Hitting is an Organizational Problem

by daveyork on Apr 23, 2008 10:11 AM EDT Comment 20 comments

I enjoy following all aspects of the Royals organization from KC down to Arizona Rookie League. Tracking the minor leaguers' progress is one of the fun parts of looking at the box score each day. Like some of you other minor league enthusiasts, I do like to see how Clint Robinson or Mike Moustakas did last night. I also want to know if Blake Wood had a good start in Wilmington or if Rowdy Hardy shut down the opponents.

I have been shocked at how poorly KC's entire organization is hitting this season. The KC problems are well documented but I am wondering if the problem is more deeply rooted than this. Yes, I know it is early and panic should not set in yet. Two hot weeks and averages can sky rocket. It's baseball. But the overwhelming stats for every level of KC's organization has struck me that something is not right.

Here are the team stats for each level. I selected OPS, BA, BB/K ratio and runs scored as a starting point.

Burlington - Low A Midwest League

OPS.610 BA - .211 BB/K 55/146 Runs Scored 11th out of 14th

Individuals of note: Top 30 prospects or high draft picks

Mike Moustakas OPS - .475, BA - .204 BB/K 5/9

Jason Taylor OPS - .703, BA - .196 BB/K 10/14

Wilmington - High A Carolina League

OPS. .622 BA - .211 BB/K 71/140 Runs Scored 8th of 8

Individuals of Note - Top 30 prospects or high draft picks

Chad McConnell .429, .131, 8/7

Jeff Bianchi .390, .136 3/16

Derrick Robinson .564, .222, 6/17

NWA - Double A Texas League

OPS .564, BA .204 BB/K - 55/124 Runs scored 8th of 8

Individuals of Note:

Marc Maddox .380, 145, 3/14

Mario Lisson .483, .169 1/18

Jose Duarte .504, .172 9/13

Brian McFall .637, .184 8/11

Omaha is actually doing pretty well .803, 270, 49/115 6th out of 16 Runs scored. They have many AAAA players like who haven't been able to establish themselves as true prospects like Jason Smith, Shane Costa, Mitch Maier, Ryan Shealy, and Mike Aviles.

Individual of note:

Chris Lubanski .705, .233 5/21

There are some players like Clint Robinson, Adrian Ortiz, Joe Dickerson, Kurt Mertins who are having good starts. Mike Aviles is putting up serious hitting numbers again at Omaha. However, the overall health of KC's top hitting prospects is poor. Can it be coincidence that so many Royals are struggling at the plate? One or two slow starts - maybe - it is baseball. So many at one time have me thinking that hitting is an organizational problem.

0 recs | Comment 20 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

which prospects do you think

will get called up to the big times before the year is out?

by Billybutlerformvp on Apr 23, 2008 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Call-ups

Shealy and Stodolka are both options at 1B, Aviles should be an option for the rest of the infield, Lubanski could get a shot with an injury, though it might go to Maier, I think the Costa experiment is over. That’s just a few guys in my opinion that could see a call up depending on injuries and such throughout the year.

Disclaimer: Comments may not be suitable for young children or women who are pregnant, or women who think they may be pregnant. Side effects could include nausea, dizziness, or yelling at the monitor in disbelief.

by MileHighKCfan on Apr 23, 2008 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i would rather try stodolka than shealy.

shealy is trying to hover around a 200 batting average at triple a….

by Billybutlerformvp on Apr 23, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would love to see Mike Aviles get called up

His OPS is over .900 in Omaha and he hit well last year. With KC’s offense as bad as it is, he couldn’t be worse than TPJ. Defensively, he wouldn’t be as strong but how much does KC give up at the plate? Aviles has hit at every level in the minors and had a strong ST. I would promote him before the Devil.

Only the usual suspects after that – Shealy, Costa, etc.

by daveyork on Apr 23, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is there some kind of sniper

hitting coach we should be pursuing? you’d think we could work this out…

The first thing I know about someone in a KC hat is that they're loyal.

by grantfunk on Apr 23, 2008 10:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Our hitting prospects

Were not good. Under the Baird years, only Butler and Gordon were really good hitting prospects, the rest were just organizational filler, and guys like Lubanski and Maier have had their stock drop like a rock. Dayton made pitching a priority, to the expense of hitting. I agree with that philosophy. Pitching, as he says, is the commodity of baseball. It is far easier to find bats than it is to find arms. I’m confident he’ll be able to find some hitters this winter and restock our system.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 23, 2008 10:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I predict one more year...

...of a pitching focus by Moore and the top brass before shifting to offense. And, that second turnaround will come very quickly. Why? It’s easier to pick up free agent hitters and position prospects. Stock the farm with pitching, and the rest will come. I predict one more big offensive player signing this off-season, and perhaps a few trades for offense. – TL

by timlacy on Apr 23, 2008 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nah

dayton will stay with pitching for his entire career. the braves had the best pitching in baseball for a decade for a reason

by ZeppelinDZ on Apr 23, 2008 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course

They also developed some damn good hitters – Brian McCann, Jeff Franceour, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Rafael Furcal.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 23, 2008 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

i’m not saying they were bad at it by any means, the whole organization was incredible, but thats five names over 14 years of division wins (i realize u could list plenty more names). compare that to number of cy young votes :)

by ZeppelinDZ on Apr 23, 2008 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

on another note

remember when everybody was so excited about Jeff Bianchi. talk about falling off the face of the earth. i know injuries played a part, but damn

by ZeppelinDZ on Apr 23, 2008 11:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yea

Draft picks fails sometimes. In fact, very often they do.

That being said, its too early to write off Bianchi completely. He had one bad year. He’s still very young.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 23, 2008 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bianchi

He’s also hurt AGAIN. Its a hamstring this time. I’d just love to see him play a full season and put up some numbers, but it looks like the Bianchi prospect ship may have sailed unfortunately.

If I had a rocket ship, I'd never want to land.

by dman126 on Apr 23, 2008 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kevin Goldstein

basically reiterated some of your points in his post today.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7409

I think we’ll stock up on pitchers and shuffle off the ones that don’t fit into the longterm plans to obtain bats like many others have said before. It is a little scary though when our position prospects are so scarce and performing so poorly.

by lordbyronk on Apr 23, 2008 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Moose tacos is still in Burlington?

kinda surprised by that

by royalsreview on Apr 23, 2008 3:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Surprised?

You must mean that he should be in the Rookie League still, what with his .475 OPS and all.

by MileHighKCfan on Apr 23, 2008 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where are these stats coming from?>

I’m looking for how Hilton Richardson (OF) is doing (drafted 7th rd last year)

Finally coming back to the 'K'!!!! I'm going to be there 7/11/08, vs the SEA Mariners, of course!

by RoyalsFanInMarinerTown on Apr 23, 2008 3:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I got the stats I used from minor league baseball website

Regarding Hilton Richardson, he didn’t make the Burlington Bees out of ST so he should be in extended spring training. I would expect him to go to Burlington Royals in Appy League in June. He’s got lots of athletic ability so now he need to learn to become a baseball player.

by daveyork on Apr 23, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HOT LIST!

http://royaltower.blogspot.com/2008/04/royals-hot-list.html

I’ve been on the Joe Dickerson bandwagon for a long time and he is really shining this year. I did another post back in, I want to say October about him and predicting a breakout season. He’s making me look good…so far. Keep hitting Joe.

So I’m pimping my blog a little, deal with it.

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Apr 23, 2008 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs