Kyle Farnsworth signed

Well here's the reliever DM has been after since dealing away Nunez and Ramirez.  Farnsworth for two years and more than $9M is a bit much...but he's not horrible...probably will give us 70-80 IP and put up and ERA around 4.3-4.4 with a WHIP of 1.3-1.4, which is not too shabby.  

A lot to shell out, but I think KC is still in a phase of having to overpay a bit for guys here and there, just because they're the Royals.

Now let's go out there and land a middle infielder...sounds like KC is in the hunt on Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson - would love to land one of these guys next.

Update: Horacio Ramirez...it's official

Looks like it's official now...word is that KC will give Ramirez a shot at the rotation.  I'm fine with that...could be a decent spot starter at the back end...wouldn't mind giving him 15 starts or so and letting him come out of the pen the rest of the time.

Of course, if he comes out on fire, I don't mind giving him 25 plus starts either....

Horacio Ramirez coming back?

Sounds like the Royals are close with Horacio Ramirez...not a huge move, but he pitched well for us when he was here, wouldn't mind seeing him back here in long relief or with a shot as a back end starter.  The more depth, the better.

It's been a long time....

Once again I got burned out posting about the Royals...as much as I love them, it gets harder and harder to consistently blog about these guys without getting depressed during the season.

That being said...I'm going to try like hell to keep up with this thing with at least weekly posts.  The baseball winter meetings have my juices flowing and I'm looking forward to throwing my thoughts out on the web...

More to come.

Losing Manny - Does it hurt the Sox?

A day after the trade deadline has passed, there are many fans of the game (and members of the media) that think the Red Sox really had their hand forced and got screwed. Well...I agree with half of that statement.

Yes, I believe Manny did all he could to force Theo Epstein and the Sox into finding a new home for their Hall of Fame bound slugger. Clearly, Manny didn't want to be there anymore, for whatever reason, and he got his wish.

Now...the second part...did the Sox get screwed? Can they possibly fill the hole left by Manny with Jason Bay? I say there's a damn good chance they don't miss a beat.

Does Jason Bay strike fear into the hearts of opposing managers and pitchers? I don't know...maybe...a little bit. Not to the level that Manny does, but Bay is no slouch. Bay is in his prime, Manny is past his - or at least he's moving past it. Does Bay in his prime compare to Manny in his??? No way. However....does Bay in his prime compare to the Manny of the last couple of years? YES!! He does. Very favorably. The problem with people making statements like "the Sox got screwed"? Those people generally look at the names involved in the deal - and not the numbers.

Let's take a look at those numbers, comparing Manny vs. Bay from 2006 to this point of the 2008 season - which is basically a little over two and a half seasons:

Manny Ramirez, 2006-7/31/2008:

396 hits, 82 doubles, 75 HR, 229 runs, 258 RBI

Jason Bay, 2006-7/31/2008:

407 hits, 77 doubles, 78 HR, 251 runs, 257 RBI


Didn't think it'd be that close, did you? Bay has more hits, more homers, more runs, and only one less RBI. The number of doubles is virtually the same as well, with Manny winning out by a whopping five.....

So...I'll ask you again - did the Sox get screwed?

Well, they moved a guy who's seen his better days (and who carries a bad attitude), for a guy who's six years younger and is a hell of a hitter. Oh, and I didn't even mention that Bay has a good attitude AND he can even play defense! He can also run a bit, in five seasons (including this one, which we all know is not over), he's got 50 steals.

I'd argue that the Sox dumped an aging slugger and a lot of salary for a guy who will produce for them over the next several years (if they choose to hang on to him).

Nice job, Theo.




Click HERE to see more discussion on this topic.

No Trades for KC

Well the trade deadline has come and gone, and the Royals made no moves this season. I don't really have a problem with that. For the first time in what seems like a long time, KC didn't just deal someone away for whatever they could get in return, choosing instead to hang on to all the parts that help them win ball games.

