Will the Royals keep Horacio Ramirez?

by NYRoyal on Apr 18, 2009 6:16 AM EDT Comment 28 comments

Horacio Ramirez has been pitching like crap. I won't bother posting the stats; I don't think I need to. This comes as no surprise to most people, who expected him to stink. The question is, what will the Royals do with him? But my question isn't about his usage. He might make one more start, or maybe not even that many. His days as a possible starter are numbered. But if he continues to pitch poorly, do you think the Royals will keep him around at all?

Last year, the Royals signed Brett Tomko for $3M. He was brought in for much the same 5th starter/reliever role. He had some decent starts early, but didn't pitch very well overall and the Royals released him on June 20. Horacio Ramirez was signed for $1.8M plus a variety of incentives (only the incentives for number of appearances has any real shot of paying out; the first kicks in at 17 app.). Would the Royals be willing to eat his salary?

So far it appears that Dayton Moore understands the concept of sunk costs. He ate Tomko's contract and released him. He traded away Berroa and Gload, paying off the remainder of their contracts. Will he do that for HoRam? Or does his persistent left-handedness keep him on the roster all season?

Poll

Will Horacio Ramirez be with the Royals all year?

Yes, he's a lefty and a former Brave. He's here to stay.

24 votes

No, Moore will eat his contract and trade or release him at some point.

74 votes

98 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 28 comments

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Comments

Looks like we all have a lot of confidence

in Moore’s ability to realize a sunk cost when he sees it…let us hope this trust is not misplaced.

I'd rather be watching baseball.

by Sisquatch Kids on Apr 18, 2009 10:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Kid can pitch

We should lock that young man in.

Pecota, watch over us.

by castille on Apr 18, 2009 10:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He'll pitch one start

And then they will adjust. They’re not that stupid. I don’t think.

by Royal from Queens on Apr 18, 2009 11:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hochevar gets called up in May, lefty Bale comes off the DL

Someone’s gotta go, and I’m liking Waechter and Wright more than Ho-Ram in the pen.

by andrewmiller on Apr 18, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

I think when Hoch and Bale rejoin the big-league team, HoRam is probably the odd man out.

by DarthYoshi on Apr 18, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm surprised the voting is as lopsided as it is

30-2 as I type this.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 18, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We need at least one more loogy

If Bale is effective when he comes back, Ho Ram is gone. Until then, I’d rather not see him unless it’s a blowout. I guess we’ll have to suffer one more start at least.

I don’t really like having a bullpen full of veteran guys. I’d like to have at least one spot open for a high upside young guy to get some ML experience (i.e. Rosa). The way it is now, some of those vets will have to get injured before that’s a possibility.

by Big Guy on Apr 18, 2009 11:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ho-Ram is not a lefty specialist.

by bluenm on Apr 18, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he is, however, probably a TPJ specialist

by DarthYoshi on Apr 18, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they will let him take his turn through the rotation . . .

. . . a couple of times before they let him go. May 5th might be the date Hochevar is available, but I bet the Royals won’t make the more until the first week of june.

by Chyladin on Apr 18, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And his wife's not even a playmate

The Tomko example is instructive.

GMDM will cut bait.

by howserfan2 on Apr 18, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd forgotten about HoRam's wife

NYRoyal will be heartbroken!

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by devil_fingers on Apr 18, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That does suck

Although it’s not like having him with the Royals has enabled me to see a lot of pictures of her. :(

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 18, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and if he gets cut, they'll never buy a house in the KC area!

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by devil_fingers on Apr 18, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Yankees just gave up 14 runs in an inning

Even HoRam isn’t that bad. Maybe they would give something useful for him?

by AxDxMx on Apr 18, 2009 5:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sure

I’d trade him for Wang straight up…

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by devil_fingers on Apr 18, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We'll throw in TPJ to add some defense too

To fall is not failure, failure is refusing to get up

by ksuroyals on Apr 19, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Urge to kill rising....

must….terminate….HoRam….

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Apr 18, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't see KC bailing out on HoRam after two weeks in the season

They paid him for 2 seasons and will use the “It’s early in the season and he hasn’t hit his groove yet” rationale. Yeah, I’d give the Yankees a call – catch them when they are embarrassed. Ramirez will pitch out of the bullpen if not the rotation since he is a lefty and did it last year.

by daveyork on Apr 18, 2009 7:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think they'll release him soon

…but eventually. Like Tomko, who stayed around until June. But I do see them moving him out of the rotation very soon.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 19, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he stayed with Jimmy for as long as he did he'll stay with HIS guys longer.

The 2009 Official You Got Rocked by the Royals and Sent to the Minors List
1. Josh Rupe TEX April 17

by 306008 on Apr 18, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

jimmy was actually useful

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Apr 18, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tomko was HIS guy

I’m just saying.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Apr 19, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why the hell did we sign the bum in the first place?

Was Scott Elarton unavailable? Albie Lopez? Darrell May? Limatime? At least there was a very slim chance that one of those guys would get a quality start. Dump this loser now and bring up Ducky or Hoch.

Yes, I'm still alive. Sorry to disappoint you.

by royaldaddy on Apr 19, 2009 1:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs