Yikes. Banny looks bad. Bad enough that KC has brought in Sidney Ponson. Yeah...that's right...Sidney Ponson.
I have officially changed my position on Bannister since last I wrote here. I think he may be more along the lines of his '08 self. I'm just not sure he has the stuff to get guys out. I like Bannister, and I think he's a very smart pitcher, but knowing what you need to do isn't quite the same as knowing and being able to execute it.
It leaves the Royals, who were obviously hoping for a rebound of some sort, short in the starting pitching department. They are solid one through three (I think Davies is a legit starter), but after that...it's a little ugly. I think Hochevar gets a spot - it's time to put him out there and let him sink or swim. I think he'll be a solid fourth or fifth guy in the rotation, but I'd feel a heck of a lot better if we had one more guy...and I'm not sure we can salvage a starting pitcher out of the threesome of Bannister, Ponson, and Horacio Ramirez.
Maybe there is another trade in the works, but it's getting late in the game now. I like our lineup pretty well, and I like the pen. But after Davies...the rotation is a question mark. Should KC shell out $3 or $4 million for a guy like Pedro Martinez? If Dayton Moore can get Mr. Glass to shell out the money - I say it's a gamble worth taking.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
KC Signs Bannister
The Royals agreed to a contract with Brian Bannister on Wedensday, avoiding arbitration with a contract just below $1.8 million.
Bannister was a disappointment last season after a great rookie season in 2007, in which he was 12-9 with a 3.87 ERA. In 2008, those numbers took a big dip, as he only went 9-16 and his ERA took a turn for the worse, coming in at 5.76.
After showing a lot of promise (and some will say having a lot of luck), I’m just not sure what to expect from Banny in 2009. I think his 2007 season, which saw him in the running for Rookie of the Year, is probably not going to happen again. Bannister did get lucky that year, having a lot of balls hit right at his defenders. Last year, we saw him pitching to contact once again, but this time, the balls found a lot of holes. Bannister’s numbers obviously took a hit, as did the Royals’ chances of winning when he was on the mound.
I think Bannister is a very smart pitcher, but is lacking when it comes to “stuff.” He doesn’t appear to have that extra something…where he can reach back and rely on raw talent to get a batter out. He relies almost completely on studying tape and trying to outsmart the hitter at every turn of every at bat. This is good and bad. He definitely knows what he wants to do on the mound, and knows the tendencies of the batters he faces – which is very good. However, as I said, he lacks the stuff do what he needs to do in a lot of situations – which is bad. Very bad.
All that said, and believing a repeat of ’07 is out of the question…I also don’t believe he’ll have a repeat of 2008. I think he studies too much and works too hard to get shelled like that again. I’m looking for 2009 to be somewhere in between.
Prediction: Bannister will (if all goes well and he starts all season) probably throw around 175 to 185 innings. Over the course of the year, he’ll probably win about 10 games and will maybe post an ERA around 4.8 or so, with a WHIP of 1.4. Are those great numbers? Not by any means…but if he can do that all year, that’s a pretty solid number four or five guy in the rotation, and if worse comes to worse, maybe he goes to the bullpen and pitches well in shorter outings.
Bannister was a disappointment last season after a great rookie season in 2007, in which he was 12-9 with a 3.87 ERA. In 2008, those numbers took a big dip, as he only went 9-16 and his ERA took a turn for the worse, coming in at 5.76.
After showing a lot of promise (and some will say having a lot of luck), I’m just not sure what to expect from Banny in 2009. I think his 2007 season, which saw him in the running for Rookie of the Year, is probably not going to happen again. Bannister did get lucky that year, having a lot of balls hit right at his defenders. Last year, we saw him pitching to contact once again, but this time, the balls found a lot of holes. Bannister’s numbers obviously took a hit, as did the Royals’ chances of winning when he was on the mound.
I think Bannister is a very smart pitcher, but is lacking when it comes to “stuff.” He doesn’t appear to have that extra something…where he can reach back and rely on raw talent to get a batter out. He relies almost completely on studying tape and trying to outsmart the hitter at every turn of every at bat. This is good and bad. He definitely knows what he wants to do on the mound, and knows the tendencies of the batters he faces – which is very good. However, as I said, he lacks the stuff do what he needs to do in a lot of situations – which is bad. Very bad.
All that said, and believing a repeat of ’07 is out of the question…I also don’t believe he’ll have a repeat of 2008. I think he studies too much and works too hard to get shelled like that again. I’m looking for 2009 to be somewhere in between.
Prediction: Bannister will (if all goes well and he starts all season) probably throw around 175 to 185 innings. Over the course of the year, he’ll probably win about 10 games and will maybe post an ERA around 4.8 or so, with a WHIP of 1.4. Are those great numbers? Not by any means…but if he can do that all year, that’s a pretty solid number four or five guy in the rotation, and if worse comes to worse, maybe he goes to the bullpen and pitches well in shorter outings.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Greinke signs a 4 year extension
Today the Royals made the best move of the offseason, signing Zack Greinke to a four year, $38million contract. In doing so, not only did the Royals lock up their ace pitcher, they also proved to the fans that KC is no longer trying to get by on a shoestring budget.
Of course, this signing will probably come with those who will put a negative spin on it. “He’s got psychological issues,” they’ll say. “What if he freaks out and walks off the team again?” they’ll ask.
Well…I’m not usually one for a big gamble when it comes to the Royals, as a small market team, they can’t afford to sit at the poker table and lose. However, this is a gamble I’ll take all day long. Greinke is now a couple of full seasons removed from his meltdown, and over that span, he’s started pitching like the ace we thought we drafted.
After a horrible 2005 season, which couldn’t have helped his state of mind, Greinke spent most of 2006 (when he decided he did in fact want to pitch) in the minors, logging about seven big league innings. Then, in 2007, he started out in the bullpen, as the Royals brought him back slowly, and then worked his way back into the rotation. He finished the year with 122 IP (only 14 starts) an ERA of 3.69, and a WHIP of 1.29. Then, in 2008, he proved he was all the way back, breaking camp as a part of the rotation and going on to be one of the best pitchers in the American League. Greinke posted a 13-10 record, logged just over 200 IP, had a 3.47 ERA and a 1.275 WHIP. He also struck out 183 while only walking 56 batters.
I’m going to guess this gamble will pay off…that we just locked up a young number one starting pitcher who has grown comfortable in his skin, is enjoying his success, and is ready to make his mark on the world of baseball. Greinke and Meche give the Royals a nasy 1-2 punch for the second straight year, and hopefully, these two pitchers will continue to lead the Royals back to respectibility.
Of course, this signing will probably come with those who will put a negative spin on it. “He’s got psychological issues,” they’ll say. “What if he freaks out and walks off the team again?” they’ll ask.
Well…I’m not usually one for a big gamble when it comes to the Royals, as a small market team, they can’t afford to sit at the poker table and lose. However, this is a gamble I’ll take all day long. Greinke is now a couple of full seasons removed from his meltdown, and over that span, he’s started pitching like the ace we thought we drafted.
After a horrible 2005 season, which couldn’t have helped his state of mind, Greinke spent most of 2006 (when he decided he did in fact want to pitch) in the minors, logging about seven big league innings. Then, in 2007, he started out in the bullpen, as the Royals brought him back slowly, and then worked his way back into the rotation. He finished the year with 122 IP (only 14 starts) an ERA of 3.69, and a WHIP of 1.29. Then, in 2008, he proved he was all the way back, breaking camp as a part of the rotation and going on to be one of the best pitchers in the American League. Greinke posted a 13-10 record, logged just over 200 IP, had a 3.47 ERA and a 1.275 WHIP. He also struck out 183 while only walking 56 batters.
I’m going to guess this gamble will pay off…that we just locked up a young number one starting pitcher who has grown comfortable in his skin, is enjoying his success, and is ready to make his mark on the world of baseball. Greinke and Meche give the Royals a nasy 1-2 punch for the second straight year, and hopefully, these two pitchers will continue to lead the Royals back to respectibility.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Some KC football news...
Carl Peterson has officially been replace - welcome Scott Pioli to the Chiefs, ladies and gentlemen.
Should be interesting to see the dominoes start falling now that we have a new head honcho in place...Will Herm get axed? Will the entire coaching staff be shuffled? What type of players does Pioli like? What players are on their way out of town due to not fitting his "mold"?
Hang on Chiefs fan...could be an interesting ride.
That being said...this hiring is a tad less exciting to me than that of Dayton Moore a couple of years back. That one just left a more..."electric" feeling in the air.
There...I mentioned the Royals, too. I mean, it is supposed to be a Royals/baseball blog, right?
Should be interesting to see the dominoes start falling now that we have a new head honcho in place...Will Herm get axed? Will the entire coaching staff be shuffled? What type of players does Pioli like? What players are on their way out of town due to not fitting his "mold"?
Hang on Chiefs fan...could be an interesting ride.
That being said...this hiring is a tad less exciting to me than that of Dayton Moore a couple of years back. That one just left a more..."electric" feeling in the air.
There...I mentioned the Royals, too. I mean, it is supposed to be a Royals/baseball blog, right?
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Tad Iguchi?
According to some rumors, the Royals are one of a few teams interested in the services of Tad Iguchi, although some Japanese clubs are also after him.
Not sure I like this move, but he could be a good veteran/utility guy to have around maybe...I'd rather see the middle infield of Aviles and Callaspo and see what we've got in those two. Callaspo showed he could get on base last season and plays a solid second base.
Iguchi is 34 years old and hit around .230 (OBP around .290) last season...if we can get him on the cheap, I may be interested. But what's the upside of this, really?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
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.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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....
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