O Royals Pitching Probables

As of Thursday morning,

...the Omaha Royals website lists the probables for Thursday as still TBD. Sorry

by NYRoyal on Jul 12, 2007 9:54 AM EDT reply actions

Matt Wright

Is pitching tonight I believe.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 12, 2007 11:21 AM EDT reply actions

I'm hearing Hochever on Sunday

so maybe Buckner and Nunez Friday and Saturday? But they may want to give Elarton a start?

by wheezie on Jul 12, 2007 11:34 AM EDT reply actions

Better that Elarton

serves batting practice in Omaha than to real live MLB hitters.

by lordbyronk on Jul 12, 2007 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

the game is on tv tonight

i think.

it is on FSNMW (for me, i have directv), so hopefully i will be able to watch it and see matt wright personally.

by rockchalk on Jul 12, 2007 12:42 PM EDT reply actions

I saw he was among the league leaders in AAA in ERA for starting pitchers. I am interested to see what he throws and if he has good stuff. Since we don't play tonight I might as well watch our AAA team.

by teabag2007 on Jul 12, 2007 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

Elarton

I sure hope he doesn't ever pitch again in KC. It is obvious that if he can't get AAA hitters out he isn't going to get major leaguers out, either.

by teabag2007 on Jul 12, 2007 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

i just heard that nunez

was moving to the bullpen to make room for hochevar. im not sure what i think about it, i think nunez went into the rotation at the beginning to simply stretch him out and get him as many innings as possible. now, he has had so much success (which probably wasnt expected) that i dont see harm in leaving him in there.

if he makes it in kansas city it will be as a reliever though, so i guess it is good to get him used to the bullpen again.

by rockchalk on Jul 12, 2007 8:52 PM EDT reply actions

His major league future is as a reliever

So I don't mind sending him to the bullpen so he can work in that role in AAA.

by NYRoyal on Jul 12, 2007 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions

basically what i was trying to say

he came in in the 9th of a tied 3-3 game today with a runner on first, no outs. he shut them down and shut em down in the 10th as well and looked very impressive doing it. i think he could even make an impact later on, possibly after a dotel trade.

it was a fun game to watch, matt wright pitched decent-to-OK for 5/6 innings, and we were still down 3-0 going into the bottom of the 8th. a 3 run absolute bomb by derek wathan tied it up and we won it in the 11th on an infield single by paul phillips.

the most impressive thing i saw, besides nunez, was brazell. he is more than just a power hitter, he hit one ball the opposite way for a hit and is just a solid all-around hitter. im not sreaming for a callup like some people, but i wouldnt mind him getting a chance.

by rockchalk on Jul 12, 2007 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't mind calling up Brazell either

With limited first base options, including Shealy repeatedly being hurt and underperforming, I don't see the harm in calling him up. He's too old for a prospect and he's probably just a flash in the pan, but he's worth a look.

He could another Aaron Guiel (which isn't great, but it is worth something). The problem is that Guiel was an OFer, so there was a role for him as a 4th/5th OFer. But Brazell is, from what I've read, only a 1B/DH. So there is always less room on the roster for that. But I would certainly rather give him some PT and see if he really is any good instead of wasting at bats on Ross Choad.

by NYRoyal on Jul 13, 2007 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

That's what I used to think

And it wouldn't bother me too much to change him back, if he were just pitching well. But I took a look at the numbers, and he hasn't just been pitching well as a starter... he's been dominating.

In Omaha, his line as a starter has been:

16 ip, 4 runs, 2 BB, 14 k's . 2.25 ERA, .88 WHIP

In Wichita, he started 5 of 6 and had a total line of:

20 ip, 2 runs, 6 BB, 13 k's. .87 ERA, .78 WHIP

I guess there's only so many spots in the rotation, and right now they're filled by:

Wright
Buckner
Hochevar
Lumsden
Elarton?
Hendrickson?

Those last two could easily be bumped from the rotation. In fact, they could easily be bumped from the organization. I just hope it's a temporary move.

by marbotty on Jul 13, 2007 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Really like the Omaha rotation

since it represents the best KC has to offer regarding pitching in the order listed:

Hochevar
Buckner
Lumsden
Nunez
Wright

They represent the top starters in the organization for next 2-3 years barring trade/draft/miracle. Elarton/Hendrickson are irrelevant. They should only get innings that the other 4 can't absorb - second game of DH, long road trips, short starts and mopup.

by daveyork on Jul 13, 2007 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Nunez would be a logical candidate to move up to

KC if and when the Royals trade Dotel. I would think that Soria or Greinke would take closer spot with Riske, Peralta and Gobble serving similar roles. Nunez could fill the middle relief role of picking a couple of innings here and there. It would be a good place for him to fill in with the injury to Duckworth.

by daveyork on Jul 13, 2007 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Watching the Omaha game

was great last night. Brazell is fairly impressive as a hitter. I would love to see him in KC, but I digress. Aviles charging around third on Phillips' single was awesome. Anytime you can test the arm of Bo Hart, go for it. Anyhow, the O-Royals went for the win and it worked out. (You writing this down Brian Poldberg?) Wright looked okay, but gave up a couple dingers. Ryan Braun also pitched fairly well. I like Lubanski in the field. He seems to have a good arm and made some good reads last night. Leo Nunez looked like he could be a great addition to the bullpen here when Dotel is dealt. Overall, I was happy with the last two games I've watched Omaha play.

by royaldaddy on Jul 13, 2007 10:27 AM EDT reply actions

if you watch closely

the third base coach was holding up the stop sign. that was all aviles charging around the corner and scoring, tremendous baserunning.

by rockchalk on Jul 13, 2007 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

For the record,

...I wouldn't call running through a stop sign "tremendous baserunning." I think minor leaguers need to learn to do what the third base coach tells them. Once they've been in the majors for a while and become great baserunners, then they can sometimes ignore the third base coach and go on their own.

by NYRoyal on Jul 13, 2007 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

O-Royals last night

Here are some of my subjective impressions:

Nunez looks like he has added some weight to that frail frame of his. He looked like he was able to command all of his pitches. I, too, was wondering if they just were letting him start to "catch up" from missing so much time to injury. Also, they could have been doing it just to aid him in developing his third pitch (changeup). I agree with royaldaddy - move back to bullpen could be in case they trade Dotel. Also doesn't hurt to see that he could probably handle the spot starter/long reliever role. GMDM has done the same thing with Buckner - he has started and relieved this year. Maybe it's so a guy could be ready to replace ANY injury to the pitching staff, without disrupting everybody else's roles?

Aviles - not a great prospect or anything, but you can't help rooting for a guy like this, can you? Signed for a $1,000 bonus, had to prove more at every level than most other players just to get advanced. Still an outside chance at being a big league utility infielder? That would make a nice story. By the way - he ran thru the stop sign to score the winning run. To me, he displayed damn good baseball instincts on that play. He was looking at Hart when he was running, and probably saw that Bo ended up turned towards the OF a bit after stopping the ball, and factored in that Hart would have to turn back around and make an unfamiliar, awkward throw.

Maier - I haven't given up on him being a viable 4th OF candidate. Who knows? Perhaps what didn't translate for Costa will translate in the bigs for Maier. He is a decent candidate for that job - being able to play all three OF spots well is important.

Braun - this guy always looks great in the minors; hasn't translated to the bigs yet. Wonder why? In fairness, Royals haven't given him steady enough chances when he has been up, so who knows?

by loyal2s dad on Jul 13, 2007 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

Braun

I think Braun definitely deserves a shot in the bullpen.

What is Aviles defense like? I think he came up as a 3B, which obviously would block him. Can he play a passable middle infield? If he can't, I really don't see much of a future for him here. You're right though, you have to root for the kid.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 13, 2007 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

no...oh definitely no

He's a BAD middle infielder. That said he did make a tremendous play a few nights ago. He's still not good, could play SS in a pinch I suppose, but Gordon can too if were goin' there.

by doublestix on Jul 14, 2007 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Didn't see the game

but from what I know of the Omaha team, you are right on with Mike Aviles. Some guys just are better players than their physical stature or talent would indicate. He can play all infield spots and has always hit. Aviles has been as All Star at several minor league levels. He has been over .300 all year at Omaha. Beyond that, he is a Royals guy brought up through the system. I'd like to see those guys get a chance. The draft he was picked in is one of the reason why KC is still in the shape it is in. You can't offer $1000 to your 5th-10th round picks and hope to have a strong farm system with good depth.

You reap what you sow. KC's crop is pretty thin from the cheap years in early 2000's. Let's hope Aviles and Braun can help KC win.

by daveyork on Jul 13, 2007 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

as you said

10 innings not much of a tryout.

I think he'll be fine (maybe a tick below Peralta in effectiveness) once he comes up for good.

by marbotty on Jul 13, 2007 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

i loved nunez last night

i think that he is ready for the majors right now, but we dont really have a spot for him until dotel gets traded.

wright didnt impress me, i have been one of his bigger supporters but he just didnt look good. i have no problem with him having a spot in the omaha rotation, he is still fairly young (25 i think) and isnt a bad last-minute option if we need a starter. i just dont think he has a long-term role in kansas city.

braun is another candidate to be brought up once dotel is gone. our bullpen is going to be very good for a very long time, knock on wood, because once we trade dotel and/or riske we can call up nunez and braun. we are very deep in the pen, not to mention free agency.

i have always been a maier guy. not sure why, but he can play solid defense at all 3 positions and can hit well enough to be a 4th or 5th OFer. im hoping if lubanski can hit well enough to play left, gator and maier will be our reserves. if that happens, we would need a HUGE power hitter at first, so that would be priority #1.

by rockchalk on Jul 13, 2007 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

More comments

Brazell - well, I was in the Calvin Pickering camp, so obviously I wouldn't object to giving the guy a chance, as long as it's not at the expense of Butler. One of two things apply - he's having a career year in the minors, and that's all it is, or something has clicked and he has become permanently much better than his record indicated he ever would.

Wright - this was the first time I've seen him. I know he wasn't at his best - but I was not impressed. He did battle hard, but that fastball is too straight and probably not hard enough to succeed in the bigs. The breaking ball is awesome. Perhaps a chance as a middle reliever in the bigs is as far as I think he can go.

by loyal2s dad on Jul 13, 2007 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

I think Brazell is more B. Berger than Pickering

But, that said, it's not like we're sacrificing anything if he's playing 1B over Shealy.

by marbotty on Jul 13, 2007 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I have no clue what they think of Aviles

defensively.

He has been playing shortstop a lot more this year than in the past. It was only one game, but he looked like his arm was plenty good - not surprising since he has mostly been a 3B. I have no clue about his range.

Perhaps he has been playing SS to help develop as potential UT man? Would love to hear what the organization thinks about him. (Alternatively, he might have been playing SS solely because Blanco has been hurt and they had no other options. Quite possible, considering the dearth of middle infield prospects that continues to plague us...)

by loyal2s dad on Jul 13, 2007 1:29 PM EDT reply actions