That being said, I wouldn't have objected to trading a guy like Grud or Mahay for a very promising prospect...but apparently that kind of deal wasn't out there. Of course, there was the rumor of the Mahay to Philly deal - but Philly either backed out, or KC didn't project that kid to be a possible everyday player. Instead of dealing him anyway, I'm glad we hung on to him.

Yes we are rebuilding. Yes rebuilding teams flip older players for prospects all the time. But...this team is getting better (believe it or not), and part of that involves creating a winning atmosphere. I say let's continue to build this atmosphere. The young players need it. The manager needs it. The fans need it. Maybe, just maybe....winning a few games this year will help us get where we want to be in 2009, 2010, and beyond.

Royals drop tenth straight - Guillen's had enough

Jose Guillen has had enough. After the Royals blew an 8-3 lead in the ninth inning and went on to lose their tenth straight – Guillen erupted in the clubhouse. I heard clips of his comments this morning on my drive to work, and I loved every second of it. Laced with “f-bombs”, the frustrated Guillen laid it all out for the media. To sum it up – don’t blame Trey Hillman, and we have a team full of “babies” who need to grow up and learn how to play the game.

Here are a couple of quotes from an article at mlb.com (I think they’ve cleaned the profanity out):

"This is all on us," Guillen said. "This is not about what kind of moves the manager made. He cares about us, and he wants to win more than anyone. He's preparing every single day to win and works hard every day. And we've been letting him down."

"We've got 25 people," he said. "We've got to play as a team, win as a team and lose as a team. We've got too many babies here. They don't know how to play the game and play the game right, the way it's supposed to be played."

"That's the problem here. Now I know why this organization has been losing for a while."

I couldn’t agree more, Jose. While this team does seem to be moving in the right direction – the hiring of a legit GM in Dayton Moore and a very good managerial prospect in Trey Hillman; the young pitching staff that could be among the best in the AL in another year; making a couple of free agent signings in Guillen and Gil Meche; and of course, the arrival of youngsters like Alex Gordon and Billy Butler – there still seems to be this acceptance of losing among some of the players.

I’m not sure what needs to happen. Do we need to cut ties with some of the guys who have been here during the losing period? Are they too comfortable with losing? Some of the guys like DeJesus, Teahen, and Buck – are they going to help push us over the hump, or are they just going to keep saying “Oh well” when we drop 10 straight? Where were these guys after the game? Where were their fiery comments? I know these guys are quiet, and that’s part of the reason Jose Guillen was brought in – to bring some fire to the team – but still, shouldn’t these guys who have been around KC for a while speak up at some point?

Until they do – here’s hoping that Guillen keeps letting all the “babies” on the team have it. Someone needs to call them out, and having a competitive veteran like Guillen around to kick these guys in the ass is just what the doctor ordered.

Now, as Guillen might say, “let’s go out there and win a fu*#ing game you damn babies!”

Pain in the neck

I keep waiting for Jose Guillen to get hot. We need his bat to come alive...our offense is anemic, and a hot streak from our big free agent acquisition is the cure. Unfortunately, Guillen's got a neck pain that held him out of last night's game.

Just when he was (maybe) about to go on a hot streak. I went to the game Wedensday night to see our boys take on the the Angels (and too see the Greinke vs. Weaver matchup). The Royals bats woke up - especially Guillen's; he had three hits - three SOLID hits - before coming out of the game with a pain in the neck.

According to the KC Star, he may be able to play tonight. If not, it looks like Callaspo will be back in left field again - which is fine, as he hits when he plays. Hopefully, though, we'll see Guillen get back in the game and stay hot for an extended stretch of time.

On a positive note - nobody is running away from the pack in the AL West, here are the current standings:

Minnesota 17-16
Chicago 16-17
Cleveland 16-18
Kansas City 15-19
Detroit 15-21

It's still anyone's for the taking....

So far, so good...

Well the Royals had a successful road trip, going 4-2 against Detroit and Minnesota. I was preparing myself for the team’s return to The K to come packaged with a 1-5 record, 4-2 is definitely nice.

It’s not that I think the Royals suck, I look at the team through the eyes of an optimistic fan, but I’ve been let down for so many years now…it’s hard to imagine them getting off to such a start. The best part about it all is that they’ve played tough in every game, even the two losses. That’s what is more encouraging to me than their record, as it tells me they’ve improved and they are steadily moving in the right direction. They’re becoming a tough group of players, which translates into a team that doesn’t lay down and die, but a team that can compete and a team that will fight until the last out of the last inning. I’d rather see them playing tough and losing than winning a couple of lucky games and getting blown out in their losses. I’ll take games like these all year.

Other Notes:

Well, the talks have begun. “Time to trade DeJesus,” the fans say. I’m not so sure about that. I don’t think I’m ready to give Gathright the job outright based on 6 games. DDJ has been a steady bat for us over the last few seasons, and he’s earned the chance to come back and show us what he’s got. That being said, Gathright is an electric player with the kind of speed we haven’t seen in KC since guys like Amos Otis and Willie Wilson were roaming the outfield and the base paths. If he can get on base at a good clip, he may be the leadoff man of the future, while DeJesus may become a fourth outfielder – or even trade bait.

Miguel Olivo is back from suspension, and with that comes the optioning of Tupman to Omaha…and the arrival of Hideo Nomo in the KC bullpen. I’ll be interested to see what Nomo’s got left in the tank. Even if his stuff’s not what it once was (and it’s surely not), I’d like to see if he’s crafty enough to be effective. Should make for an interesting opening series at home against the Yankees – the Japanese media will be out in full force to cover Nomo, Yabuta, Hillman, and of course Matsui.



AL Central standings as of April 6, 2008:

Royals 4-2
White Sox 4-2
Indians 3-3
Twins 3-4
Tigers 0-6

The Junk Drawer Podcast - check it out...

For anyone reading this, go check out the junk drawer (the link is to the right). Great pop culture and sports talk, I recommend following the link and giving it a listen.

Opening Day Success!

I’m finally coming down off my buzz from the opening day win over Detroit and their juggernaut lineup. Time to look ahead rather than back at that one day, but here is a quick breakdown of that game:

The Good:

Alex Gordon took a step forward as a game changing hitter with his two run homer. He also flashed some leather, making a great defensive play to end the game.

Joakim Soria picked up where he left off, getting a save by getting three straight outs (after allowing a leadoff double). He started off shaky, but then looked cool as ice the rest of the inning. Other bullpen help came in the form of Leo Nunez, who gave the Royals a very solid outing. I think this could be a breakout season for Nunez, who could help the bullpen as well as the rotation as a spot starter.

Mark Grudzielanek looked good, grinding away as usual. He was the most productive hitter of the day, coming up with three hits, and getting hit by a pitch. He showed why many fans love him, he’s a solid veteran who is a leader on this team and a spark for the offense.

The Bad:

Gil Meche gave up four walks and eight hits in only six innings. The good news is, he was crafty enough to bail himself out of trouble for the most part – he allowed only three runs to cross the plate, while getting the Tigers to strand several base runners. Meche showed the he was a solid enough pitcher to work through the two base runners per inning he allowed, and I won’t be too hard on him since it was against an all-star lineup; but he won’t be able to get away with that kidn of performance too many times.

Jose Guillen went hitless as the cleanup hitter. Our big off-season acquisition didn’t produce at the plate at all, and we lucked out and got some production from more unlikely sources (Tony Pena with the game winning RBI). I know, it’s only one game out of 162, but it would’ve been nice to see at least a hit. On the plus side, he did probably save the game when he took a run away from the Tigers by throwing a runner out at home plate. With Teahen in the other corner, it could be a fun year for outfield assists.

The Ugly:

David DeJesus left the game in the third inning with an aggravated ankle injury. This could mean a slow start to the season for our leadoff hitter, as he will likely miss time, even if he doesn’t land on the DL. Luckily we have Joey Gathright to fill in for the time being.

Looking ahead to Game 2:

Bannister and Kenny Rogers match up favorably on the mound. They are similar pitchers; both smart, neither have stuff to blow hitters away. It will come down to whichever lineup figures out the opposing pitcher first. I’m not holding my breath for another KC win, but I wouldn’t be totally shocked if they pull one out today.

Check this out!

From the spring training game vs. the Dodgers on March 24 - Joey Gathright jumps OVER the pitcher:

Hochevar optioned to AAA; Tomko the number five?

Remember that commercial a few years back with Mike Vick (you know, before he tortured dogs)? The one where the fan goes on the ride called the “Michael Vick Experience”? Well, the Brett Tomko Experience commercial would be similar to that, but instead of the average fan getting the thrill of a lifetime – it’s the opposing hitters who will likely have all the fun on this ride.

Tomko has always had pretty good stuff, and I used to expect him to break out every year; taking him in the late rounds of various fantasy leagues as a sleeper candidate. Well, it never really happened. His first couple of years with the Reds were pretty solid, and then he had another good year six years later with the Giants. But all his success (and lack thereof) has come in the National League, where pitchers generally put up better numbers anyway. In the American League, I don’t expect him impress. He has done a short stint in the AL (two years with Seattle), but only pitched 120 or so innings in those two seasons, putting up an ERA of 4.68 in 92 innings and following that up with a 5.19 ERA in about 35 innings the following year.

And this guy is competing for a spot in Kansas City’s starting rotation?

Well, Luke Hochevar just got optioned to Omaha to work on some delivery issues, so I’m guessing Tomko is the guy who will take that final spot in the rotation. It looks as if John Bale will be the number four guy (don’t know how excited I am about that, either) and Tomko will be the number five. I can’t imagine it will last. I can’t imagine they’ll let Hochevar strike out AAA hitters all season while Tomko is up here in KC allowing seven runs in five innings.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for having some veteran guys in the clubhouse, even the guys who are there just to act as good “clubhouse guys”. But can’t we stick those kind of guys in the bullpen? Or have them play a utility role? Do they have to play everyday or be in the starting rotation?

I’m betting that Hochevar will be up in KC no later than mid-May or early June. I mean, he did have a good spring; going eight innings and allowing only seven hits and two runs (as well as going 2 2/3 scoreless innings in a “B” game and throwing four scoreless innings in a minor league game).

Hopefully there are just a couple of things for Hochevar to work on, and the ride will be over soon…but, for the time being, welcome to the Brett Tomko Experience…

Spring Training Stats and Notes (position players)....

Just a quick update on how some of the guys are performing in Surprise:

David DeJesus: The new approach to leadoff hitting seems to be working....so far David is hitting .412 through 17 at bats, and also has 8 walks (for an OBP of .600).

Alex Gordon: He's off to a decent start...nothing flashy, but very solid. He's 7-for-23 for a .304 average, has five RBI and a stolen base. No homers yet.

Billy Butler: Billy's hot with the bat, but then, nobody ever questioned his ability to hit. He's 12-for-30 so far (a .400 average). He's also smacked two homers and has seven RBI.

Other notes:

Justin Huber is hot so far, and is trying to play himself onto this roster. This is a guy who, in my opinion, has probably been mishandled by the Royals...getting called up to sit the bench, being moved around to different positions, etc. He's been a hot prospect for too long now, and we need to see if Huber can play or not. He's 6-for-12 this spring with five RBI, a steal and two walks.

New addition (and second baseman of the future?) Alberto Callaspo is also hitting well, going 9-for-24 so far. He's got a home run, three RBI, two walks, and has scored four runs as well. I'd look for Callaspo to be a super utility guy for most of this year, and for him to take over the full-time duties at second when the Royals move Grudz to a contender this year.

Overall, it looks like like our core group of young hitters are performing pretty well. If we get big years from Gordon, Butler and DeJesus (along with guys like Guillen, Teahen, Gload, etc.) we should be in much better shape this year as far as scoring some runs.

My ideal lineup at this point:

CF - DeJesus
LF - Teahen
RF - Guillen
DH - Butler
3B - Gordon
1B - Gload/Shealy
2B - Grudz
C - Buck/Olivo
SS - Pena

Whether they all hit or not, they should at least be a pretty solid defensive team.

Greinke Update

As promised...here is a little update on Greinke's outing yesterday.

He didn't quite make the five innings the Royals had talked about, going three instead. He had a rough second inning; giving up three runs, which he also did in his first outing. However, according to what I heard from Zack on the radio postgame show, he was a little happier with his performance this time around, saying that Arizona hit some good pitches, but pointing out that he broke some of their bats.

Greinke admitted that his fastball was looking good, but that he was a little behind schedule on his off-speed stuff, which allowed the D-Backs to sit on the fastball.

He also had some of his usual great quotes. When asked about spring training, he wasn't afraid to come right out and say, "I don't really like it." Also, according to the radio guys, they overheard Zack doing another interview, where he said that spring training "is a bunch of bull."

Whether he has a good outing or not (and honestly, it's the Cactus League, so who cares?), he's always good for a laugh after the game.

My guess: Greinke is working on some specific things and isn't just taking the mound with the intetion of pitching his best game. Don't pay too much attention to his stats...we all know he's got the stuff to be an ace in this league. I'll pay a little more attention to the last couple of spring appearances, and not really worry about him until the real games start.

New approach to leadoff hitting?

According to an article in the KC Star, the Royals (and more specifically - David DeJesus) are placing an emphasis on getting on base. Wow. Really? That's important to a leadoff batter? I had no idea.......

Below is a sample of the article - for the full write-up, click HERE.

Royals’ DeJesus trying new approach to leadoff duty
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

S URPRISE, Ariz. One of the many lessons under way here at Camp DoItRight is a remedial course in batting leadoff. Instructor Quilvio Veras has one pupil.

David DeJesus.

For years, DeJesus saw little significance to batting first in the lineup. Sure, it meant a few more at-bats over a season. But, really, he took the same approach as he would on those less-frequent occasions when he batted elsewhere in the lineup.

“I was just trying to have good at-bats,” he said. “That’s all I was thinking about: Have a good at-bat.”

This is the American League, after all. Land of the designated hitter. Pitchers just pitch. The leadoff hitter simply has the first seat on the lineup merry-go-round, right?

No.

Listen to Veras, and it’s a more emphatic NO!

“Everything has got to be different for a leadoff hitter,” argues Veras, a roving coach for the Royals who spent most of his seven big-league seasons in the role. “For me, the leadoff hitter is the key to the game. If he’s not getting on, then we’re not scoring runs.

“If he gets on base, the big guys drive him in. You score runs, you win games.”

And we're just now teaching this?? After reading that article, I'd just like to give special thanks to Allard Baird and Buddy Bell for apparently doing all they could to stunt the development of the players in our organization. Thankfully, the new regime seems to know what they're doing.

In all seriousness, I don't think it's going to take much of an adjustment for DDJ to improve on this aspect of his game. His career OBP is .358, and if he can get back up towards his mark of .364 (in the 2006 season), he's moving in the right direction. Ideally, I'd like to see him at .370 or better over 500 plus at bats. I don't think it's too much of a stretch for a guy who already shows a lot of patience at the plate.


On a side note - we have KC (Greinke) vs. ARI (Haren) on the schedule today - will post with some Zack Greinke news tomorrow. Just heard on the radio that they may let him go five innings if he's doing well with his pitch count.

Blog Change - No longer "Diary of a Madfan"

Decided to change the name and address of my blog....we're now called "The Hot Corner".

Been a while since I've blogged anything, and thought I'd go with a fresh start with my renewed dedication to the blog.

Hopefully you guys will continue reading and will enjoy my observations on the Royals.