Royals Claim Ken Ray Off Waivers

by Will McDonald on Oct 13, 2006 12:02 AM EDT in News Comment 11 comments

Hey, its a Brand X pitcher who throws hard! Thanks to "chukar" for the heads up on this one.

Ken Ray essentially replaces Mike Wood, who was a guy scouts hated but could pretty much throw 4-5 innings of league-average ball on a dime. Ken Ray is both a former Royal and a former Brave. Thats a two-fer for a retread lovin' franchise!

Mike Wood/Ken Ray diary link.

Ken Ray at baseball-reference.

Ray threw 67.7 innings in 2006 for a horrible Braves bullpen, posting a 4.52 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 38 walks.

Thoughts?

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I think the Rangers got the best of that deal.

Ray numbers aren't all that good and his age is against him. I wonder about this, but will give Moore the benefit of the doubt until I see what spring training brings.

Glass is half full and loving it...

by grudz69 on Oct 13, 2006 12:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think

he's to be our poor man's Juan Rincon (the x-roids version), while Nelson will be our answer to Nathan. Did anyone see the Grienke as closer speculation? Can't remember where I saw it, maybe Kaegel, but I just about lost my lunch. God knows we don't need a front line starter.

by chukar on Oct 13, 2006 12:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

From Kaegel's 'mailbag'

With the current guys, all you have to do is look at the final weeks of the season to come up with Perez, Hernandez, Mark Redman, Luke Hudson and Jose De La Rosa. But you have to assume that Redman's free agent price tag will be too much to justify his return. That would enable you to slot in Wellemeyer or Brandon Duckworth or Zack Greinke, because Scott Elarton won't be ready until June.

But here's an intriguing possibility that the Royals are at least thinking about: Greinke as the closer.

by chukar on Oct 13, 2006 1:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I for one think Kaegel is

off his rocker. Surely, Moore realizes priority one is to identify your five best arms, and then put them in your rotation. Fixing the bullpen should be the last step a floundering franchise takes, IMHO.

FIX THE ROTATION, DAYTON.

by loyal2s dad on Oct 13, 2006 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Moving Greinke to Closer

would make no sense... it doesn't fit his skill-set and would severely limit his value

by LeoBloom on Oct 13, 2006 10:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Apparently a downgrade

If this deal is looked at as a swap of Mike Wood for Ken Ray, it looks like the Royals got the worst of it. Ray's numbers in the minors during 2004 and 2005 were no better than average. His work with Atlanta was that of a somewhat below average short inning reliever. While Ray may be a slightly better pitcher than Wood today one would expect the younger Wood to have much more room for growth than Ray. I don't see Ray ever making much of a positive impact on the Royals, but I do think Wood had a small chance of being able to do so.

I suspect the bottom line here is that Moore knew Ray from his Atlanta days, thought he "played the game right" and took to him. Moore did not take to Woody for whatever reason. When Ray became available, Moore grabbed him and cut loose what he saw as a less valuable player. I hope Moore was right, but I suspect he was managing with his heart, not his head.

Of course, in the end, none of this is likely to matter. Neither of these men appears likely to ever become a foundation piece to a good pitching staff. They were both always likely to be the 11th or 12th men on the staff. With Wood there was hope of him becoming an OK back of the rotation starter or long man. With Ray, less hope for more than a decent garbage man. Stakes on this move are pretty low.

by James Quinn on Oct 13, 2006 11:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is sort of how Moore began his tenure here.

His first pickup or trade was sort of a ho hum sort deal and so is this. I am hoping that Moore has the stuff to play with the big boys when the real important deals come our way.

But, anyway... Welcome aboard Ken Ray.

by grudz69 on Oct 13, 2006 1:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i think Ray is better

he throws harder and was a good setup man for the Braves in the first half of the year until he was moved to closer. He got hit hard, but that could have been due to fatigue because he was used alot early in the season. Watching Ray and Wood pitch, i'd rather have Ray in the bullpen.

by grimsleyfan on Oct 13, 2006 11:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Almost anybody would be an upgrade from Wood

Even Albie Lopez!

by jbrocato on Oct 14, 2006 7:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Another arm that could help

With the state of KC's middle relief, neither Ken Ray or Mike Wood will really be of much help. I did think Wood was a gamer and did what he was asked. He got caught in the lack of Bell's defining roles for pitchers. Wood will do ok for Texas as long as he is healthy.

Right Now - how would the following bullpen rank:

Closer - Joe Nelson
Short Relief - Burgos, Ray and Gobble
Long Relief - Peralta and Wellemeyer

KC might look for a reliever through 6 year minorleaguers or a rule 5 pick up. Looks kind of scary now so it must get better than this. Sisco clearly was awful in 2006. Dohman was terrible. Braun could be a possibility. Leo Nunez has some experience.

Whatever happened to Brian Bass? Did He fall out of favor with KC, injury or what? Thought he might be able to give KC an inning or two but never surfaced in 2006.

by daveyork on Oct 14, 2006 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs