Daily Clips
January 16, 2018
LOCAL
Six things you might not know about baseball
January 15, 2018 By Lee Judge/LeeJudgeKC.wordpress.com
https://leejudgekc.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/six-things-you-might-not-know-about-baseball/
MINORS
Baseball 2018 Naturals could have familiar look, except for manager
January 15, 2018 By Paul Boyd/Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette
http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2018/jan/16/baseball-2018-naturals-could-have-famil/
NATIONAL
Giant move: SF acquires McCutchen from Pirates
Club adds former NL MVP to lineup in exchange for prospects Reynolds, Crick, international slot money
January 15, 2018 By Chris Haft/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/andrew-mccutchen-traded-from-pirates-to-giants/c-264721056
Source: Grandy, Toronto agree to 1-year pact
Club yet to announce deal; vet will compete for OF job
January 15, 2018 By Gregor Chisholm/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-to-sign-outfielder-curtis-granderson/c-264735300
Trade shakes up market for Cain, outfielders
January 16, 2018 By JP Morosi/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/andrew-mccutchens-trade-affects-lorenzo-cain/c-264739130
Yadi planning to retire after 2020 season
January 15, 2018 By Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/yadier-molina-plans-to-retire-after-deal-is-up/c-264724618
Source: Nats, Kendrick agree to 2-year deal
January 15, 2018 By Jamal Collier/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-howie-kendrick-agree-to-deal/c-264712656
MLB TRANSACTIONS
January 16, 2018 •.CBSSports.com
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions
LOCAL
Six things you might not know about baseball
January 15, 2018 By Lee Judge/LeeJudgeKC.wordpress.com
https://leejudgekc.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/six-things-you-might-not-know-about-baseball/
I grew up watching baseball and mistakenly assumed I knew the game…until I started hanging around big league ballplayers. After being exposed to baseball at its highest level, I was amazed at how little I actually knew about the sport I’d been watching all my life.
I started “Judging the Royals” in 2010 and here are six things I didn’t know back then. If you already know this stuff, congratulations, you’ve been paying attention; if you don’t already know this stuff, enjoy.
Base runners need to slide feet first once in a while
One spring training base running coach Rusty Kuntz stood on a back field in Surprise, Arizona and advised the Royals players to slide into a base feet first once in a while. Because most of the Royals players preferred to slide head-first, opposing infielders felt comfortable “dropping a knee.”
When opposing infielders caught a throw and made a tag, they’d drop to one knee as they did so and make sure that knee blocked the runner’s path to the bag. The infielders would make it look unintentional, but it wasn’t. And dropping a knee not only blocked the runner’s path, it was dangerous to the runner’s health; if the infielder dropped a knee and put his full weight on a runner’s hand, the runner might wind up with a broken finger.
Later that season Jarrod Dyson took Rusty’s advice, came in feet first and planted his spikes into an opposing infielder’s thigh. The infielder had dropped a knee on Dyson and paid the price. Dyson’s slide sent the rest of the league a message: if you drop a knee on me, you might be the one who gets hurt.
And that’s not the only way to get back at an infielder.
When Jason Kendall saw an opposing infielder drop a knee on to Alex Gordon’s hand, Kendall waited until that infielder came to the plate and then said he’d seen what the infielder had done and now the infielder was going to “wear” a pitch. The infielder got drilled in the ribs with a fastball.
Just a little message to take back to his teammates; drop a knee on a Royals base runner and there would be payback.
Hitters should not look back at the umpire
When Royals DH Billy Butler didn’t like an umpire’s call, he had the bad habit of looking back at the umpire to complain; umpires don’t like that. If the hitter looks back at the umpire to complain about a pitch, he lets everyone in the stadium know he disagreed with the call.
If the hitter wants to complain, he should do it while looking down or looking out at the pitcher. If you see a hitter suddenly decide to smooth out the dirt in the batter’s box, watch his lips; if they’re moving, he’s using the delay to complain about a call.
The same rule applies to the catcher: if he wants to complain to the umpire he should do it while looking forward. If the catcher turns his head back toward the umpire to say something, once again everybody knows he disagrees with the call.
And if the umpire suddenly decides to clean the plate for no apparent reason, he’s probably using the opportunity to get in somebody’s face; he’s telling them he’s had enough and it’s time for everyone to shut up.
Shake for show; how catchers sneak fastballs past hitters
Certain counts – 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 and 3-2 – are usually considered fastball counts. The pitcher needs to throw a strike and a fastball is his best chance of doing so. The hitters know this, so they gear up for a fastball in those counts and have a good chance of doing serious damage if they get one.
If the catcher wants to call a fastball, but also wants the hitter to think he called something else, he can try “shake for show.” Salvador Perez does this from time to time and here’s how it works:
The catcher calls a fastball while shaking his head at the pitcher. That means the pitcher should shake his head like he doesn’t want to throw a fastball in a fastball count. Then the pitcher throws the fastball anyway.
If the hitter takes a bad swing or doesn’t offer at the fastball, shake for show worked; the hitter thought he was getting something off-speed. If the hitter crushes the fastball, he wasn’t fooled by the catcher’s trickery.
How to tell if an infielder thinks a runner is out or safe
This one comes from third baseman Mike Moustakas.
If there’s a bang-bang play at a base, watch what the infielder does with his glove. If the infielder tags the runner, then bring his glove up to show the umpire the ball, the infielder thinks the runner is out and he’s showing the umpire he controlled the ball throughout the tag.
If the infielder leaves the tag on the runner throughout the play, the infielder thinks the runner beat the tag and now the infielder is hoping the runner comes off the bag at some point during his slide.
Runners need to slide sooner in the later innings of day games
Speaking of over-sliding the bag; back when he was stealing bases for the Royals, Jarrod Dyson got tagged out when he over-slid second base in the later innings of a day game in Kansas City.
It was brutally hot that day and that made it hard for the Royals grounds crew to keep the infield dirt moist. In the early innings of a day game, the dirt might be fairly normal, but in the later innings the dirt can dry out and become hard and slick. Runners have to keep that in mind and start their slides sooner in the later innings of day games.
Jarrod miscalculated the start of his slide and slid right past second base.
Runners can take an extra base after a rain delay
One more weather-related item and then we’ll wrap things up.
After a rain delay the outfield grass is wet and smart base runners can take advantage of that. If ball hit to the outfield bounces more than once, the ball will be wet and the outfielder will have a hard time making a great throw. And if the outfielder is moving away from the infield, the wet grass will make it hard for him to stop and get his feet set.
After a rain delay, base runners can think about taking an extra base whenever possible; an outfielder holding a wet ball while standing on slippery grass will have a hard time throwing anybody out.
The more you know, the more interesting the game becomes
A lot of people think baseball is boring, but if you pay attention and know what to look for, the game is filled with fascinating moments. Once somebody clues you in, watching the umpire clean home plate or the catcher giving signs can become moments of interest.
That’s the reason “Judging the Royals” exists.
I get to go behind the scenes, find out why and how things happened the way they did, and then bring that information back to you. The more you know the more interesting the game becomes.
Next time, I’ll tell you why Jason Kendall always kept his catcher’s mask on when he went to the mound.
Talk to you soon.
MINORS
Baseball 2018 Naturals could have familiar look, except for manager
January 15, 2018 By Paul Boyd/Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette
http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2018/jan/16/baseball-2018-naturals-could-have-famil/
The 11th season of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals will have a new face in the dugout, but others could be familiar, according to J.J. Picollo, Kansas City Royals vice president and assistant general manager for player personnel.
Picollo answered questions and gave fans a small preview of the Royals' Double-A affiliate on Monday afternoon during the Naturals' annual Hot Stove luncheon at The Apollo.
Middle infielder Nicky Lopez, now rated the No. 7 prospect in the Royals' minor league system by Baseball America, turned heads in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .383 and making the All-Star team. Lopez spent the second half of last season in Northwest Arkansas, after earning a midseason promotion from Class A-advanced Wilmington.
Lopez has been invited to Major League spring training camp but could start back in Northwest Arkansas, Picollo said. He hit .259 in 59 games in Northwest Arkansas last season.
"He certainly exceeded expectations last year," Picollo said. "Just because we figured he'd be in Wilmington the whole year. But he played well enough for us to promote him. I think what he went through, that was his first full season, and he learned what he may need to do in the future to get through those rough days in July and not have it fishtail on you in August.
"Because the second he got three weeks, four weeks off he got his legs back and he goes out and has a great season in the fall league, which is very challenging."
One notable change to this year's team is manager Vance Wilson will not be in the dugout in Arvest Ballpark when the Naturals open the season in 81 days. Wilson, who lives in Springdale, was also on hand to talk about his new role as Royals bullpen coach.
Wilson, who caught in the Major Leagues for eight seasons and managed the Naturals for the last four seasons, said his role will be more of a "Jack of all trades." His top duty will be to assist Royals pitching coach Cal Eldred, but he will also have other duties. He also will help hitting coach Terry Bradshaw along with some other duties.
Picollo said it's not the ordinary bullpen coach role.
"It's a nontraditional bullpen coach role," Picollo said. "Because he's multi-talented and knows all areas of the game."
Wilson's spent lots of time already getting set for his new job.
"In the minor leagues typically when your season's opener, it's coordinators and front office are doing all the work," said Wilson, who will head for spring training Feb. 5. "This way I'm talking to the pitching coach twice a week, talking to others, reach out to this guy and front office, and watching video and looking at scouting reports.
"That's probably been the coolest part of what's happening. It's a lot more year-round baseball, which is what I like. But still you're with your family and getting to decompress a little bit."
The Royals announced Wilson's replacement last week. That will be Mike Rojas, the son of former Royals All-Star Cookie Rojas. The 55-year-old has spent 13 seasons as a minor league manager, including last season with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
NATIONAL
Giant move: SF acquires McCutchen from Pirates
Club adds former NL MVP to lineup in exchange for prospects Reynolds, Crick, international slot money
January 15, 2018 By Chris Haft/MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/andrew-mccutchen-traded-from-pirates-to-giants/c-264721056
The Giants reaffirmed their win-now approach with Monday's acquisition of Andrew McCutchen, while the Pirates maintained their focus on the future by trading the popular outfielder for right-hander Kyle Crick and outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds.
The Giants broke a lot of hearts in Pittsburgh by obtaining McCutchen, who had become synonymous with baseball in that city during his nine-year tenure there, and cash considerations. This followed San Francisco's Dec. 20 move that sent four players to Tampa Bay for third baseman Evan Longoria, who evolved into the Rays' most popular everyday performer.
"Andrew is a remarkable talent and will be a difference maker in our lineup," Giants senior vice president and general manager Bobby Evans said in a news release. "We're honored to have him and look forward to seeing him in a Giants uniform."
The Giants sent Pittsburgh $500,000 in international bonus pool space, while according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal, the Bucs will pay $2.5 million of the $14.5 million McCutchen is owed in 2018, the last year of his contract.
San Francisco hopes it has upgraded the club's offense by adding McCutchen as well as Longoria. The Giants ranked last in the Majors a season ago in home runs (128) and slugging percentage (.380), and they were next-to-last in runs (639) and on-base percentage (.309). No Giants player managed to hit 20 home runs last year, a figure that McCutchen has exceeded for seven consecutive seasons. Longoria has hit 20 or more homers in all but one of his 10 big league seasons.