Dominant Ubaldo Jimenez Pitches Indians Past Royals

by Freneau on Aug 26, 2011 10:18 PM EDT in Royals Game Recaps

That's what the Indians acquired Ubaldo Jimenez for. Despite allowing seven hits, 10 strikeouts and just one walk kept the Royals at bay, as only an Eric Hosmer solo home run generated any offense.

But hey the Royals ran around! Francoeur was thrown out trying to steal third but you know, the fear he generated will be felt for days.

The Royals wasted a good but not as good start from Felipe Paulino, who ran into a patch of trouble in the 7th. In a move of stunning idiocy, Ned Yost inserted everyday Tim Collins into a tie game with the bases loaded... in a stunning move, Tim Collins walked in the game losing run.

Amazing.

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Even Mitch would have been a better choice to relieve Paulino

Try hitting an 80 mph fastball after you’ve been seeing 95 all game.

by moregritplease on Aug 26, 2011 10:23 PM EDT reply actions

Um, was there anyone left on the bench when Getz came up with 2 outs in the 9th?

I know pinch hitters are at a big disadvantage, but Getz is one of the worst hitters in the game. Wouldn’t Brayan Pena have been a smarter choice. Batting Getz in that ultra-crucial situation kind of seems like a give up. I guess is just trying to develop Getz. It sure worked for Escobar.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Aug 26, 2011 10:25 PM EDT reply actions

That would have involved forfeiting the DH position, right?

At that point, I’d still be fine with it.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Aug 26, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly

Worry about the D when you get to it. If you get to it.

Edgar knows best.

by kcbottom9th on Aug 26, 2011 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

As bad as getz is

Pena and Maier are only marginally better when it comes down to one AB. Power doesn’t matter as much as on-base particularly in this situation. not that getz is an obp machine, but it is not what makes him terrible. I have no problem with getz batting here. On the other hand, bringing in Tiny Tim with em loaded was laughable. Alas, this is a lost season, so who cares.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Aug 26, 2011 11:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

FWIW, Getz gave the ball a pretty good ride, just right at a guy

However, the question remains – why was he in a position to hit with the game on the line in the first place?

by KyleM on Aug 27, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

The question remains

Who cares?

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Aug 27, 2011 12:11 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

In April and May I would've been with you

Maybe even into June, or of course if the royals were anywhere near contending. But at this point, the triviality of in game micro-management is not worth getting worked up about. I still pay attention to the royals til the end, but it has more to do with player success and development than wins and losses at this point in every season.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Aug 27, 2011 12:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

So just because the Royals aren't contending we should be "developing" a 28 year old scrub 2B instead of a 24 year old who may actually be worth the trouble?

by KyleM on Aug 27, 2011 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Its not that we are "developing" getz

I dont give a shit about getz. Gia not playing an inning or at bat every other game won’t do anything in terms of his development. I think you guys are missing the point. I’m not defending getz, I just don’t understand why this is worth giving a shit about. And therefor I commend Yost for not giving a shit when he shouldn’t give a shit.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Aug 27, 2011 12:48 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

It's about as important as any of these games

The Royals are playing out the string, so the games really don’t matter much. But as a fan, I care about an individual game. Yost should too. Therefore, I care if he screwed up. I’m not ranting and raving about it. It was just a clear mistake in the highest leverage situation in the game. So I felt it worthy of comment. Yost screwed up at a time when it was important for him to not screw up. That’s it.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Aug 27, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

I really don't think he screwed up

When he brought Collins in, he screwed up. Had he left gia in, or let maier hit for getz, he didn’t screw up, and neither did getz. You put the ball in play, hit hard into an out, thats mostly luck. You walk in the go ahead, its all on you. And chances are that that 9th inning would have played out pretty much the same way, without scoring a run.

Also with the Collins move, there were 8 other options (1 of them being leaving paulino in) all of which were probably better, and about 4 options which are vastly better. As far as the moves/non-moves involving getz and gia. The options are much more limited and none of them are indisputably better options.

The Royals didnt lose because of that getz at bat, even our best hitters create outs 60-70% of the time (getz 68%)

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Aug 27, 2011 4:29 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

It's pretty simple

Getz comes up to bat in the 9th with the tying run on third base with two outs. Yost could have either let Getz hit or pinch hit a better hitter. It was the most crucial, highest leverage moment in the game. And Yost left the bat in the hands of one of the worst hitters in baseball. He screwed up.

No, the Royals didn’t lose solely because of this mistake. It was just something that Yost had control of and he had the opportunity to make a good call and put his team in a position where they had a better chance to win. He chose not to.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Aug 27, 2011 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree wins and losses don't matter right now

but what the hell are we developing while losing a game with Getz at the plate?

by KyleM on Aug 27, 2011 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe Yost even said that he puts Getz in for Giavotella late

to win games

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by BHWick on Aug 27, 2011 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions

even better Scott

Escobar bunted in the 9th because he has left arm soreness effecting his swing.. Escobar came into the game for Giavotella because Ned is scared of playing Giavotella late in games with a lead after Tampa Bay.

Yes, a guy with arm soreness was a defensive replacement. Really

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by BHWick on Aug 26, 2011 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait... when Escobar was in the worst of his slump,

Ned said under no circumstances would he be PH for… yet Giavotella doesn’t get to play through it?

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Aug 26, 2011 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions

PTSD

that’s also why Soria was pitching last night up 5 instead of Crow, because it’s the opposite of what Ned did in that loss in Tampa Bay

God help this team if they’re in a position to win with Yost managing

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!

by BHWick on Aug 26, 2011 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Sooner or later, he's going to have his "Soria can go 4 outs, NOT 5" moment

Unless I'm wrong...

by Top Ramen on Aug 27, 2011 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions

He's good with young guys remember!

Edgar knows best.

by kcbottom9th on Aug 26, 2011 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Jeez. We ain't playing for nothing at this point.

Alcides is going to be a key piece on this team if he hits .250/.300/.350 every year and fields baseballs as he was born to do. He has a shot at being a repeat Gold Glover. If he has a sore arm, REST HIM. Let Navarro get some big league practice.

As for pulling Johnny G, isn’t he supposed to be working on improving his game? How is he going to do that if they pinch-hit for him?

Note on Brayan Peña: He’s pretty good. He’s thrown out like 25 guys and given up like 45 steals, and he can OPB .300 and SLG .400. Fangraphs gives him a +2.0 FLD. He’s a better hitter as a lefty, so Sal ought to play all the games left-handers pitch and then some games against weaker right-handers.

"When asked who was responsible for his going down in flames
He pointed to the offices and said 'You all know their names'
So hurry home early, hurry, let's go
Boom Boom Mazzaro's facing Robby Canó" --Not Warren Zevon

by Juancho on Aug 27, 2011 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

This might have been the stupidest game of the season

Collins brought in with bases loaded?
Letting Getz hit?
Yikes!

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Aug 26, 2011 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

Positives

Moose with another multi hit game
Homser with a bomb
Paulino looking like a good #4 starter

by BeauJackson on Aug 26, 2011 10:51 PM EDT reply actions

ya def Paulino lookin like a decent 3 or borderline 2

As far as Yost goes the best we can hope for is Moose, Gio and Hosmer progress to the level that PH becomes a nonfactor.

The idea that that Gio needs to be replaced defensively all the time with the record where it currently is at seems like a bad omen for next season.

Checkout Royals minor league notes at www.14for77.blogspot.com

by kcscoliny on Aug 26, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Paulino would be the best number 4 starter in the game outside of Philly

by KSinDC on Aug 27, 2011 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions

He'd be a good #4 starter and I think that's what he is

Last 10 starts: 6 IP per start (only twice went 7), 10.16 H/9, 4.27 ERA, 3.82 BB/9, 8.1 K/9

If you look at his last 5 starts it looks like he’s wearing down…

Last 5 starts: 5.2 IP per start (never went 7), 9.57 H/9, 4.62 ERA, 5.56 BB/9, 6.48 K/9

The walks, which have been a career problem dating to his minor league days, are the key to his performance.

by BeauJackson on Aug 27, 2011 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm tired of Yost

It seems like the better the team gets, the worse he manages.

by LaFLamme on Aug 26, 2011 11:38 PM EDT reply actions

Replacing Java That

Early with a one run lead makes my teeth hurt.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Aug 27, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Admittedly off the top of my head

but bringing in Collins may be the single worse baseball decision I’ve seen in the Hillman/Yost era. Completely indefensible to bring in your guy with the highest BB/9 ratio – by a WIDE margin – with the bases loaded in a tie game. Absolutely moronic.

I really try not to just give knee-jerk reactions to a one game performance, but Yost completely showcased why he is incapable of coaching decisions. Not that we didn’t know that.

by KyleM on Aug 27, 2011 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Not just the guy on the team with the highest BB/9 ratio, but . . .

. . . the guy on the team with the highest BB/9 ratio on the team that has the worst BB/9 ratio in the AL and second worst in MLB.

Had the two batters he faced simply not swung at any offerings, they both would have had RBIs.

by kansasjohn on Aug 27, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Collins isn't an empty-base specialist

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by Matt Klaassen on Aug 27, 2011 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

How will he learn not to walk people

if he isn’t put in situations where the walk is unacceptable?

by CompmanJX3 on Aug 27, 2011 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I think in a vaccum, you could say that - and I think it would be the right thing to do,

as in, Yost says “Well, let’s see if Collins can sharpen up for this bases-loaded situation”, considering the final result is not important. Except Yost was inconsistent with the strategy – pulling Gia, not pinch hitting for Getz.

Kila's slash for Apr 20 to May 4, 2011, right before he was sent down: .276 / .344 / .448

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Aug 27, 2011 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions

nah

the more the games seem to matter (or he wants to win), the worse he manages

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!

by BHWick on Aug 27, 2011 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Did he say anything about it in the postgame?

by LaFLamme on Aug 27, 2011 12:21 AM EDT reply actions

I was too frustrated to watch the postgame, but here are gems from the KC Star:

"The matchup was perfect," Yost said, "but I knew I was gambling by bringing him in. He’s got good stuff. That’s the gamble; that his stuff is good enough that he can get away with not throwing strikes in crucial situations."

"I was hoping Paulie would get Marson out," Yost said, "so we would have to have that situation develop. But when it did, I knew I was gambling. But I knew if (Collins) came in there throwing strikes that he’d get out of there with a 1-1 game."

Remember, the matchup was perfect – what could have gone wrong?

by kansasjohn on Aug 27, 2011 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions