What do you expect from Nomo's pitching?

by daveyork on Feb 29, 2008 1:40 PM EST

I am intrigued by Hideo Nomo's pitching today. Does he have anything left in the tank? What would KC do with him if he has a descent ST? When he was first signed, I knew it was more for Yabuta than anything else. However, if he is able to get batters out, what do they do with him?

I am also curious about how staff decisions will be made.
Who are the pitchers that are safe regardless of how they perform on the field?

Who will have to earn a spot?

Who will get cut (send down, DFAed, or waived) regardless of what they do?

Who is potential trade bait?

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I expect ZERO

He's toast.

by doublestix on Feb 29, 2008 1:47 PM EST reply actions

I expect no mo'

decent pitching out of him. He's washed up.

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Feb 29, 2008 2:13 PM EST reply actions

What do you expect from Nomo's pitching?

Nothing.

Who are the pitchers that are safe regardless of how they perform on the field?

Meche
Greinke
Bannister
Tomko
Bale
Soria
Mahay
Gobble

Peralta and Yabuta are pretty safe but you never know

Who will have to earn a spot?

Nunez, Hochevar, Braun, de la Rosa, Davies, Musser, Duckworth, Colon, Maroth, Tsao

Who will get cut (send down, DFAed, or waived) regardless of what they do?

Lumsden, Pimentel, Rosa, Nomo, Lawrence, Giron, Hendrickson, Peterson, Wright, Foster

Who is potential trade bait?

Gobble, Nunez, de la Rosa

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 29, 2008 2:38 PM EST reply actions

I pretty much agree with these lists

I might add Bale to the list of potential trade bait.

by DarthYoshi on Feb 29, 2008 2:59 PM EST up reply actions

My take

The following are all locks for the 12-man pitching staff:

Meche
Bannister
Greinke
Tomko
Soria
Yabuta
Mahay
Gobble
Bale
Peralta

That's 10 pitchers. As Peralta has an option remaining, he could fail to make the 25-man roster, but only if he has a really crappy spring.

Then there is a second tier of pitchers with a good shot to make the team, but they'll have to look good in spring training. This tier includes:

Nunez
De La Rosa
Hochevar
Musser
Braun
Davies

The third tier is comprised of pitchers who are longshots to make the team and could only do so if they are spectacular in spring training and/or there are multiple injuries from other pitchers ahead of them.

Hudson
Duckworth
Nomo
Lawrence
Tsao
Maroth

So that is 12 pitchers competing for 2 roster spots. My guesses would be Nunez and De La Rosa.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Feb 29, 2008 3:09 PM EST reply actions

Agree completely

Barring a trade, DLR and Nunez win the last two spots.

SP Meche
SP Bannister
SP Greinke
SP Tomko
SP de la Rosa

RP Nunez
RP Bale
RP Yabuta
RP Gobble
RP Mahay
RP Peralta
RP Soria

The only real competition I think is whether de la Rosa or Bale make that 5th spot and which goes to the bullpen.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 29, 2008 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

Bale or DLR in the rotation

Quite frankly, I don't much care. I think they would both be more effective in the pen and I think they'll both get some starts. As far as which one starts the season in the rotation, flip a coin.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Feb 29, 2008 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

We only flip coins

We only use coin flips to determine opening day starters, not rotation spots.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 29, 2008 3:51 PM EST up reply actions

he done

I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me

by LeoBloom on Feb 29, 2008 5:01 PM EST reply actions

Nomo

is finished pitching, but in some strange way I think the Royal's bringing him in as a buddy for Yabuta is brilliant. Also, don't discount all of the hoopla that his presence and publicity bring to camp, making it seem like more of an event for the whole team, I would imagine.

Of the guys with little hope, I happen to be partial to Maroth for some reason. I'd love to see him put it back together as a #5 starter but it'll be a loong shot I'm sure.

by kcmonarch on Feb 29, 2008 7:12 PM EST reply actions

i dont expect anything...

but say he looks awesome in ST and pitches lights-out. wouldnt it make sense to keep him, just to see if he can be halfway decent and then ship him off?

i realize that there is about .001% change of that happening, just wondering what we "should" do were such a decision were to present itself.

by rockchalk on Mar 1, 2008 2:21 AM EST reply actions

The problem is who do we then lose?

If this were the Royals of 2005 or 2006, then I would say under that scenario, definitely keep him. Back in those days, half of the 11-12 pitching spots were wide open and it would be easy to keep Nomo. But now we're down to really only 2 open spots in the 12-man pitching staff. And if Nomo makes the team, either DLR or Nunez will not. And they are out of options, so they would have to be waived, traded or released. I wouldn't keep Nomo in the hopes that he'd have a decent half season and then get traded for a mediocre prospect. I'd much rather keep DLR and Nunez.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Mar 1, 2008 9:26 AM EST up reply actions