- 2 days ago
KC Star Royals Insider Jaylon Thompson visits to talk what the Royals can do in the second half to make the playoffs.
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00:01And now, digging deeper with the teams you follow, it's another Sports Daily Insider
00:07interview on KFH.
00:09And that insider is Jalen Thompson, KC star, Royals beat writer.
00:13You can find him on X at Jalen Thompson.
00:16All-star break, treat you well, Jalen.
00:19How are you?
00:20I'm doing good.
00:21How are you guys doing?
00:22We're good.
00:23We're good.
00:24Trying to figure out what on earth to expect out of this second half.
00:27I keep reading some of the national insiders, and it's interesting.
00:32The Royals never, at least from what I'm seeing yet, are listed as a big-time seller.
00:38I don't know that anybody, maybe even including the Royals, know what they're going to do over
00:45the next two or three weeks.
00:46What are you hearing?
00:48I get the feeling that they really don't want to sell off their big major pieces because
00:55they know injuries have been a big thing that has played the team in the first half.
01:01And really, who are you going to likely sell from your collective core?
01:08I mean, no one's really going to bite on Vinny Pasquantino because he's just coming back from
01:15injury.
01:15And you don't want to move Seth Lugo or Michael Waka because they have control left.
01:22So really, you're looking at the aspiring contracts and maybe Daniel Lynch as the highest one that
01:31you can move.
01:32They really got hurt by not having Chris Bubich.
01:35If he can come back before August 3rd, the trade deadline, then maybe some team will take
01:42a chance on him.
01:44He's also an aspiring contract and he might get moved, but it's tough right now.
01:49I really think because the AL's wildcard race is so closely regarded with a whole bunch of
01:56teams still in it within three and a half games outside of the Royals and the Angels who are way
02:01back, every team is going to go for it, right?
02:05So you have the Detroit Tigers that could move Terry Scoogle, but they're in it now.
02:10So why would they move Scoogle if they're trying to make the playoffs?
02:13Same with the Boston Red Sox, who's one of the hottest teams in the league, in the break.
02:17Why would they want to move their guys if they're in it now?
02:20So it's just, it's hard to tell what the Royals will do.
02:25Something's going to have to give.
02:26Either they decide, you know what, people are calling about Michael Waka.
02:30We don't want to move them, but we're getting this offer.
02:32We got to move them, right?
02:34Or they stand pat and you just get rid of the aspiring guys.
02:38So that's where they're at right now.
02:40I am curious, Jalen.
02:41I brought this up the other day of the Royals, as you are saying, as you have said in the
02:47past as well, is that the Royals don't want to sell everything because next year they could
02:52be good.
02:53And I think that, as I have said a lot, is that the parts have been greater than the sum.
02:57And whenever you look at a lineup that has Bobby Wood Jr. and Vinny Pasquantino and
03:01Carter Jensen and Jack Caglio, and you could roll out a rotation of Michael Waka and Chris
03:06Bubich and all these guys, and they're back healthy, and they look like a team that could
03:10go do something.
03:11We thought that about this year, and now they're the worst team in baseball at the break.
03:14Yeah.
03:15Are they going to be a good team next year is a question to answer, I think, for this
03:20front office.
03:21Yeah, that's the right way to look at it, TJ.
03:24And honestly, if you have Bobby Wood Jr. on your team, you have to make sure you have
03:29a team around him that can compete.
03:33Because the overlying cloud over this whole thing with the trade deadline is, by 2030, Bobby
03:40can say, you know what, I want to opt out.
03:43I want to go somewhere else.
03:44And he has that ability to do that in his contract.
03:47So you need to, you can't just go in a full rebuild and try to have a team compete when
03:54you get to that point at 2030.
03:56You need to compete now when you have Bobby, entering his prime, entering the ascension of
04:03what you think he could be as an MLB player.
04:06So I think you have to, you have to keep those pieces.
04:10You have Jack Cavillione and Carter Jensen that are climbing as if they finish their rookie
04:15seasons and, you know, move forward in their careers.
04:19You saw the home run derby.
04:21I heard you guys talk about it.
04:22Like Jack Cavillione stepped on that national stage and looked right at home.
04:25So you got to see those pieces and be like, well, we got to go for it.
04:31We got to keep what we have in house because these guys might can carry us over the hump
04:37if we have a team around them that can make some noise in the playoffs.
04:42Yeah, I, I, I understand that sentiment.
04:45I agree, but let me play out another very realistic scenario.
04:50These players, they're so eager to hold on to aren't good enough.
04:53Um, Seth Lugo, his first year with the Royals had an ERA of three, a whip of just over one
05:02last year.
05:03It was ERA of four 15, a whip around 1.3.
05:08This year it's four and a half whip around 1.45.
05:12He's getting older.
05:13Yes.
05:14Is he still good enough?
05:16Sure.
05:16And I'm not saying the Royals should trade Seth Lugo because they won't get it.
05:19But, but Michael Walker is very much in that same, like, what if Michael Walker doesn't
05:25get better, but in his age gets a little worse, like they've had this team now for two years
05:33and it hasn't been good enough either year.
05:36So to me, like there's also a component of striking while the iron's hot with some of
05:43these players.
05:44Now they have to replace them.
05:45I agree with you on that.
05:46Like they have to replace them and you have to have that conversation with John Sherman.
05:50Like, Hey, we want to trade this guy, but I need to know that you're going to give me
05:53another 18 million to spend on a starting pitcher this off season.
05:57That that's where I look at it.
05:59And I'm like, we've done this for two years and this group has not been good enough.
06:03So running it back for another year and a year older for these pitchers, I doesn't instill
06:09a lot of confidence in me.
06:10No, you're right.
06:12You got two mid thirties pitchers and Seth Lugo and Michael Walker that you got to make
06:18a decision on.
06:19I mean, it's great to keep them right.
06:22And Michael Walker, Seth Lugo and more, more specifically Walker.
06:27He is the rock of that.
06:31I get it.
06:31Totally.
06:32He's going to always give you the consistent seven innings, three, four runs in giving up
06:40and he's going to be, it's going to be a good start, right?
06:43If you move him, you have to get top tier prospects back.
06:48And I just don't know if you're going to get that.
06:51Now, if a team gets desperate and like I said, this is why I preface earlier with if Terry
06:58Scoble is not being moved because the Tigers are in it, if Sonny Gray is not getting moved
07:03because the Red Sox are in it, if these guys like Freddy Perata gets moved because he's
07:09an aspiring country with the Mets, if he's the only big name that's getting moved as a
07:13pitcher and you have teams that want starting pitching, then the demand for the starting
07:19pitching and that control might just compel a team like, let's say, the Dodgers or somebody
07:26that have a whole bunch of prospects and time on their side and money that they can say,
07:33well, let's go get this guy, use him, and we're going to have him next year.
07:37And they give the role as a prospect or something that they just can't refuse.
07:41Then I think if that's a deal that comes along, you've got to take that if you're looking at
07:45either Seth Lugo or Michael Walker, because you're playing the long game.
07:49Yes, you're going to need pitching, like you said, Jacob, and I agree.
07:53John Sherman is going to have to be like, if we trade this guy, I need money.
07:56So you'll get more starting pitchers.
07:59But that's the problem.
08:00The roles also need to keep Seth Lugo and Michael Walker because they don't know who's
08:04going to be starting for them in 2027 without Cole Reagans and Chris Bubish going.
08:09So you're kind of stuck, right?
08:12So you've got to.
08:14And let's be honest.
08:15If Reagans isn't a part of the rotation, even if Walker and Lugo are back pitching well,
08:22is that really good enough to win a World Series?
08:25Like, it's, you know, it's all kind of been about those guys and Reagans, of course,
08:28because Reagans is your ace guy.
08:31So again, like, what are you banking on here?
08:33Like, is that going to be good enough anyway if you hold on to these players?
08:37I think they play it safe.
08:38I really do.
08:39I think they know that they probably won't be able to get the pitching that they need
08:44this offseason.
08:46If it's an arms race, they don't have the money to do it.
08:50They just don't have the resources to go out and get a $25, $30 million arm.
08:55They just do not.
08:56So I think they keep those two guys, Walker and Lugo, play it safe and hope that some
09:02of their young guys emerges.
09:03And then they get guys that maybe you re-sign Chris Bubich to a one-year deal if he agrees
09:08to that to bring him back off of injury field season.
09:12Maybe you get another guy for a one-year deal.
09:14What I do think that could happen, though, is a team could do what the Brewers just did,
09:21where they saw Lance McCullers, and he's coming off an injury, too.
09:24He's been injury-ridden, but we'll give you a high-top-A class-A prospect or double-A
09:30prospect for him, and we'll take on the money, and we got an arm that we could use.
09:36Maybe the Royals might be in that regard, and maybe they can move somebody in that trade
09:43like that.
09:43But I just don't see them moving Walker and Lugo because they don't have anything behind
09:48them.
09:50Jalen, we are officially at the halfway point.
09:52We talked a lot about what next season will bring.
09:55What is the stock of the rest of the season?
09:58Because obviously, they're the worst team in baseball, but every week on here, Jacob keeps
10:02coming on and saying, well, they're not that far out of it, right?
10:04Because the entire American League has in like two weeks.
10:06The entire American League keeps beating up on itself.
10:09How do you view it?
10:10Do you view it as just get us to next year, or is there something to play for still?
10:15What are you even looking for?
10:17Well, team-wise, don't lose 100 games.
10:20That should be the realistic goal.
10:23Don't lose 100 games because that just signals this season was a total disappointment, and
10:29fans are already kind of already jumped off the ship.
10:32But you lose 100 games, it's going to be hard to get them back, especially with a lockout
10:36coming up.
10:37It's just going to be hard.
10:39So don't lose 100 games.
10:40And also, I would like to see progression out of guys like Jack Caglione, Carter Jensen,
10:46Winder Avila.
10:47That's someone I want to see really take that next step and be that dominant pitcher.
10:52Because if he can emerge into that front-line guy that they've been talking about, then
10:57you will be in a good spot next year to at least have something.
11:02So I think I'm looking at those guys, those young, promising guys that they always look
11:07that foot for.
11:08You really can't look for a guy that could be called up and do something because they
11:12don't have anything in AAA or AA that can be called up.
11:15You've seen them all, and they aren't that good.
11:18So it's kind of like, you got to look at the young guys that you have already up now.
11:23And I think Salvi getting the record from George Brett might be something to look forward
11:28to.
11:29But other than that, it could be a long next two months unless this team turns it around.
11:34And I don't know.
11:35Do you guys see them turning it around?
11:36No, I mean, look, they could win a bunch of games.
11:39I think 10 games is going to be too much to make up.
11:41They could definitely play better.
11:43The problem is going to be they could play way better and still be five games out in
11:48a month.
11:49And you're like, eh.
11:50I think it's just, you know, Cags and Jensen.
11:53And can this be good?
11:54And can Bobby Wood Jr. win an MVP?
11:56I want to ask you real quick, Galen.
11:59The draft is in the books.
12:03The Royals had some interesting decisions there.
12:07They didn't take they took guys that, you know, were further down most people's boards.
12:11Was this a was this a slot money thing?
12:13It's never simple in the Major League Baseball draft, right?
12:16Like it's never just about who do you think is the best player?
12:19What did you make of the way they attack the draft this year?
12:23I looked at it as they saw the first three picks go off the board.
12:27Really, the first four picks went well, how everybody thought it was going to go.
12:31Right.
12:32And then after that, it's kind of, well, this guy is ranked on this player's this this
12:38team's board a little bit higher than that guy.
12:41And the Royals just took a guy where they felt really confident in that his skills could
12:46translate inside on the roads.
12:47And he is someone that you guys will love if you ever get to meet him.
12:52He's a really hard nose competitor is he calls himself a dog in the batter's box, but he's
12:58going to he's going to get hit.
13:00That's his thing.
13:01He has elite back to ball skills and he will hit the ball all over the yard.
13:06I think the Royals probably saw that and was like, we can use that.
13:09He was a former catcher.
13:10He has leadership ability.
13:12He checks all the boxes.
13:13Was he not really ranked lower than most of the guys that was ahead of him?
13:17Yeah, but he was also coming off an injury, hamstring and ankle injuries that limited him
13:22last year.
13:23But he hit 417.
13:24You get 417 in college, you're doing something right.
13:26So I thought he was a good pick for them, really just sitting back and evaluating what
13:32they needed.
13:32You took the skill over maybe the star potential.
13:37And that's OK.
13:38You have a star in Bobby Wood Jr.
13:39You have a emerging star in Jack Caglione and Carter Jensen.
13:42You need guys that can do the job.
13:45You need guys that can be like, we don't have to worry about this position.
13:48He's got it covered.
13:49The worker bees.
13:50And maybe if Zion Rose's power comes along, he might be that budding star.
13:55But at his floor, he's a worker bee.
13:59And the Rose need more worker bees.
14:01I mean, I think they got a few.
14:03Like you see Nick Lofton.
14:05I categorize him as a worker bee.
14:07You guys got like Michael Massey, worker bees, right?
14:12These guys may not be the best players at their position, but they can get the job done.
14:16They need more of that.
14:17So I think Zion Rose, at his worst, could be that.
14:20And then a couple of the pitchers that they got, I thought that they had a lot of young
14:23guys that came from the college ranks that they can move quickly through the system.
14:27And they got some nice relievers, too, that could probably help in the upper levels of
14:31the minors because they need relief help in the worst way because that bullpen is just
14:36not good right now.
14:38Jalen, we brought it up earlier in the show.
14:40How was Mark Canna's quiche or whatever he made?
14:46Strawberry galat.
14:47That's what he made.
14:48And, you know, it didn't win on the show, but he was excited to be out there.
14:54So I'm happy to see him.
14:55I forgot about it.
14:56He's the breakfast burrito guy, isn't he?
14:58Yeah, yeah, exactly.
15:01Breakfast burrito sounds better than strawberry galat, whatever that is.
15:05A strawberry pie.
15:07Oh, OK.
15:08All right.
15:08Yeah, I'd still take the breakfast burrito.
15:10Follow along Jalen's work at the KC star at Jalen Thompson on X.
15:13Jalen, be a busy man the next couple of weeks.
15:15See what the Royals decide to do.
15:16We appreciate it.
15:17Thank you, guys.
15:18See you next week.
15:19There goes Jalen.
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