Poll Yourself Together

by FretFriendly on Apr 1, 2009 8:10 PM EDT Comment 33 comments

In recent days, several moves have been made in Royals camp. I have to be honest, it has been quite a reality check for me. Baseball analysts everywhere are knighting the Royals as the next Cinderalla, the next Rays, the "surprise" of 2009, etc. While I happen to think all of this hype is great, I'm not so sure Dayton Moore and Trey Hillman believe in their own team. I mean, how the hell could they actually think we were even a possible contender if they are putting Sidney Ponson on the mound opening day versus the Yankees!?

I have openly admitted on this site that I am no expert when it comes to stats, but I have been comparing Sid and HoRam to Banny and Hooch over the last couple of days and I just do not see what the Royals' "experts" see in these two washed up losers (HoRam and Sid).

The only explanation that makes any sense is that Dayton and Trey really do not see us as a contender this year and they are playing for 2010 and beyond. I wish we at RR could get an inside perspective because this just blows me away.

Note: I still think the Royals are a possible contender, but another fan in a recent thread made the point that divisions are often won and lost by a single game. This means if you really want to contend, you have to put together the best team you can with the talent you have EVERYDAY. I don't believe that the Royals FO has done this and that is why I am disappointed. I expected to see Banny and Hooch well before the All-Star break, but if the Royals are trying to crawl out of the cellar at that point, rest assured it will be too little too late.

There has been other activity besides the tail-end of the rotation, so perhaps there is something to mark as positive. Let's run down the last couple of days and let it settle for a moment.

Hochevar optioned to AAA
Ponson named #4 starter, thus, home opener starter vs. Yanks
Ramirez named #5 starter
Bannister optioned to AAA
Gload traded to Florida
Peralta released

Poll

How have the decisions made in the last few days made you feel as a Royals fan?

Sad

6 votes

Angry

7 votes

Jovial

6 votes

No change in feelings

30 votes

It has made me realize that all this talk about "contention" has been balderdash.

17 votes

Ashamed

4 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 33 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

My opnion of all the moves together

is that new popular internet acronym “smh” which is shakes my head.
Although I love the idea of a Gload-less Royals team that whole Ponson and Horacio Ramirez thing really ticks me off.

by Royal from Queens on Apr 1, 2009 8:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I had to vote Jovial

because I’m riding the high of finally being G-load-less.

I think Moore is still trying to do both. He wants to contend this year but also continue to build for future contention. So, the moves with Che and Banny going down are for the future and “saving money” even though we wasted a ton more money with some of the other moves. But, that’s the contend now impulse.

Actually, we don’t know what his marching orders are. Glass may have said, “Look, I’ll pony up more money (which he has) but when the new stadium is opened we have to be good – or good enough not to be a normal absolute embarrassment.” He may be being told to do both – contend now and in the future. But, you can be sure, it’s still on a budget.

The General Theory of Royaltivity

by kabrink on Apr 1, 2009 8:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I need another option

How can this be anything but “mixed” or “conflicted”?

I guess “no change” will have to do

by sterlingice on Apr 1, 2009 9:03 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

The poll wasn't exactly intended for statistical research purposes

In fact there wasn’t much purpose behind it… just a place for people to consolidate their feelings. I really do think these were pretty pivotal moves that were made (with the exception of Peralta; I wasn’t really surprised by that). However, the more I read the more in the blogosphere, the more evident it becomes that most people aren’t really worried. I guess it’s all the same as long as people show up to the games.

by FretFriendly on Apr 2, 2009 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

probably a net zero change

the gload trade made up a little, I guess

by royalsreview on Apr 1, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, my evaluation didn't change much today

but my overreaction was weird. I was in a bad mood from the minute I woke up, for some reason (sorry, everyone). Still, the Gload “trade” (which, as Gopherballs pointed out, is basically just like waiving him when you consider the cash the Royals threw in — it’s hard not to see it as a face-saving maneuver by Moore) I think just reminded me of how idiotic it was to resign him in the first place, and that reminded me of this whole offseason…

So my “thoughts” about the team didn’t change much today, but I still turned out to be grump.

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Apr 2, 2009 3:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Slightly more than a face-saving maneuver

The Royals could have waived him, had him clear waivers and then release him, thus owing him $1.9M.

The Royals could have traded him, throwing in $1.5M and then gotten something back in return.

Face saving aside, I prefer the second option which saves the Royals $400K and gets something very little back in return (Paulo Orlando!).

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 2, 2009 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I assume Leo Nunez wasn't on the table

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Apr 2, 2009 3:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure he's on the list of players Moore will have to choose from

…along with Andrew Miller and Cam Maybin.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 2, 2009 3:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dont forget that the Marlins

Have that nifty option for Gload for next year.

Go Royals!

by BabyBlues on Apr 2, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is it me?

But I just fucking hate HoRam in the rotation a million times more than Ponson being in it..

I would be perfectly HAPPY and i say happy.. if it were Hochevar in the 4 slot and Ponson at 5

Bloomquist. God? Or just an illusion? You be the judge.

by focs on Apr 1, 2009 11:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are right

but for now, HoRam is truly only really in the bullpen anyway.

The General Theory of Royaltivity

by kabrink on Apr 1, 2009 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only thing keeping me sane

is the fact that he will have limited starts early in the season and will likely be nothing more than a relief pitcher that gets the call when the game isn’t exactly on the line. HoRam is terrible.

by FretFriendly on Apr 2, 2009 1:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you give them too much credit

I think you underestimate how much the Royals overestimate the value of left handed starters and “seasoned veterans”. It is quite possible that they really believe the team is better with Hochever and Banny “developing” in AAA.

by Trey Hillman's Chin on Apr 1, 2009 11:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually, that's what concerns me the most

by FretFriendly on Apr 2, 2009 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Angry

The Ponson/HoRam/Hochevar decision is much more impactful than getting rid of Gload. And trading Gload just reminded me of how stupid Dayton was for giving him a two year deal and having him on the roster for so long in the first place.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 2, 2009 9:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

When TPJ breaks camp on the 25 man,

this poll will become moot. That decision, should it come (Melliger thinks it will), will anger this fanbase as much or more than anything to date this spring.

Mr Glass, this is a pro sports team, not a retail store - run it like one!

by loyal2sdad on Apr 2, 2009 4:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

SB Nation's servers will likely melt down

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 2, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

my keyboard is extra-hot already

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Apr 2, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's because

you have devil-finnngersssss (sung to the tune of Goldfinger)

The General Theory of Royaltivity

by kabrink on Apr 2, 2009 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

You are leading the readers to a negative light with MANY negative answers….. Give me a fair poll. This one sucks.

Everyone's recruits look better than ours.

by 306008 on Apr 2, 2009 11:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I feel GREAT about it right now

Hochevar saved for another year of duty with the Royals by delaying arb while not wasting MLB service time with only one start…

Banni needed to go down anyway. It was clear but many of us didn’t want to read the options.

HoRam pitched GREAT while he was in KC last year. Let’s be open to giving him another chance especially only having one or two starts before Hoch comes back up.

Ponson is the fall guy. If he does good, so be it. If he doesn’t, he’s out, Hoch is back up, and we are back to where we all thought we’d be. But Ponson is being used by the Royals….

Peralta is no longer giving up HRs in our pen.

Gload is out of the way which by itself should have made the ENTIRE RR nation ecstatic. Plus he MAY bring something of minor value back to us in the future.

I’m optimistic about all these moves and I feel great about how they were executed. I feel that we will contend early as well as late into the season. We have a new set of leaders within the club (Jacobs/CoCo) who know what it takes to win. They will lead the development of our youngsters. We have some pitchers who are aces. They will be great. Luke will learn and season a little in AAA while staying here LONGER. Banni shouldn’t have been in the majors last year and is where he can put it back together….

Everyone's recruits look better than ours.

by 306008 on Apr 2, 2009 11:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jovial!?!

How is that negative…?

by FretFriendly on Apr 3, 2009 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe he’s talking about how four of the options were negative, one was neutral and one was positive. I don’t think it’s a big deal as this isn’t exactly a scientific poll, but it was skewed a little to the negative. Kind of like this:

Do you think these moves were

A. Bad
B. Horrible
C. Awful
D. Catastrophic
E. Apocalyptic
F. Worse than the Holocaust
G. Didn’t ruin the team, but did crush my soul

;)

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 3, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm pretty sure I admitted that several posts up...

It’s all apart of the thesis of my post…

I vote “G” on your poll

by FretFriendly on Apr 3, 2009 3:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's cool

I have no problem with the poll. It won’t affect the outcome of an election or anything.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 3, 2009 3:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I voted twice...

by FretFriendly on Apr 3, 2009 3:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What??

HoRam pitched GREAT while he was in KC last year. Let’s be open to giving him another chance especially only having one or two starts before Hoch comes back up.

If you had been the slut who Jesus defended in the book of John (I think), I would have been the first to cast a stone, despite the fact I know I have made stupid comments on this site.

by FretFriendly on Apr 3, 2009 3:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs