Once I talked to him eventually yr’s GM conferences, J.J. Picollo informed me that an offseason precedence was so as to add “guys with expertise” to a Kansas Metropolis Royals roster that was lengthy on promising younger expertise however quick on veteran presence. Picollo did simply that — Seth Lugo, Hunter Renfroe, Will Smith, and Michael Wacha have been amongst these introduced on board — and whereas the additions solely informed a part of the story, the tip consequence was a finest vendor. One yr after successful simply 56 video games, the 2024 Royals went 86-76 and performed October baseball for the primary time in a decade.
What does the AL Central membership’s Govt Vice President/Common Supervisor see as the highest precedence going into subsequent season?
“We must be a little bit extra dynamic offensively, and by that I imply we have to get on base at the next fee than we did this yr,” Picollo informed me earlier this week in San Antonio. “We’re attempting to focus on gamers we are able to lengthen out our lineup with, whether or not it’s somebody on the high, within the center, or towards the again finish. Our identification is extra pitching and protection, base working, and situational hitting, so how can we add some guys that may complement what we have already got that may enable us to attain extra runs?”
The Royals crossed the plate 735 occasions in 2024, the sixth-highest complete within the American League. Their .306 on-base proportion was ninth-highest, whereas their .403 slugging proportion and their 170 residence runs ranked sixth and tenth respectively. As energy clearly helps present extra runs, I requested Picollo if OBP is certainly the precedence.
“For what we want, sure,” Picollo replied. “We expect it may result in extra run manufacturing primarily based on who else we now have on the crew. We’re nonetheless banking on guys that possibly haven’t turned the nook but and might change into higher main league hitters. Whether or not that’s Maikel Garcia, Michael Massey, MJ Melendez — they’ve instruments to play the sport, so consistency on offense is the following step for them. If we are able to add guys who will take some stress off of them by getting on base, and from there be a crew that places the sport in movement, I believe we now have a greater likelihood to attain extra runs.”
In Picollo’s view, simply how the added OBP is arrived at isn’t notably vital.
“It come in numerous styles and sizes,” Picollo agreed after I introduced up how Luis Arraez does it in a different way than, say, a LaMonte Wade Jr. “Arraez is a really distinctive participant in that it’s all in batted ball. He will get a variety of hits. After which there are guys who’ve the propensity to stroll extra. I don’t assume it issues which means they do it, it’s simply that they’re in a position to get on base, and that’s what we must be a extra constant offense.”
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Al LeBoeuf would be the lead hitting coach in Milwaukee subsequent yr, the 64-year-old Putnam, Connecticut native having been promoted by the Brewers from Triple-A Nashville final month together with Eric Theisen. A former Phillies prospect who started his teaching profession in 1988, LeBoeuf will likely be supported by Theisen and the returning Connor Dawson.
Based on Matt Arnold, LeBoeuf is a mixture of progressive and conventional on the subject of working with hitters.
“Buffy has expertise,” Milwaukee’s GM stated in San Antonio. “He’s been a hitting coach — a very good hitting coach — for a really very long time. Any individual with that type of expertise who is ready to mix the old-fashioned and the brand new faculty approaches… he’s been launched to a variety of new faculty concepts, and he’s tremendous receptive to all that. He additionally has a variety of substances that I believe assist our hitters in methods which have been examined over the course of time. His means to deliver each of these faculties collectively is one thing we’re excited to have on the main league stage.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Willie McCovey went 18 for 33 in opposition to Bob Moose.
Willie Stargell went 24 for 57 in opposition to Joe Niekro.
Willie McGee went 25 for 44 in opposition to Mike Scott.
Willie Mays went 25 for 60 in opposition to Roy Face.
Willie Davis went 32 for 75 in opposition to Bob Friend.
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The Cleveland Guardians hit 185 residence runs this season, the sixth highest complete within the American League. That doesn’t sound like lots, however it’s a huge enchancment over the previous two seasons. In 2022, the Guardians went deep 127 occasions. In 2023, they went deep 124 occasions.
To what extent was the uptick in dingers a focused objective, and to what extent was it merely natural?
“I’m unsure of your definition of natural, however a variety of the elevated energy got here from guys who have been on the roster the prior yr and it was a part of their progress and improvement,” Chris Antonetti stated in reply to that query. “A few of it was new faces, however a variety of it was guys who have been already right here.”
The reality is within the numbers. José Ramírez jumped from 24 to 39, whereas Josh Naylor went from 17 to 31, Steven Kwan from 5 to 14, and David Fry from 4 to 14. Is Cleveland’s President of Baseball Operations glad with the present steadiness of contact and energy?
“I don’t assume we are able to ever be glad with the outcomes we obtain,”stated Antonetti, answering my query not directly. “We weren’t the perfect offensive crew in baseball, so there may be clearly room for us to enhance. We’ll work to strive to determine ways in which we are able to enhance on that within the winter.”
The Guardians’ 708 runs scored have been seventh-most within the American League. The crew’s 100 wRC+ ranked ninth.
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A quiz:
Dwight Evans had 605 extra-base hits within the Eighties, essentially the most of any participant. Who led MLB in extra-base hits within the Nineties? (a touch: like Evans, he’s not within the Corridor of Fame.)
The reply will be discovered beneath.
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NEWS NOTES
The Philadelphia Phillies introduced on Friday that they’re selling Preston Mattingly, who had been serving as farm director, to Vice President/Common Supervisor. Sam Fuld, who has been the crew’s GM, will likely be transitioning to President of Enterprise Operations. A Stanford grad and former big-league outfielder, Fuld is presently pursuing an MBA on the College of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Faculty.
The twenty fifth annual SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Convention will likely be held in Louisville, Kentucky from Thursday, August 7 to Saturday, August 9, 2025, Extra data will be discovered here.
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The reply to the quiz is Albert Belle, who had 711 extra-base hits within the Nineties. When you guessed Barry Bonds or Rafael Palmeiro, that they had the third- and fourth-highest totals. Corridor of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. had the second-highest.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Will Pennyfeather had a bunt single within the first of his 47 big-league plate appearances, all of which got here with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1992-1994. The Perth Amboy, New Jersey native would log simply eight extra hits at baseball’s highest stage, however his skilled profession was removed from over. After a couple of seasons in Triple-A, Pennyfeather moved on to the unbiased Atlantic League the place he performed from 1999-2006 (he additionally spent a part of 2003 within the Northern League). Pennyfeather was a large receiver and kick returner at Syracuse College earlier than turning his consideration to baseball and signing with the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent in 1988.
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The Cincinnati Reds underachieved offensively final season, whereas not precisely stellar, their pitching confirmed a variety of promise. Is pitching presently the crew’s power? Based on Nick Krall, the reply isn’t solely clear.
“I believe we now have some actually good, dynamic beginning pitching,” Cincinnati’s high govt informed me. “I believe we even have some actually good, dynamic place gamers. It’s simply attempting to get these guys wholesome. We had guys who obtained hit by pitches and broke their palms and wrists. We had guys that harm their shoulders, beginning with Edwin Arroyo who’s a high prospect, to Matt McLain, to TJ Friedl diving for a ball, to Blake Dunn in Triple-A. We had a variety of place participant accidents that impacted us.”
As for the Reds’ projected beginning rotation, it contains 5 pitchers between the ages of twenty-two and 27. Is the workers primed to return into its personal? Krall wasn’t about to present a definitive reply to that query, however he’s actually bullish on the possibilities.
