Kyle Davies up, replacing Tomko in the rotation

by playingwithfire on May 30, 2008 3:34 PM EDT Comment 33 comments

Tomko to the pen.

Honestly, I don't think Davies with his laser straight fastball and his confidence level at Greinke's level 2 years ago is going to change anything. But then again, it'll be pretty hard to do worse than Tomko/Bale/whoever else we threw out there for our #5 starter. And he's still young and has decent stuff(though I'd argue that both Tomko and Bale has above average stuff). At this point, with our #5 starter a crapshoot all year, why not? Here's hoping I'm wrong and that Davies' mediocre k rate/high walk rate/flyball tendency don't get to him this time around. Seriously, 4.8ish ERA would be awesome from him.

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and by the way

I still haven’t gotten used to the new system, but what’s that green star mean?

by playingwithfire on May 30, 2008 3:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

cool

my throwing might need some work, but I think I can outhit TPJ. I’ll get some glovework done in preparation!

by playingwithfire on May 30, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who's the odd man out when Davies joins the roster?

My money is on Joel Peralta, much as I like him. He needs to work on his game.

I like the moves. I think Tomko could be more effective from the pen and its time to see what Davies has.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on May 30, 2008 3:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

For the record, Davies has excellent stuff

As good or better than Tomko and Bale. His problem is an always has been control.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 3:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I might be wrong then

I don’t remember him being particularly impressive with his stuff the limited amount I’ve seen him.

by playingwithfire on May 30, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He showed really impressive stuff when he was with the Royals last year

And, from everything I’ve read, he’s always had really good stuff. The problem is control. If he had even mediocre control, he’d be a good SP. If he continues to have poor control, there’s no way he can succeed.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He and Hoch

I don’t know if this team is good for Hoch or Davies right now. They are pitchers who’ve had control problems and this teams lack of offense doesn’t help there state of mind. I’ve seen Hoch the last three times out seem like he was trying to be too perfect too fine. In turn his control has struggled. I would rather leave Davies down until maybe September and make him and hopefully Rosa make their cases for a spot in next years rotation then.

Billy at worst will be Sean Casey jr.

by kcscoliny on May 30, 2008 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem is that Davies needs to prove himself this year

This is his last option year. The Royals need to take a good look at him this year because they won’t have the option to send him to the minors next year.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

His fastball is down to a slightly below average 91 MPH

He used to throw harder when he came up with the Braves. Tomko actually throws about 1.5 MPH harder with essentially the same the movement (moves in on right-handers but relatively flat). While nothing special, his raw stuff is certainly good enough to succeed in the majors, but neither his command nor control have improved since his prospect days. His current skills do not match his reputation. I think we will see more of the same as last year—lots of walks and home runs.

Tomko right now is a better pitcher, but I can understand why the team would want to give Davies a final audition in the rotation before moving him to the bullpen (or for a player to be named later).

by Gopherballs on May 30, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bale = unimpressive

...in his MLB career prior to Japan, in ST when he “won” the job with much worse numbers than Hochevar, and in three non-quality starts (even if one doesn’t like the QS stat, it’s hard to argue that a non-QS is at the very least below average if not completely undesirable) with the Royals this year. A pitcher of Bale’s age and (poor) MLB experience simply cannot have truly good stuff. Perhaps he had “good stuff” 10-15 years ago when it was still possible to imagine that he might learn to control it someday, but by now it would be less good from decline and age alone, and apparently he has not and never will learn to control whatever he has. His stuff didn’t seem to fool many 2008 Mariners. Maybe he has “good stuff” for a Japanese league pitcher, but that is, was and will continue to be as irrelevant as John Bale has always been to Major League Baseball hitters.

Comparisons to Bale have ruined my optimism for Davies now. I thought he was going to be a #2-#3 starter for Atlanta, and then his career started to spiral out of control. I didn’t think Davies was enough for Dotel, who could have stayed in KC and allowed Soria to start. Maybe Davies has truly good stuff, but “excellent”? What word do you use to describe Randy Johnson’s or Nolan Ryan’s stuff?

by Stat Ninja on May 30, 2008 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Soria

If they are gonna think about moving Soria to the rotation maybe he could go down to Omaha now and start to begin getting ready. Everyone including me thinks Musser is just a quick call up and will head down after Nunez comes off the 15 day but if Musser shows decent stuff maybe they send down Soria to begin work for next year. Just a thought.

Billy at worst will be Sean Casey jr.

by kcscoliny on May 30, 2008 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think that would be a good way to do it

It’s not like Soria could go right into any team’s rotation. He needs to be stretched out with some 2 inning outings, 3 inning outings, 4 inning outings up to the point where he can begin making starts. The Royals should do it (whenever they start doing it) the way the Yankees are stretching out Joba Chamberlain now. He’s making scheduled relief appearances of a pre-determined length, each going a little longer until he can finally begin making starts. There’s no need to have either Soria or Chamberlain go down to the minors to become a starter.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It looks like the Royals are panicking to me.

The last couple days they seem to have moved to the “wall crap” approach. Butler is struggling, throw in Aviles. Tomko is struggling, throw in Davis. Keep throwing crap against the wall. Maybe some will stick.

I don’t see these moves helping the club short term or long term. They just look like emotional reactions from a manager who thinks he needs to do something. It all seems so Bairdesque, which is disheartening.

