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Keep the Whit-ting streak going!"Rumors & Hot StoveRoyals Minor Leagues & ProspectsRoyals Review ClassicRoyals Review Users GuideThe 100 Greatest Royals Of All TimeRoyals RumblingsRoyals Rumblings - News for April 11 Glen Perkins Jersey , 2019New,231commentsKeep the Whit-ting streak going!EDTShareTweetShareShareRoyals Rumblings - News for April 11, 2019Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY SportsRoyals Rumblings - News for April 11, 2019Whit Merrifield talks about his record-setting hitting streak.George Brett was proud of Whit.Vahe Gregorian writes more about the connection between George and Whit.Whit also heaped praise on teammate Terrance Gore, who had a big night.Leigh Oleszczak at KC Kingdom writes that Whit Merrifield is just what the Royals need.Rustin Dodd writes about Richard Lovelady’s promotion.Just before Hunter Dozier’s home run, Patrick Brennan wrote at Beyond the Box Score to keep an eye on the third baseman.Billy Hamilton talks about scoring from second on a sacrifice fly on Tuesday.Here is your Danny Duffy update.Keith Law at ESPN writes about the most-loaded minor league squads this year.Former Royals reliever Tim Collins gets the callup for the Cubs.Jayson Stark at The Athletic asks if managers are becoming obsolete.Matt Carpenter signs a two-year extension with the CardinalsThe Atlantic League will delay implementation of robot umpires.Even with injuries, the Yankees won’t look to Dallas Keuchel quite yet.Mike Trout’s mortality is showing.The Mariners were supposed to be rebuilding, but are they actually good?Minor league baseball and MLB Advanced Media have an agreement on social media content.The TV rights battle between the Nationals and Orioles will go to arbitration.Luke Heimlich makes his professional debut in Mexico.How stealing sand at Augusta National got a man arrested http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , costing him $20,000 and his reputation.A lawsuit alleges the AAF intentionally misled and defrauded players.Amazon employees are listening to what you tell Alexa.Kate McKinnon will play Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in a series for Hulu.“Participation trophies” have been handed out for 100 years.Your song of the day is Aimee Mann with Pavlov’s Bell. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Marwin Gonzalez was Houston’s do-everything utility player for the last few years.Replacing him is probably going to be a team effort.Gonzalez signed a $21 million, two-year deal with Minnesota on Monday, making official what the Astros seemed to know all offseason: they’re going to need new depth around the diamond. Gonzalez played every position except pitcher and catcher during his seven seasons with Houston.The player most likely to mimic Gonzalez is 2016 All-Star Aledmys Diaz, who was acquired from Toronto in November. Houston is also hoping first baseman Yuli Gurriel can bounce around the infield a bit more.“I want to see Diaz play all four infield positions and potentially two outfield positions on the corner,” manager AJ Hinch said. “We may not have enough time to do that as much as we want. As fun as it sounds, that’s lot to ask out of one guy Paul Molitor Jersey , but I would like to move him around a little bit.”Diaz has experience at most of those positions. The 28-year-old has primarily been a shortstop with the Cardinals and Blue Jays, but he’s also comfortable at third base and has appeared at second base and in left field.“I think it’s a challenge to play different positions every day, but at the same time, I’ve played all over the infield in the past,” he said. “So for me, I’ve never played first base at this level and only a little bit in the outfield. So that’s one thing I’m going to try to improve on and work on is in the outfield.”Diaz said he’s been chatting with Houston outfielders George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick about the position, though he anticipates the best preparation is in-game reps.“Having the experience is the most important thing at this level Tony Oliva Jersey ,” he said. “So for me having the chance to play a little bit in the outfield in spring training is going to help me going into the season to be more ready when he puts me in the outfield.”Hinch believes one of the most important qualities a utility player must have is a willingness to do whatever is asked of him. In that category, Diaz is already just fine.“I love his mindset,” Hinch said. “He’s willing to do anything. He’s going to start playing a different position virtually every day for the next four or five rotations that he plays. I do love the eagerness to fit in as opposed to the stubbornness of making demands and being upset over his reality.”Diaz’s reward will be more playing time. There aren’t any everyday openings in the infield — Carlos Correa is entrenched at short, 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve plays second, Alex Bregman is a budding star at third and Gurriel is locked in at first.“As soon as I heard about the trade, I talked to AJ in the offseason and told him I was motivated to play like every position the team needs me,” Diaz said. “It’s a long season, so the everyday guys might need a rest day. Also it will give me a chance to have more at-bats and be in the lineup more often.”Gurriel could also be a fill-in option at second or third base http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , although he’s played those positions sparingly over two-plus season with Houston following a 12-year career in Cuba and Japan. Hinch will give him some reps around the infield this spring in anticipation of a more versatile role.NOTES: Rookie RHP Josh James has a strained quadriceps that will cause him to miss time. He was vying for the fifth spot in Houston’s rotation, but Hinch said the setback effectively takes him out of that conversation. “I still think he’s going to get enough outings to factor in the bullpen conversation,” Hinch said. … RHP Collin McHugh left after one inning on Wednesday because of a sore back, but he said it isn’t anything serious and he doesn’t expect it to cause him to miss any time.