“I imply, you take a look at what Hunter Greene did final yr, the steps he took,” stated Krall. “You take a look at the place Nick Lodolo was earlier than he ended up getting harm (a sprained finger on his pitching hand) on the finish of the yr. Rhett Lowder pitched very well on the finish of his Double-A season, went to Triple-A and threw a shutout, then got here up right here to the massive leagues and pitched very well. Andrew Abbott was strong earlier than he obtained harm (shoulder pressure) as nicely. It’s a matter of those guys staying wholesome.”
Graham Ashcraft is the opposite pitcher that Roster Useful resource projects to be within the Reds rotation.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The WBCS Premier 12, which contains 12 groups from all over the world, obtained underway yesterday. The event will be adopted here.
The Dominican Winter League season started a couple of weeks in the past. Hitters off to a superb begin embody 22-year-old (was once Oakland) Athletics infield prospect Euribiel Angeles, who’s slashing .323/.354/.371 over 65 plate appearances with Estrellas Orientales. Angeles break up the 2024 season between Excessive-A Lansing and Double-A Midland.
The Fielding Bible named Chusei Mannami their NPB Defensive Participant of the 12 months. The 24-year-old outfielder performs for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
The Yokohama DeNA BayStars, who gained this yr’s Japan Sequence, are owned by Tomoko Namba. The 62-year-old Harvard Enterprise Faculty graduate is NPB’s first and solely feminine proprietor.
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Per reviews, Roki Sasaki will likely be posted to MLB this winter as a world novice free agent. Japan’s highest-profile (albeit not statistically finest) pitcher, the recently-turned 23-year-old right-hander went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings for the Chiba Lotte Marines this season.
Sasaki has been talked about quite a few occasions right here at Sunday Notes lately, together with on November 14, 2021 after I shared quotes from former MLB hurler Frank Herrmann, who had been the then-20-year-old phenom’s Chiba Lotte teammate. Herrmann agreed that Sasaki may very well be NPB’s subsequent famous person, including that “If he was in A-ball he can be a Prime 10 prospect in MLB for positive.”
The earlier yr, Herrmann, who now works in participant improvement for the Toronto Blue Jays, had requested Chiba Lotte pitching coach Masato Yoshii how Sasaki in comparison with Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani on the similar age (19). Yoshi stated that Sasaki was higher.
The following younger Japanese pitcher to return stateside as a world novice free agent? If MLB groups had their druthers, it might possible be Hiroto Takahashi. The Chunichi Dragons right-hander, who turned 22 in August, went 12-4 with a 1.38 ERA and 130 strikeouts, with simply 107 hits allowed, in 143-and-two-thirds innings this season. Whereas chances are high small that Chunichi will publish him any time quickly, you may safely wager that each MLB crew has their eyes on him.
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FARM NOTES
Garrett Martin gained the Arizona Fall League’s residence run derby on Friday. The 24-year-old New York Yankees outfield prospect outslugged 22-year-old Milwaukee Brewers third base prospect Brock Wilken within the ultimate spherical.
The Fall Stars Sport was performed final night time, with the American League beating the Nationwide League 6-5 due to a ninth inning, 437-foot bomb by Detroit Tigers catching prospect Thayron Liranzo. The 21-year-old native of San Francisco de Macori was acquired by Detroit from the Los Angeles Dodgers together with Trey Sweeney in alternate for Jack Flaherty at his summer season’s commerce deadline.
With the AFL season winding down, I need to give props to this yr’s media coordinators. I used to be there for per week in October, and each Michael Marcantonini and Julia Walter went above and past. They have been skilled and attentive all through.
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Tony Blanco, Jr. is a prospect to observe within the Pittsburgh Pirates system. The 19-year-old son of former MLB and NPB infielder/outfielder Tony Blanco slashed .305.385/.505 with 4 residence runs and a 138 wRC+ over 109 plate appearances this yr within the rookie-level Florida Complicated League. Listed at 6-foot-7, 243 kilos, the Boston-born, Dominican Republic-raised slugger can do big-time injury when he connects. Earlier this summer season, our prospect analyst duo opined that Blanco “had essentially the most current uncooked energy within the January 2022 worldwide signing class.”
