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by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 4:17 PM EDT in News Comment 51 comments

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

What? We came back and picked up a starter who didn't have a great day? Is that legal?

Luke Hochevar wasn't good today, but wasn't terribad either. The two dingers aren't good for a sinkerballer's ERA, but Hooch got nine groundouts against four flyouts today. He also K'ed three, which he's going to need to start to do more often. While you have to wonder how much better Luke's ERA would be if the Royals fielded a real-live major league defense, less than 4 K/9 is too low to expect much success. Call it the Jeremy Sowers principle, if you want.

Callaspo's back over .300, and continues to impress with the bat. Given Billy Buckner's recent struggles with the Diamondbacks, it seems like we might have won at least one trade in the Moore era. Well, two. There was the one where we gave the Marlins Ross Gload.

One thing I am sure of: Brayan Pena will maintain a 900+ OPS if inserted into a more regular role.

One thing I really am sure of: I'd rather have Brayan Pena than Miguel Olivo. Moore really should be looking to parlay Olivo's recent hot streak into a deadline deal.

Bloomquist Batting Average update: .266.

Props to Trey Hillman for recognizing that Mike Jacobs can't hit lefties and PHing Pena in the first place. I cracked wise in the game thread, but at least it's a sign than Trey has learned....something....sometime....somewhere.

Soria is on pace for about 40 innings this year. He was very good today, but it still seems like a waste.

Happy 4th! The Royals Win! Miguel Olivo walked for the third time this year! The Giants win the pennant! Canada is invading Michigan!

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If Dayton demotes BP and keeps TPJ

then fuck Dayton

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Does Pena have options?

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, BPJ

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BP has to make it through waivers again

TPJ does too. But a herpes epidemic has a higher value to a baseball team than TPJ

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Nice to have a write up after a win. Rec'd.

Although I must also add that, given that the Royals picked up most of Gload’s salary over the minimum and that he’s got an 0.3 WAR, which (not counting today’s games yet) is about half-a-win better than Mike Jacobs.

So much for post-Jacobs trade reacharound.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I know we lost it, logically

I’m just to glad to be free of Gload.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

on the subject of DHs

reading the Gordon interview from Omaha makes me wonder about this: if the teams insists on bringing Gordon back at less than “100%” (and maybe it’s fine, I doni’t know), and furthermore, the team continues to ignore Kila Ka’ahue, why not give Gordon a lot of PAs at DH while he’s still getting his legs at 3B right under him?

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's probably not something we should worry about

the “less than 100%” thing. But let’s face it, this training staff has everyone jumping at shadows. If they’re rushing Gordon at all, that seems pointless.

DHing – well yeah, it’s a good idea. Ideally, we’d be realizing that we’re playing a born DH platoon player as a starting 1B. Ugh. Just ugh. Ka’aihue really seems to have proved his non-AAA flukiness to the point where I’m almost surprised he’s not on the big league team.

But then, we need Luis Luis and TPJ and Tug Hulett. For some reason. Are you doing any sort of first-half review post, bt dubbs?

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

for driveline?

Maybe. That’s kind of a tall order. I wouldn’t know where to start with the whole league.

I was doing to start doing my own power rankings, but I think they’re so much like like JinAZ’s that I’d get sued — if only iI’d thought of it earlier.

On thing on TPJ and TPJJ and Tug — it finally solves the mystery of what Moore would do when faced with a hoice between (a) former Braves and a former Mariner.

Seriously, Tug is a utility player at best, but I don’t see any reason he isn’t being used. He actually has upside — sure, it’s “platoon 2B” upside, but that’s upside on this team. There MIGHT be a point to having one of TPJ or TPJJ stashed in OMAHA, but both of them… blah blah blah everyone says it blah blah balh i can’t believe things have gotten to the point where I’m complaining about Tug Hulett’s playing time.

ON the other hand, if DDJ and/or Teahen gets traded and Gordon gets back why not try Callaspo in LF and Tug at 2B for a while?

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For RR, I meant

Hulett should get more playing time, really. For the reasons you’re stating here and because he has a better name than the two-headed no-hit SS monster.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no

remember, I don’t work here (sniff)

I’m trying to cut down a bit on my extra-DM blogging. Not because my thoughts are so valuable, but because I’m spending too much time on this stuff. I need to do my “real” work. Big changes coming.

But hey, it would be fun to be included in a roundtable thing if you guys wanted to do that (or you could do it without me).

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll bring up the roundtable possibility

To be honest, sometimes I DO forget you technically don’t work here. I got so used to you trolling my saber-happy posts back in the day.

I know what you mean, though, with trying to streamline the effort. I try to do way too much and end up rather unproductive sometimes.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just mentioned it

you should definitely do your own thing. I miss your writing. And beside, my “whatever happened to Spreadsheet Baseball?” joke doesn’t have much traction if no one remembers what it was.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have an SB post ready to go, actually

I had to expand it since it now covers week’s more time. It was due to go up last week….and then the police harassed us last week. That was…uh…bad. Suburban cops with nothing better to do + harassing people with out of state licenses = FAIL.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

check Kila's MLEs

his MLEs are roughly around the level of Mike Jacobs. And in the case of a tie, you have to go with the guy with the track record, and that’s Mike Jacobs.

The way people talk about Kaaihue this year makes you think he’s putting up a repeat showing of 2008, but he’s not.

As for Gordon. The weak spot for Jacobs is LHP. Gordon at DH against LHP is not particularly desirable. And there’s no way you bench Butler to put Jacobs at 1st and Gordon at DH against RHP

But, is there some dire need to have Alex Gordon playing before he is close to 100%? Why not give him a few weeks of work at AAA to get him right?

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm just saying if he's up

just so he gets the reps

and the team knows what it has with Jacobs — they need to find out with Kila. Believe me, I’ve brought up Kila’s MLEs before (although it was with reference to Butler, when some people thought he needed to be sent down after two weeks. This around the “Mike Jacobs is OBPing .340, stop mocking him you guyz!!!11111” phase of the season.)

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It'd be a weird weird world

if a guy whose 2009 hitting in AAA suggests marginal value is a legitimate hitter in the major leagues.

One great AAA year got Calvin Pickering an opening day job. And that didn’t work out for a lot of reasons.

We have too many LHBs on this team, eventually we have to get some good RH hitters.

I’d trade Kaaihue for a RH equivalent of him or a RH gap hitter.

And a RH gap hitter would be a high priority for any big deal. Having a good chunk of the lineup being useless against LHP is not helpful

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to beat a long-dead horse,

but the Royals DFA’d Calvin after about 40 PAs, IIRC. It wasn’t a fair shot, though I guess history proved them right.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

there was a wide variety of factors

Pickering was starting at weird spots due to Pena, also Pickering’s wife was pregnant, and the entire thing was handled badly

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pitchers that Pickering faced in 2005

Paul Byrd, Jeremy Bonderman, Bartolo Colon, Jamie Moyer, Aaron Sele, Scott Elarton, Matt Guerrier, Jake Woods, Jesse Crain, Jason Davis, Dave Gassner, Bobby Howry, Julio Mateo, Joe Nathan, Bret Prinz, Arthur Rhodes, Ugueth Urbina

LHPs: Moyer, Woods, Gassner, Rhodes

Why yes, Tony Pena did start Pickering against Jamie Moyer. And it went as well as you’d expect

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

27 sporadic ABs

IIRC his wife was going through a difficult pregnancy at the time as well

by Top Ramen on Jul 4, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Worth noting

that projections using extensive MLEs, age adjustments, park adjustments, etc. have him hitting thusly in the majors

.242/.343/.398, .332 wOBA (CHONE)
.256//.351/.487, .361 wOBA (Oliver)
.258/.345//342, .344 wOBA (ZiPs)

even the worst of those is better than Jacobs now, almost as good as he projected, and suggests a workable platoon hitter — especially for the minimum.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In other words

if you screw with enough things, Kaaihue’s 2009 looks passable in the majors.

http://minorleaguesplits.com/mlecalc.html

.220/.329/.386

You’re not going to get a .220 BA wannabe-slugger accepted for long around here. If you’re hitting .220 and your SLG is under .400… you’re not going to be playing in the majors for your hitting

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You’re not going to get a .220 BA wannabe-slugger accepted for long around here. If you’re hitting .220 and your SLG is under .400… you’re not going to be playing in the majors for your hitting.

Maybe not, but apparently if you do just slighlty better than that, you’re worth >$3M and a cheap reliever.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and Jacobs is getting crapped on by casual fans

I’d hope that Kaaihue isn’t batting in front of a slow groundball hitter

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

payroll matters

not just to the Glass family, but to a team on a budget

But hey, why give Tug Hulett a chance when you’ve got two proven defenders like TPJJ and Son in action!

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Any of those wOBAs would be really good for this team.

by BrRoyal on Jul 4, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In case of a tie,

I’d go with the guy who makes the league minimum who might not have serious platoon issues. And who didn’t have a .299 OBP in the weaker league. Personal preference, I suppose, but I don’t think Jacobs’s track record should be counted as much of a positive.

I’ve noticed some falloff in Kila’s hitting, yes. But he’s still consolidated his gains enough to be slugging near .500 and OBPing .402. I don’t know if Jacobs could OBP .400 in AAA. With his approach, I’m kind of doubting that.

Gordon might still be able to get better at hitting lefties, from my point of view – I think Jacobs is beyond that. And really, any playing time Jacobs’s loses really shouldn’t be viewed as much of a loss.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kaaihue splits

I’d go with the guy who makes the league minimum who might not have serious platoon issues

v. RHP, 2009: .277/.428/.596, 12 HR, 166 AB
v. LHP, 2009: .240/.345/.281, 0 HR, 96 AB

v. RHP, 2008: .324/.467/.654, 31 HR, 14 Doubles, 324 AB
v. LHP, 2008: .275/.422/.525, 6 HR, 2 Doubles, 80 AB

Previous years
v. LHP, 2007: .179/.318/.302, 3 HRs, 106 ABs
v. LHP, 2006: .302/.393/.358, 0 HRs, 53 ABs

Kaaihue has never hit LHP for any useful power. His only hope against LHP is getting some contact in hitter friendly climates.

Kaaihue and Jacobs are both LHB with platoon issues.

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2008 certainly wasn't bad...

and, okay, suppose I concede the point. I’d still take the guy making league minimum. It’s pretty easy to find a lefty-masher to platoon with this type of player.

"Do they have people that tall in Mexico?"

by NHZ on Jul 4, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not quite 2004

If we have a guy who is still a threat to have 25 HRs, then it’s going to be hard to dislodge that guy.

Parraz probably has more of a shot than Kaaihue at this point.

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

THe only reason to play mike jacobs at this point

is in the hope that there’s someone dumb enough to trade for him. Guess what? He’s been pretty much what we expected. Okay, he’s been worse, but he’ll go on another hot streak (he does this every year) and might end up being a 1.0 WAR player. In any case, 25 HRs don’t mean much if your OBP is .320 (Jacobs was at .302 before today’s game).

Do you really think we “know” exaclty how good Kila is without giving him time in the majors? the money matters — now and in the future. Jacobs sucks. He sucked last season, the seson before that, and the season before that. he was actually “good” for his 112 PA callup in 2005.

A player without a defensive positoin who is a league-average hitter is by definition replacement level a replacment level player. Mike Jacobs is making >$3M in his first year of arbitration, and at thispoint, needs a decent mini-streak just to get back to league average.

But I see your point. Giving Kila a shot might really make Royals fans see some terrible at-bats.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

let me try again

“A player without a defensive positoin who is a league-average hitter is by definition replacement level a replacment level player. "

D’oh. As usual, I’m aweosme at tiping

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not like we're keeping Kila at home

his evaluation for future major league prospects comes through his play in AAA and his play in AAA isn’t at the level that calls for a callup.

Kaaihue is a lefty who can’t hit lefties, he’s likely to not be of much use with a glove, and he’s not hitting so far.

The team isn’t about to go bankrupt here. We can afford to keep playing Mike Jacobs without having to sell Sluggerr to a Prostitution ring

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ditto for TPJ, TPJJ, Jose Guillen, Ron Mahay, Jamey Wright, Sidney Ponson, Willie Bloomquist, Kyle Davies...

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So then Kila = Jacobs

Why did we pay for Jacobs again?

by AxDxMx on Jul 4, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the question does not have an answer.

Where’s the Magic 8-ball pic when I need it?

If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showforum=129

by Warden11 on Jul 5, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

because Radio people are bored

Greg Schaum suggested this

Joakim Soria to Philadelphia
in exchange for Lou Marson, Kyle Drabek and Carlos Carrasco

Which would go over as well as crapping in a church.

And i’d hope any Olivo trade is conducted with the subtlety of a mugging.

Olivo to Seattle for Michael Saunders, for example.

Or.. Olivo to Milwaukee

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 6:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm clueless on the prospects

anyone?

time to check Sickels…

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

here we go

from last October:

Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Grade B: High ceiling, made progress this year, still erratic. Maybe a B+?

Lou Marson, C, Grade C+: Good plate discipline and defense, but batting average at Reading could be flukey.

Kyle Drabek, RHP, Grade C+: Could rank much higher if command is back after Tommy John. Will know more by mid-season 2009. Performance has not matched hype but still young.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 4, 2009 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Carasco is supposed to be #2 type starter

But that’s projections… the other guys, not so sure…

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Jul 4, 2009 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kyle's dad was a major league all-star

granted, so was TPJ’s dad

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am sorry but i have to respond to this

Because this was not at all how this conversation went down. Plus, you are way off on the grading of these players. I am sorry but I am not a Sickels follower…I like what he does and think it is entertaining but I do not agree with the grades on these players.

First off, we were responding to a fan call about Gammons suggesting the Royals and Phillies have talked about Soria. I suggested all of the above players and also Michael Taylor.Taylor would be a MUST for me in this deal. He is a power hitting OF with plus speed and solid plate awareness. He is having a huge breakthrough season. He went to high school with Greinke and played ball at Stanford. I have always liked him and this season he is showing scouts that he is one of the 09 breakthrough prospects. He will be there #1 prospect after this season. His ceiling is very high, and he would have a chance to become that impact bat this club definitely needs.

Marson is much better than a C+ prospect (i am really surprised Sickels gave him that grade, what year was the book u were going off of) Marson has a great feel for the game and handles a pitching staff very well. He has a great eye at the plate and would be a solid OBP guy. He projects to be a .280ish hitter with 10-15 HR’s a season

Carrasco and Drabek are both solid young pitchers and both are legitimate future major leaguers. Both have some power and the ability to generate a k/ip

The Royals do not have to trade Soria…But I think they would be foolish to not even listen. If you are listening than they hold the cards and in negotiation u have to ask for the best deal possible. In this situation you ask for 3 of these guys…Taylor, Marson, and Drabek or Carrasco

The fact that Gammons brought up Philly is interesting especially for Soria…But, maybe they fear that Lidge is not right or is reverting to his later years in Houston

Thanks for allowing me the time to explain…

Greg Schaum

"our deepest fears are not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fears is that we are powerful beyong measure."

by gashousegang on Jul 5, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was going off of the post you had on Scout

so maybe I missed Michael Taylor there. And a 6’6/250lb outfielder just screams “future DH” to me. And if that player is on a team with Ryan Howard, either the prospect goes, or the logjam ends like the Thome/Howard logjam (hopefully without a Howard injury).

Looks like Taylor satisfies the people who find strikeouts to be worse than cholera.

Enough is Enough - Fire Trey Hillman

by BHWick on Jul 5, 2009 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you for coming by

I hope I made it clear that I don’t have an opinion either way on those prospects, as I don’t know anythign about them. I simply reported Sickels end-of-2008 grades because those were the fastest freely availabl e I could fine from a generally well-respected source (even if one doesn’t agree with him). If you click on the link in my comment, you’ll see where I got it. I’m not sure how he’d grade them now.

It’s good to have another perpspective — and i’m also glad someone in the KC media is smart enough to realize that as good as Soria is, in his current role he might help the Royals most as a trade piece.

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 5, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no worries

I think this team will absolutely have to tade some one that everbody likes to get better…Soria makes too much sense…a closer on a team that has more holes that are important than closer…

Soria could bring more to this team than anyone except Greinke (and I do not want to lose him)

I like Sickels, as I said he is entertaining…

I would take Taylor in a heart beat…he is exactly the type of impact bat this team needs…he would start opening day 2010 and allow the prospects that follow him the chance to just be rookies…

An impact bat makes every one in this line up better…while, Dominic Brown was the #1 Phils prospect coming into the season I would bet most would have Taylor there now

you and I both know that they are not going to sign that impact bat or get a veteran in a trade…they need to grab someone that is blocked and fits the profile

"our deepest fears are not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fears is that we are powerful beyong measure."

by gashousegang on Jul 6, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

they need to grab someone that is blocked and fits the profile

Mr. Moore obviously heard you… Ryan Freel, come on down!

(facepalm)

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

by devil_fingers on Jul 7, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish you'd drop by more often

It’d be good to hear perspectives from you more often. Maybe throw some inside info to us so we feel like we own the world once in a while? :)

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Jul 5, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will try

I love this site…Obviously I post on another site often..but, I do my best to scour both sites…the main reason I spoke up this time is because I thought i was mis-quoted…But, there are some great, intelligent fans here and I will try to do more

"our deepest fears are not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fears is that we are powerful beyong measure."

by gashousegang on Jul 6, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good win today.

I watched it on my cell phone gameday. It was a long drive through the Illinois wilderness but I had something to pass the time with. I really need to get XM so I can listen to the Royals out of area.

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Jul 4, 2009 8:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Drabek

had tj surgery last year or the year before. Since then he has been rocketing up through their minor leagues. He is in AAA now if I remember correctly. Taylor is another outstanding prospect. Carrasco is a pretty legit prospect as well. I would trade jack for taylor, marson and drabek if we have no intention of at least giving Soria the opportunity to start. I read somewhere that Drabek and Carrasco we untouchable via a trade. Maybe for Soria they would change their minds. We just seem to be wasting a very valuable asset in my opinion.

by gordonrules on Jul 5, 2009 1:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs