Daily Clips
January 19, 2018
LOCAL
Pratto draws flattering comparisons to Hosmer
Royals' 2017 first-round pick named No. 4 first-base prospect by MLB Pipeline
January 19, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals broadcast team is set for the 2018 season
January 18, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
Royals sign outfielder who once made obscene gesture to Detroit fans
January 18, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
Royals, Live Nation to announce first concert in 39 years at Kauffman Stadium
January 18, 2018By Chris Oberholtz/KCTV5.com
NATIONAL
Report: MLBPA rejects pace of play changes
January 19, 2018By Mark Feinsand/MLB.com
McKay, McMahon lead Top 10 1B Prospects
January 19, 2018By Jonathan Mayo/MLB.com
As he goes into LSE Athletic Hall of Fame, baseball star Gordon reflects on being three-sport athlete
January 18, 2018By Brent C. Wagner/Lincoln Star Journal
With New IPTV Platform, Kansas City Royals Engage Fans on Every Display at ‘The K’
Latest renovation integrates centerfield videoboard with 450+ video displays
January 18, 2018By Karen Hogan Ketchum/SportsVideo.org
MLB TRANSACTIONS
January 19, 2018 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Pratto draws flattering comparisons to Hosmer
Royals' 2017 first-round pick named No. 4 first-base prospect by MLB Pipeline
January 19, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
The Royals have tried their best to shy away from making any comparisons of Nick Pratto, their first-round pick in the Draft in 2017, to another first baseman and former first-round pick, Eric Hosmer.
But from the moment Pratto was selected, the comparisons nonetheless leaped out. Both were high school players drafted at 18 years old. Both bat left-handed and throw left-handed. Both were known as gap hitters with high defensive ceilings.
And like Hosmer was at the time, Pratto now is one of the top prospects at his position in all of baseball. In fact, Pratto is the No. 4 prospect at first base, per MLB Pipeline.
The top three are Tampa Bay's Brendan McKay, Colorado's Ryan McMahon and Arizona's Pavin Smith.
Pratto impressed the Royals in his first season as a pro. In 52 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League, Pratto slashed .247/.330/.414 with 15 doubles and four home runs and 10 stolen bases.
"We were very pleased with what he did," Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo said. "We liked his swing and we liked his approach at the plate. He has a very good awareness of the strike zone, very advanced for his age."
Pratto's defense also caught the Royals' eyes.
"You know, we don't like making comparisons [to Hosmer]," Picollo said, "but it's really eerie how similar they are when you look at them defensively. Nick has soft hands, he has the footwork around the base, a strong arm. It's definitely a little eerie."
That would be high praise, given that Hosmer has accumulated four Gold Glove Awards -- only eight first basemen in history have garnered more.
The Royals would expect Pratto to start this season at Class A Lexington.
"We haven't set anything in stone," Picollo said, "but there's no reason he can't start there."
And if all goes well, perhaps Pratto will follow a similar path to the big leagues as Hosmer, who debuted by his fourth professional season.
"All players develop a little differently," Picollo said. "But certainly he has the skill set to move through the system quickly.
Royals broadcast team is set for the 2018 season
January 18, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
The Royals won’t be the only ones celebrating their 50th year in 2018. Denny Matthews will be back to call his 50th season of Royals baseball as well.
Matthews, the Ford C. Frick Award winner who was honored during the 2007 Hall of Fame Induction, signed a four-year contract in January 2015 that expires at the end of the upcoming season.
Steve Stewart will also return for his 11th season with the Royals Radio Network. Engineer Don Free, who retired after last season, will be replaced at home games by Keith Kowalski, who has been with the Royals since 2013.
Fox Sports said that the television broadcasters will all return for the 2018 season: Ryan Lefebvre, Rex Hudler, Steve Physioc, Jeff Montgomery and Joel Goldberg.
This will be Lefebvre’s 20th season with the Royals, and he has handled most of the play-by-play duties for Royals games on Fox Sports Kansas City. Hudler and Physioc will be in their seventh seasons calling Royals games.
Hudler is an analyst for FSKC broadcasts, while Physioc works in both the radio and television booths.
Goldberg, who is the host of the pregame and postgame shows and a frequent innocent bystander/victim of catcher Salvador Perez’s postgame splashes, will be back for his 11th season. Montgomery, the co-host of the pregame and postgame shows and a contributor to the Royals broadcasts, will be in his ninth season.
Royals sign outfielder who once made obscene gesture to Detroit fans
January 18, 2018By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
The Royals added depth to their outfield corps on Wednesday with the signing of Tyler Collins to a minor-league contract.
As part of his deal with the Royals, Collins was invited to spring training, which starts next month in Surprise, Ariz.
Collins, who spent parts of four seasons with the Tigers, hit .235 with a .333 slugging percentage, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs in 183 games from 2014-17. Unfortunately for Collins, he may be best known for making an obscene gesture to fans at Comerica Park after he and teammate Justin Upton lost track of a flyball during a game against the A’s in April 2016.
“Nobody wants that ball to get lost less than me. That hurts,” Collins told the Detroit Free-Press after that game. “And to be at home and to hear boos after that play, it hit a trigger inside of me and I lashed out, completely inappropriately. I’m absolutely embarrassed that happened and I’m very sorry to everybody in Detroit. I just want you guys to understand that I love this team and I want to win so when we come home and get booed, it’s tough to swallow. But like I said, I apologize completely and I’m embarrassed at myself and I know my family is embarrassed at me and I’m sure these guys are, too, so I’m sorry that happened.”
Collins, 27, hit .193 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 169 plate appearances last season with the Tigers. At Class AAA Toledo, he batted .288 in 296 plate appearances.
Royals, Live Nation to announce first concert in 39 years at Kauffman Stadium
January 18, 2018By Chris Oberholtz/KCTV5.com
Something that hasn't happened at Kauffman Stadium in nearly 40 years will be announced Friday.
Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett along with other front office personnel and Live Nation are hosting a news conference at 10 a.m. to release details about an upcoming concert at the stadium.
The last concert held at what was once named Royals Stadium was the Summer Jam Festival on July 15, 1978, featuring Van Halen, Eddie Money, Kansas and Steve Miller Band.
No other information on Friday's announcement was immediately available.
NATIONAL
Report: MLBPA rejects pace of play changes
January 19, 2018By Mark Feinsand/MLB.com
After recent discussions with Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association has rejected the most recent proposal regarding pace of play rules, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal.
MLB would have the right to implement rules changes based on the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Rosenthal also reported that the league is hopeful to make a deal and that Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA executive director Tony Clark are slated to meet next week to discuss pace of play.
Rules being considered include a pitch clock and a limit on catchers' mound visits per inning. Last year's average game time of three hours, five minutes was the highest in MLB history.
MLB's proposals have shown "flexibility" in how the league could regulate mound visits, one source told MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi, and it remains unclear what the final rule will be.
At the conclusion of November's Owners Meetings in Orlando, Fla., the Commissioner indicated that pace of play remained a top priority for him. Manfred said last February that during the 2016-17 offseason, the MLBPA declined to accept MLB's proposals regarding the pitch clock and mound visits during negotiations for the CBA. Baseball's CBA permits MLB to impose on-field rule changes unilaterally when at least one year of notice is given to the union. MLB initiated that process in early 2017, and Manfred consistently has said MLB prefers to make changes with MLBPA cooperation.
"What's going to happen with respect to 2018 rule changes is fully dependent on which path we're on," Manfred said in November. "I've been really plain about the fact that my hope -- my preferred path -- is a negotiated agreement with the players, but if we can't get an agreement, we are going to have rule changes in 2018."
It's unclear what the time limit on a pitch clock would be under any rules changes, but Minor League Baseball has been using a 20-second clock. It begins when a pitcher takes possession of the ball on the dirt area around the rubber and ends as the pitcher either goes into his windup or arrives at the set position. The clock resets if a pitcher disengages from the rubber with runners on base or fakes a pickoff attempt.
USA Today first reported last offseason that MLB proposed a limit of one mound visit by a catcher per pitcher, per inning. The union raised concerns about that plan, noting the risk of cross-ups between pitchers and catchers.
McKay, McMahon lead Top 10 1B Prospects
January 19, 2018By Jonathan Mayo/MLB.com
It's time to move around the infield with MLB Pipeline's Top 10 by position lists, starting with first basemen. It's a position that has a certain profile associated with it, involving power and run production. Some on this list look the part already, others are more hit-over-power right now, with perhaps the need to show more extra-base ability to match that description.
It's quite a different list than a year ago, thanks largely to the 2017 Draft. Four of the top five on this year's list were taken in the first round, starting with the top spot. The Rays took Brendan McKay with the No. 4 overall pick in the Draft and while he's going to both hit and pitch in 2018, many see a permanent move to the infield in the future. Pavin Smith was also a top 10 pick, going No. 7 to the D-backs while Nick Pratto (Royals, No. 14) and Evan White (Mariners, No. 17) went in the teens. Pratto is the lone high schooler from that quartet.
The Top 10
1. Brendan McKay, Rays
2. Ryan McMahon, Rockies
3. Pavin Smith, D-backs
4. Nick Pratto, Royals
5. Evan White, Mariners
6. Bobby Bradley, Indians
7. Peter Alonso, Mets
8. Ronald Guzman, Rangers
9. Lewin Diaz, Twins
10. Matt Thaiss, Angels
Top tools
Hit: 60 - McKay, Smith
Both were called the best advanced college hitters in the 2017 Draft class by different scouts. Smith gets the slight pure hit tool edge mostly because of his plate discipline after walking more than he struck out in three years at Virginia and continuing that pattern during his pro debut (27 walks, 24 K's last summer).
Power: 60 - Bradley
The Indians' prospect has as much, if not more, raw power than anyone on this list and he's tapped into it consistently as he's moved up the ladder, as evidenced by his .499 career slugging percentage and an average of more than 26 homers per year in each of his first three full seasons of pro ball.
Run: 60 - White
You don't see many above-average or plus run grades from this position, but White isn't your typical first baseman. He's athletic enough to play the outfield well, which did he for the U.S. National Collegiate Team.
Arm: 60 - McKay
The guy's on the Top 10 LHP Prospect list after all, so this is a no-brainer. He's 92-95 mph off the mound and the arm works well in the infield.
Field: 70 - White
Here's the reason why the Mariners will let him develop at first rather than in the outfield. He has the defensive chops to be a Gold Glove-caliber player at the infield corner position in the future.
Highest Ceiling - McKay
He's tied for the highest hit tool AND has a 50 power grade, with a very, very good chance of reaching, if not surpassing, that in terms of production. And if he starts focusing only on hitting eventually? Look out.
Highest floor - Smith
With such an advanced approach at the plate, the combination of pure hitting ability, low strikeout rate and high walk rate, few doubt Smith will hit his way up to the big leagues. Just how much the power shows up will ultimately determine his ceiling.
Rookie of the Year candidate - McMahon
None of the others on this list are likely to see time in the big leagues to compete for top rookie honors. McMahon is ready to hit in Coors field full-time, even if he has to move around the infield a bit to get at-bats for the time being.
Highest riser - Alonso
Alonso entered his first full season of pro ball nowhere near the Top 10 first basemen list, even though he had hit very well during his summer debut following his second-round selection by the Mets out of the University of Florida. But then he showed that wasn't an aberration and hit his way to Double-A, with very solid hit and power tools showing up.
Humblest beginnings - Bradley
Five of the 10 on this list are former first-round picks, but the Indians got Bradley in the third round of the 2014 Draft. He did get an above pick value bonus to sign, but he's moved gradually, one station at a time, through the Indians system to be knocking on the door now.
Most to prove - Thaiss
The 2016 first-round pick out of Virginia did make it to Double-A in his first full season, fulfilling the scouting report as an advanced college bat with 77 walks and a .375 OBP. But he will eventually have to prove that he has extra-base pop (he slugged .395) to fit the everyday first base profile in the big leagues.
Keep an eye on - Gavin Sheets, White Sox
Chicago nabbed Sheets in the second round of last June's Draft after he topped the ACC with 21 homers and 84 RBIs in his junior season at Wake Forest. Larry Sheets' kid had a solid pro debut, mostly with full-season Kannapolis, and has the offensive tools to hit for average and power.
As he goes into LSE Athletic Hall of Fame, baseball star Gordon reflects on being three-sport athlete
January 18, 2018By Brent C. Wagner/Lincoln Star Journal
Doug Miller wasn’t coaching baseball at Lincoln Southeast at the time, but he still went and watched some of the games. Alex Gordon was one of those must-see high school players, and Miller had also coached Gordon in football.
“There are just certain kids where you watch them play, and when they hit the ball it sounds different,” Miller said. “There is just an amazing amount of bat speed, and so on. When he hit it solid it was like, ‘Wow.’ You didn’t know if he was destined to be a major-league player, but you thought, ‘Wow, that’s a little different.’”
As people in Lincoln and Nebraska know well, Gordon did in fact make it as a major-league player. He’ll soon begin his 12th season in the majors, all with the Kansas City Royals, the team Gordon won the World Series with in 2015.
He’s a major-league star now, but Gordon was mostly a Lincoln Southeast Knight on Thursday, back in town as part of a group of athletes, teams and coaches inducted into the Lincoln Southeast Athletic Hall of Fame at the Lincoln Train Station. This was the first year Gordon was eligible to be chosen.
Gordon arrived early for the banquet with his family. He chatted with the other inductees, including two of his high school football teammates, Brandon Rigoni and Dane Todd.
Gordon is still an athlete, but he’s also at that point in his life where hall of fame honors come. He was part of the inaugural class of the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015, but was unable to attend because it came during the season.
When the phone calls come that you’re chosen for a hall of fame you get excited, Gordon said, but you also know you’re getting older.
“Fifteen years since high school, so it just reminds you a little bit,” said the 2002 LSE graduate.
Southeast is a special place to him, Gordon said, and this honor was also meaningful because his grandpa, Charlie Gordon, was inducted into the same hall of fame last year. Charlie Gordon coached baseball at Southeast.
At Southeast, Gordon’s baseball coach was Randy Brolhorst, his football coach was Chuck Mizerski and his basketball coach was Jeff Smith.