Well, good luck to Davies and Aviles. If they do better than the guys they replaced it will be completely random.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on May 30, 2008 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it is that nutty

I probably wouldn’t have sent Butler down and called Aviles up (at least not at this point), but there’s no harm in benching Pena and giving Aviles a look. And the Royals had to take a look at Davies sometime this year, as this is his last option year. I don’t think this is desperation, or really stupid moves. I wouldn’t have done either. But neither move is ludicrous. It’s not like these guys are replacing very good players.

Well, good luck to Davies and Aviles. If they do better than the guys they replaced it will be completely random.

It will be completely random if Aviles outperforms Pena? Really?

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What you have is an organization with no

shortstops anywhere in the system, zero , zilch nada. You need to go out and get someone via trade or FA. Lets just hope that Aviles doesn’t significantly outperform Pena this year, giving management the misguided notion that he IS the the long term answer.

I have many leather bound books...

by juano on May 30, 2008 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aviles

Yeah, that would be terrible if he did good and helped this team win some games (sarcasm).

What doesn't kill us only brings us closer to death

by ksuroyals on May 30, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, like Berroa did in 2003.

I have many leather bound books...

by juano on May 30, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unless Aviles suddenly turns into a good defensive player...

...there’s no way Moore would let him be the Royals SS of the future (even near future). Moore values defense at SS (and, for the record, it is the position where defense is most important) so unless Aviles’s hitting is Jeter-like, his defense won’t be sufficient for Moore.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have enough faith in Dayton

That I believe he could change his philosophy if it became clear it wasn’t working. I don’t think he is so dogmatic as to value defense at the expense of offense if it wasn’t producing wins on the field. He is adaptable. Never say never.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on May 30, 2008 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True, but defense is genuinely important at SS

I really don’t want a poor defensive SS who manages a .730 OPS. That wouldn’t be a long-term SS solution.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i bet if you look at our losses

most have come from our being out-homered

This space intentionally left blank.

by marbotty on May 31, 2008 3:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Objection: relevance

Adding a couple more HR’s with poor defense isn’t going to help this team’s chances of winning games. I stand by my statement that a .730 OPS SS with poor defense isn’t a good long-term SS solution for the Royals or any team. I know hitting is easy to focus on because it has lots of pretty, easily accessible numbers, but we shouldn’t forget about the importance of defense at the SS position. If we can find someone who gives us a .800 OPS at SS, I can forgive the poor defense.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 31, 2008 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't really think

Aviles is being taken too seriously, juano.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 30, 2008 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand where you're coming from, James Quinn

But, leaving service time issues I don’t get aside, I think they’re sending Butler down to help him get his swing back in a less pressured environment, and hopefully one where he can play first every day. Personally, I wonder if they shouldn’t have done it sooner. Not because I don’t have confidence in his ability or think he should be “punished,” but because I’m not sure the constant failure was doing him any good (and, yes, this is totally a fan’s perspective, I claim less than zero expertise on player development).

As for Aviles, I think they’re, for better or worse, just seeing what they have. Yeah, it will probably be “utility man.” But they already know Pena isn’t a solution for anything important.

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 30, 2008 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have no problem with this move,

as I was kind of wishy-washy on the Tomko-in-the-rotation thing anyway. Might as well give a guy with some upside a shot at proving he belongs in the team’s plans.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 30, 2008 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think any of this is a panic move at all...

It’s more of a “we’re finally out of contention, and now it’s time to find out what we have”.

Tomko: We know he sucks in the rotation at this point, so we put him into the bullpen to fill in for the injured Leo Nunez.
Davies: He’s putting up good minor league numbers, we now have an opening in the rotation, let’s give him one last shot to make something happen in the bigs.
Butler: We know he’s going to hit at the major leagues, but he was slumping badly so we might as well take the pressure off and let him try to get it together (and save some service time).
Pena: we know he sucks, so to the bench he goes…
Aviles: See Kyle Davies / Brett Tomko situation.

All the moves make sense to me. GMDM is just trying to figure out what pieces he has.

winning records follow good bullpens

by slayor on May 30, 2008 6:38 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

+1

We should be in evaluation mode, and that means getting a look at guys like Aviles, Costa, Shealy, Davies, etc. Is there a high chance those players will turn into useful MLB players? Not particularly. But the small cost of losing a Tony Pena, an Esteban German, or a Ross Gload is outweighed by the possibility one of these younger players turns into the next Raul Ibanez or Joe Randa.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on May 30, 2008 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's take a look at those guys after trades free up roster space

It’s not like we know nothing about these guys and need to give them 300 plate appearances this season to evaluate them.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 30, 2008 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

By that same

token we don’t need to evaluate Gload, German or Pena anymore. They have had plenty of ML AB’s to know what they are.

Billy at worst will be Sean Casey jr.

by kcscoliny on May 31, 2008 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Yeah, we know that Gload and German are pretty good players and Pena is a good defensive SS who can't hit

Dumping them, and eating their contracts for similar players who have one-in-a-million shot of being significantly better is short-sighted ill conceived.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 31, 2008 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tangential point

I like German, too, and I wish I knew (or better—that the Royals knew) a way to get him more playing him. I don’t, but it’s frustrating because I think he’s a decent hitter who might at least bring back something in a trade if the Royals decide he isn’t part of the future of the team. I liked Rany’s idea of giving him some starts at first, especially now that Butler is down.

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 31, 2008 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apparently they are going to give him some starts at SS now

Seems odd. The fact that German needs playing time is one of the best reasons to NOT call Aviles up. Even if Pena is riding the pine, there’s still a log jam with Grudz, Callaspo, German and Aviles.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Jun 1, 2008 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs