most underrated […]
14 days ago | 4 reads
After months of waiting, the Kansas City Royals are back on the field. Granted, it’s for Spring Training games, but still–you can watch professional baseball players in actual games against other teams. The Royals last played a game on September 28, 2025, so it’s been almost five months since diehard Kansas City baseball fans were […]
14 days ago | 3 reads
The Kansas City Royals enter the 2026 season with a problem that has plagued them for the last few seasons; they are looking for a solution at leadoff hitter. The Royals have not had an above-average offensive campaign from their leadoff hitter since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The team attempted to address this issue last […]
14 days ago | 2 reads
MLB.com’s Anne Rogers talks with Kansas City Royals outfielder Issac Collins after his spring debut. “First game of the spring, so expectations aren’t super high — I didn’t really have many, to be honest,” Collins said. “I was just glad to get back in there and get the adrenaline going again.” Kansas City intentionally delayed […]
15 days ago | 2 reads
It’s the first game thread of the year. Are you ready??? Spring Training is here! On one hand, it’s fun to see players who don’t usually start get chances to mingle with the stars and starters, and after months of nothing it is wonderful to see baseball back. On the other hand, everyone is working […]
15 days ago | 2 reads
There is an artistry in sports. The physics-defying Michael Jordan hanging in the air in the NBA. The dizzying jukes of Barry Sanders weaving through defenders in the NFL. The graceful moves of Wayne Gretzky on a breakaway. There are a lot of beautiful things about baseball, but one of the most aesthetically pleasing things […]
15 days ago | 3 reads
The Royals won 82 games last year, five games out of a playoff spot and four games worse than they were in 2025. It was tantalizingly close, and the reason they fell short seemed easy enough to identify – outfield offensive production. Royals outfielders collectively hit .225/.285/.348, a 73 wRC+ mark that was easily the […]
15 days ago | 4 reads
Anne Rogers writes about how Michael Massey turned to physics to analyze his swing as he fights for a role in 2026. At its core, Massey’s focus was on the forces applied in a swing, both with his body and his bat, and how his bat needs to move to contact the ball consistently. In […]
16 days ago | 2 reads
In today’s spring training matchup, the Royals take on the Cubs. We’ll get our first look at Seth Lugo after his injury-plagued 2025 season. Lugo’s 4.15 ERA from 2025 outperformed his 5.09 FIP, and he pitched only 145.1 innings. The Royals gave Lugo an extension instead of trading him last season, so it’s crucial that […]
16 days ago | 5 reads
You know the Royals are in a differYou know the Royals are in a different era when they enter camp with few roster spots on the line, rather than holding an open tryout for the lineup. The Royals are pretty much set with their starting nine and rotation, but if there are roster spots to […]
16 days ago | 2 reads
Spring is back — and so is Royals baseball. In tBaseball is back — and the Royals are giving us plenty to talk about. In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco break down the latest developments from Kansas City Royals Spring Training, analyzing early player performances, pitching depth, […]
16 days ago | 3 reads
Hope springs eternal, and spring training is supposed to be an especially hopeful time for fans of all Major League Baseball clubs, even those who don’t root for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the only time of the season where all fans can maybe, just maybe, convince themselves that this could be the year. […]
16 days ago | 0 reads
Anne Rogers writes that Vinnie Pasquantino knows he has to get off to a good start this year. While the hamstring strain Pasquantino suffered at the end of Spring Training last year may have had an impact, he was more concerned about the swing decisions he was making during that month. “It’s not about getting hits or […]
17 days ago | 2 reads
The Kansas City Royals are back in action after getting crushed yesterday by the Padres 10-3. The Royals won their first Spring Training game against the Rangers 7-3 and will look to get back in the groove of things today taking on the Brewers. Bailey Falter takes the ball to start today. Falter, a trade […]
17 days ago | 2 reads