Unofficial and UN-authoritative Kansas City Royals News

Mixed Messages

2010-03-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

SI's Jon Heyman has tweeted that the Royals will join the Mariners as bidders for the service of Jarrod Washburn. Washburn has been a pretty steady performer over his 12 years in the Majors. He is 35 years old and coming off of an okay season (with the exception of the 8 games he started for the Tigers). For the right price, Washburn wouldn't be a bad addition at all, but why add him at this point?

I know: Meche's injury potential appears high and the Royals don't have a lefty in the rotation. THE ROYALS DO NOT NEED A LEFTY. Teams have won championships without them, but we don't even need to go down that line of logic because the Royals will not compete this year. Furthermore, the signing of Washburn would send a mixed message to fans and the youth of this team. The young pitchers on this team need to step up, they need to deliver and if they can't...then we need to draft more and more and more pitching. Signing another aging veteran does nothing but continue the pattern this team has followed at the Major League level for too long: signing leftovers and throwing together a Major League team so they can sell some tickets. I don't know about you, but I would rather watch young guys lose than aging veterans. I mean, at least the young guys MIGHT get better.

All we are Saying...is Give Youth a Chance

2010-03-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

The Royals might lose 100 games this year, they might lose 90...who knows. No matter what, this team doesn't need to worry about a championship run this season. With that thought firmly planted in their minds, top club officials need to consider playing the youth of this ball club instead of aging players. I am willing to be somewhat reasonable with this, Dayton. It doesn't appear that Bryan Pena is ready to spend a season as the team's backstop, Noel Arguelles doesn't need to be rushed into the rotation, and Edgar Osuna isn't quite ready to be a member of the starting five either. However, there are some younger players that deserve a shot at regular duty.

Baseball is too frequently a game of numbers and I am not necessarily referring to statistics. The higher paid players, with guaranteed contracts, are always going to get stronger considerations for regular roles. I understand that, get it, got it...DON'T CARE. Jose Guillen is going to make around $12 million this season whether he is playing as a regular DH for the Royals or feeding the chickens on his farm back home! He has had a decent spring, and he will likely play hard in an attempt to secure a free agent contract this off-season. The problem is that the Royals have some young guys who have earned a shot at Guillen's job, and I would rather see them play.

Mitch Maier, Kila Ka'aihue and Brain Anderson have all had a tremendous Spring Training. It is unlikely that any of them will see regular playing time with the Royals in 2010. The team has logjams in the outfield, first-base and at designated hitter. With the exception of Butler (and therefore first-base), the current projected starters in logjam positions are between 30-34 years old (Dejesus, Ankiel, Guillen, and Podsednik). The ages of Maier, Ka'aihue and Anderson are: 27, 25 and 28 respectively. So, the starters aren't young and Maier, Ka-aihue and Anderson aren't exactly fresh off the farm system bus. However, it is time for the Royals to stop slapping together an aging free-agent leftover team and start playing what they have been investing in (I understand the Anderson isn't a product of the Royals, but he was signed cheap...he has played hard...and he deserves a look).

I am not delusional, I know that these guys aren't going to make the Royals any better this season. BUT! I would simply rather watch these guys play. They are all younger, haven't really "made it" to the Majors yet and they are still hungry. It would be more entertaining to watch the three of them struggle or succeed, than watch another game of: Guillen attempt to hit everything out of the park, Ankiel work on a "comeback", and Pods attempt to prove he is not "washed up".

My opinions are my own and they are likely not shared by Dayton Moore. So, anticipate another season of Hillman falling in love with players that wouldn't have a regular role on other teams. Bloomquist and Hillman likely exchange Valetines with each other...and I don't think anyone can break that bond. In other words, Willie will see way too many at bats this year. Guillen makes a lot of money (on this team) and he will likely have an improved year (if he is healthy), so the Royals are going to see what he can do. Ankiel and Pods are the "defensive upgrades" and so their roles will likely remain. The Royals didn't get to where they are by making the right moves, and the moves they are making at the Major League level haven't changed...so why should we expect anything different?

Edgar Osuna

2010-03-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Royals have some roster decisions to make with the close of Spring Training fast approaching. Given the success of Rule 5 Draft pick Joakim Soria, the Royals not having many Major League lefty options, and the question marks surrounding the bullpen and the healthiness of Gil Meche... it seems close attention will be paid to Edgar Osuna. Like many Dayton Moore additions,Osuna is from Atlanta. He was Kansas City's most recent Rule 5 pick and has shown SOME promise in his minor league career. His minor league work isn't overwhelming, but there are indications that he could pitch at the Major League level with some success.

Edgar has a few more outings left before the Royals have to make a decision involving one of three choices: 1) Keep him on the Major League roster 2) Work out a trade with the Braves to keep him in the minors in Kansas City or 3) Send him back to the Braves. Given the circumstances and the promise he has shown in the minors, Kansas City will certainly keep him around. The question then becomes...in what capacity?

Frankly, I can't see Osuna as a "lefty specialist" or as a setup man. Furthermore, the Royals have needs that aren't clearly satisfied: a 5th starter AND a left handed starter, at that ,wouldn't hurt. Osuna isn't going to amaze anyone at this point. He will likely struggle, but he won't have to be "thrown to the lions" right away. John Thompson COULD fill in as a starter for a bit, leaving Greinke, Davies, Bannister, and Hochevar (no particular order here) to complete the rotation until the "Meche scare" is better determined. Maybe Osuna could work as a long reliever...the Royals could see if he improves...AND they will have traded nothing away to get a better look at what he can do.

I think the Royals might like what they see. He has only pitched six innings this spring, and it wasn't pretty...giving up 6 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 homerun, and 4 Ks to 2 BBs. Now wait, don't give up on this kid just yet...we need a larger body of work to really see what he can do.

Osuna spent two years in Rookie ball, one year in A ball, and last season was split between A+ and AA. Compiling all those stats is probably slightly misleading, but I am about to do it anyway...largely because it shows he has some upside worth looking into. Skeptics are going to argue that most of his numbers have gotten worse with every Minor League promotion. I will counter three points to consider:
1) Osuna is young, he has likely not reached his peak
2) His ERA has remained respectable at every level
3) See the following:

What a player does in the Minors might not mean a whole lot, but with Osuna...it is the largest piece of work we have to examine. So, let's compare three current Kansas City pitchers and their Minor League stats (conveniently, they all have four seasons in the Minors). Now, I am not attempting to project Osuna to be either one of the other two pitchers, all this exercise does is puts Osuna's performance in perspective and assures us that players can get better or worse.

