Jul/100
A New Moon! (or) Growing up Royal! (or) Why we have no phenom’s!
Posted by: Bertkc01 on July 6, 2010.
The future of Kansas City is growing to a crescendo. To anyone that has access to mlb.com or listens to Royals game you can see the development of the farm system. I never in my life have spent so much time following so many teams as I have following the Royals minor league system. That’s how desperate I have become as a fan. Losing seasons don’t sit well after a while and we begin to hope for a savior. No savior comes into place without the form of a need for rebellion. In this case it’s the draft.
I say the Royals farm system will climb because in the most recent years I’ve noticed a pattern in performance. Early picks that tend to take their time. Royals don’t like a Strasburg. Nothing wrong with that it’s just that when we pick we want to make sure the players comply with the batting philosophy and pitching philosophy and to be a dynasty you have to have guys that buy in.
Buy in to the Kevin Seitzer Philosophy on hitting and McClure Philosophy on hitting.
K Seitz philosophy is simple. Work the count. Work for your pitch and hit it up the middle. This leads to long AB with full counts and the starting pitchers being taken out early because they’ve been overworked and the bullpen (mainly one inning guys) open to multiple run scoring innings (View what we’ve done to Felix Hernandex, Strasburg and Wakefield). A walk is as good as a single and a strikeout is the worst thing you could do to help your TEAM. Team. It’s all about helping the next guy succeed. Butler works a walk so Guillen can work the pitcher for Callaspo. This philosophy is in full effect at NW Arkansas and would be in AAA Omaha if it weren’t for a lesser overall talent level. Seriously the Naturals are freaks at working this philosophy. You can tell the newer guys by their batting averages. 6 of the 9 batting lineup made the lineup the other 3 were promoted starting this year so they’re a year behind. It’s actually scary to think that if 2/3 of your guys buy in. Betancourt and Kendall and Callaspo are in the top 10 of hardest to strike out and we lead the Majors in hitting. We will revisit this analysis in the future but I will give you a chance to naysay on what I just said. Alliteration anyone?
The Bob McClure philosophy is maybe contrary to what other commentators have said but it’s a simple pitch to contact for ground ball philosophy with an 0-2 count go for the strike out.twist. The early season problem (and what may have gotten Trey Hillman fired) was the decision for the pitcher to do all pitching off the mound and on flat ground. I suppose the intent was to provide the pitchers with an extra boost of speed or confidence standing above it all with the mound but what we found was the bullpen was awful. Pitches we’re left over the plate and homerun’s ensued. The pitchers couldn’t hit their spots and they led the league in walks and had the worst ERA. Then a new manager comes in and says “No, throw off the mound for practice and warm up” and we are 2 games above .500 with that guy. Only time will tell if that was the right decision.
The point to all of this is don’t worry about a first rookie in the farm system. Look at them next year. These philosophies take time to assimilate to an athlete’s head.
Don’t worry about Crow or Colon. You’ll see their true selves next year.
Moustakas in 2009: BA .250
in 2010 (7/2010 ish) BA .358
Hosmer in 2009: BA .241
in 2010 (7/2010 ish) BA .350
Kila Ka’aihue 2009: BA .252
in 2010 (7/2010 ish) BA .313
Chris Dwyer 2009: ERA 4.15
in 2010 (7/2010 ish) ERA 2.99 (and promoted to Moustakas team(yes it is his team))
Do you believe yet?
Jun/101
Why you don’t want to trade DeJesus and other wonderful problems to have.
Posted by: Bertkc01 on June 28, 2010.
What are you people thinking about trading David DeJesus!? In what world is that a good idea? Who could replace him in our system? Remember the last time we departed with a great outfielder? The answer of course is “Which example do you want to use?” Trading Carlos Beltran who would play in the world series? Or Jermaine Dye who would help the White Sox win they’re first world series since the were the black sox? Or Johny Damon? Hall of Fame Johny Damon. Hero of Boston. Destroyer of Philly. Oh and did I mention a FUTURE HALL OF FAMER (He is and you know it. Don’t act like it isn’t going to happen.).
I personally would not like another rebuilding period to run any of our players out of town and what really needs to be done is, despite a recent 21 game hit streak, leading the team in HR, RBI and well slacking on the way to first. We need to discharge Guillen and make way for Kila in AAA and move Robinson from the Naturals to AAA (or move Gordon to first, there I said it, I said it and I’m not embarrased) and Hosmer to the Naturals and just set an example of how you get your teams ready for the future.
You don’t trade DeJesus. You just don’t. You offer to cover half of Guillen’s contract you get a pitcher and a shorstop who are close to major league ready or close to being close but you just don’t trade DeJesus. You don’t get rid of a guy who is putting himself in the teams record books because of defense and hits .330 and if you do you are fulfilling a stigma that has been attached to you by your fans as a cheap, lazy, greedy ball club that has no desire to win anything of significance again. Ever.
You don’t option Chen or Lerew to anywhere. Remember the end of 2008? Royals had a great bullpen with guys that were being called up from AAA or were from Dayton’s Atlanta rejects squad and we, as fans, we’re beginning we could win the division next year. Remember those guys? LEO FRIGGIN’ NUNEZ? Closer for the marlins anyone? Anyone? Ramon Martinez? Red Spx setup man anyone? Hello? Two words should forever scar and insult Royals ownership from 2009. Jacobs and Crisp. Sir Strike out and Mr. Owie Shoulder and oh we also inherited they’re ARBITRATION (scary soap opera pipe organ music here). We need to dump Davies or move him to the bullpen and he has no other option because he’s got 2 guys breathing down his neck for his job. When Hochevar comes back (not particularly excited for Meche and his new arm slot to be seen yet) he will move to the number 2 spot and we will begin to see the championship rotation take form. Greinke, Hochevar then Chen (holding it for Montgomery (AA) or Lamb (A) or whoever moves the fastest) then Lerew then Bannister. Bannister is pitching well but I really like seeing him on day games so he retains the five spot. So that’s the rotation that will announce to Major League Baseball that the Royals are no longer a joke. We can’t do that unless we tell Davies to start doing his job or go play for the Pirates. Harsh.
Sign DeJesus to the option and pay the man because he’s worth it. Sign him to a $21 million/3 year deal then let the baseball gods do what they may. Keep the guy here at least until 2012.
Davies goes to the bullpen or to the wolves. He sinks or swims. Suck it up and take it. He’ll always have a 2nd career in construction. Harsh.
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