Midafternoon Royals Links: Even Gibbons Thinks the Ship is Sinking

by Freneau on Jun 22, 2009 2:05 PM EDT in Kansas City Royals News

It's weeks like this last one that explain why so many Royals blogs seem to drop dead without warning during the middle of the season. Though in the short term a terrible Royal-sized meltdown will produce a flurry of activity, which is what we're seeing now.

Royals-related links up top, general baseball links below, with a few surprises mixed in. Also, please note the launch of SBN's newest baseball blog, MLB Daily Dish, which has hit the ground running with near-constant posting of rumors, trade talk, etc. As always, feel free to shot me an email if you have a link you'd like to suggest.

Oh, I'm also going to begin posting Braves-related minor league links as well. I think you know why.

Royals Authority goes negative: What We Learned - Royals Authority
(Not necessarily) The Top 10 things broken about the Royals so far, Part 1 | Mellinger's Blog on the Royals and Baseball
Sports Radio 810 WHB - Wins don't attract fans, T-shirt Tuesdays do!
Royal Reflections: Royals Still Searching for Answers
The Pipeline: Royals on the Farm 6/19 & 6/20
How to explain Brian Bannister | Upon Further Review & How to explain Brian Bannister: Part II | Upon Further Review (The Star's really doing great things baseball-wise.)
2 007 Draft Class (Rounds 6-15) | Kings of Kauffman | A Kansas City Royals Blog
RR Watches the 4th Inning Sunday

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Comments

Another batch of links

and still no interview with Jim Wong.

by Gopherballs on Jun 22, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

this is n't a bad idea

by Freneau on Jun 22, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

SHEA HILLENBRAND NOW!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions

if Dayton couldn't sign him for 3/36 this offseason

I’m pretty sure he won’t sign now

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jun 22, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, apparently nobody else is willing...

to “keep it real” like Shea does. Make it happen. At least then there might be SOME entertainment out at the K.

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

"I was doing this when BJ was in his father's nutsack." -Renzo Gracie

by Sweep_the_Leg on Jun 22, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Wily Mo Pena is now available

He is a poor, poor, poor man’s Jose Guillen. So if we trade JoGui, we have a ready replacement.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

A guy bet me once that Pena would end up with more career HR's than Dunn

heh

by marbotty on Jun 22, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions

he could still surprise ya!

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jun 23, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

For a team supposedly extremely worried about how poor the defense is

I can’t for the life of me figure out why they’re willing to play Willie Bloomquist in center field, when they’ve got a guy who played there his entire career playing in LF.

by Top Ramen on Jun 22, 2009 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

The organization hates DJ

I cannot find another explanation.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Sadface

Yet at this point, exactly what other conclusion is there?

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jun 22, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

When Moore came in and immediately traded for Gathright

I figured he’s follow through and trade DeJesus to fill other holes.

Then, when he traded for Crisp, I figured he’d follow through and trade DeJesus to fill other holes.

And yet, here we are — running Willie Bloomquist and a somewhat overmatched Mitch Maier out in CF. Oh well, at least the LF defense is good!

by Top Ramen on Jun 22, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

HEY

Maier made one HELL of a catch in the 1st inning on sunday…that play was ridiculous and I stood up and cheered…great play, while giving up the body running into that chain link fence out there

Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat

by DESTROYER on Jun 23, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

too bad he didnt even attempt to catch the double that bounced two feet up on the wall

that put the game away in zacks last start…instead he jogged and stopped 15 feet from the wall…conceding a double

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Jun 23, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

While DDJ's range has definitelyl taken a hit over the years

his UZR/150 in LF so far on the year (SSS warning) is +14.1, which certainly implies a guy who could still be at least adequate in center.

Not really relevant (although tomorrow’s Driveline article will have a bit on this) here… I’m just too tired to rant about Willie B.’s “versatility” and so on at thispoint.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jun 22, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Uh oh

I hope I did not steal your driveline thunder with my comment below.

by Gopherballs on Jun 22, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

"Driveline Thunder" would be an awesome name for a band

but no, it’ll be something else tomorrow, if I can get it written decently.

And Langerhans stole my heart last fall, only to have Dayton Moore throw it on the ground and stomp on it when he failed to pick up (for “free” on waivers!) one of the few ex-Braves worth acquiring.

(The other was Russell Branyan. Oh well. I’m sure the Royals are just as good with Crisp and Jacobs as they would have been with Branyan, Langerhans, Nunez, and Ramirez).

