David Lesky
@dblesky.bsky.social
I write about the Royals on Inside the Crown and talk about them weekly on Kauffman Corner. And I do some radio too, so that's kind of cool.
insidethecrown.substack.com/subscribe
insidethecrown.substack.com/subscribe
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Slight schedule change on ItC because, well, I fell asleep early last night and woke up late today.
To say sorry, how about a special Black Friday subscription deal to get all my #Royals analysis for 25% off?
To say sorry, how about a special Black Friday subscription deal to get all my #Royals analysis for 25% off?
Subscribe to Inside the Crown
Taking a deeper dive into all things Kansas City Royals. Click to read Inside the Crown, by David Lesky, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Slight schedule change on ItC because, well, I fell asleep early last night and woke up late today.
To say sorry, how about a special Black Friday subscription deal to get all my #Royals analysis for 25% off?
To say sorry, how about a special Black Friday subscription deal to get all my #Royals analysis for 25% off?
The #Royals lost a big part of their pitching plan when Zach Bove left for the White Sox, but they made an inspiring hire. I wrote about Mike McFerren, the new assistant pitching coach, with a little insight from people way smarter than me.
Another New Royals Coach Hits the Mark
I love the Royals hire of Mike McFerran for so many reasons.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
The #Royals lost a big part of their pitching plan when Zach Bove left for the White Sox, but they made an inspiring hire. I wrote about Mike McFerren, the new assistant pitching coach, with a little insight from people way smarter than me.
Friday was the non-tender deadline and most of the #Royals decisions were easy, but there were some questions. I wrote mostly about the choices that weren't so easy plus included some non-tenders made by other teams who could interest KC.
Love Me (Non-)Tender
Friday's deadline to tender contracts to all players on non-guaranteed contracts went almost as expected for the Royals.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Friday was the non-tender deadline and most of the #Royals decisions were easy, but there were some questions. I wrote mostly about the choices that weren't so easy plus included some non-tenders made by other teams who could interest KC.
Oh the #Royals made a very interesting hire for assistant pitching coach. Mike McFerran is not a name I know much about, but the background is certainly different. College guy until the last two years with the A’s system. And he’s only 32 years old.
November 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Oh the #Royals made a very interesting hire for assistant pitching coach. Mike McFerran is not a name I know much about, but the background is certainly different. College guy until the last two years with the A’s system. And he’s only 32 years old.
Fridays are free on Inside the Crown! In Crown Jewels this week, I wrote about the #Royals signing Alex Lange, confidence in Cags (both from the Royals and himself) and my hypothetical HOF ballot that I'm already questioning.
Crown Jewels: A New Bullpen Arm, Cags Confidence and my Hypothetical HOF Ballot
The Royals added some strikeouts, their potential star as a tough road ahead and how I'd vote for the Hall.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Fridays are free on Inside the Crown! In Crown Jewels this week, I wrote about the #Royals signing Alex Lange, confidence in Cags (both from the Royals and himself) and my hypothetical HOF ballot that I'm already questioning.
This is the list. I ended up with 37 trade targets. I'm probably 37 short. Or more. But here are 37 players the #Royals could and maybe will target this offseason in trades.
Royals 2025/2026 Offseason Trade Targets
The Royals need help offensively (and probably in the bullpen). Maybe they make a trade or four?
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:21 PM
This is the list. I ended up with 37 trade targets. I'm probably 37 short. Or more. But here are 37 players the #Royals could and maybe will target this offseason in trades.
Putting this out to make sure I finish it and to alert you to tomorrow's crazy newsletter, where I dig in on at least 32 trade targets (I might add more) for the #Royals. Click that link to make sure you get it in your inbox tomorrow morning.
Subscribe to Inside the Crown
Taking a deeper dive into all things Kansas City Royals. Click to read Inside the Crown, by David Lesky, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Putting this out to make sure I finish it and to alert you to tomorrow's crazy newsletter, where I dig in on at least 32 trade targets (I might add more) for the #Royals. Click that link to make sure you get it in your inbox tomorrow morning.
The #Royals added Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac to the 40-man. That means they didn’t add Gavin Cross, Frank Mozzicato and Javi Vaz, among others. The 40-man has 39 players on it now.
November 18, 2025 at 11:02 PM
The #Royals added Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac to the 40-man. That means they didn’t add Gavin Cross, Frank Mozzicato and Javi Vaz, among others. The 40-man has 39 players on it now.
The deadline to add players to protect them from the Rule 5 is today. I wrote about 10 potential adds for the #Royals on Friday. They obviously won't all get added, but they only have three 40-man spots right now, so you might see a move today.
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The deadline to add players to protect them from the Rule 5 is today. I wrote about 10 potential adds for the #Royals on Friday. They obviously won't all get added, but they only have three 40-man spots right now, so you might see a move today.
Vinnie Pasquantino is an RBI machine, a fan favorite and seems like the glue in a strong clubhouse. The #Royals don't have to make a decision today or anything but that didn't stop me from weighing the pros and cons of extending him.
The Case For (and Against) Extending Vinnie Pasquantino
The Royals are at an inflection point with their first baseman. What direction do they go?
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Vinnie Pasquantino is an RBI machine, a fan favorite and seems like the glue in a strong clubhouse. The #Royals don't have to make a decision today or anything but that didn't stop me from weighing the pros and cons of extending him.
Fridays mean ItC is free for everyone! In this week's Crown Jewels, I look at the #Royals rumors from the week, the 40-man decisions coming in the next week and wondering if I'm way off in my trade philosophies.
Crown Jewels: Royals Rumors, 40-Man Decisions and Questioning Trade Hesitancy
This is an action time in baseball with roster deadlines and the GM meetings and the Royals were in the news.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Fridays mean ItC is free for everyone! In this week's Crown Jewels, I look at the #Royals rumors from the week, the 40-man decisions coming in the next week and wondering if I'm way off in my trade philosophies.
Reposted by David Lesky
Kauffman Corner streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss...
- 2 new hitting coaches.
- Salvy re-ups.
- Cameron 4th in ROY... Why?
- What's Mason Black?
- Trade Rumors.
- Passan says Gleyber Torres fits.
Click below...
tinyurl.com/m8e6zmsv
- 2 new hitting coaches.
- Salvy re-ups.
- Cameron 4th in ROY... Why?
- What's Mason Black?
- Trade Rumors.
- Passan says Gleyber Torres fits.
Click below...
tinyurl.com/m8e6zmsv
November 13, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Kauffman Corner streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss...
- 2 new hitting coaches.
- Salvy re-ups.
- Cameron 4th in ROY... Why?
- What's Mason Black?
- Trade Rumors.
- Passan says Gleyber Torres fits.
Click below...
tinyurl.com/m8e6zmsv
- 2 new hitting coaches.
- Salvy re-ups.
- Cameron 4th in ROY... Why?
- What's Mason Black?
- Trade Rumors.
- Passan says Gleyber Torres fits.
Click below...
tinyurl.com/m8e6zmsv
I was almost free of the weekly obligation to pretend to like Pat Strathman, but then the #Royals went and did a lot of stuff in the last week, so here I am again, talking about them with my arch nemesis on ESPN Wichita. How did I get so lucky?
November 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I was almost free of the weekly obligation to pretend to like Pat Strathman, but then the #Royals went and did a lot of stuff in the last week, so here I am again, talking about them with my arch nemesis on ESPN Wichita. How did I get so lucky?
Free agency is not the only way to add to the team, but it's the way that only costs money. Today, I looked at 50 players who might be of interest to the #Royals in free agency. Some are unlikely, but I'm nothing if not thorough.
Your 2025/2026 Royals Free Agent Target Guide
Let's look at 50 free agents who could fit what the Royals might want to do this winter.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Free agency is not the only way to add to the team, but it's the way that only costs money. Today, I looked at 50 players who might be of interest to the #Royals in free agency. Some are unlikely, but I'm nothing if not thorough.
Okay, the free agent primer is about ready to go. I was able to make it a nice, round 50 players to look at for the #Royals. It'll hit your inboxes tomorrow morning.
November 11, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Okay, the free agent primer is about ready to go. I was able to make it a nice, round 50 players to look at for the #Royals. It'll hit your inboxes tomorrow morning.
I'm guessing the Mason Black move is just about starting pitching depth. He has an option left. He hasn't been especially good in the minors since 2023, but maybe they see something there. It's a fringe roster move, so meh, but I guess we'll see.
November 11, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I'm guessing the Mason Black move is just about starting pitching depth. He has an option left. He hasn't been especially good in the minors since 2023, but maybe they see something there. It's a fringe roster move, so meh, but I guess we'll see.
The #Royals made a move I was not expecting in hiring Marcus Thames. I can't say I love it, but I also think it's important to dig a little into what he brings to the table. I did some research, talked to some people smarter than me and wrote about adding Thames to the staff.
The Royals Hitting Picture is Now Clear...ish
With the Royals hiring Marcus Thames, we know who Alec Zumwalt's big league staff is.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
The #Royals made a move I was not expecting in hiring Marcus Thames. I can't say I love it, but I also think it's important to dig a little into what he brings to the table. I did some research, talked to some people smarter than me and wrote about adding Thames to the staff.
I had a really big free agent guide newsletter I was working on for tomorrow but after talking to a couple of people, I’m instead going to have something on Thames and how his philosophies can work with Dawson‘s and how they can all work together with the overarching plan.
November 10, 2025 at 10:39 PM
I had a really big free agent guide newsletter I was working on for tomorrow but after talking to a couple of people, I’m instead going to have something on Thames and how his philosophies can work with Dawson‘s and how they can all work together with the overarching plan.
Doing some searching and waiting on some texts to come back about Marcus Thames, but I wouldn't hold his time with the White Sox against him. A lot of Yankees players have lauded him and the approach makes a lot of sense to me. Seems like it's all about hitting hittable pitches, which, I mean, yeah.
November 10, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Doing some searching and waiting on some texts to come back about Marcus Thames, but I wouldn't hold his time with the White Sox against him. A lot of Yankees players have lauded him and the approach makes a lot of sense to me. Seems like it's all about hitting hittable pitches, which, I mean, yeah.
Being credited on @mlbtraderumors.bsky.social for breaking something is pretty damn cool.
Royals Hire Connor Dawson As Hitting Coach
Kansas City has added Connor Dawson to its coaching staff. Read more at MLB Trade Rumors.
www.mlbtraderumors.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Being credited on @mlbtraderumors.bsky.social for breaking something is pretty damn cool.
The Connor Dawson hire is now official.
There's another coach coming soon...
There's another coach coming soon...
November 7, 2025 at 10:12 PM
The Connor Dawson hire is now official.
There's another coach coming soon...
There's another coach coming soon...
Fridays are free for Crown Jewels! This week, I look at the Salvy extension, losing Zach Bove, the #Royals uneven defense and a new player in the content game in town. Check it out and subscribe if you haven't already!
Crown Jewels: Salvy's Deal, Coach Poach and Defensive Balance
The Royals signed their captain to a new deal, lost a coach and are either better or not as good defensively as you think.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Fridays are free for Crown Jewels! This week, I look at the Salvy extension, losing Zach Bove, the #Royals uneven defense and a new player in the content game in town. Check it out and subscribe if you haven't already!
Reposted by David Lesky
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner. @DBLesky, Les Norman and I broke down the top 5 things the Royals need to get done this offseason... Stadium, Hitting Coaches, Extensions, Chase Rates, and more.
Apple
tinyurl.com/ywckv9tf
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mrxk38yz
Apple
tinyurl.com/ywckv9tf
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mrxk38yz
November 6, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner. @DBLesky, Les Norman and I broke down the top 5 things the Royals need to get done this offseason... Stadium, Hitting Coaches, Extensions, Chase Rates, and more.
Apple
tinyurl.com/ywckv9tf
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mrxk38yz
Apple
tinyurl.com/ywckv9tf
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mrxk38yz
There's A LOT in today's Inside the Crown. I looked at the top 25 free agents and predicted homes for them since players can sign anywhere starting this afternoon. Bigger than that, I looked at Connor Dawson and what he can bring to the #Royals as hitting coach.
Top 25 Free Agents with Predictions (Plus a New Royals Hitting Coach)
The Royals may not end up big free agent participants, but I love predicting (and getting wrong) where guys will sign.
insidethecrown.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
There's A LOT in today's Inside the Crown. I looked at the top 25 free agents and predicted homes for them since players can sign anywhere starting this afternoon. Bigger than that, I looked at Connor Dawson and what he can bring to the #Royals as hitting coach.