So I've avoided posting during the losing streak.  I didn't want to add to the pessimism.  Now that the team is on a teeny little roll, I'll hazard a post.

I've been singing of the praises of Jason Whitlock for years---both to him (in many unsolicited e-mails) and others.  I love his coverage of the Chiefs: nobody does it better.  But this piece on the Royals and their shortstop situation is not a worthy addition to his oeuvre. 

In Whitlock's defense, he was covering for Joe Posnanski in trying keep up with losing-streak commentary.  But there's not a lot of baseball intellect in the piece.  The thesis of the article seems to be that every organization must have a shortstop that functions as a kind of heart-of-the-team guy.  They all must be like Derek Jeter, to use a recent example. 

This is a flawed argument.  I love Tony Pena, Jr.'s defense.  I don't know his "zone rating," but I can imagine it to be pretty swell.  But we don't need Tony to be a team leader---neither in the locker room nor even (other than calling off others) on the field.

To counter Whitlock's argument, I'll start with a mere nuts-and-bolts analysis.  There comes a point when one's plate deficiencies override defense.  If I'm thinking through my baseball history correctly, a defensive-oriented shortstop like Pena has to be capable of at least a .220-.250 average (without power) to justify his existence on the field and in the lineup.  Pena is .070 below even this minimal standard.

But this only covers the numbers.  Citing shortstop as a premier position for exhibiting the heart and soul of the team has no strong basis in baseball history.  Who can remember the shortstop from the 2003 Marlins?  Who was the shortstop for the 1985 Royals (this isn't a fair question on this site, but it makes a point)?  Who was the Phillies shortstop in 1980?  Who was the Yankees shortstop on those magnificent late 1970s teams?  

Of course I'm aware of the examples cited in the piece, but there's no reason to rationally argue that problems at shortstop this year are ~the~ problem with this Royals team.  The biggest flaw with the team---one that can't really be substantially corrected midseason---is its month-of-May hitting slump.  Most of the lineup (excepting Gordon and Guillen---the Killer Gs?!) went in the tank.  Period.

So Jason, I love you, but incorporate some more of your baseball intellect into your next piece on our beloved Royals.  They had a bad May, but let's not add to their public relations problems with poor media coverage. - TL