Earlier this week, I requested Pirates GM Ben Cherington concerning the raw-but-promising first baseman/outfielder.
“He’s a large human being,” stated Cherington, whose résumé contains scout and farm director. “The exit velo is already on the highest percentile of main league high quality — it’s elite — however what was spectacular this yr was the standard of his at-bats. The contact [Blanco’s strikeout rate was 28.4%] was higher than we anticipated for a man in his first yr within the States.”
Well being has been a problem.
“He’s had a sequence of nagging accidents since we signed him, and that’s the piece we now have to get him previous,” defined Cherington. “He’s not getting the quantity of at-bats he wants due to the time he’s missed. Most likely the most important objective going into 2025 is to maintain him on the sector.”
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Of the eight gamers on the Traditional Baseball Period Committee poll, 4 performed into not less than the Eighties. When you may vote for any (however only one) of the 4, who wouldn’t it be? I requested that query in a Twitter ballot on Friday, the choices being Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Dave Parker, and Luis Tiant.
The outcomes have been kind of what I anticipated. Garvey predictably trailed the sector, garnering simply 6.9% of the votes forged, whereas Tiant led the pack with 41.6%. In between have been Parker and John, who obtained 29.6% and 21.9% respectively.
Depend me amongst those that really feel that Tiant is essentially the most deserving of the 4. Furthermore, he undoubtedly belongs within the Corridor of Fame.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
On July 19, 1933, Corridor of Famer Rick Ferrell homered off of his non-Corridor of Fame brother, Wes Ferrell, who additionally homered that day (and was arguably extra deserving of a plaque in Cooperstown). Richard Cuicchi chronicled the 13-inning contest between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Crimson Sox for SABR’s Video games Challenge.
At Fashionable Science, Laura Baisas wrote about how the “magic mud” used to rub up baseballs has lastly been analyzed by scientists.
Trey Mancini is hoping to return to MLB after not taking part in this previous season. Andy Kostka has the story at The Baltimore Banner.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Max Fried is a mixed 11-0 with a 1.15 ERA in his profession in opposition to the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bill Voiselle, a right-hander who pitched for 3 groups from 1942-1950, grew up in Ninety-Six, South Carolina. He wore uniform quantity 96 in a few of his MLB seasons.
Dennis Lamp went 96-96 with a 3.93 ERA. Mickey McDermott went 69-69 with a 3.91 ERA.
Ken Griffey Jr. had 2,781 hits, 524 doubles, 1,662 runs scored, and a .284 BA.
Johnny Damon had 2,769 hits, 522 doubles, 1,668 runs scored, and a .284 BA.
Larry McKeon went 18-41 with a 3.50 ERA for the American Affiliation’s Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1884. One yr earlier, John Coleman went 12-48 with a 4.87 ERA for the Nationwide League’s Philadelphia Quakers.
The Chicago White Sox acquired 21-year-old left-hander Billy Pierce from the Detroit Tigers in alternate for 33-year-old catcher Aaron Robinson on immediately’s date in 1948. Pierce, a Detroit native, went on to play 13 seasons on the South Facet, successful 186 video games and making seven All-Star groups.
Gamers born on immediately’s date embody Bill Southworth, a 3rd baseman whose MLB profession comprised three video games with the Milwaukee Braves in 1964 when he was simply 18 years previous. The Madison, Wisconsin native had two hits, considered one of them a house run, in 9 journeys to the plate. His a lot older cousin, Billy Southworth, performed within the huge leagues from 1913-1929.
Additionally born on immediately’s date was Cal Ermer, a second baseman who in 1947 went 0-for-3 with the Washington Nationals in his solely big-league sport. Ermer went on to handle the Minnesota Twins in 1967 and 1968 as a part of a prolonged post-playing profession that included 26 years managing the minors, 4 teaching within the majors, and 5 as a scout.