Player: Greinke Osuna Hochevar
ERA: 2.96 3.37 3.63
WHIP: 1.057 1.218 1.257
H/9: 7.8 9.0 8.6
HR/9: 0.8 0.6 1.1
BB/9: 1.7 2.0 2.7
K/9: 7.5 8.3 8.3
SO/BB: 4.41 4.15 3.03

Osuna almost fits perfectly between the two pitchers. What does this mean? Well...maybe nothing, but the other two pitchers have seen success in the Majors. Keeping Osuna on the club would then seem consistent with history and justifiable. Look for Osuna to make the cut and potentially make a positive contribution this season.

Dear Dayton Moore

2010-03-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

DAYTON:

Please do not beat yourself up over the Yuniesky Betancourt trade. The fans will mostly forget about it, especially if you remedy the ramifications quickly. You were short on infield help, Betancourt was VERY available and you took the bait. It will all be okay. We all make mistakes, and you...you will continue to make mistakes. Here's the good news, as long as you learn from them, we will not crucify you over them.

The Royals have put together a motto or a slogan over the past few seasons. "Believe" is the one that most readily comes to mind. I was thinking for this upcoming season you might consider "Betancourt to the Bench". I know that it is a little wordy, and doesn't have the same appeal as "Believe", but I think fans will appreciate the meaning and action behind it.

For a moment (and just a moment), let's forget about the offensive and defensive NUMBERS Betancourt has put up over the past few seasons and just remember he hasn't been that hot. Keeping that in mind, let's examine his Spring Training efforts as he is allegedly working on being more consistent. Offensively, without looking at the numbers (since you don't pay attention to all that "new stat stuff"), I will tell you he is better. Defensively....largely the same. In fact, did you watch the game against the Rockies on Sunday Dayton? Betancourt showed some unusual ability as he committed two errors in essentially one play. Pretty amazing. He is finding new ways to lose games for the team. Now, I know you don't like UZR and WAR (check those numbers out for Betancourt if you're bored) and all that "fancy" stuff...so, I will make it simple: Betancourt is horrible, was horrible, and will be horrible again. Cut ties, swallow your pride and help the Royals help themselves...as giving away runs usually doesn't bode well for any team.

Thank you Dayton,

Fred (Just another loyal fan, clinging to straws while the Royals sink)

Hoping for Change

2010-03-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

The criticisms of Dayton Moore &Co. could go on and on and on, but that isn't quite what I wanted to write about with this post. I wanted to focus on a more specific problem with Dayton Moore and hope...and HOPE that it is not an issue THIS season. In short, the Royals have three younger players in Mike Aviles, Alberto Callaspo and Mitch Maier that are working their tails off to prove they deserve starting spots on this roster. Their respective competition is somewhat abysmal in Yuniesky Betancourt, Alex Gordon, and the rest of the outfield (Anderson, Posednik and Ankiel).

Aviles has not yet returned to 2008 form, but his attitude, work ethic and progress thus far lead me to believe he can return to something resembling pre-injury form. I will be pulling for Mike Aviles, and not for altruistic reasons alone. I mean, I like what I have heard him say in interviews and from that and that alone...he seems like a nice enough guy and I hope he does well. The real reason, however, would be to spare the Royals the regular service of Yuniesky Betancourt (Major League Baseball's worst player). A healthy Aviles versus a healthy Betancourt... fighting for one spot...can only help the Royals.

Callaspo (up to this point, which isn't saying much) has shown that he could be a defensive upgrade over Alex Gordon at third base. As stated in a previous post, it is not realistic to compare their fielding numbers...Callaspo only had 99.0 innings at third last year, Gordon has a lot more. There are some positive for Callaspo and negatives for Gordon that really fuel this argument, regardless. The Royals know that Callaspo can: play decent enough third to be considered for the starting role, hit for average, get on base, and not strike out a lot. The Royals know that Gordon: has been less than good at third, has yet to hit for average for an entire season, struggles to get on base, and strikes out easily. If the Alex Gordon project were made into a movie, the Royals could call it "Waiting for Gordon" and that could sum up the past three seasons. Callaspo has shown what kind of player he is: CONSISTENT. Why wait for Gordon, when Callaspo is ready?

Mitch Maier has indicated that he is following a trend that started in the minor leagues: he struggled in his first year every time he advanced a level in the farm system. His second year in A-ball was better, his second year in AA was better, second year in AAA...BETTER. This would be his second season in the Majors. His first year was below average...his Spring Training looks good...the Royals might be able to anticipate a much improved Maier this season. Maybe Maier amounts to nothing, but he should get a strong look He is out of options and he is cheap (this would be the business motivation). He is also younger and COULD be at least as good as Posednik (the 34-35 year old Posednik), Ankiel (post HGH) and Anderson (merely a big ball of potential up to this point). I don't think Maier is worth starting yet, but cutting him would be a huge mistake.

Here's to HOPE. Hoping the Royals play the players they should this year. Hoping Betancourt and Bloomquist don't see anything close to 400 at bats and hoping that the Royals wake up and utilize the young players they have.

Keep Alberto Callaspo!!

2010-03-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I know, IT IS STILL SPRING TRAINING and nothing we can see means much of anything. I think a lot of fans, and maybe the top brass were looking forward to seeing Alex Gordon show signs of being healthy and improving at the plate. Unfortunately, Alex Gordon is injured... again. Three to four weeks isn't that bad, and really he was trying to hustle and play hard...it's hard to get down a player who is giving it his all. Props to you Alex Gordon, and I sincerely hope to see you on the field soon...putting up numbers we have long been waiting to see. In the meantime, the Royals may not have a chance to screw something up.
Working for a small market team, offers a general manager multiple opportunities to worsen a franchise for the future. Because the Royals cannot put up the payroll dollars to "buy themselves better", trades, the amateur draft, and development of young talent become paramount. The Royals have had many trades (usually involving the trading away of good players) that haven't worked out as they might have hoped. This off-season and Spring Training, there have been many questions surrounding the future of Alberto Callaspo with the Kansas City Royals. Speculation has led fans to believe that they had been looking to deal the recent hitting talent who, as of late, doesn't appear to have a clear position on the team.
In 2008, the somewhat unknown Callaspo managed a .305 BA average and a .361 OBP in 231 at bats. It was the first time in his career he managed to hit over .240 with any amount of at bats. I think for most fans, it was more of a pleasant surprise than an indication of Callaspo potentially being a good hitter. Then 2009 rolled around and Callaspo saw more playing time for his positive production. In 576 at bats, he was arguably the Royals best all around hitter with a .300 BA and a .356 OBP with only 51 strikeouts. Say all you want about other offensive numbers and how other players did better here or there; what I liked about Callaspo was his plate discipline. Discipline is something the Royals have struggled with as a team for quite some time. His defense at second base, however, left a lot to be desired. The Royals then traded Mark Teahen, and in came Chris Getz and by all assessments, he should be a defensive upgrade from Callaspo. It is hard to argue with wanting the Royals to get better defensively, and if Getz does that...then he should play 2B over Callaspo. So what would the Royals do with Alberto??
Suddenly, the Royals most disciplined hitter appeared "position-less". Getz at 2B, Betancourt/Aviles at SS, Gordon/Fields(and maybe Callaspo) at 3B and Guillen assumed the DH role. Trey HIllman insisted that he would work to find Callaspo the at bats, but it is hard to imagine Hillman's love affair with Bloomquist dying down anytime soon and I was struggling to see 400 plus at bats for Callaspo.
Spring Training started and Callaspo remained on the team, begging the question: "Is there not any interest or adequate trade options for Callaspo, or, do the Royals really want to keep this guy around?". I don't know, and it doesn't matter.The injury to Alex Gordon seemed to be enough to warrant keeping Callaspo, and it might give even the Royals enough time to realize the potential value of having him around.
I didn't really give much thought to Callaspo manning third until the return of Alex Gordon...until today (many of you probably entertained this thought before, so bear with my slow processing speed).

Why shouldn't Callaspo be the regular third baseman for the Royals??

Initially, this was just a passing thought in mind my mind. Then, of course, I had to do some digging to satisfy myself. What did I find? Well, the move might make more sense than not.

(Looks like a legit third baseman. I mean, just look at him!)

In 2009, Callaspo played some third base for the Royals to help fill in for the injured Alex Gordon. He spent a mere 99.0 innings there over 14 games. It is not an adequate enough sample to really place much value on the defensive numbers that resulted. However, he could have been downright bad for those 99.0 innings and HE WASN'T (I am not going into the details. Check them out on fangraphs.com if you like). The point is this: When compared to Alex Gordon, Callaspo seems like a pretty good option at third. Let's Compare:

GORDON CALLASPO
Age for most of 2010: 26 27
Career at bats: 1200 975
Career BA: .250 .286
Career OBP: .331 .341
Career SLG: .415 .404
Career OPS: .746 .746

Callaspo is not overwhelmingly better than Gordon offensively. Consider this, however. In staring Gordon, you gain whatever power he has and the potential power he might have...but, you take on his love of the strikeout. With Callaspo you lose power, but as shown with the OPS...he makes up for it and then some. Callaspo is not a strikeout kind of guy and he can hit for average (something that can be said of few players on the Royals). With so many things being equal, and Callaspo arguably having the edge...why not take the next 4-5 weeks and figure out if Callaspo could potentially be a regular at third. According to baseball history, he should be at his peak for the next three years (give or take) and his offensive numbers warrant finding him an everyday position.

The Many Looks of Hillman

2010-03-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to post this for quite some time, it is just never the right time. Other than Eric Clapton, I cannot think of another individual in the public eye who alters their appearance so dramatically, so often.

As usual, I'm sure that I am putting way too much thought into this...but it should be of little surprise that the lineup changes as often as it does.

Sometimes, All You Can Do is Laugh

2010-03-07T23:47:00.000-08:00

Alex Gordon...you know what's coming next... right? He is injured, out for three to four weeks and will likely miss the season opener. When I first read the headline, I laughed out loud. Of course he is injured! He plays for the Kansas City Royals. The baseball gods have been hard on the Royals ever since the passing of their late owner, Ewing Kauffman. Bad things happen to you when you are a fan of the Royals, when you play for the Royals, when you work for the Royals, even if you merely read things about the Royals. You can suffer from a detached retina, simply because you were near the Royals.

I have worked in hospitals for years and maybe their is more connection than I ever imagined between my career choice and my favorite sports team. People come to hospitals for basically three reasons: for their birth, for their ailments and for their death. A lot of the same can be said for those who come to the Kansas City Royals. Many good players are "born" in Kansas City: David Cone (even literally born in Kansas City), Jeff Conine, Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran, you get the idea and if you're a fan you are all too aware of this phenomenon. Players come to the Royals during times of "illness". These are basically times when players are coming off of sub-pars seasons, or when they are not drawing much interest from other teams (Jose Guillen fits the bill). Finally, players come here to die: Felix Jose, Chile Davis, Terry Pendleton, Greg Gagne, Gary Gaetti, Vince Coleman, Chuck Knoblauch, Mark Grudzielanek, etc.

(Gary is easy on the eyes)

There is always the smell of the "sick" and often times a sense of sadness you when walk the halls of a hospital. When you work there, you are constantly aware that something could go very wrong. I wonder if those same smells and feelings fill the locker room and front office of Kauffman Stadium. I wonder if Gordon's injury was even surprising to Trey Hillman and Dayton Moore. Injuries happen to every team, but doom seems to surround the Royals.

It All Comes Down To Pitching

2010-03-06T21:52:00.000-08:00

Pitching is everything in baseball. With PERFECT pitching, you might not win a game...but you certainly won't lose. The Royals haven't had the type of pitching staff that attracts any sort of respect or attention in a long time. This year COULD be different. Zack Greinke is coming off of a Cy-Young winning year, Gil Meche IS healthy by all accounts, Brian Bannister is also healthy, Aaron Crow did exactly what he needed to do Saturday, Noel Arguelles has the attention of club officials, Joakim Soria is still on the roster...the Royals have some very promising pitching in there organization this year.
Overall, I don't know if Dayton Moore is the right man for the Royals. A case can certainly be made that he has done his job thus far, however. Remember what kind of pitching this team had when he arrived in the summer of 2006 (from http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=2006&t=KCA):

48	Jeremy Affeldt	6-04	185	Left	Left	1979-06-06
39	Steve Andrade	6-01	220	Right	Right	1978-02-06
27	Denny Bautista	6-05	170	Right	Right	1980-08-23
58	Adam Bernero	6-04	205	Right	Right	1976-11-28
38	Chris Booker	6-03	235	Right	Right	1976-12-09
47	Ryan Braun	6-01	215	Right	Right	1980-07-29
50	Ambiorix Burgos	6-03	225	Right	Right	1984-04-19
36	Jorge de la Rosa	6-01	190	Left	Left	1981-04-05
47	Elmer Dessens	6-00	190	Right	Right	1971-01-13
53	Jose Diaz	6-00	240	Right	Right	1980-04-13
52	Scott Dohmann	6-01	180	Right	Right	1978-02-13
38	Brandon Duckworth	6-02	185	Right	Both	1976-01-23
37	Scott Elarton	6-07	240	Right	Right	1976-02-23
36	Seth Etherton	6-01	200	Right	Right	1976-10-17
41	Jimmy Gobble	6-03	190	Left	Left	1981-07-19
23	Zack Greinke	6-02	200	Right	Right	1983-10-21
40	Runelvys Hernandez	6-01	205	Right	Right	1978-04-27
34	Luke Hudson	6-03	195	Right	Right	1977-05-02
22	Bobby Keppel	6-05	205	Right	Right	1982-06-11
54	Mike MacDougal	6-04	195	Right	Both	1977-03-05
22	Joe Mays	6-01	185	Right	Both	1975-12-10
55	Joe Nelson	6-01	210	Right	Right	1974-10-25
43	Leo Nunez	6-01	160	Right	Right	1983-08-14
57	Joel Peralta	5-11	170	Right	Right	1976-03-23
45	Odalis Perez	6-00	225	Left	Left	1977-06-11
21	Mark Redman	6-05	220	Left	Left	1974-01-05
51	Andrew Sisco	6-10	270	Left	Left	1983-01-13
39	Kyle Snyder	6-08	220	Right	Both	1977-09-09
36, 63	Steve Stemle	6-04	200	Right	Right	1977-05-20
56	Todd Wellemeyer	6-03	205	Right	Right	1978-08-30
46	Mike Wood	6-03	180	Right	Right	1980-04-26

What remains? Zack Greinke. And remember, it wasn't an easy decision to keep Greinke that year. I think if most fans and other GMs are being honest, that cannot easily say that they would have been patient with Zack. Moore's patience paid off and then some. He is responsible for Greinke's contract extension and his patience resulted in keeping around a Cy-Young Award winner. They don't teach that stuff in GM school.
The rest of Moore's positive pitching moves are:
-Traded Tony Graffanino for Jorge de la Rosa (hey, he showed SOME flashes)
-Traded Ambiorix Burgos for Brian Bannister (one of his best trades to date, in my opinion)
-Traded Daniel Christensen for Ramon Colon
-Traded Octavio Dotel for Kyle Davies
-Traded Future Considerations for Ramon Ramirez
- Signed Gil Meche (and signed him for "too much" at the time. A somewhat ballsy move that paid off)
-Picked up Robinson Tejeda
-Drafted Joakim Soria (who?? at the time) in the Rule 5 Draft
-2007, his first Amateur Draft with the Royals, he selected pitchers Sam Runion, Daniel Duffy, and Mitch Hodge (Runion...oops. Duffy is promising, ranked as the organization's #8 prospect, and I haven't heard much about Hodge, other than he is in the Rookie league)
-2008, he drafted pitchers Mike Montgomery, Tyler Sample, Tim Melville and John Lamb (Montgomery appears to be a good prospect, maybe Sample as well).
-2009, Aaron Crow, Chris Dwyer, and Louis Coleman (Aaron Crow looks as good as you could hope for thus far, and honestly I don't know enough about Dwyer or Coleman to make an educated statement).

There have been many bad signings and trades along the way, but look at the 2010 roster of pitchers:

Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
45 Noel Arguelles	L/L	6-3	220	01/12/90
19 Brian Bannister	R/R	6-1	215	02/28/81
56 Roman Colon	R/R	6-5	245	08/13/79
43 Aaron Crow	R/R	6-3	190	11/11/86
37 Juan Cruz	R/R	6-1	165	10/15/78
34 Kyle Davies	R/R	6-1	210	09/09/83
40 Kyle Farnsworth	R/R	6-4	230	04/14/76
23 Zack Greinke	R/R	6-2	190	10/21/83
80 Gaby Hernandez	R/R	6-3	215	05/21/86
44 Luke Hochevar	R/R	6-5	220	09/15/83
31 Dusty Hughes	L/L	5-10	185	06/29/82
54 Anthony Lerew	L/R	6-4	225	10/28/82
47 Victor Marte	R/R	6-2	255	11/08/80
55 Gil Meche	R/R	6-3	220	09/08/78
49 Edgar Osuna	L/L	6-1	185	11/25/87
53 Carlos Rosa	R/R	6-1	210	09/21/84
48 Joakim Soria	R/R	6-3	200	05/18/84
51 Robinson Tejeda	R/R	6-2	245	03/24/82
38 Blake Wood	R/R	6-5	230	08/08/85

I don't know about you, but it looks a lot better to me. The potential rotations that have been thrown out lately would be the best since Moore took over. The Royals have legitimate 1 and 2 starters now in Zack Greinke and Gil Meche...looks pretty good compared to Mark Redman and Scott Elarton. In my opinion, there is real competition for the rest of the spots in the rotation...competition is a very welcomed and foreign idea in Royals Spring Training.

A Crazy Thought...

2010-03-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

The Royals bounced back Friday night and defeated the Texas Rangers, 4-2. Zack Greinke seemed comfortable, and the bullpen wasn't awful. I don't think the victory, or the way Greinke pitched is worth getting excited about. Much like the loss to the Rangers meant nothing, the victory Friday was meaningless as well. Spring Training is not a reliable indicator of any player or any team's ability once Opening Days comes around. There was something that I did take note of, however.
Joakim Soria is always on my brain in one form or another when I am thinking about Royals baseball. He reminds me a lot of Alberto Callaspo in that, he is largely wasted talent (on this team). Bullington closed out the game on Friday and got the save. It wasn't a big deal...AT ALL. In fact, he really didn't put up great numbers in his one inning of work. He gave up two hits AND a run, in ONE inning of work. He didn't "save" the game, on the contrary... he managed not to lose it. This is my problem with Joakim Soria. There is little doubt that he is a legitimate talent. The guy can flat out pitch. Watching former Royals closer Mike MacDougal take the mound in the ninth was an absolute nail-biter. No one was certain what the outcome would be. When Soria comes in, however, most of us have a great deal of faith that the lead will be maintained. It's amazing. The Royals have a great closer, but...WHO CARES?

When I think of the reasons why the Kansas City Royals have flirted with 100 loses for so many seasons, the closer role rarely comes to mind as one of the big factors. Instead, I tend to think of: a lack of timely hitting, poor defense, failure to advance runners, a sketchy bullpen at times, etc. The closer role is like the cherry on top: it's a nice finish to my sundae, but if the rest of the sundae is crap...it really doesn't add enough to overcome the "crappiness".
Baseball didn't always have closers. In fact, most of baseball has been without closers. The save wasn't even in existence until 1969, and it wasn't a one inning affair at that time (think Goose, think multiple innings). In fact, it is only recently (1995) that the closer role has almost become exclusively a one-inning job. The closer has certainly effected the way the game is played, but it hasn't resulted in more wins...or less runs scored in the ninth per se. In fact, when you really step back and think about it, all the save amounts to is NOT LOSING the game. Sometimes it is more meaningful than others, but let's face it: a closer can give up hits and even runs and still "get the save". So, do the Royals really need a guy who is excellent at not losing the game in one inning of work? It is a nice thing to have, but couldn't they use the talent elsewhere? Aren't there other teams that would benefit from Soria more than the Royals? The question is not easily answered, but certainly warrants some investigation.

Kansas City Royals 2010 Runs Per Game Projections

2010-03-04T19:37:00.001-08:00

Check out this link from rotoauthority.com:

http://www.rotoauthority.com/2010/03/ranking-american-league-offenses.html

2010 Predictions

2010-03-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't been feeling well for over a week. I am not a person who gets very sick or gets sick very often. This time was different, I just didn't realize how different. I went to the doctor to discover I have had pneumonia (and still do), pink eye, and an inner ear infection. Anyways, posting slowed down for a bit and I managed to waste a paragraph explaining why.

I have been pouring over the Royals roster, reading any and every piece of news, and frequently visiting sites that regularly cover the Royals and I have come to some conclusions: This team is pretty bad...STILL. This should come as no surprise to anyone that pays attention. Do you see any other teams "excited" about converting their overpaid relief pitcher into a starter? Any other teams counting on big production from players like Jose Guillen or Rick Ankiel? Probably not, and if they are...well, then they are probably about as good as the Royals.
Top to bottom, the lineup is not much more intimidating than it was this time last year. The Royals still lack a legitimate lead-off hitter and clean-up hitter. This has been the case for a number of years and little has been done this off-season to remedy the issues. The Royals will be counting on the emerging bat of Billy Butler and will maintain the ever-hopeful view of Alex Gordon. Neither one of these guys are going to challenge the club record for home-runs this year. I am going to take the less-than-popular position and say that Billy Butler's numbers will not be a whole lot better, maybe even a little worse, than last years. Maybe I'm a cynic, or maybe I have seen too many Royals hitters apparently "emerge" only to have an abysmal following season in which pitchers "figured them out". Don't get me wrong, I think Butler is legit. I am just not going to confuse him with Albert Pujols and expect him to get a whole lot better.
I have talked about Alex Gordon in a past post and do not feel motivated to give him much more thought. Bottom line, if he stays healthy...I would look for a 260-270 average with 15-20 home runs. We could argue this for weeks, but the guy is neither superstar nor dud...he is average.
Podsednik might be able to reproduce last season's numbers, and he might not. If he does, he is still not even a three-year fix for a lead-off hitter. If he doesn't, the Royals still won't have a lead off hitter. So, who cares? Honestly, I feel that way regarding most of the Major League signings the team made this year. The rest of the potential lineup appears pretty boring at first glance. There might be some exciting surprises, but overall a very pedestrian group of hitters.
Kendall is an offensive downgrade, no argument there. He was overpaid, again...no argument. Hopefully he really has an impact on a young pitching staff, and hopefully he truly is a defensive upgrade. Otherwise, I might be scratching my head even more than I already have with this signing.
Callaspo is really more of a problem than a bright spot. Talent that the team really can't utilize is very frustrating. He is an average to below average defender. He can hit, but he can't really hit for power and he is not a lead off guy either. How he fits into the lineup or where Kansas City can deal him is the biggest Spring Training question in my mind. I really like what he did offensively last season (and, to some extent, the season before). Aside from that, he is nothing special. Maybe as a fan I am putting way too much thought into him, but I do not see him on the Opening Day roster unless the Royals had no takers.
The pitching staff might really be a bright spot this year. This is the part of the team that really has me thinking they won't loose 100 games and they might even win 75-80. Greinke, even if he declines a bit, is going to be great. Gil Meche appears healthy. Brian Bannister appears healthy. Hochevar is working on his delivery. Robinson Tejeda showed some great work late last season (Kyle Davies did the same thing a year ago, but let's not go there). Joakim Soria is still the "Mexicutioner". If there is any hope on this team, then it lies within the pitching staff. As I write this, however, the Royals are getting absolutely shelled by the Texas Rangers...but, hey IT IS Spring Training.
Overall, I don't see the Royals making a run for the top of the A.L. Central. I don't see them winning 100 games, but I don't see them losing 100 games either. I really think the Royals will win somewhere between 70-79 games in 2010. The Major League club is not what I care about this season, however. As a fan, I am willing to be patient...AGAIN. For one, I don't really have a choice. I mean, let's say I am not going to be patient: "Look out Royals! I am done being patient!!". It wouldn't make any difference. Dayton Moore has done a lot of work with the farm system, and I believe that is the future of this club. He has drafted fairly well, and has really explored the international market and made some potentially good signings.
Again, Royals fans...hold your breath and your tongue and wait. Wait to see if the long term investments pay off and be thankful that the Royals haven't continued to tie up money in expensive mid-tier free agents. The Royals must play small market baseball: Less is more, and the Royals are starting to understand that.

Off-Season Review

2010-03-02T02:37:00.000-08:00

My opinion of Dayton Moore since coming to Kansas City has fluctuated somewhat like the tachometer on my car during HWY 26 rush hour. Largely, that fluctuation has to do with the difference between what he is doing in the minors versus the majors. This off-season, was Dayton's best to date. Whoa, I cannot believe I just wrote that. Okay, deep breath...really, this one was pretty good. He didn't bring in another Gil Meche type free agent, but he also didn't lock the club up with another Jose Guillen. This off-season, Moore spent little to get a lot. A lot of what???...... DEPTH.
I have been a big basher of many of the signings made as of late, and that's because I don't like most of them. I didn't want the Royals to get Podsednik, Ankiel, Kendall, or Anderson. None of these players are going to push the Royals close to or above a .500 record. None of these players are going to be All-Stars for 2010, not even for the Royals. None of these players are long-term solutions, but they do offer depth.
Depth to a club that suffered more injuries last season than I can remember in a long time. Podsednik, Ankiel, and Kendall are everyday players, and they should be. No one team should likely have all three of them on their roster, but they are Major League caliber players that can each handle potentially 400 at bats in a season. These guys will keep the Royals from using guys like Bloomquist way too much.
The money situation for the Royals is what it is. They are not going to buy wins (in case any of you had been living under a rock). The goal of this off-season needed to be: acquire depth and don't spend money, and Dayton Moore accomplished both. There were arguably better options out there, but we are not general managers and who knows what it is like to be one.
The biggest off-season accomplishment: the signing of Noel Arguelles. Here is a quick review of the Royals Major League signings, in case you missed any (I'm not putting the numbers, because I will get angry when it comes time to type in Kendall's).

Major League Signings:
-Noel Arguelles SP
-Jason Kendall C
-Rick Ankiel OF
-Scott Podsednik OF
-Brian Anderson OF

As far as minor league contracts, I personally don't care until they are on the roster. If you want to take a look, here's the link: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/kansas_city_royals/index.html

Spring Training Wishlist

2010-02-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

No stats today and nothing too intense. Spring training is clearly NOT the regular season. A lot of players use this time to work on new pitches, plate approaches, etc. Nonetheless, these are the things I would love to sense at the close of Spring Training this year (as a fan, nothing more or less):
1. Alex Gordon shows that he is healthy and capable of being a positive contributer at the Major League level.
2. Billy Butler demonstrates a slight, if not moderate, improvement playing first base.
3. Chris Getz lives up to the tiny bit of hype that has been attached to him.
4. Jose Guillen (even though I can't stand him) is healthy and plays his heart out to secure a new contract ELSEWHERE.
5. Gil Meche doesn't look like a worn down mule and is able to be a solid #2 starter.

