Mark Teahen Done

by Freneau on Sep 6, 2006 10:36 AM EDT in Kansas City Royals News

I guess I went to bed 15 minutes too early. Mark Teahen will have shoulder (right) surgery and is done for 2006. An appropriate moment given the Royals: shutout the Yankees then immediately announce your best player is done.

The Royals announced after the game that Teahen will undergo surgery on his right shoulder on Friday and will miss the last 22 games of the season. The surgery is to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Dr. Lewis Yocum will perform the operation in Los Angeles. Teahen will leave for the procedure on Wednesday. That will deprive the Royals of their hot-hitting young star and No. 3 batter for the last 3 1/2 weeks of the season.

"It wasn't an easy decision, but I think it's the right decision," Teahen said.

Teahen said his right shoulder had been a problem since the last month of the 2005 season. He and club officials finally decided last Friday to go ahead with the surgery.

I guess this extends his walkless streak into 2007. Last night on the game thread there was some discussion of Teahen, who's line has fallen back to earth a bit, dropping to .290/.357/.517 after reaching .302/.375/.544 on August 23rd (the 13-15 loss to the Indians).

Of course, Moore is swearing that we'll still see no Gordon.

In fact, the Royals aren't bringing up anyone continuing the September roster expansion that wasn't. Moore's prize boy Jeff Keppinger, as well as someone who can actually hit, Esteban German, will take Mark's at bats.

The Royals will not bring up hot prospect Alex Gordon, the third baseman at Double-A Wichita, or anyone else to replace Teahen, according to Bell.

"We're going to ask George [Brett] if he can come back," Bell said.

Esteban German and Jeff Keppinger will be used at third base, he said.

Because someone who can't hit for a secondbaseman is a great idea at third.

There still remains a central weirdness to this story, although I hope Will Carrol/The Star will continue to clear things up. Why was he playing at all? Why shutdown now? Etc.

63 wins just got alot tougher.

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looks like

my remarks that bell should resign postgame had an ironic outcome: teahen done

major bummer... we can only hope he recovers

FIRE BELL

by FireBell on Sep 6, 2006 11:52 AM EDT reply actions

About Keppinger

I'm a Mets fan who wanted to keep Keppinger, despite his clearly ordinary abilities. When he was up with the team in 2004, he hit relatively well. Kepp got a hit in his first at bat, handled Billy Wagner well (no swings and misses and fouled off a bunch of pitches before tying the game with a single), lead off consecutive games with home runs and hit the ball hard most of the time. Jeff also showed more range than any of the scouting reports entailed. He played so well at 2B that the fans and the announcers wondered why he got such a bad wrap.

He'll probably be a soft .290-.300 hitter in the major leagues with a .700 OPS, but hey, that's better than Joey Gathright and Angel Berroa.

by All Shook Down on Sep 6, 2006 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

true

i wouldnt hate on Keppinger so much RR
he is what he is

by LeoBloom on Sep 6, 2006 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess

that's nice unless you have both Gathright and Berroa in the lineup with him. You can get by with a hole, possibly two, in a lineup.. beyond that you just suck. Which, yes, the Royals do... because they also have John Buck/Paul Bako.

by antidecaf on Sep 6, 2006 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

it is better

for the team and for him and for us, for he'll be ready for spring training next year. But i am truly sad.

without teahen, we might as well forget winning 63

God bless Teahen, a true Royal hero. We look forward to 2007, Mark.

~*Love for Baseball Never Dies*~

by baseball girl43 on Sep 6, 2006 4:15 PM EDT reply actions

catcher

after watching Buck do things like ground into a double play with the bases loaded and no outs last night, as well as other weak offensive displays, it has become apparent to me that he will be, at best, a back up catcher, not a starter. He has had ample time to show if he can hit well, with power, at the major league level. I think the team really needs to assess this situation, as well as the one at shortstop. I agree with antidecaf, we cannot expect to do well with so many holes in the offensive lineup.

by buddyball on Sep 6, 2006 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

I think another

question becomes.. If Mark Teahen is your left/right fielder.. where the heck does Joey Gathright fit in? Sure Butler is only 20 but he can't possibly be that far from the Majors based on his performance the past 2 years. I'm kind of tired of hearing how this is 'a bad problem to have' well ok but I want to know the solution.

by antidecaf on Sep 6, 2006 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

trades...

I think some of what we are seeing as a logjam at various positions will be solved by trades for pitching. Moore will make the first ones during the meetings in December.

I am giving Kepp a fair shot. And, I think he will do well. I also think Phillips should get his chance to start over Buck and Backo. Lets test out Blanco for more than one or two nights every other week.

Go Blue...

by grudz69 on Sep 6, 2006 5:30 PM EDT reply actions