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Game 12 Open Thread- Twins (6-5) at Royals (6-5)

Royalsreview_tiny by royalsreview on in Events

Minnesota @ Kansas City


We've seen this story before, as the Royals try to avoid being swept by those pesky Twins. Really not digging the complete offensive decay, and I can only hope that it doesn't inspire Hillman to enact some hardcore small-ballisms, which would be like treating a sore foot by sawing off your leg.

 

We'll see. Travel again tomorrow for me, so have fun without me.

 

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Francisco Liriano day

The good news is that he looked pretty bad in his two minor league rehab starts. 6.75 ERA, more K's than IP, but lots of walks and hits as well. So, I'm not sure he's major league ready yet. And I'd be shocked if they let him go more than 5 innings.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 12:54 PM EDT   0 recs

The Bad News

The Royals offense has looked hapless since the first inning of the close of the Yankees series.

Considering that we made Livan Hernandez and Boof Bonser look like ALCY candidates, i wouldn't be surprised if Liriano shuts us down through 5.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 1:08 PM EDT   0 recs

They're due

I know that is an ultra-cliche, but clearly they aren't as bad as they've been for the past 3 days. They'll do better than that sometime soon. Why not today?

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 1:09 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree with you, eventually they will break out

My point, which I should have made more clear, was not that the Royals have a high chance to be shut out, but that all signs thus far point to a less than stellar offense in 2008.

Runs scored this season:

5, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 5, 4, 1, 0, 0.

Quite frankly, that is a terrible sign, and while the small sample size holds true I think we were somewhat over-optimistic about our offensive potential prior in the season.

We have an already good and potentially very good pitching staff, but they will need to continue to pitch with close to zero margin for error if we are to realistically think about 4th place or better.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 1:23 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Were we overly optimistic?

I think most of us expected an improved offense, but not a "good" offense. I still think we'll have that.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 1:25 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, I didn't expect that

I don't think most of us did, but I'm not sure.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 1:31 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

But I'm still thinking about 755 runs scored

The average RS prediction from the "Big Prediction Contest" was 766.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 1:40 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Anyone else see this in the Star?

Hillman on Gload...

"Give me 25 guys like Ross Gload, and I’ll take the field against anybody," Hillman said.

"He’s just one of those guys that’ll run into a wall for you. He’s a leader in the clubhouse. Players look up to him."

There are no fancy Bill James-like stats or catchy terms for the value of a player like Gload. But Hillman doesn’t care.

"We don’t need any of those for (Gload)," Hillman said. "Well, if you need to come up with one, it’s called ‘gamer.’ The guy is just a gamer. You win with players like that, and no one will convince me otherwise."

Seems like this would make it really hard to Shealy to come up, barring some kind of energy. I've been happy with Gload thus far, but I don't know if that's going to last.

Also, henceforth, "Gamer" is also an acceptable nickname of Gload.

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 1:20 PM EDT   0 recs

Oops...

Does not play well with HTML...that whole thing from the Star was supposed to be a blockquote...you get the idea.

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 1:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Hopefully Moore finds a good replacement in the offseason

Dunn is at the top of my list right now.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 1:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

You need 25 of them

if they keep exploading...

by mazoboom on Apr 13, 2008 2:52 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Madness, Sheer Madness

Minnesota
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
C. Gomez cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292
B. Harris 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .367
J. Kubel dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265
J. Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
D. Young lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262
M. Lamb 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188
M. Redmond c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
D. Span rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .308
A. Everett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .095
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kansas City
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
J. Gathright cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214
E. German 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
M. Teahen lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
B. Butler 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .372
J. Guillen rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .133
A. Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .311
M. Olivo dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111
J. Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226
T. Pena Jr. ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .037
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
We will see German don the tools of ignorance today.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 1:47 PM EDT   0 recs

so....

hillman thinks butler can man the bag. i'm hoping this doesn't make me curse or laugh throughout the afternoon.

olivo, buck, pena.... i suppose hillman's a believer in the "they're due" philosophy

by kcinstl on Apr 13, 2008 1:59 PM EDT   0 recs

Olivo hammers lefties

Buck hits them pretty well too. And, somebody had to catch today.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:00 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

The decision no one seems to be questioning

is why the heck are we operating short one outfielder. DeJesus has seen no action for almost two weeks, couldn't he have been put on the 15-day disabled list retroactively, so we have Costa or Hollins or Maier available? Maybe they wouldn't have ended up seeing any action, and I'm sure none of them are better than a Teahen-Gathright-Teahen outfield, but what's the point of keeping DDJ on the active roster as dead weight?

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

by cmkeller on Apr 13, 2008 2:00 PM EDT   0 recs

I'd rather have DeJesus back in the lineup in less than 15 days

...than to waste a roster spot on a horrible player like Costa, Hollins or Maier.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:02 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

But he's already been out almost that long

shouldn't a trainer or team doctor have figured out before this that he's dead roster weight for a while?

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

by cmkeller on Apr 13, 2008 2:05 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd rather have him out for 14 days and not on the DL

...than waste a roster spot on those guys. How does it hurt us to not have Hollins, Maier or Costa? Gload, Callaspo and German can all play the OF if necessary.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:07 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Fine, then call up Shealy

to allow Gload to be an emergency OF. His slow start in AAA notwithstanding, he did decently in Spring Training, and so did Hollins.

My point is, we're short a bat (not necessarily an OF) for no real reason. DDJ could have been put on the DL retroactive to his injury, and 15 days will be up tomorrow or Tuesday (not sure how the date of the injury itself is counted for this).

