The Royals exercised the option on Soria today. I fully expected that. I'm hoping to see the Royals pen be dominant next season. Soria, of course, must be part of any dominance. The hiring of Eiland should help. Eiland has stated that he wants his starter to be on the mound for God Bless America. That, too, will help the pen. Wood, Holland, Coleman, Crow, Collins, and crew have great stuff. These guys need to throw strikes. The addition of Laffey gives them two lefties to minimize exposure. Collins had a full season of appearances by the All Star Break because he was the only lefty out there. Longer starts and two lefties will be be very good for the pen.
I read Rany and his want for a pitcher parts 1-4. That is awesome research. I like Guthrie, but I like Chen more.
Happy Halloween. Good to have the closer back. Hopefully the pen will throw strikes and get him the ball for 45 saves in 2012. Since we are trick or treating how about a serious bid for Norris from the Astros?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Series over, free agency October 30
You have to give credit to the Cardinals. That was a very good World Series. Comeback after comeback. I found myself rooting for Texas, as I stated, but Game 6 made me just watch. I was fascinated and completely entertained. The game wasn't well played. It was a great game, though. I have to admit I started watching when Beltre and Cruz went back to back. From that point on the game was a classic. I am glad for baseball. I don't like the Cardinals but it was a great series. You think Mozeliak for Moore is out of the question? Yeah, me too.
Royals off season starts in earnest. DM is known for getting deals done quickly. I'll be waiting with bated breath. I'm optimistic about next year. I hope that something is done to solidify the starting pitching. I left Teaford out of the last post I had. The Royals need to piece a rotation out of Hoch, Duffy, Paulino, Mendoza,SOS, Mazzaro, Teaford, and others. We shall see. They need to address the starting rotation but how? Free agency is not all that alluring. The big money for older starters is a crap shoot. Trading for pitching is even riskier. DM hasn't had the best trade record. He seems to find scrap heap guys. I'm hoping, like I will always say, that they bring back Chen. Come on! Seriously he has had two very good years and he is a solid guy. His ERA around 4, and an improved lineup will be fine. He won 13 and 12 games the last two years. That is what I'd do. Sign Chen and give Mendoza a chance. The young players will need to improve and contribute.
I'm hoping that Royals do something to improve the starting rotation. Giving Mendoza a shot and signing Chen is my offer. I wouldn't want them to sign Edwin Jackson. I don't want them to trade for Wandy Rodriguez. I'd rather build with the greatest farm system ever. Oh that's right, the great farm doesn't produce pitchers. I almost forgot that part. I like Bruce Chen and I think the farm system is way overrated because there is no pitching.
Congrats Cardinals. Here we go Royals. The quest for 81 wins begins Sunday. What are you going to do?
Royals off season starts in earnest. DM is known for getting deals done quickly. I'll be waiting with bated breath. I'm optimistic about next year. I hope that something is done to solidify the starting pitching. I left Teaford out of the last post I had. The Royals need to piece a rotation out of Hoch, Duffy, Paulino, Mendoza,SOS, Mazzaro, Teaford, and others. We shall see. They need to address the starting rotation but how? Free agency is not all that alluring. The big money for older starters is a crap shoot. Trading for pitching is even riskier. DM hasn't had the best trade record. He seems to find scrap heap guys. I'm hoping, like I will always say, that they bring back Chen. Come on! Seriously he has had two very good years and he is a solid guy. His ERA around 4, and an improved lineup will be fine. He won 13 and 12 games the last two years. That is what I'd do. Sign Chen and give Mendoza a chance. The young players will need to improve and contribute.
I'm hoping that Royals do something to improve the starting rotation. Giving Mendoza a shot and signing Chen is my offer. I wouldn't want them to sign Edwin Jackson. I don't want them to trade for Wandy Rodriguez. I'd rather build with the greatest farm system ever. Oh that's right, the great farm doesn't produce pitchers. I almost forgot that part. I like Bruce Chen and I think the farm system is way overrated because there is no pitching.
Congrats Cardinals. Here we go Royals. The quest for 81 wins begins Sunday. What are you going to do?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
It's the 2012 offseason.
The World Series just started. The Cardinals won game 1. OK, that's out of the way. This blog is about the Royals and how they are going to be 500 or better and in contention in the AL Central in 2012. As of today, 10/20/11, the team isn't capable of achieving 81 wins. They are coming off a 71 win season so they must improve for this blog to be relevant.
What needs to be done? Many things. First and foremost the Royals must improve their starting pitching. They have addressed this already by showing McClure the door. I don't think the blame falls all on him, but a change was needed. They have replaced the organization pitching coordinator and that falls in step with the choice for pitching coach. This a a very important hire. Yost has already stated that he wants a guy that had average stuff and a long career to be the guy. Really? I watched Charles Nagy and Tim Belcher have success as coaches but it might be because they are good coaches not because they of the stuff they had as pitchers. I hope they hire a guy that can coach. McClure pretty much fit the average stuff category, didn't he? Lets get a new program. I watch other teams have success with former Royals pitchers. Ever wonder why the guys all of a sudden find it when they leave KC? They throw strikes and trust their stuff. Take a long look at the Rays staff last year. Quite a few former Royals pitching well. Hiring a good pitching coach is the first step toward contention for the 2012 Royals. Look at the D Backs and the difference lowering the staff ERA made. There is no reason to think the Royals can't improve by 10-15 games with better pitching.
