This team has some strong points, none of which is managing and coaching. Hopefully they won’t resign Grienke (what an embarrassment to his career), Perez should consider retiring also. Looks like Melendez resorted back to his old habits with his stance and swing. Bianca, Vazquez, Beatty, Taylor, Hearns (better pitching at the LLWS), should not see any action after the call-ups. Can’t keep referring to every move or decision that Quatraro and Sweeney make as an audition, analyzation, test, etc. this excuse has been used for them all year. No constancy will get you no quality, too many line up changes. Looking ahead, how do you keep both Vinnie and Pratto as long as Perez is still on the team. Give me Waters in CF and get an above average LF (Melendez doesn’t cut it) and RF with some power. Who will be the Sept call ups? Enjoy your column.
This is what a good GM does -- sign a guy with future value to another team that matters in the race, then flip him for something better for your team. Cole is definitely that dude, and hope with a full offseason here, he gets even stronger. Getting into the 7th every time would be amazing (especially with the current roster of relief arms)
I might be the biggest Ragans guy here. But even I’ve got to pump the breaks a little on the ace talk. I’m not saying he can’t be. But need to see a little bit of longevity with it and staying healthy. Honestly, the only thing that might stop it is injury as players don’t usually get healthy as they age. But to be on that list…..to me it means they have a legit starting pitcher. Ace, not ace, whatever. They have two solutions now. It’s a great list to be on. Those are all legitimate starting pitchers. Not just guys we are hoping on!
I am less pessimistic about Cruz than most, I think. His fastball looked great early, but he just kept hanging the slider. I don't know a lot about him but I doubt he built that minor league K rate on middle-middle sliders. So I choose to believe it was nerves, and I am looking forward to his next couple appearances.
I am in on Ragans, though it is early days yet and we will have to see what happens when the league adjusts. I am also in on Cruz, bad outing notwithstanding. And I am NOT in favor of moving Singer. But there is a lot of dead weight on the pitching staff. Greinke has been flat-out embarrassing - I feel bad for him, I don't want my memories of him to be this season. Lyles should be gone. Keller should be gone, same with Kowar.
I do want to comment on "being transactional". I'm a fan of the Rays, and they have been hugely successful in being transactional. But they had a team with more talent to build around - we don't have that. Can we afford to be transactional yet? Can we afford to think about potentially flipping ANYONE while we are trying to build a core, much less a team? I don't know, I really don't. I am hugely torn on this; if we start being too transactional too soon, are we just another A's team? Always selling, never building?
But I will say this much, and pull on my asbestos suit:: We need to move Perez to Miami, and we need to move Bobby Witt Jr NOW if he will not extend with us, and the indicators so far seem to indicate that he won't. I also TRULY believe that the Royals need to look at some of the guys who are being cut now as targets for bounceback-season contracts while we continue to develop and flip them to contenders next year unless keeping them makes more sense. And a question - Nick Senzel looks as if he is on his way out the door in Cincinnati. Is he worth a look?
So here is a weird one for you. With the Angels doing….whatever the heck it is doing over there. I know they are all free agents. But would it make any sense at all to claim Giolito just to get a jump start on seeing if he would sign in KC this offseason? Get him in, a few weeks to work with the staff etc, etc. I mean, I’d be interested if KC even if it is essentially nothing. It’s just a claim and a roster spot right?
Added to the legend? Comparing him to a list of mostly established pitchers, some of whom have been very good for a long time? After seven outings? So far, so good, but let’s not rename the Cy Young Award just yet.
It is hard to find good things to say about a 41-93 team with a lineup of replacement level or slightly above players (except BWJ) and not a single player on any top 100 prospect list, but so much focus on one pitcher who might turn out to be a top end starter avoids discussion about what it is going to take to turn a franchise around that has had two good seasons since 1985.
Rude...thats funny David....you have to work a lot harder than that to cause me offense! The Royals management has been so wrong so many times that I really have trouble taking them seriously .... some times. But my eye test tells me this guy is not closer material and frankly he may not even be statter material...but I like his big arm and stuff....and I think that's where he may have success....just my opinion.
Building blocks confirmed: Cole Ragans, Brady Singer, Bobby Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino (assuming health), Freddy Fermin, Maikel Garcia (I’m all in - keep him we have a speedy platinum glove defender at 3B or trade him for a mint).
Building blocks maybe: MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel, Drew Waters, Alec Marsh, and Michael Massey.
Lifetime Achievement Awards - roster spots are there if they want them: Zack Greinke and Salvador Perez
What we need: 3/5 of a starting rotation, bullpen pieces, minor league pieces to supplement this “wave” (more like a fart ripple in the pond.
Cole Ragans, Ace?
This team has some strong points, none of which is managing and coaching. Hopefully they won’t resign Grienke (what an embarrassment to his career), Perez should consider retiring also. Looks like Melendez resorted back to his old habits with his stance and swing. Bianca, Vazquez, Beatty, Taylor, Hearns (better pitching at the LLWS), should not see any action after the call-ups. Can’t keep referring to every move or decision that Quatraro and Sweeney make as an audition, analyzation, test, etc. this excuse has been used for them all year. No constancy will get you no quality, too many line up changes. Looking ahead, how do you keep both Vinnie and Pratto as long as Perez is still on the team. Give me Waters in CF and get an above average LF (Melendez doesn’t cut it) and RF with some power. Who will be the Sept call ups? Enjoy your column.
This is what a good GM does -- sign a guy with future value to another team that matters in the race, then flip him for something better for your team. Cole is definitely that dude, and hope with a full offseason here, he gets even stronger. Getting into the 7th every time would be amazing (especially with the current roster of relief arms)
I might be the biggest Ragans guy here. But even I’ve got to pump the breaks a little on the ace talk. I’m not saying he can’t be. But need to see a little bit of longevity with it and staying healthy. Honestly, the only thing that might stop it is injury as players don’t usually get healthy as they age. But to be on that list…..to me it means they have a legit starting pitcher. Ace, not ace, whatever. They have two solutions now. It’s a great list to be on. Those are all legitimate starting pitchers. Not just guys we are hoping on!
I am less pessimistic about Cruz than most, I think. His fastball looked great early, but he just kept hanging the slider. I don't know a lot about him but I doubt he built that minor league K rate on middle-middle sliders. So I choose to believe it was nerves, and I am looking forward to his next couple appearances.
I am in on Ragans, though it is early days yet and we will have to see what happens when the league adjusts. I am also in on Cruz, bad outing notwithstanding. And I am NOT in favor of moving Singer. But there is a lot of dead weight on the pitching staff. Greinke has been flat-out embarrassing - I feel bad for him, I don't want my memories of him to be this season. Lyles should be gone. Keller should be gone, same with Kowar.
I do want to comment on "being transactional". I'm a fan of the Rays, and they have been hugely successful in being transactional. But they had a team with more talent to build around - we don't have that. Can we afford to be transactional yet? Can we afford to think about potentially flipping ANYONE while we are trying to build a core, much less a team? I don't know, I really don't. I am hugely torn on this; if we start being too transactional too soon, are we just another A's team? Always selling, never building?
But I will say this much, and pull on my asbestos suit:: We need to move Perez to Miami, and we need to move Bobby Witt Jr NOW if he will not extend with us, and the indicators so far seem to indicate that he won't. I also TRULY believe that the Royals need to look at some of the guys who are being cut now as targets for bounceback-season contracts while we continue to develop and flip them to contenders next year unless keeping them makes more sense. And a question - Nick Senzel looks as if he is on his way out the door in Cincinnati. Is he worth a look?
Thank you, David. I enjoy your writing a lot!!
So here is a weird one for you. With the Angels doing….whatever the heck it is doing over there. I know they are all free agents. But would it make any sense at all to claim Giolito just to get a jump start on seeing if he would sign in KC this offseason? Get him in, a few weeks to work with the staff etc, etc. I mean, I’d be interested if KC even if it is essentially nothing. It’s just a claim and a roster spot right?
Added to the legend? Comparing him to a list of mostly established pitchers, some of whom have been very good for a long time? After seven outings? So far, so good, but let’s not rename the Cy Young Award just yet.
It is hard to find good things to say about a 41-93 team with a lineup of replacement level or slightly above players (except BWJ) and not a single player on any top 100 prospect list, but so much focus on one pitcher who might turn out to be a top end starter avoids discussion about what it is going to take to turn a franchise around that has had two good seasons since 1985.
On Hernandez....I still think his future is as a starter....hopefully he comes to camp in shape and gets that opportunity.
Rude...thats funny David....you have to work a lot harder than that to cause me offense! The Royals management has been so wrong so many times that I really have trouble taking them seriously .... some times. But my eye test tells me this guy is not closer material and frankly he may not even be statter material...but I like his big arm and stuff....and I think that's where he may have success....just my opinion.
McMillion forearm strain. That……..doesn’t sound promising. Aye.
Ok, so those of us counting at home.
Building blocks confirmed: Cole Ragans, Brady Singer, Bobby Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino (assuming health), Freddy Fermin, Maikel Garcia (I’m all in - keep him we have a speedy platinum glove defender at 3B or trade him for a mint).
Building blocks maybe: MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel, Drew Waters, Alec Marsh, and Michael Massey.
Lifetime Achievement Awards - roster spots are there if they want them: Zack Greinke and Salvador Perez
What we need: 3/5 of a starting rotation, bullpen pieces, minor league pieces to supplement this “wave” (more like a fart ripple in the pond.