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

by cmkeller on Apr 13, 2008 2:13 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

We're short one position player, but it doesn't really hurt us at all

And the addition of Shealy or one of those OFers doesn't really help us. However, getting DeJesus back into the lineup ASAP does help us.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:14 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

But Gathright can jump over cars and Japanese pitchers...

that's worth two shane costas, three mitch maiers, and twenty brandon bergers.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:02 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

But seriously, folks

Gathright is better than all of the Omaha options.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:03 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

yes Gathright is the better option...

....to start. I just think they are saying it would be valuable to have that person on the bench. To pinch hit or whatever

by 85CardsforLife on Apr 13, 2008 2:09 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It would be different if they were actually valuable bench players

But they aren't. Not any of them.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:10 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

are you telling me

that we have no one in triple a worth calling up to take a rosterspot outfielder or otherwise?

by 85CardsforLife on Apr 13, 2008 2:16 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

We have no one who is more valuable as bench player than DeJesus is getting back ASAP

A week of games on the bench for the AAA player is worth less to the team than DeJesus coming back one or two games before his 15 days would be up.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:18 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

When he goes on a hot streak

...will he become your new favorite player?

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:15 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It's not that he hasn't been great

He's just been REALLY bad. It didn't help that he walked through the KC doors and demanded to play RF

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:16 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Players have bad streaks

It's not particularly uncommon. I could list some good players right now who are on bad streaks, but I won't. It's too obvious.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:17 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Very much agreed.

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:15 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Probably not. First impressions are everything, and his has sucked.

So I will continually to rag on him irrationally when he hits a hot streak.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:17 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

At least you'll be in the majority

:)

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:18 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

This is why baseball players value evenness over a 162-game season

...and not overrreact to individual wins, losses and good and bad stretches.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:16 PM EDT   0 recs

Alrighty

Bannister got off to a rough start last week, he'll turn it around. I guess it isn't really his fault we aren't out of this.

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:17 PM EDT   0 recs

Anyone else having trouble with the radio feed on MLB?

instead of the royals feed, I'm getting some Fox Sports radio show. I can get the twins feed, though.

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 2:17 PM EDT   0 recs

Yes, They Were

Discussing UCLA basketball when I turned it on. The game feed is still not on.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:20 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, they were talking to some Australian baseball player.

Didn't catch his name, but no, it wasn't Huber. Some pitcher.

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 2:22 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

luke prokopec?

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by marbotty on Apr 13, 2008 2:23 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Liriano had serious control problems in his rehab starts

Let's hope Royals batters wait for him to throw strikes before they swing.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:19 PM EDT   0 recs

so

Is it just NY, DC, and me in here?

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:20 PM EDT   0 recs

Unfortunately For You

No.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm An Idiot

But usually a benign one.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Phil is here

Representin' Alaska!

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It'll Be Warmer

Here later today than it is at the K.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Here but my slingbox isn't working

so I have no clue what is going on.

Proud father of a budding Royals fan.

by Skirra on Apr 13, 2008 2:22 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That is why

he's such a good leadoff man!

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:21 PM EDT   0 recs

Yeah

I meant to say 'Will be such a good leadoff man'

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:23 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmmmmm, hope so

I'm still thinking 4th OFer.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:23 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

sacrificing in the first...

well...our anti-scoring offense is at it again...playing for one run in the first inning w/ no one out...

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Apr 13, 2008 2:25 PM EDT   0 recs

Good Nefi Reference

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:26 PM EDT   0 recs

agreed

neifi=worst player in game....and butler just gooooot it...one streak continues...another ends

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

hit and run

would be more effective w/ a hitter like german

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Apr 13, 2008 2:26 PM EDT   0 recs

Yikes.

Liriano made Teahen look silly on a filthy curveball.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:26 PM EDT   0 recs

I don't like the small ball

But it kinda worked here.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT   0 recs

Butler gets it done.

by 2X2L on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT   0 recs

1-1

Butler jumps on a first pitch fastball

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT   0 recs

Hillman Is A

Genius.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT   0 recs

It'd be cool

to see Guillen redeem that error here with a HR

by kansasjhawk044 on Apr 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT   0 recs

It'd Take A

Homer to plate Billy.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:28 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe next time....or next week

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:28 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Not sure how I feel about that bunt.

Think what it really says is Hillman doesn't trust German to move Gathright over to second, and he REALLY wants Gathright at second for Teahan and Butler.

But you'd think Gathright would be a candidate for a steal, and you wouldn't have to waste an out with German. And if Hillman doesn't trust German in that situation, then why the hell is he batting second?

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 2:28 PM EDT   0 recs

Guillen looks lost

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:28 PM EDT   0 recs

get him 40 ml of HGH, STAT

This space intentionally left blank.

by marbotty on Apr 13, 2008 2:29 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I mean, seriously bad.

three pitches and he's down again? I can't stand this guy's plate approach.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:29 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm guessing it is a spiritual crisis

I think someone should send him some pamphlets about their favorite religion.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Apr 13, 2008 2:29 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Seems like Jaboo isn't helping him hit.

Screw you jaboo, I do it myself.

...sigh...if only...

by RoyalsFanInBillings on Apr 13, 2008 2:31 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe Miss South

Carolina could provide him with a U.S. American map. He is in a new place.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 13, 2008 2:30 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

You can get rid of Emil...

...but apparently you can't immediately cure yourself of "outfielder with an .100 average in April" syndrome.

by andrewmiller on Apr 13, 2008 2:32 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

How did we/they score?

Proud father of a budding Royals fan.

by Skirra on Apr 13, 2008 2:31 PM EDT   0 recs

Twins scored on an E-9 by Guillen followed by Morneau RBI single

Royals scored on a Gathright infield single, sac bunt, Butler RBI single.

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:32 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Banny looks good

True. Blue. Third Place in 2008.

by DC Royal on Apr 13, 2008 2:32 PM EDT   0 recs