35 percent report

by powderbluepower on Jun 2, 2008 4:05 AM EDT

You know what? I'm pissed. I spent 2 hours writing a comparison of Royals and Mariners. I've been busy and I finally get a few hours to write one of these things, and then I hit one button and it's gone and I don't know what happened to it. Gah.

It's late and my dog is sleep-barking, so I'm going to do this all in short form.

The plan was to compare Royals v. Mariners, because the Mariners are behind us in the AL standings, it's the battle of Grass Creek, Wyo., it's Ibanez v. Meche, it's Guillen v. someone else, I guess... so I spent 2 hours comparing position players and everything. Here's my summation, because I don't have time to spend 2 more hours explaining it again. After the position is the team I decided has the advantage. The only one I'll elaborate on is the closer.

C: Royals, easily
3B: Mariners, by a bit, but it's open to discussion
SS: Mariners, by a large amount
2B: Pick'em (Similar numbers)
1B: Mariners (Glad has slightly less power)
LF: Royals (Guillen has slightly more power)
RF: Royals (Teahen v. Balentien)
CF: Mariners (My original post said DeJesus is a poor man's Ichiro, not Ichiro by any means, but some close numbers)
DH: Royals (Butler v. Vidro, Butler wins)

SP1: Mariners (closer than you'd think)
SP2: Mariners (closer than I thought)
SP3: Royals (not so much)
SP4: Royals (not so much)

Yeah, it was all tied through this point. In my original post, I had explanations and stats and stuff. It was awesome.

Closer: Royals

Here's what I originally said about Joakim Soria: It's not close. My fiancee is neither a KC native nor a baseball fan. So she doesn't understand why I love the Royals so much. She doesn't get why I root for them if they're always on the bottom end of the standings. And during the 12-game losing streak, it was hard to answer that question to someone who doesn't have the background with the club. But then you look at someone like Joakim Soria. The Royals didn't just pay for a proven commodity developed by someone else. The Royals made a shrewd move to find this hidden gem. It's that difference between finding a diamond in the rough at a garage sale and using your fat wallet to simply outpay for something. There's just so much pride in the former situation than there is in any other situation. And Joakim Soria is a Royal. He is OURS. When he's on the mound with the lead, I can turn the game off because I know it'll be a victory. He is just that good. He is a reason why I am a Royals fan. Soria is proof that smart moves count for something in a world with fat wallets. And he is better than J.J. Putz.

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Comments

Great points about Soria.

I like when you say, “It’s the difference between finding a diamond in the rough at a garage sale and using your fat wallet to simply outpay for something.”

That’s good stuff, and I think it’s a good indicator of why many of us take pride in being a Royals fan through the losing. We don’t want to cheap our way through winning, we want to do it the right way. The way that takes hard work and dedication.

by I need more Esteban on Jun 2, 2008 7:56 AM EDT reply actions

Soria vs. Putz, Beltre vs. Gordon

I think anyone should be glad to have either of them. Both were unproven and promoted from within the organization (after being a rule 5 pick setup man in Soria’s case). The main difference is how each has started this season. Putz hasn’t lived up to his recent numbers yet this year, but there is enough time left for him to post good to great numbers by season’s end again.

Soria is a wonderfully talented pitcher, but does anyone expect him to finish with a 1.38 ERA and a 0.698 WHIP or better, as Putz did last year? When Mo Rivera came close to that in 2005, he was 2nd in Cy Young balloting. Putz is probably underrated in that sense. It’s a stretch to reasonably expect any pitcher to post a 2.30 ERA with a 0.919 WHIP, as Putz did two years ago. Soria came close to that last year, so let’s hope that Soria can have many more productive years almost as good as JJ Putz’s recent history.

Soria is better now in the sense that he’s younger with the potential to be an effective starter, too. Putz is better in terms of having the more established major league career so far.

Same thing with Beltre and Gordon. Gordon has more upside and is performing better right now, but Beltre is more established with better career highs so far.

by Stat Ninja on Jun 2, 2008 9:10 AM EDT reply actions

thinking abou putz scares me

more doubts about soria extension wisdom

by Freneau on Jun 2, 2008 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

How does Putz

scare you in relation to Soria?

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 2, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

hasn't he struggled this year?

(I guess I could look this up)

by Freneau on Jun 2, 2008 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

6 saves

2-3, 5.60 ERA, 17.2 IP, 14 BB, 22 K, 20 H. Soria’s numbers are just better.

By the way, I had the fiancee read what I wrote about Soria. I then explained a little more about Soria, and the Rule 5 Draft and the “he’s in the discussion for best closer”. And she responded with: “You forget…. I don’t care about baseball.” Ouch. Well, I’ve got the next 60-70 years to solve that, don’t I?

by powderbluepower on Jun 3, 2008 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions