Mitch Maier NOW; Gathright to DL

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 24, 2008 4:21 PM EDT

Reported by a poster at Royals Corner, now confirmed by 610 Sports, Mitch Maier is in Kansas City.

Maier is hitting .316/.366/.470 with 9 HR and 41 RBI in Omaha. He just hit a home run last night and drove in three.

Rumor is a trade is afoot according to our anonymous Royals Corner poster. Jayson Stark is reporting Jose Guillen is drawing interest, particularly from the Braves, but the Royals are asking for too much. Others have pointed out Jim Moloney's reported rumor that the Royals are interested in Jeff Franceour. And there are the Olivo to New York rumors.

Update: Turns out Gathright will be placed on the DL. Probably the same mysterious ailment that bothered Jimmy Gobble and Alberto Callaspo.

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Verrryyyy interesting.

by djk royal on Jul 24, 2008 4:24 PM EDT 0 recs

Who's been removed from the 25 to make room for him?

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 24, 2008 4:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Aha.

When does Gload come down with a mystery ailment?

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 24, 2008 4:28 PM EDT 0 recs

Great!

I am looking forward to seeing what he can do in the bigs.

Costa probably is beating the crap out of some bartender right now.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 4:28 PM EDT 0 recs

I know

but Maier Now!

by royalsreview on Jul 24, 2008 4:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

UNBELIEVEABLE

DDJ/TEAH FOR TEXEIRA. CAN’T BELIEVE DAYTON JUST PULLED THAT OFF.

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 4:30 PM EDT 0 recs

jk

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 4:30 PM EDT 0 recs

Wheeeee

Maybe Maier will hit the baseball and get on some bases.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 24, 2008 4:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Gload/Banni or Guillen/Mahay/Olivo Trade What is it gonna be?

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 4:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Concerning these "DL" stints given

With Callaspo, that’s legitimate as what he’s dealing with is essentially medical but with Gobble and Gathright (shoulder) and others – why don’t teams do this more often? I realize that the Player’s Union could file grievances, but seriously – when someone sucks, why not just DL them for as long as possible and hope they work their stuff out in the minors/rehabbing. Wouldn’t it be safer than DFAing someone?

If the Union complains,  you address the situation, but otherwise, just let them work stuff out on the DL.

by jsolo on Jul 24, 2008 4:34 PM EDT 0 recs

Ignore that screwy formatting

Not sure why that happened. It just read: If the Union complains, you address the situation, otherwise just let them work stuff out on the DL.

by jsolo on Jul 24, 2008 4:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

LaRussa has been doing that all year with his crappy bullpen

by Fernando Vina School of Linguistics on Jul 24, 2008 6:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Its a "bone bruise"

Royals: Gathright to DL

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 24, 2008 4:38 PM EDT 0 recs

"hitting" bone

My mother's basement is better than YOUR mother's basement!!

by Royal Kingdom on Jul 24, 2008 4:49 PM EDT up 1 recs

the character brigade in the frot office obviously

doesn’t consider option/dl mores to be worth sweating

by royalsreview on Jul 24, 2008 4:41 PM EDT 0 recs

he he

by djk royal on Jul 24, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

MAIER PRESENTLY!

Actually, am pretty pleased by this. Been a big fan since he was drafted, and feel he’ll be a big upgrade over Gathy.

This space intentionally left blank.

by marbotty on Jul 24, 2008 4:46 PM EDT 0 recs

Not very big shoes to fill that's for sure.

by djk royal on Jul 24, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

surprised he ever cylced through in 2007

first time in KC since Sept of 2006

Mitch was hitting .316/.366/.470 in Omaha, while Costa was at .295/.354/.469, with probably lesser defense

by royalsreview on Jul 24, 2008 4:51 PM EDT 0 recs

Maier is supposed to be a good defender.

by djk royal on Jul 24, 2008 4:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

I understand Maier is an excellent defender

He has played CF throughout most of his minor league career and, as I understand it, was considered the best outfield defender in the organization until this year.

Well, we’ll see soon enough.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

cool... i was just about to ask about his glove

i’d much rather watch a team with Aviles ad Maier than Pena and Gathright

I’m ready for new faces

by royalsreview on Jul 24, 2008 5:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'd rather watch Aviles

and a bag of poo than watch Pena and anyone.

by benfunke on Jul 24, 2008 8:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's pretty awesome

That he’s such a good defender, seeing as he’s played the outfield for like 3 years. He was a catcher in college, then they tried him at third base, then left field, then center. So, basically Maier didn’t start playing CF until midway in the 2006 season when they moved Lubanski to LF from CF.

He just has great baseball instincts.

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Jul 24, 2008 5:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

Boring

All the speculation/anticipation and its just Gathright to the DL. Hopefully Mitch gets some PT tonight against RH Garza. I wouldn’t mind seeing Oscar Maier get a 100-150 AB’s the rest of the year. Put Joey on the 60 day.