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jun 22, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Wasn't Driveline Thunder the band on "Lost"?

One of the other (nearly) free talents I liked this offseason was Matt Murton, who is now posting a .500+ wOBA in elevation-inflated Colorado Springs. That obviously will not continue, but ZIPS rest of the year projection has him at .347 wOBA, and for his MLB career, he has been a slightly above average fielder in the corners (albeit with zero style points).

by Gopherballs on Jun 22, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Driveshaft

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jun 22, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Free Matt Murton!

Murton and Quintanilla for Jimmy Gobble!!!!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

We were blaming the no snark post

by Official Arrowhead Pride Parade on Jun 22, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions

As a Royals fan, we all should have learned by now that there is only one thing to do...

SERENITY NOW!!

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

"I was doing this when BJ was in his father's nutsack." -Renzo Gracie

by Sweep_the_Leg on Jun 22, 2009 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

The big Trey topic today

AWKWARD

by BHWick on Jun 22, 2009 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

wow, is that real?

cue theme song from Deliverance

by marbotty on Jun 22, 2009 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

the 610 squawkers say that

Trey talking to Tony for 20 minutes in the Cards dugout before the game wasn’t cool

by BHWick on Jun 22, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes

MLB managers are akin to street gang leaders. In order to keep their street cred, they cannot be seen fraternizing with other gang members/leaders unless it is merely an elaborate attempt to “smoke them fools.”

While that picture is not cool (no doubt Trey will be unable to Google himself for the next 20 years without seeing 157 versions of that photo popping up on the first few pages), I fail to see the problem with some pre-game socializing with the “enemy.” Pro coaches in almost every other sport do it (most prominently the NFL). Players do it. It might even be considered “cordial” and exhibiting some “professional courtesy.”

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

"I was doing this when BJ was in his father's nutsack." -Renzo Gracie

by Sweep_the_Leg on Jun 22, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah that's kind of a non-issue for me.

by stuckinstl12 on Jun 22, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

But they dont do it on the other team's bench..

I think it is wrong and embarrassing

But I also think it isn’t a HUGE DEAL

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

by focs on Jun 22, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I nominate this as the next Caption Contest pic!!!!

by MarioVanPeebles Republic of China on Jun 22, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions

the possibilities are endless

TDLR: “Trey, is that a banana in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?”

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Jun 23, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Ex-Royals news

Twins are calling up P Bob Keppel. You don’t find too many guys our age named “Bob” anymore.

I like Bob back in the day. That was like, five years ago.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

it's hard to believe he got another chance

When can we lose to him?

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jun 22, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

well, we play Minnesota in a week

so we’ll see if we face him…..i’m guessing he’s a bullpen guy for them, since their rotation is pretty filthy (as in good & efficient) with Liriano,Blackburn,Slowey,Baker,and now Perkins.

by Fernando Vina School of Linguistics on Jun 22, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Liriano's actually below average this year

But yeah, it’s a pretty good rotation.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jun 22, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

he was teammates with Huber in Rochester!

by Freneau on Jun 22, 2009 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Looking for something to watch tonight?

Louis Coleman, future Royal, is starting for LSU in the CWS finals versus Texas.

I’m proud of myself – I resisted the urge to label him “Louis Coleman, future Royals bust”

(Actually, I am quite high on Coleman’s potential as a future pro)

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

by loyal2sdad on Jun 22, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

The way this week is going

Coleman will blow out his arm on live national television.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 22, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

He isn't pitching well.

It seems like when Texas makes contact, they’re getting bombs.

- W. Bloomquist homered to deep center
- P. Earth explodes

by JobDDT on Jun 22, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

CF Help

With Crisp out (and DDJ apparently not an option), why not take a look at a player outside the organization? The outfield-rich Nationals really have no use for devil_fingers-approved Ryan Langerhans, who is productively biding his time in AAA (279/383/508, .385 wOBA) while waiting for the Nats to flip him to another team needing OF depth for a player to be named later.

At 29, Langerhans is no prospect or long-term answer, but he can get on-base, hits left-handed, and can probably still play an acceptable CF. He is basically the player now that we hope Maier might develop into. Langerhans would give the team an upgrade over the other CF options for the rest of this year, and with an extended audition, might play his way into a role as fourth outfielder for next year.

by Gopherballs on Jun 22, 2009 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs