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Nadeau: Royals on the brink of something big
Associated Press
Associated Press Kansas City'sLorenzo Cain is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels on June 16.
► JACK NADEAU
@jacknadeuku
With the MLB All-Star game in the rearview mirror, the Kansas City Royals now have a daunting task with a two-week deadline — keep winning.
That's not to say a timely winning streak in the dog days of August or during call-up season in September is impossible. It's been done many times before. But for a squad teering on the brink of contention,
As the American League Central currently sits as the tightest divisional race across the entire league, the Royals have until the MLB trade deadline on July 31 to essentially make or break their season.
the next two weeks will likely paint a clearer picture of what moves the Royals might make before the 4 p.m. trade deadline.
The Royals currently reside only a couple games out of first place, trailing the division-leading Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins. In two weeks time, the Royals could be doing as well as having a couple games up on their division foes, or could slip and widen the margin between themselves and the top of the division.
While Kansas City is considered a small-market team, it is an organization that has not been afraid to make a splash at the trade deadline in the past.
In the banner 2015
World Series season, general manager Dayton Moore moved a hefty package of three top pitching prospects to acquire Johnny Cueto, who went on to anchor a solid rotation through the end of the regular season
and into October. A similar move could be imminent if the Royals surge in the upcoming weeks before the deadline.
One position of particular need for Kansas City is help in the outfield. Lorenzo Cain has been serviceable batting .265/.338/.413 with 11 home runs, 15 steals and tremendous plate discipline, but the corner outfield spots leave much to be desired.
A power bat would provide plenty of pop in the heart of the order, but a move within the division would be unlikely.
However, it is just as possible that the Royals could fall out of contention by that time. If Ned Yost's squad somehow falls into the eight-to-ten game range out of first place and contending seems improbable, it could be the Royals' marquee players that are sent to contenders in exchange for a replenishing of the farm system.
With expiring contracts looming for Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Jason Vargas, one or several of the players who have become household names could face relocation by the end of the month.
With key players expected to be shopped, it will be these next two weeks that determine if the Royals will be looking to acquire similar players, or if they will be shopping their own talent around the league.
Big moves are looming, it just remains murky as to which way they will affect the Royals moving forward.
Beaty excited to add 'energetic' offensive coordinator
WESLEY DOTSON
@WesDotsonUDK
"I called him 10 times and offered him so much, I told him 'look, you can have all the money, I'll hire everyone else for a dollar," Beaty said on Monday, the first of two Big 12 Football Media Days in Frisco, Texas. "You can have it all, what's it going to take to get you here?" Beause I just think that much of him."
When Kansas football coach David Beaty joined the program in 2015, he knew he ultimately wanted his longtime friend Doug Meacham as his offensive coordinator.
Beaty and Meacham's
football relationship together dates back to Beaty's high school coaching days in Texas. The two first met while Meacham was recruiting from Beaty's schools. Beaty served as coach of North Dallas in 2001 and Irving MacArthur from 2002-05.
This past offseason, Beaty made that aspiration a reality when he hired Meacham to join the Kansas coaching staff in January after three
"[Meacham] taught me a lot of ball, spent a lot of time with him," Beaty said. "Always wanted to work with the guy. So, that relationship started a long time ago."
successful seasons at TCU.
"He's one of the best offensive minds in college football," Beaty said. "Bringing him to Lawrence was an incredible addition to an already amazing group of coaches and men that we have at our place."
"This game of football, it's tough on these guys," Beaty said. "A day-to-day grind for these guys is a lot more than what a lot of people know. It's very difficult. Doug has done such a great job of making sure that we have fun
Beaty said the addition of Meacham to the roster has also provided an extra amount of energy during practices.
every day. He's a guy that is infectious and you just want to be around him. He's one of those people."
Meacham will be tasked with turning around a Kansas offense that has ranked last in the Big 12 in total offense in each of the past three seasons.
"It's going to be fun watching him put his personality into it." Beaty
Under Meacham, TCU ranked second (533 yards per game) in 2014, third (562.8 yards per game) in 2015 and seventh (463.2 yards per game) in 2016.
Beaty said he is eager to see the Kansas offense formulate into Meacham's Air Raid style.
said. "The concepts are all very similar, but like all the guys that kind of live in this offense, everyone has their own little personality and twist on it. It's really interesting watching him instill that."
Kansas has already had one position change on offense this offseason with junior Ryan Schadler moving to wide receiver.
"I don't know [if] I would have thought to do that," Beaty said. "We really think that he might be a really nice answer for us at that wide out spot. He's done nothing but great things for us."
Prior to making what Beaty called an
"instantaneous" impact at TCU, Meacham served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Houston. Beaty is hoping Meacham can have an impact at Kansas similar to the impact he had for the TCU offense as the season approaches.
"[The players] love being around Doug Meacham because he is so much fun and he's really good at what he's done," Beaty said. "His leadership over the last three years and what he was able to do with coach [Gary] Patterson and those guys at TCU ... really excited about Doug."