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 4:54 PM EDT 0 recs

He's playing tonight

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Jul 24, 2008 5:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mitch Maier's BP Minor League Translation (not a prediction of how he would hit in the majors)

.266/.312/.391 .249 EqA

Gathright: .251/.302/.267 .222 EqA

Progress?

by Gopherballs on Jul 24, 2008 4:59 PM EDT 0 recs

I don’t know for sure but he is probably a better fielder than Joey. Not as fast but probably a better read off the bat.

I heard Frank White talk about him on 610am and with pretty much every young player Frank coached him. I know I am living in the past but I wish KC would’ve given Frank a shot to Head Coach at KC. Instead of Buddy/Treyball oh well Hillman is far from the problem though.

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 5:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Meh

Frank seems to like the bunting and stealing just as much.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 24, 2008 5:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hopefully

as the “Head Coach” Frank could get the team to score a lot more points.

by raefzilla on Jul 24, 2008 5:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

Has anyone else noticed that Frank White and Emmanuel Stewart

have the exact same voice? I’m waiting for Frank to say Lenox needs to stopping jabbing and go for the knockout punch. Maybe we should add Larry “The Drunk” Merchant to the booth with Ryan and Split

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

we can always hope for another aviles like abberation

by royalsreview on Jul 24, 2008 5:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

Aberation? He was OPSing over a 1.000 when called up.

so his 850 MLB OPS isn’t completely out of nowhere.

by djk royal on Jul 24, 2008 5:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

Speaking of which, remember when Jay Bruce was all the rage?

His current OPS is .760…

My mother's basement is better than YOUR mother's basement!!

by Royal Kingdom on Jul 24, 2008 5:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

But you don't understand.

If Jay Bruce can be so awesome right after they called him up, why is Alex Gordon still struggling, HUH?

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 24, 2008 5:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm pretty sure its because they have curbed their

expectations of him in Cincy.

My mother's basement is better than YOUR mother's basement!!

by Royal Kingdom on Jul 24, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up 1 recs

As I understand it,

the pitchers stop throwing Bruce fastballs. He will need to make the adjustment. He’ll be fine. So will Alex. They both will be good players.

The player I am really surprised to see doing so well this year is Josh Hamilton. Good for him. I never saw this coming.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 5:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Those Cincinnati fans must be so much smarter and more rational

Than us uncouth irrational emotional Royals fans

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 24, 2008 8:20 PM EDT up 1 recs

Banner day

This signifies one of two things:

Maier is seen as at least a potential 4th OF for the future, if not a potential starter for the future,

OR

GMDM has finally realized ANY move to counter the opening of Chiefs Training Camp is worth doing in KC as a desperate attempt to keep the spotlight on baseball.

by loyal2sdad on Jul 24, 2008 5:38 PM EDT 0 recs

Proving my point

I just looked at the Star online, and on the cover (not on the sports), there is a story about 200 fans going to Arrowhead today to see the team off on their trip to River Falls for training camp.

I understand KC is a football town, but damn, the Chiefs were a lot worse than the Royals last season!

Can you imagine ANY fans seeing the Royals off to Arizona for spring training, if the even DARED to create such an event? Can you imagine the ridicule trying that would create?

To NYROYAL: This is an example of why we post more after losses – the team is much more of a laughingstock than you could possibly imagine, especially since you live so far away from it. That’s why the losses hurt, and we seem irrational to you at times – you haven’t had to live with your favorite team being ridiculed and constantly treated as 2nd class to NEARLY the extent those of us in the area have.

It’s OK – I don’t hold it against you : )

by loyal2sdad on Jul 24, 2008 6:06 PM EDT 0 recs

In fairness

it’s not easy being a Royal fan in Yankeeville, either.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 24, 2008 7:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Maybe for 2 weeks a year

when he is at the game. Other than that time most True New Yorkers wouldn’t pay any attention.

Who cares about RBI's, how many HDB's you got?

by kcscoliny on Jul 24, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Do you think the Royals aren't laughingstocks in NYC?

At least in KC there are some Royals fans. Here any mention of the Royals leads to laughter, ridicule and bad jokes.

And I still don’t get why the fact that the Royals are a laughingstock (both in KC as well as NYC and elsewhere) explains why we Royals fans prefer to be negative and bash the team incessantly after losses and Royals wins barely go noticed around here.

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

by NYRoyal on Jul 24, 2008 9:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Looking at Maier's minor league track record

I’m going to take a broad view:

Rookie and Low A, he spent relatively short time in each.

High A, first stint he OPSed 714. Next stint, 953.

AA, first stint he OPSed 705, next stint, 830.

AAA, first stint he OPSed 748, next stint, 836.

Looks like the classic example of a player who develops, but at a slower rate. Probably means he will struggle at big league level this season, but there is a chance he could prove useful next season, if the Royals are patient.

On the positive side, it looks like he has made significant strides in cutting down on his strikeouts this season.

I’ve seen him play in person, I can report that he is major league caliber defensively, and in my opinion good enough to play all 3 outfield positions defensively in the big leagues. Will be interesting to see how he is deployed when he plays vis-a-vie DDJ. Which will be in centerfield? I assume DDJ, but the club sure seems itching to get him outa center long term, don’t they?

by loyal2sdad on Jul 24, 2008 6:36 PM EDT 0 recs