6. Zack Greinke shows no signs of slowing down.
7. Betancourt gets lost in the Arizona desert, forcing the Royals to sign ANY OTHER SHORTSTOP available to fill his roster spot (oh dear, maybe that was too harsh).

8. Callaspo either shows that he is too valuable a hitter to be out of the lineup or gets traded for players that don't create more logjams.
9. Jason Kendall...umm...hmm...the Royals did sign him didn't they...a positive clubhouse influence perhaps?
10. Farnsworth throws a solid two-seamer and becomes a solid setup for Soria.
11. Juan Cruz becomes the other solid setup for Soria.
12. Robinson Tejeda proves to even Dayton Moore and Trey Hillman (it will take a lot) that he belongs in the rotation.
13. Luke Hochevar stops his impression of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, becoming the starter he was supposed to be.

14. Rick Ankiel returns to form (Shh...I am not opposed to HGH, as long as no one finds out)
15. The "Soria to the rotation?" discussion ends because the Royals have five legitimate starters (boy, is this a wishlist or what?).
16. A lead-off hitter emerges (I really don't care who) that does what lead-off hitters do: GET ON BASE!
17. Sluggerrr improves his delivery and avoids retinas this season.

18. Zack Greinke carries his Samurai sword onto the field, stabs it into the mound, and screams, "EXCALIBUR!!!!!!" at the start of every home game (think of the t-shirt sales).
19. The Royals ditch the new, ridiculous, insulting, vomit provoking powder blues for the ones of old (Cal Ripken Sr always told Jr "If you are going to do something, do it right").
20. Lastly, and most importantly, Trey Hillman gets rid of the Mullet, realizing that there can't be a "party in the back" until the Royals take care of some business up front (the funniest stuff you've heard...right?).

Could Johnny Damon Join The Ranks of Willie Mays?

2010-02-22T22:55:00.000-08:00

Today, Johnny Damon finalized a one-year, $8 million contract with the Detroit Tigers. I usually do not take too much notice of what other teams are doing throughout the league, but former Royals making headlines always grab my attention.

("The Tigers were my first choice. I love it here and think I am a good fit." AKA my agent screwed around with other teams while trying to land a big contract for Matt Holliday)

Damon was born on an Army Base in Fort Riley, KS and in the 1992 draft, the Kansas City Royals made him the 35th player selected overall. By 1995 he was showing promise at the Major League level, batting .282 in 188 at bats. Damon stayed in the Majors from that point on, putting together an incredibly productive 15 year career thus far.
I love looking at players, such as Damon, who have been in the league for a number of years. I like to think about what kind of statistical milestones are within their reach. I like to then "root" for them to reach the goals I have personally assigned them. This sort of day-dreaming started with the first baseball cards I can remember getting. I really didn't care what cards were inside when I was opening a newly purchased package of Topps baseball cards (I certainly didn't care about the stick of gum either. That stuff was awful)...I just wanted to look at their career stats on the back of the card. As I got older, career stats became easily accessible on the Internet and their was no longer a reason for me to buy cards. So, Johnny Damon is now approaching the end of his career and I am again thinking about the milestones a player (Damon) could reach.
Damon's career totals that are of interest to me are as follows: 2425 hits, 207 home runs, and 374 stolen bases. It's a long shot, but could Johnny Damon join Willie Mays as only the second player to have 3000 hits, 300 home runs, and 300 stolen bases? Probably not, but let's see what it would take.

(Willie Mays Hayes never played professional baseball)

(Willie Mays is in a league all his own)

Damon is currently 36 years old, not a spring chicken by any stretch of the imagination. However, Willie Mays played until he was 42, and at a high level until age 40. So how long would Damon have to play to join the "Willie Mays Club"?
Damon's career 162-game averages for hits, home runs, and stolen bases are:
-184 hits
-16 home runs
-28 stolen bases
Mays:
-178 hits
-36 home runs
-18 stolen bases
These sorts of stats are, of course, not reliable for projecting players' stats BUT they at least give us an idea of what they were doing for most seasons in their career. They are merely averages...imperfect averages. Some fans might look at the career stats of both players and notice a few things: Mays only played 34 games in 1952 and his last two seasons (72' & 73') were well below his career averages. Damon had a similar problem in that he did not play anything close to a full season in 1995. A reader might ask, "won't that have an impact on these averages?" Academically speaking...yes. In reality, no. But lets take a look just to demonstrate: Let's strike 52', 72' and 73' from May's records and 95' from Damon's and recalculate their 162 game career averages:
Damon-
-184 hits
-16 home runs
-29 stolen bases
(basically, this changes nothing for Damon)

Mays-
- 181 hits
- 37 home runs
- 19 stolen bases
(not much change for Mays either)

What remains clear is that Damon is speedier and Mays has more power. They have more similarity than difference, however.
Mays started his Major League career at age 20, Damon at age 21. Damon's career batting average is .288, Mays is .302. Damon somewhat makes us for this by averaging 639 at bats per season compared to Mays at 589. Neither one of them were big strike out victims. Mays averaged 83 a season and Damon 80. It took Willie Mays roughly 19 seasons to satisfy the 3000/300/300 mark, he was thirty-nine years old. What will Damon's career totals possibly look like after his 19th season? How about 39 nine-years of age?
Let's take a look based on his career averages (which will NOT adequately account for his probable decline in numbers with aging, but who knows). For Damon, his nineteenth season happens to be the one in which he turns 39.

Based on his averages, Damon's career totals will be as follows after his nineteenth season: 2013 (age 39):
- 3161 hits
- 271 home runs
- I don't care about stolen bases, he already has 374

He would come up short on home runs and need over a full season to reach 300 based on this exercise. It is worth noting, however, that Damon has not had 184 or more hits since 2005 and he has shown a little more power late in his career. Let's attempt to adjust for this, and just take the 162 game averages from his last four seasons (the Yankee years) which were:
- 179 hits
- 22 home runs
Using those averages, his career totals would look like this after the 2013 season:
- 3141 hits
- 295 home runs
This puts him within five home runs of reaching the "club". It's hard to say what he would look like in his 20th season, or really any season for that matter. It does seem, however, that Johnny Damon at least has a shot at becoming only the second player in the game to reach 3000/300/300. I will be "rooting" for Johnny to pull it off (only on the days when he is not facing the Royals).

Nothing much to add here, just excited to hear Banny is doing well

2010-02-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

Kansas City Star columnist Bob Dutton reporting

At this point, most of us would like to believe Greinke is a "shoe-in" for another good year. Hopefully, Meche comes back looking strong. A healthy and productive Bannister would give the Royals a pretty strong rotation in spots 1 through 3.

One last look at the Mark Teahen trade

2010-02-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

At this point, Royals fans have memorized the oral history of the Carlos Beltran trade. In the most basic of terms, the team traded their biggest (and arguably only) star for: Mike Wood, John Buck, and Mark Teahen. All three of those players are no longer with the club. Mike Wood never amounted to much, John Buck had his moments and left for free agency, and then there was Mark Teahen.

He was easily the best player gained from letting go of Beltran. And what a gain it was. Though he was by no means Beltran, he played virtually every position he could during his tenure with the team (the only ones he didn't play were shortstop, catcher, and pitcher). He was at least average at anything the club asked him to do, and they asked a lot. Teahen became the poster child for "super-utility", getting comfortable with being moved from 1B,to 2B,to 3B, to LF, to RF, and CF. In all honesty, however, he was a man without a position on the Royals.
First base belonged to Billy Butler, second base to Alberto Callaspo, and the outfield to essentially David DeJesus and whoever else needed a position that day. Teahen was at his best offensively and defensively when playing third. He was relieved of those duties to make way for the sometimes promising Alex Gordon, a move that might not have been ideal in retrospect...but one I really can't blame the Royals for trying.
His numbers were up and down once his position was regularly shifted. Maybe the lack of stability got to his head, but overall his offensive production was (though down) still welcomed on a club that had little offense to begin with.
Teahen's salary was creeping up year by year...they didn't really have a position for him...they allegedly needed to make some payroll reductions...and they were hungry, as always, for more infield position players. Teahen had been linked to trade rumors before, but the rumor of him being dealt to the White Sox stuck and he was soon off to Chi-Town. In return, the Royals received a young speedy second basemen in Chris Getz and "third basemen" Josh Fields. The trade has long been final...what's done is done. So, what did the Royals get for the last piece of the Carlos Beltran trade? What did they lose? Statistics, though never perfect, are a way to separate the emotional aspect of a trade and look at the objective impact of what took place. General manager Dayton Moore has historically failed to bring in statistically better players offensively and defensively (ptichers have been hit and miss).

For the upcoming season, here is a look at the projections of various statistics for Teahen, Getz and Fields (Alex Gordon's projections are listed at the bottom, seeing as he is man who is truly "replacing" Teahen):

UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating)- what does it mean? The most simplistic way to interpret the stat is to think of it as runs a player is putting on the board DEFENSIVELY. In other words, are their efforts in the field keeping teams from scoring, or helping the opposition cross home plate.
UZR (projected) for 2010:

Teahen- -5.7
Getz- -1.1
Fields- -4.2
Gordon- +0.8
My interpretation of this data is as follows: I don't see Fields getting a lot of time at third, but I am trying to give the Royals the benefit of the doubt. So, Teahen is -5.7 and Getz/Fields is -5.3. In the end, it doesn't appear that either one of the newly acquired Royals are going to be a complete liability at their position.

Fangraphs.com has recently added wOBA to their statistic arsenal. I have read a little about the stat (probably just enough to make misuse of it) and thought we might take a look at the 2010 projections for the aforementioned threesome. What is wOBA? Essentially weighted on base average. wOBA takes the relative impact of getting on base into account. In other words, a home run is weighted around twice as much as a single. I felt that it might give us a better indicator of offensive impact than OPS.
2010 projected wOBA:

Teahen- .331
Getz- .319
Fields- .326
Gordon- .365

Again, Teahen is the better player with Fields showing some potential.

Finally, a look at WAR (Wins above replacement).
2010 projections:
Teahen- 1.4
Getz- 1.3
Fields- 0.5
Gordon- 4.1

Overall, the trade is neither good nor bad. The strangest thing to consider is that the Royals have (in a round about way) traded Carlos Beltran for Chris Getz and Josh Fields. Most importantly, it saves the Royals a little money, they have one less "man without a position" on the roster, a potentially decent second baseman in Chris Getz, and a third basemen in Alex Gordon that could still end up being a better player than Mark Teahen.

Gordon may not be a TOTAL bust

2010-02-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

The Kansas City Royals drafted Alex Gordon with the second pick in the 2005 amateur draft. Many scouts throughout baseball felt that Gordon might have been the best talent available that year. "He was as close to a can't miss [prospect] as there could be" said one scouting official. Expectations were colossal, and initially Gordon delivered: He hit 29 home runs and stole more than 20 bases in his first full season in minor league baseball. Gordon was getting a lot of attention. He was selected to the 2006 All-Star Futures game, and was regarded as baseball's best hitting prospect. The comparisons to Royals' great George Brett began and so did the decline of Alex Gordon.

I was still living in Kansas City during Gordon's major league debut. As a life long fan of the Royals, I was understandably nervous about all the hype surrounding him. I remember all too well the fate of prospects such as: Chad Durbin, Chris George, Colt Griffin, Angel Berroa, Phil Hiat, Chris Lubanski, etc. I wanted the attention to stop. I wanted Gordon to deliver. I wanted the Royals' front office to finally be right about a draft pick, a prospect...anything. I was listening to the radio on April 2nd of 2007 as Alex Gordon stepped to the plate for his first major league at bat. He was facing Curt Schilling, and as you might know...he stuck out. While no one was likely thinking about it then, the Royals might have struck out as well. The following 2 plus years would be less than stellar for Gordon.

Gordon quickly developed into a low OBP, high strike out, mistake-pitch hitter. He showed signs of power, but a clear lack of plate discipline. Local radio implied that George Brett spent some time with Gordon, talking to him about his swing and how he needed adjust his approach. It must have fallen on deaf ears, as Gordon would spend some considerable time in the minors.

If demotions weren't bad enough, "injury was added to insult". Gordon spent much of 2009 on the disabled list following hip surgery. The fan base and those in the front office were more than frustrated with their top pick. The Royals Review has summed up Gordon's major league career as follows: 2007 was disappointment, 2008 showed promise, and 2009 was injury. So what does 2010 have in store for the one time "greatest hitting prospect in baseball"? Baseballprojection.com predicts him to hit .267/14HR/54RBI...doesn't exactly take your breath away huh? The site also has his strikeouts at 99 and his OBP at .353. Again, none of these numbers are going to have anyone itching to fill in his All-Star ballot bubble. Does this make Gordon a bust? Considering what he was advertised to be, probably so. However, a healthy Alex Gordon with above average defense and improved plate discipline could provide the Royals with a finally stable "hot corner".

Third base has been nothing short of a game of musical chairs for the Royals over the past two seasons. Manager Trey Hillman has been forced to be very "creative" in making defensive assignments and lineups. The front office attempted to address the lack of depth this offseason by obtaining: Chris Getz, Josh Fields, and a puzzling slew of outfielders in: Ankiel, Anderson, and Posednik. So, is Alex Gordon a bust in the context of super-stardom? Probably. A total bust? Well, if nothing else, a healthy and slightly improved Alex Gordon should keep Willie Bloomquist and Alberto Callaspo off of third base this season (speaking defensively of course. I would love to see them both hit as many triples as possible).

Another Spring, another pitcher full of Kool-Aid

2010-02-21T09:13:00.000-08:00

I now live in Portland, Oregon. It's February, it's been near sixty degrees for almost ten days, the grass is green (and requiring mowing), trees are budding (many already have leaves), and daffodils and crocus have pushed through the ground to reveal spring flowers. Growing up in the Midwest, it is spring here for me.

I have been listening and reading a lot about the Royals. Their predicted lineups, the impact of their offseason moves, those who have potential for breakout seasons, and on and on. My longstanding love affair with the Kansas City Royals cycles much like the seasons here on Mother Earth.

Mid-summer is invariably extreme disappointment, anger, and frustration. Sometimes as early as June, it feels as though the Royals have dug their comfortable hole at the bottom of the A.L. Central. It reminds me of the dry and dying summers of Missouri. Don't get me wrong, there are some good things going on. It's hot enough outside to swim, play golf, picnic and barbecue, and play outdoors with the family. The same can be said for the Royals. Watching players like Greinke, Soria and Butler never gets old, but the overall feeling come July is "the Royals season is over. They are done, dead, forget about it".

Watching the Fall Classic passes and we (as fans) start to come to terms with the state of the team. Several explanations "fall" our way much like the leaves dropping off of trees: "There's a lot of talent in the minors", "The younger players are still developing", "It is difficult, if not impossible to sign top tier free agents here". The list goes on, and we accept that the Royals are still REALLY bad and it is going to take time to turn that around.

Winter sets in. We are stunned not only by the cold temps, but the moves of the front office. "Surely they are not going to sign more mediocre aging ball players to 'fill the gaps' until our 'young stars' arrive?" You bet they are, only this season the approach is a little different. Through their off-season acquisitions the Royals made it quite clear they were going to sign virtually every average outfielder available. I feel the need to make a very obvious disclaimer here: I am by no means a baseball expert, general manager, scout, or someone who even played baseball at a highly competitive level. I DO KNOW that the Royals are rarely competing with top clubs to sign free agents.

Imagine, for a moment, that free agents are food on a buffet table. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Dodgers are four fat people ahead of you (the Royals) in line. What do you get to eat? Whatever the hell is left over. That is how the off-season has gone for as long as I can remember. Occasionally, the Royals "jump-ahead" in the buffet line and "steal" all the brussels sprouts from the fat folks (advanced apologies offered to any of those who are offended). What do they think? "Who cares, we didn't want them anyways."

As mentioned before...now it is spring...hope and promise are everywhere. I look back onZack Greinke's year and the fact that he was signed to an extension. I think about the prospect of a healthy Gil Meche and Bannister and what that could mean for the rotation. I wonder if Luke Hochevar can become consistent with the promise he has shown. I think about what all that could mean and...I giggle. I remember watching Billy Butler last year. I was so happy with his development at the plate I didn't even care that he wasn't even an average first basemen. I try not to get angry that Betancourt and Farnsworth are on the roster and consuming too much payroll. I wonder if Mike Aviles could be healthy and the options that might offer the team. I pray that Guillen either plays for a contract or has a season-ending injury. I get excited about working Alberto Callaspo into the lineup. In the end, I drink the Kool-Aid. It's spring, and until June or July...I think about the Royals contending in the Central.

Dayton, tell me about Betancourt's upside again. Please?

2010-02-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

Yuniesky Bentacourt. The name brings an undeniable and overwhelming feeling of nausea. Last year, after a slide in production and season-ending injury to Mike Aviles, Dayton Moore was able to pry Betancourt from the Seattle Mariner's "man-on-his-deathbed" grip. Seattle knew about Betancourt, baseball knew about Betancourt, hey Dayton, "Yeah. Did you get that memo?". I am still scratching my head on this one. Baseball is largely a game of numbers, and often these numbers are somewhat reliable in projecting the course of a player's career. Wins above replacement (WAR) might have been a good starting point for Moore when considering acquiring Betancourt.

(He doesn't look THAT bad from a distance)

I am not implying that numbers tell the whole story, but let's look at the top five shortstops in baseball (in order) according to the 2010 projected WAR:

-Jose Reyes

The list above is not necessarily the "who's who" of shortstops, but it is a respectable group nonetheless. I don't see Betancourt in the top 5...or the top 10...or even the top 50. No, to find Betancourt you have to look at the VERY BOTTOM of the list. He is the worst shortstop according to this assessment tool. His WAR is -1.0 compared to Hanley Ramirez (the top prediction) at 7.5.

Maybe WAR is just not a good way to look at this. I mean, Moore is a baseball man who came from a great baseball institution in the Atlanta Braves. Maybe Betancourt looks better in another category. That upside that he told fans about MUST exist in another form.

UZR measures the runs saved relative to the average fielder at a given position. Again, here are the top five shortstops projected for 2010 in that category...again, in order:

-Elvis Andrus

-Brendan Ryan

-Jack Wilson

-Paul Janis

-Ben Zobrist

A very respectable group defensively. When Moore acquired Betancourt, he was arguably in a pinch and understandibly felt the need to "get someone" to fill the shortstop void. I wouldn't expect him to be able to grab a top five...maybe middle of the road, or even a little worse. So where does Betancourt rank? 25th? 30? 45? Nope. DEAD LAST...AGAIN. Oh dear. It is often said that "the third time is the charm". Let's give Dayton Moore one last chance and maybe, just maybe, we will see this "upside" he was talking about.

Ever since coming to Kansas City, Moore has been faced with the challenge of improving an abysmal squad...offensively and defensively. Clearly, our above exercise shows that he wasn't looking for defense when he decided to bring aboard Betancourt. Maybe the upside is in his offense! This has to be it! Dayton was once regarded as one of the brightest young minds in baseball. He decided to take the GM position in Kansas City knowing that they were a small market club and would have to make VERY smart decisions given their limited payroll abilities. He must have seen something in the man's offensive numbers!

OPS is regarded as a fairly important tool is assessing a player's offensive ability/impact. It is, simply stated, a player's OBP plus slugging percentage. The top five? Well, they are a familiar group:

-Jose Reyes

BETAN-COURT!?!?!?!?!?! Where are you???????? Out of the three stats we are looking at, this is where he does the best. His OPS is projected at 0.642, putting him ahead of (only): John McDonald, Adam Everett, Cesar Izturis, and Paul Janish. Yup. He ranks 53rd.

Collectively and clearly, Dayton Moore traded for the WORST possible shortstop, if not player, in baseball. Worst of all, he added him to a team that needed the worst player in baseball as bad as they needed bats made of wet noodles.