24-38

by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 5:52 PM EDT in News

Thaaaaaaaaa Yankees win.

Helluva game, and a revenge contest for Johnny Damon, who went 6-6 (although in effect 5-6, as he was gunned down trying to stretch a single into a double).

Lots to discuss, but maybe not much to say?

Huge day by Guillen. Two homers, two guys thrown out on the bases and a single to boot.
Another long day for the bullpen (after a rough May).
A tough outing for Banny (even though it was a day game).
More flukey excellence for Aviles, who I now believe leads the team in extra base hits.
Royals drew two walks in a 12-11 marathon. I believe this ties a season high in walks drawn. (kidding)
Your Tomko ERA update: 6.34
Your Ramirez ERA update: 3.49.

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by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 5:53 PM EDT 0 recs

Not much to say

The offense woke up and did its job and then some. The bullpen is gassed and faced a good offense.

And I came this close to getting a foul ball. It hit came down behind me, two seats over and bounced down to the row below me one seat over. I almost got it twice. Ended up in the hands of some guido Yankee fan.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 5:59 PM EDT 0 recs

Ready for the Aviles Avalanche

Hey—that another nickname idea… I know you prefer “El Salvatore” (sp?), but it’s “Off the Table” for me.

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

by devil_fingers on Jun 7, 2008 6:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think your nickname is one level of abstraction too many

...but well crafted nonetheless.

Yes, the Aviles love is going to come fast and furious. He hits lefties well. Should be interesting to see how he hits against more RHP’s and after 50-100 PA’s.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 6:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

we need to get german over 200

then trade him for whatever we can get

by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think they are trying

I think that’s why he’s been at SS as much as he has been.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 6:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not that it's the end of the world

but it is a bit frustrating that, if they knew he didn’t have a place on the team and they wanted to trade him, that they didn’t work him into the lineup more earlier on (leaving aside exactly where he needs to be) to build up his value then, instead of letting him rot on the bench. I assume that Gms know better than to look at his numbers in a small number of at-bats and say “that’s German,” but it can’t help.

I realize that they may not have gotten much for him before the season, but sitting him so much earlier on didn’t help much.

I dunno, I’m probably thinking about this the wrong way. DMGM probably wanted to see how the season was shaping up. I certainly don’t get why Callaspo ever sits when Grudz is out if he’s really being considered the future at 2B, but that’s yet another issue.

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

by devil_fingers on Jun 7, 2008 6:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't know that showcasing him for a trade should have been the Royals primary motivation

Callaspo is the 2B of the future. I’m more interested in developing him than pumping up German’s trade value.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 7:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree on Callaspo

My comment didn’t make that clear. The main thing is that I don’t understand the point of keeping German around this long if there isn’t time to play him, or if he plays at the expense of Callaspo or something. Personally, I think that German will get on-base enough to be worth having around as at least a frequently-used utility infielder (and enough to justify having him on the roster despite the bad glove), but it seems like he’s played just enough to have bad first-glance numbers while taking away some at-bats from Callaspo in the process.

Anyway, I assume DMGM knows how the minds of other GMs work. I guess he figures that, despite the lack of time and numbers, German will bring in the same or more value from a motivated buyer during the season than he would have in the off-season.

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

by devil_fingers on Jun 7, 2008 7:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

keeping German around

The main thing is that I don’t understand the point of keeping German around this long if there isn’t time to play him

I think Moore has been shopping him at least since sometime in spring training. But of course we don’t know what he has asked for or what he was offered. We’ve all heard the rumors, but we have no idea how true they are or if that is what was proposed by Colletti or by Moore. Personally, I wouldn’t have traded German for just whatever I could get. If I didn’t think I was getting a good offer, I’d hold onto him. We still have him under team control for two more years. He might be tradeable this summer. If not, perhaps this coming offseason. He’s still cheap and useful. I wouldn’t have been in a big hurry to trade him just because we have more middle IFers than we need (particularly considering the frequency with which Grudz goes on the DL). I’d let the trade offers make the decision for me. If Moore gets a good one, he should trade him. If not, he should hold onto him. There’s no rush.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ah

didn’t realize the Royals had him for that much longer. I also think I just got sucked in by all the trade rumors to as to assume that the trade was inevitable. I agree, keep him around.

Obviously, a team wants the best all-around players, even for utility players. While most “good” utility players are (at least reputed to be) good glove no hit guys, I think that German’s offensive skills are more than enough to make up for his defensive problems, especially as a bench guy or injury fill in. I also think, as Rany suggested, that they should try him at 1B against lefties, at. least, especially with Butler at Omaha. Then the Royals get their best-hitting OF out there, too (DeJesus, Guillen, Teahen).

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

by devil_fingers on Jun 7, 2008 8:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

One caveat

Since we don’t know what was offered by either side, we don’t know for sure if Moore has made a good decision with regard to German. For all we know, he may have been offered Hu or Meloan (although I find it highly unlikely). That’s why it is hard to blame GM’s for deals not made. One never knows which deals were ever possible.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 8:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

how does Juan Rivera's minor league pedigree compare to TPJs

when can we name him a starter and give him 1000 at bats?

by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 6:04 PM EDT 1 recs

They are both all glove, no hit SS's

But Rivera is only 21. But he is likely just roster filler for the rest of his professional career. I have a feeling Berroa will be playing for the T-Bones next year with Cal Pickering. They can share Royals stories and gripe about how they never got enough of a chance.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

this is totally mean

but i wonder how much of his money berroa has saved

i have every reason to believe he’s now living paycheck to huge paycheck

by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 6:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

I hope he saved, because it is the last salary in baseball he's going to get which exceeds $50K per annum

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

he could become a Joe Torre guy though

and be a dodger for the next 10 years

Joe likes terrible bench players

by royalsreview on Jun 7, 2008 6:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Perhaps. I can't see anyone with like Berroa

I don’t think Torre is a particular baseball genius. But I don’t see him as that stupid. Even Torre’s bad bench players usually did at least one thing fairly well. Berroa doesn’t do anything well.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jun 7, 2008 6:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't think Torre's a big fan of weed

+ Berroa has never been good at defense, or perceived as being so (um, well, I think there might be a few people who think so reading this, so I’ll cede that debate to others). Sure, Torre will play guys who suck at defense, but they have to have a “rep” as being good at it. Cf. Luis Sojo, maybe Jeter (bad example, as, until this season and the second half of last season, his bat made up for it.)

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

by devil_fingers on Jun 7, 2008 6:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Pickering >>>> Berroa

Cal could actually come back and hit 50 homers.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 7, 2008 9:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Peralta needs to go

and so does tomko.

bring up Musser and maybe Dusty Hughes or Jarrod Plummer.

Accidentally not thedude925 anymore. I do hate this new name.

by wildthang on Jun 7, 2008 8:28 PM EDT 1 recs

i agree we could use fresher arms too abuse

by cfizzle on Jun 7, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't think there's

much harm in carrying either one…but Peralta might have very little left in the tank after his workload last year. I should’ve mentioned that in an SB post.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 7, 2008 9:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Tomko

...has a six-plus ERA no matter how one splits it, and Hochevar is on his way to being the next Tomko.

by Stat Ninja on Jun 8, 2008 12:52 AM EDT 0 recs

hoch may turn it around

he is but a rookie

by cfizzle on Jun 8, 2008 10:56 AM EDT up 0 recs

Hochevar, Davies, and Tomko

Hochevar has youth on his side and little else. So far, he’s granted almost as many walks as strikeouts in two short MLB stints, and his minor league numbers weren’t all that impressive, either.

Davies arrived in the bigs with a walk problem and a HR problem, but he had had much better success in five complete minor league seasons than Hochevar. It has taken Davies more than three years to adjust to MLB hitters, and he’s still working on it.

I had forgotten how dominant Tomko had been in the minors until I looked him up on the Baseball Cube today. He rocketed through the system to make his MLB debut in his third season in1997 and even pitched well for the Reds for a couple of years. His problem hasn’t been issuing too many walks until recent years (and not as bad as Davies or Hochevar), but he has been giving up too many HRs since 1999. In all fairness, Tomko can probably rebound this year better than Davies or Hochevar. I like his chances to progress toward the mean over both Hochevar and Davies being above-average starters by season’s end. I hope that at least one of Hochevar or Davies will be an above-average starter by 2010.

by Stat Ninja on Jun 8, 2008 12:43 PM EDT up 0 recs