Royals set obscure all-time record (as far as I know)
by loyal2sdad on Jun 2, 2008 11:15 AM EDT
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PrintI'm not posting this to be negative, because the team may be in the process of righting itself, but rather, I'm pointing this out because of the sheer bizzarreness of it.
The last four games, the KC Royals have started FOUR DIFFERENT players at shortstop. (Aviles, Pena, German, Callaspo).
While I'm sure there is a way to research this, I didn't bother, because I'd be willing to bet my entire net worth (not much!) that this has never been done before in the history of baseball.
So we got that going for us.
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Gritz Can Play
SS, too. And Gordon, and Teahen. We could make this record unbreakable.
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
Teahen at SS
I LOVE that idea. The team isn’t going to win this year anyway, so let’s see every possible option on the field this summer.
I don’t mean to suggest that Teahen will be a good SS, but perhaps a serviceable one defensively. Maybe he’ll fall flat on his face and clearly not belong there, too, but the Royals would have nothing to lose by trying it at this stage.
gordon at ss?
with teahen back at 3rd. i don’t know that either could handle it, but it would be a huge boon to the offense
This space intentionally left blank.
the only person
on the roster that can “handle” short is pena. but those quotes are important b/c there are degrees of being able to handle a position. just depends how much you are willing to give up. I don’t think this is news to anybody, but people always seem to comment on this fact in binary, either they can or can’t, which is just the wrong way to view the situation.
It's all speculation
I don’t think anyone’s claiming to KNOW that (insert name other than TPJ) can handle SS all year, but why not try a few things?
Gordon or Teahen at SS
I’d posted a similar thought elsewhere, recalling that he did play SS last year. As it turned out, it was for only part of one game, but the question we’re both asking still remains: why not try it until it’s proven as a bad idea?
I can suggest two reasons to try Teahen rather than Gordon first: 1) at SS, Gordon would be absolutely unaffordable if things worked out; 2) at SS, Teahen’s down years (or average years, it’s hard to tell) would still be average or better.
...
proven as a bad idea
it was proven a bad idea in high school when gordon and teahan started playing 3b to begin with
1) at SS, Gordon would be absolutely unaffordable if things worked out;
i doubt it would change much of anything, unless gordon suddenly became a gold glove ss, which is next to impossible for so many reasons, at his level, you are paying for a bat
2) at SS, Teahen’s down years (or average years, it’s hard to tell) would still be average or better.
production is production regardless of where they play. what replaces teahan in the outfield? not this year but in the future in th elong shot he could play ss.
the solution to ss is currently not in this organization (unless moose can stick which is a long ways off and a long shot
Some ideas aren't worth wasting time on
Teahen had poor range for a SS. He’d be an awful SS. And I don’t think there’s any chance Gordon would have sufficient range for SS. You can see their tools and neither is a SS. Not particularly close. Why don’t we try Greinke at DH while we’re at it. He’s hit well in interleague games. Why don’t we do it until it is proven as a bad idea???
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by Scott McKinney on Jun 2, 2008 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I Seem To
Remember reading that Gordon was moved to 3B because he couldn’t go to his right well enough for SS. The foul line hides this deficiency, and he seems to go right very well at 3B. He’s a + at 3B and a defensive liability at SS.
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on Jun 2, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Problem:solution
Have Gordon play SS, but have him play way far right, almost the foul line. Put TPJ in at third, but have him play to the left of Gordon. That’s the way you get Gordon’s bat in at SS!
devil_fingers = baseball strategery genus
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by Matt Klaassen on Jun 2, 2008 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yes!
finally, that would solve the problem of NEEDING to have a good hitting SS.
by I need more Esteban on Jun 2, 2008 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you really think no team has had 4 different players start at SS in 4 consecutive games?
I have a strong feeling this has happened before, and more than once. Cheers to the Royals for only starting Pena once in the last 4 games. Unfortunately, they chose the wrong game for Pena to start, but oh well. I’m glad they’re looking for a solution. I’m also glad they’re not starting Aviles everyday, or anywhere close to it.
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
He certainly shouldn't be a regular SS
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by Scott McKinney on Jun 2, 2008 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
That might be the place he could help the team most
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by Scott McKinney on Jun 2, 2008 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Bullpen Catcher?
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on Jun 2, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, I really think that!
My thoughts were that most teams have a regular shortstop, and then a backup – I suppose due to an injury a team has started 3 in 3 games, but 4 in 4? No way! I doubt that anybody has ever had a roster constructed in such a manner to make this even feasable.
Again, I didn’t post this as a criticism of the team – just pointing out an oddity. I’m sure Jason Stark will have an answer to this question soon – that’s what he does! : )
Anyway, I think we all agree that none of the four candidates constitute a complete player. Pena can only handle the position defensively, while Callaspo and German can only handle it offensively. I presume Aviles is not good enough defensively to start at shortstop – and we have no way to know about him offensively yet. (although he would almost have to better than Pena, no matter how his ML numbers translate)
I'm sure it has happened before in the long history of baseball
And again, probably more than once. My guess (and it is just a guess) is that this has happened several times in the “modern era” (since about 1901).
This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.
by Scott McKinney on Jun 2, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions
5 man pitching rotation, so
why not be innovative, and create the first 5 man shortstop rotation?
We pick up 2 more good hit, no-glove types, and then we can call Pena the “closer” for the 5 rotating shortstops. Just like a real closer, he only comes in when we’re ahead!
Of course, that would mean we would have to go from the current curious roster of 5 middle infielders to the new, laughable roster of 7 middle infielders.
I like it
In reality, Pena should simply be a late-inning defensive replacement, anyway.
So bring up Jason Smith and Berroa, and keep Aviles, German, and Callaspo on the roster along with Pena, who will “close”.
I bet not even Tony LaRussa has thought of this yet!
by cookierojas73 on Jun 2, 2008 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions
He did
but it was right as he dozed through the second stoplight…
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by Matt Klaassen on Jun 2, 2008 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Ugh Gordon @ SS!
Damn whoever brought up those terrible memories of Buddy Bell’s inexplicable strategy to move a RC 3rd baseman all over the damn diamond last year!!!!!! That was one of my MAJOR gripes w/ Buddy
You GoBabies!!!!!!
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on Jun 3, 2008 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
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