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.
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Where did all of Lucas Erceg’s strikeouts go last season? He was still very effective, but the #Royals need them back to be at their best. Today on ItC, I looked at what happened last season.
Lucas Erceg and the Disappearing Strikeouts
The Royals fireman had a good year in 2025, but he was missing something.
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Where did all of Lucas Erceg’s strikeouts go last season? He was still very effective, but the #Royals need them back to be at their best. Today on ItC, I looked at what happened last season.
Reposted by David Lesky
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Podcast. @dblesky.bsky.social and I discuss where the Royals rank in the American League Central in...
- Offense
- Starting Pitching
- Bullpen
- Defense
- Base Running
- Summation!
Apple
tinyurl.com/mr24hw6x
YouTube
tinyurl.com/y6d6vjzh
- Offense
- Starting Pitching
- Bullpen
- Defense
- Base Running
- Summation!
Apple
tinyurl.com/mr24hw6x
YouTube
tinyurl.com/y6d6vjzh
February 16, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Podcast. @dblesky.bsky.social and I discuss where the Royals rank in the American League Central in...
- Offense
- Starting Pitching
- Bullpen
- Defense
- Base Running
- Summation!
Apple
tinyurl.com/mr24hw6x
YouTube
tinyurl.com/y6d6vjzh
- Offense
- Starting Pitching
- Bullpen
- Defense
- Base Running
- Summation!
Apple
tinyurl.com/mr24hw6x
YouTube
tinyurl.com/y6d6vjzh
The first Crown Jewels of spring training is up for all to read. I wrote about Lugo's fastball, the organizational pitching depth the #Royals are building and some of the "battles" we might see this spring.
Crown Jewels: Lugo's Fastball, Royals Depth, Spring Battles
The Royals are in camp and all is right with the (baseball) world again.
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:14 PM
The first Crown Jewels of spring training is up for all to read. I wrote about Lugo's fastball, the organizational pitching depth the #Royals are building and some of the "battles" we might see this spring.
Reposted by David Lesky
I was delighted to get @diamondcentric.net’s own @leomorgenstern.com for AL East coverage; the venerable @dblesky.bsky.social for the AL Central; and Rockies Survivor @rockiesvsconnor.bsky.social for the NL West.
February 12, 2026 at 7:39 PM
I was delighted to get @diamondcentric.net’s own @leomorgenstern.com for AL East coverage; the venerable @dblesky.bsky.social for the AL Central; and Rockies Survivor @rockiesvsconnor.bsky.social for the NL West.
If you didn’t listen to Monday’s Kauffman Corner with @sorenpetro.bsky.social and @jazayerli.bsky.social, you may have missed why there’s no show today.
Rany is taking a step back, and I’m moving to Sundays to try to fill his big shoes. So Soren & I will be with you on Sundays going forward.
Rany is taking a step back, and I’m moving to Sundays to try to fill his big shoes. So Soren & I will be with you on Sundays going forward.
a man in a suit is talking to a football player who is wearing a green and white jersey .
ALT: a man in a suit is talking to a football player who is wearing a green and white jersey .
media.tenor.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:24 PM
If you didn’t listen to Monday’s Kauffman Corner with @sorenpetro.bsky.social and @jazayerli.bsky.social, you may have missed why there’s no show today.
Rany is taking a step back, and I’m moving to Sundays to try to fill his big shoes. So Soren & I will be with you on Sundays going forward.
Rany is taking a step back, and I’m moving to Sundays to try to fill his big shoes. So Soren & I will be with you on Sundays going forward.
Yesterday, I did my first roster projection for #Royals hitters. Today I look at the pitchers. This is a decidedly deeper group with better players fighting for jobs, which is sort of exactly what you want.
Royals Roster Projection 1: The Pitchers
The strength of the Royals is their pitching, and there are a lot of pitchers to sort through in spring training.
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Yesterday, I did my first roster projection for #Royals hitters. Today I look at the pitchers. This is a decidedly deeper group with better players fighting for jobs, which is sort of exactly what you want.
Friends, baseball season is upon us. That means it’s time to start projecting the #Royals Opening Day roster. I start today with the position players. Plus a few words about Terrance Gore.
Royals Roster Projection 1: The Position Players
Players are in Surprise doing baseball activities for the Royals, so let's start with the roster projections.
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Friends, baseball season is upon us. That means it’s time to start projecting the #Royals Opening Day roster. I start today with the position players. Plus a few words about Terrance Gore.
In today's Crown Jewels, unlocked for all, I wrote about John Wathan making the #Royals Hall of Fame, the hunt for another reliever and how they make that fit and the versatility of the roster.
Crown Jewels: Duke Gets the Call, Royals Bullpen, Versatility
Spring training starts...next week!
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:40 PM
In today's Crown Jewels, unlocked for all, I wrote about John Wathan making the #Royals Hall of Fame, the hunt for another reliever and how they make that fit and the versatility of the roster.
I did this last year and was so wrong that I wanted to do it again. Today I looked at how the #Royals stack up in the AL Central in five categories. It was fun to take a look at all of it, but it'll be more fun if I was wrong again.
How the 2026 Royals Match Up in the AL Central
Can the Royals get back to the playoffs? Win the division?
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I did this last year and was so wrong that I wanted to do it again. Today I looked at how the #Royals stack up in the AL Central in five categories. It was fun to take a look at all of it, but it'll be more fun if I was wrong again.
The #Royals need another bat. I'm not arguing that point. But it is a more difficult task in the outfield than it seems. People will probably scoff at that, but that's why I wrote about it today!
Finding a Bat That Fits is Harder Than It Seems
The Royals roster and adding a bat is a little difficult to figure out, and a lot of it is because of Jac Caglianone.
insidethecrown.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 3:28 PM
The #Royals need another bat. I'm not arguing that point. But it is a more difficult task in the outfield than it seems. People will probably scoff at that, but that's why I wrote about it today!
Crown Jewels is, as always, unlocked for all. This week, I put the #Royals non-roster invites into three categories, I looked at the players committed to the WBC and then pushed Sunday night's Kauffman Corner interview with Brian Sweeney that I thought was well worth a listen.
Crown Jewels: Royals Non-Roster Invites, WBC Participants, Brian Sweeney
The last Crown Jewels of January means the Royals report to spring training soon.
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Crown Jewels is, as always, unlocked for all. This week, I put the #Royals non-roster invites into three categories, I looked at the players committed to the WBC and then pushed Sunday night's Kauffman Corner interview with Brian Sweeney that I thought was well worth a listen.
Reposted by David Lesky
Join @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and @sorenpetro.bsky.social on the Kauffman Corner YouTube live stream! Watch and comment with the link below…
tinyurl.com/2hjyks28
tinyurl.com/2hjyks28
January 29, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Join @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and @sorenpetro.bsky.social on the Kauffman Corner YouTube live stream! Watch and comment with the link below…
tinyurl.com/2hjyks28
tinyurl.com/2hjyks28
The #Royals had a BIG problem at the leadoff spot in 2024. They improved by more than 60 points in 2025 and now have to choose from a few candidates to take that top spot in the lineup in 2026. I dove into the four who make the most sense to me.
Leading Off for the Royals...
...we don't know yet! Who should lead off for the Royals?
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:54 PM
The #Royals had a BIG problem at the leadoff spot in 2024. They improved by more than 60 points in 2025 and now have to choose from a few candidates to take that top spot in the lineup in 2026. I dove into the four who make the most sense to me.
Reposted by David Lesky
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner. @dblesky.bsky.social pinch hits for @jazayleri.bsky.social. We welcome Royals Pitching Coach Brian Sweeney to talk...
- Injuries in '25.
- Value of the strikeout.
- Moving the fences in at The K.
Apple
tinyurl.com/rak6t4bx
YouTube
tinyurl.com/2x8k6y23
- Injuries in '25.
- Value of the strikeout.
- Moving the fences in at The K.
Apple
tinyurl.com/rak6t4bx
YouTube
tinyurl.com/2x8k6y23
January 26, 2026 at 4:42 AM
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner. @dblesky.bsky.social pinch hits for @jazayleri.bsky.social. We welcome Royals Pitching Coach Brian Sweeney to talk...
- Injuries in '25.
- Value of the strikeout.
- Moving the fences in at The K.
Apple
tinyurl.com/rak6t4bx
YouTube
tinyurl.com/2x8k6y23
- Injuries in '25.
- Value of the strikeout.
- Moving the fences in at The K.
Apple
tinyurl.com/rak6t4bx
YouTube
tinyurl.com/2x8k6y23
Crown Jewels is unlocked for all! This week, I wrote about the #Royals proclivity to make a move around this time of the offseason. I also looked at prospects who could debut in 2026 and Carlos Beltran getting the Hall call.
Crown Jewels: The Late Move, Royals Prospect Debuts, Beltran Gets In
Somehow, Royals players will start reporting to camp in just over two weeks.
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Crown Jewels is unlocked for all! This week, I wrote about the #Royals proclivity to make a move around this time of the offseason. I also looked at prospects who could debut in 2026 and Carlos Beltran getting the Hall call.
Reposted by David Lesky
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Pod. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I draft the top 6 Hitters that have the biggest variance and could make the biggest difference, good or bad, for the Royals in 2026.
Apple
tinyurl.com/3f3p4ab3
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mr2erjn3
Apple
tinyurl.com/3f3p4ab3
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mr2erjn3
January 22, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Pod. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I draft the top 6 Hitters that have the biggest variance and could make the biggest difference, good or bad, for the Royals in 2026.
Apple
tinyurl.com/3f3p4ab3
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mr2erjn3
Apple
tinyurl.com/3f3p4ab3
YouTube
tinyurl.com/mr2erjn3
The bottom of the #Royals roster was a massive problem in 2025. It's low-hanging fruit, but a pretty quick way to get a few extra wins...if they can fix it. There's reasons to believe, but also reasons to doubt.
Bottoms Up
The Royals roster was FULL of negatives in 2025. Can they eliminate them?
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:33 PM
The bottom of the #Royals roster was a massive problem in 2025. It's low-hanging fruit, but a pretty quick way to get a few extra wins...if they can fix it. There's reasons to believe, but also reasons to doubt.
The #Royals shouldn't be done this winter. I don't think they want to be done. But a market that was also limited in options hasn't worked out especially well for them either, which means it'll be tough to find the move that actually moves the needle.
The Royals Still Need More But It Won't Be Easy
They are firmly in the mix for the American League Central, but the right moves would help a lot.
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:45 PM
The #Royals shouldn't be done this winter. I don't think they want to be done. But a market that was also limited in options hasn't worked out especially well for them either, which means it'll be tough to find the move that actually moves the needle.
Reposted by David Lesky
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Podcast. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss the fences moving in at Kauffman Stadium.
- Why now?
- Who benefits most?
- Help in Free Agency?
- How many more HR's?
Apple
tinyurl.com/48kd3nr4
YouTube
tinyurl.com/4h8bttsm
- Why now?
- Who benefits most?
- Help in Free Agency?
- How many more HR's?
Apple
tinyurl.com/48kd3nr4
YouTube
tinyurl.com/4h8bttsm
January 15, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Click below for the latest Kauffman Corner Podcast. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss the fences moving in at Kauffman Stadium.
- Why now?
- Who benefits most?
- Help in Free Agency?
- How many more HR's?
Apple
tinyurl.com/48kd3nr4
YouTube
tinyurl.com/4h8bttsm
- Why now?
- Who benefits most?
- Help in Free Agency?
- How many more HR's?
Apple
tinyurl.com/48kd3nr4
YouTube
tinyurl.com/4h8bttsm
After looking at key hitters yesterday, today I dove into the #Royals pitching and how new dimensions might impact them. They'll have to be better than last year to end at the same spot, but I was surprisingly encouraged by my findings.
insidethecrown.substack.com/p/royals-pit...
insidethecrown.substack.com/p/royals-pit...
Royals Pitching vs. New Kauffman Stadium Dimensions
With the walls coming in, the Royals have helped their bats, but at what cost?
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 2:26 PM
After looking at key hitters yesterday, today I dove into the #Royals pitching and how new dimensions might impact them. They'll have to be better than last year to end at the same spot, but I was surprisingly encouraged by my findings.
insidethecrown.substack.com/p/royals-pit...
insidethecrown.substack.com/p/royals-pit...
Reposted by David Lesky
Kauffman Corner streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss the fences moving in at the K...
- Who benefits most?
- Will it help with Free Agency?
- How it affects OF defense?
- Royals hit how many HR's in '26?
Click below...
tinyurl.com/bdf6fhb7
- Who benefits most?
- Will it help with Free Agency?
- How it affects OF defense?
- Royals hit how many HR's in '26?
Click below...
tinyurl.com/bdf6fhb7
January 15, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Kauffman Corner streaming at 8:30A Central. @dblesky.bsky.social, Les Norman and I discuss the fences moving in at the K...
- Who benefits most?
- Will it help with Free Agency?
- How it affects OF defense?
- Royals hit how many HR's in '26?
Click below...
tinyurl.com/bdf6fhb7
- Who benefits most?
- Will it help with Free Agency?
- How it affects OF defense?
- Royals hit how many HR's in '26?
Click below...
tinyurl.com/bdf6fhb7
One thing that I keep seeing is people comparing the #Royals moving the fences in to 1995. The big difference is that they moved everything but the corners in then. With this change, center field between the auxiliary scoreboards is unchanged. That's an important distinction.
January 14, 2026 at 5:05 PM
One thing that I keep seeing is people comparing the #Royals moving the fences in to 1995. The big difference is that they moved everything but the corners in then. With this change, center field between the auxiliary scoreboards is unchanged. That's an important distinction.
The changes aren't drastic, but the #Royals are bringing most of the walls in at Kauffman Stadium. Today I looked at how that will impact a few key hitters in a way that was somehow both exhaustive and not nearly enough.
New Year, New Walls: How Royals Hitters Will Benefit
The Royals are bringing the fences in.
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:38 PM
The changes aren't drastic, but the #Royals are bringing most of the walls in at Kauffman Stadium. Today I looked at how that will impact a few key hitters in a way that was somehow both exhaustive and not nearly enough.
We're about a month from spring training, so I thought today was a good day to dig in to what the rest of the division was doing and compare it to what the #Royals have done this winter. Check out who I think has had the best winter so far.
Checking In On the AL Central
Where do the Royals stack up in the offseason moves?
insidethecrown.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:45 PM
We're about a month from spring training, so I thought today was a good day to dig in to what the rest of the division was doing and compare it to what the #Royals have done this winter. Check out who I think has had the best winter so far.