Progress Behind the Pain?
by paleblueeyes on Jun 13, 2008 3:09 PM EDT
24 comments
Is it just me or does anybody else out there see a lot of good things developing for our Royals? Admittedly, it's been a very painful stretch recently -- the painful and embarassing losing streak, the loss to the Yankees last Saturday, and the two blown leads against the Rangers. But behind all this losing, I do believe there are some very positive signs that will get us to a better place. To name a few:
- our 4th and 5th spots in the rotation are being handled well by two young guys (Hocheaver and Davis) that we had hope for at the start of the season.
- Meche looked very good his last outing; he may be close to resuming his '07 ways
- Most of core young group of hitters are doing well or are showing positive signs
- DeJesus is hitting well and showing some power.
- Teahen isn't hitting like we want or has in the past yet, but he, too, is showing some power.
- After a bad stretch, Gordon is hitting again. He, too, with some power.
- Butler is hitting well and driving the ball in Omaha. He will be back very soon.
- Aviles is playing regularly and hitting.
- GMDM showed some stones and dropped Tomko. The good news is that this regime understands sunk costs and will move on when it's time.
- Gathright is fielding very well.
- Guillen has turned into the hitting force that GMDM was expecting.
- Good looking draft if we can get the top guys signed.
Now, I don't think all is rosey. Here are my main concerns:
- Can we break the losing culture? This is an extremely hard thing to do, but it certainly gets done (K-State football, Detroit Tigers, etc.).
- Middle relief and setup guys - we need Nunez back, Ramirez to resume his earlier form, and Rosa to be solid.
- Can Hillman effectively manage his pitching. Some bullpen moves recently have been very questionable and I'm afraid the bullpen problems might encourage him to leave the starters in too long.
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+ 100 for seeing the positives which are mixed in there with the negatives
I would also had some more:
- Ramirez has been great. Like all pitchers, he’s going to have some bad outings, but overall he’s been dominant. We now have three guys who could step in and competently close if Soria moves to the rotation (Ramirez, Nunez, Mahay)
- The top 4 in the bullpen have performed very well (Soria, Ramirez, Nunez, Mahay)
- Callaspo is getting on base a lot
- And then there’s the minors. I won’t get into every positive in the minors, but suffice it to say that there are many pitchers in the system who have taken a big step forward this year. The pitching in the minors is very good and very deep.
There are many negatives to the Royals this year. It’s nice to recognize that there are positivs as well.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
Yay, a good, positive post!
Everyone who doesn’t recommend it will be flogged to death.
A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.
Oh sure
I already a positive post yesterday. It had a picture and everything. You just don’t see me parading it around—I humbly put it in a fanshot. I’ll rec this, but grudgingly.
I do think that the “big 4” in the bullpen have been great. Ramirez struggles aren’t really that bad. The main problems for the bullpen has been the loss of Nunez, and (sorry to throw in a negative, but let’s be honest) Hillman’s failure to utilize them properly so as to set them up for success (I know, that sounds like self-help book). They’ll look even better if he figures out how to work out the kinks.
I should also say that I am enjoying the Aviles Assault. It probably won’t last much longer, but it’s fun to enjoy it while it lasts. I hope Avilanche is soaking it up for all it’s worth.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by Matt Klaassen on Jun 13, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions
What's with Hillman forgetting that Gobble is a LOOGY?
He changed his delivery last year, turning himself into a dominant LOOGY. He’s still dominating lefty batters this year. But Hillman has overexposed him greatly. Righty batters are (predictably) hammering him. Keep him as a LOOGY and he’s a very effective tool in the pen. Make him face righties and he’s throwing gasoline on the fire.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
I lost all faith in Hillman's ability to manage Gobble
when he left Gobble in to face Paul Konerko in that 15-inning game earlier this month.
I’m with both of you—at one point, I was okay with the idea of DFA-ing Gobble, but he is still dominating left-handed hitting.
Learn to play with the big boys, son,
and getcher self a fanpost.
A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.
Gobble=Loogy
I don’t think Hillman really has had many other options. The pen has been overworked by bad start after start. Pitching him against Konerko was assinine but the other night against Texas the pen was just spent.
Billy at worst will be Sean Casey jr.
The problem is that he's faced too many righty batters all season long
I understand there are circumstances where a manager is forced to use a reliever in more than his ideal role. But Gobble has been used against far too many righty batters, including situations where there are multiple RHP’s who could come in to face the righties. I think Hillman is trying to make Gobble into something he has proven that he is not. The only role Gobble has ever succeeded at in the majors is as a LOOGY.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
Yup, I think
Originally, I liked “Off the Table,” but NYRoyal pointed out that it was too abstract. There are some other stuff out there (“El Salvatore” (sp? NYRoyal), and “The Missing Link.” I think we should have a real nickname contest here—who the hell does Rany think he is? He can have Gordon, Greinke, Butler, et. al. The real contest will be here, for Avilanche Aviles, Costa, that other dude, and ,of course, Huber.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by Matt Klaassen on Jun 15, 2008 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Hillman and the pitching
This is my biggest concern at the moment…Bannister for 127 pitches the other night?! Yikes…
But agreed, there are some positives that you’ve pointed out that have kind of gone unnoticed amongst the horrible stretch of losing at the big league level.
So does Butler's mashing in AAA
translate back to the majors??
by I need more Esteban on Jun 13, 2008 4:26 PM EDT reply actions
It can't hurt
Every scout loves him, and the sabermetricians love him too. And his peripherals were good even this year. So I’ve got to think that even the immediate, short-term future looks good for him.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
ya
right now every sign points to a great hitter. just gotta remember power tends to be the last tool to develop.
but i doubt he is back up til:
A) aviles’s numbers tank
B) we trade a Mid IF
if we don’t do either, i just don’t see how we make room for him
There is the Gload possibility
He could be waived. I still think it is unlikely, but the fact that Teahen has been playing so much 1B and Gload has been riding the pine puts it into the realm of possibility. They might be considering it.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
I agree with the spirit of your post,
but I have to add that the setback suffered by Butler has the potential to dwarf the positives – he is that important to the rebuilding effort.
Just sayin
Depends on how significant that setback is
If it is a sign that he will be a bust, then that’s huge. If it was a bad couple of months from a 22 year old in his sophomore season, then it’s no big deal. You’ve got to expect a 22 year old in the majors to have some rough stretches.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
I know it's positive day
so I will say this is a positive, at least around here….Shane Costa’s average dipped below .300, he is now batting .296. I know BA isn’t an indicator of someone’s total worth, but I still think it’s fun to point out because of all the unnecessary Costa love….BTW, Jason Smith has 14 HR’s now, JASON SMITH NOW!
by I need more Esteban on Jun 13, 2008 5:06 PM EDT reply actions
It's time for Little Poppy
We could use another IFer.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
Someone loves
Jason Smith’s pop off the bench.
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