OK, the pitchers aren't any good. Hoch, Duffy, Paulino, Mendoza, etc. Not the greatest start for a rotation, BUT they all have very good stuff if they can get control. The easy route to get better would be to get better pitchers. I agree, but the free agents aren't all that much better than the in house guys. My idea would be to resign Chen. I love what Bruce has brought to the team the past two years. He has been the defacto ace. He is as good as any free agents and he won't cost as much. Adding Bruce to the 4 guys listed makes a "pretty good" rotation. That being said the big rumor is that the Royals are willing to trade for frontline starting pitching. Really? Trade who for who? The vaunted farm system should have pitchers in the pipeline, but it doesn't. All that talk about how great the farm is, or was, is crap. Monty got beat around big time at AAA. That doesn't bode well. He was one of the great crop of lefties. Lamb got injured. Duffy is up and progressing but Arguelles is too low in the system to be considered help for 2012. Give me pitching or shut up about the farm. Odorizzi may be good. AA to the big club? Probably by June or at least by September Jake will be up. For my part I say develop what you have. Sign Chen! Whatever the Royals do I hope they steer clear of the Darvish sweepstakes. Not a big fan of overpaying for Japanese pitchers.
The line up is "set". I'm not sure about that. Gio at second and Moose at third is unsettling. Moose turned it around late in the season and has given me a little more hope. Gio disappointed me. He needs to hit. He can't play his caliber of D and hit like Getz. He needs to hit upper 280's with power. He does that then yes, the infield is set. The outfield was great last year. Melky had a super year. Frenchy was really good. Not good enough to get the two year extension. I think that was dumb. Gordon was out of his mind. I could see the Royals going with those three again and hoping to get the same, or similar results. That leaves Cain in the wind. Melky is under contract and he had a great year last year. I'm sorry but his D in center isn't the best. It isn't even good. What to do with Cain? I hope they keep the 4 and have a real rotation. It will keep them fresh. I don't want them to trade Cain. I don't think they will get much for Melky. We will have to see. Two extra years for Frenchy was dumb! I know I already said that. I will say it quite a few times.
Go Royals. Hopefully the plans are being laid for a winning off season. I'm rooting for Texas in the World Series. I'm sure most Royals fans are.
What needs to be done? Many things. First and foremost the Royals must improve their starting pitching. They have addressed this already by showing McClure the door. I don't think the blame falls all on him, but a change was needed. They have replaced the organization pitching coordinator and that falls in step with the choice for pitching coach. This a a very important hire. Yost has already stated that he wants a guy that had average stuff and a long career to be the guy. Really? I watched Charles Nagy and Tim Belcher have success as coaches but it might be because they are good coaches not because they of the stuff they had as pitchers. I hope they hire a guy that can coach. McClure pretty much fit the average stuff category, didn't he? Lets get a new program. I watch other teams have success with former Royals pitchers. Ever wonder why the guys all of a sudden find it when they leave KC? They throw strikes and trust their stuff. Take a long look at the Rays staff last year. Quite a few former Royals pitching well. Hiring a good pitching coach is the first step toward contention for the 2012 Royals. Look at the D Backs and the difference lowering the staff ERA made. There is no reason to think the Royals can't improve by 10-15 games with better pitching.
OK, the pitchers aren't any good. Hoch, Duffy, Paulino, Mendoza, etc. Not the greatest start for a rotation, BUT they all have very good stuff if they can get control. The easy route to get better would be to get better pitchers. I agree, but the free agents aren't all that much better than the in house guys. My idea would be to resign Chen. I love what Bruce has brought to the team the past two years. He has been the defacto ace. He is as good as any free agents and he won't cost as much. Adding Bruce to the 4 guys listed makes a "pretty good" rotation. That being said the big rumor is that the Royals are willing to trade for frontline starting pitching. Really? Trade who for who? The vaunted farm system should have pitchers in the pipeline, but it doesn't. All that talk about how great the farm is, or was, is crap. Monty got beat around big time at AAA. That doesn't bode well. He was one of the great crop of lefties. Lamb got injured. Duffy is up and progressing but Arguelles is too low in the system to be considered help for 2012. Give me pitching or shut up about the farm. Odorizzi may be good. AA to the big club? Probably by June or at least by September Jake will be up. For my part I say develop what you have. Sign Chen! Whatever the Royals do I hope they steer clear of the Darvish sweepstakes. Not a big fan of overpaying for Japanese pitchers.
The line up is "set". I'm not sure about that. Gio at second and Moose at third is unsettling. Moose turned it around late in the season and has given me a little more hope. Gio disappointed me. He needs to hit. He can't play his caliber of D and hit like Getz. He needs to hit upper 280's with power. He does that then yes, the infield is set. The outfield was great last year. Melky had a super year. Frenchy was really good. Not good enough to get the two year extension. I think that was dumb. Gordon was out of his mind. I could see the Royals going with those three again and hoping to get the same, or similar results. That leaves Cain in the wind. Melky is under contract and he had a great year last year. I'm sorry but his D in center isn't the best. It isn't even good. What to do with Cain? I hope they keep the 4 and have a real rotation. It will keep them fresh. I don't want them to trade Cain. I don't think they will get much for Melky. We will have to see. Two extra years for Frenchy was dumb! I know I already said that. I will say it quite a few times.
Go Royals. Hopefully the plans are being laid for a winning off season. I'm rooting for Texas in the World Series. I'm sure most Royals fans are.
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