Coincidence that you mention the coaching staff, as I've been thinking about that lately. I would love to see the Royals change both pitching and hitting coaches just to hopefully infuse the young players with some new energy and ideas. That is probably a pipe dream with Eldred, considering he and Matheny go back aways. I saw that Tim Hyers decided to part ways with the Red Sox, and my first thought was what a good hire he'd be to replace Bradshaw. Hyers has been with the Dodgers in addition to the Bosox, which would seem to be good credentials. The way the Royals typically operate, though, probably no changes.
Not that it matters what I think, but I totally agree with you on Eldred. I would love to see the Royals just promote the pitching coach from Omaha. It seems like the young guys excelled there even while pitching in homer friendly parks in AAA. I love your posts each time you are able to write.
I also think letting Hanser go is the thought that we need to use our 40 man to protect our most important prospects, that we can resign Hanser or someone like him later if we need to do so, but to not keep him now at the expense of losing someone who could be part of our next championship group through the Rule 5 draft. I really do like your idea (and hope you are right) that is also signifies that we are smart enough to plan to use all of Witt/Nicky/Whit/Mondi next year. There is just too much defensive and, hopefully, offensive talent there to let any of them go. And, I hope you will do an article that tries to figure out the best way to use those 4 together, in terms of the position each one plays. Matheny seems to like locking in regulars at SS and 2B (and presumably 3B) so, if Mondi is not an "everyday player," perhaps he is the RF, where not rotating may not be seen as important). At the same time, when comparing defensive metrics, if 3B/SS/2B are much better with Mondi there (are they?) - those are the kinds of problems you like to have.
I think you are on to something, potentially very important, in how our plethora of young starters may be just what we need for modern baseball - forget about needing to have, or pay big money to sign, or trade away important prospects to acquire - "innings eaters." Instead, have a team with your Big 3 or Big 4 closing group - and then a bunch of bulk innings pitchers to go with them. A team of multiple 2-4 or 2-5 inning guys you can mix and match based on opponent and usage. Get to the 9 innings needed each day in that way. Have enough in your bullpen to be able to cover that, with perhaps one or two I-70 Omaha bulk inning guys to come up when needed due to bullpen exhaustion or lack of performance. Revolutize how pitchers are used - which may seem pretty close to current plans for Tampa Bay - or for World Series plans for Atlanta (who should have pulled their starter after one inning Sunday night) or Houston - or for another possible reason why the Royals lost the 2014 World Series (the Giants were smart enough to go to the bullpen game an inning before the Royals were). In other words, the smart teams, who (like the Royals), have LOT of young starters and relievers - holds on to them all - and changes the way that regular season baseball is played - to be a lot more like postseason baseball. In other words, the Royals might be brimming with a nice amount of the new modern currency in baseball - numerous bulk pithers, with a Big 3 or 4 as well.
So, the luck of the Royals strikes again. The struggling and underachieving hitter they traded to Atlanta regained his power stroke and ended up being World Series MVP. I hope you'll write a column about how the Braves found something in him that the Royals didn't. And will the Braves re-sign him, or will another team want him? And did he do enough to get a decent contract?
Coincidence that you mention the coaching staff, as I've been thinking about that lately. I would love to see the Royals change both pitching and hitting coaches just to hopefully infuse the young players with some new energy and ideas. That is probably a pipe dream with Eldred, considering he and Matheny go back aways. I saw that Tim Hyers decided to part ways with the Red Sox, and my first thought was what a good hire he'd be to replace Bradshaw. Hyers has been with the Dodgers in addition to the Bosox, which would seem to be good credentials. The way the Royals typically operate, though, probably no changes.
Not that it matters what I think, but I totally agree with you on Eldred. I would love to see the Royals just promote the pitching coach from Omaha. It seems like the young guys excelled there even while pitching in homer friendly parks in AAA. I love your posts each time you are able to write.
I also think letting Hanser go is the thought that we need to use our 40 man to protect our most important prospects, that we can resign Hanser or someone like him later if we need to do so, but to not keep him now at the expense of losing someone who could be part of our next championship group through the Rule 5 draft. I really do like your idea (and hope you are right) that is also signifies that we are smart enough to plan to use all of Witt/Nicky/Whit/Mondi next year. There is just too much defensive and, hopefully, offensive talent there to let any of them go. And, I hope you will do an article that tries to figure out the best way to use those 4 together, in terms of the position each one plays. Matheny seems to like locking in regulars at SS and 2B (and presumably 3B) so, if Mondi is not an "everyday player," perhaps he is the RF, where not rotating may not be seen as important). At the same time, when comparing defensive metrics, if 3B/SS/2B are much better with Mondi there (are they?) - those are the kinds of problems you like to have.
I think you are on to something, potentially very important, in how our plethora of young starters may be just what we need for modern baseball - forget about needing to have, or pay big money to sign, or trade away important prospects to acquire - "innings eaters." Instead, have a team with your Big 3 or Big 4 closing group - and then a bunch of bulk innings pitchers to go with them. A team of multiple 2-4 or 2-5 inning guys you can mix and match based on opponent and usage. Get to the 9 innings needed each day in that way. Have enough in your bullpen to be able to cover that, with perhaps one or two I-70 Omaha bulk inning guys to come up when needed due to bullpen exhaustion or lack of performance. Revolutize how pitchers are used - which may seem pretty close to current plans for Tampa Bay - or for World Series plans for Atlanta (who should have pulled their starter after one inning Sunday night) or Houston - or for another possible reason why the Royals lost the 2014 World Series (the Giants were smart enough to go to the bullpen game an inning before the Royals were). In other words, the smart teams, who (like the Royals), have LOT of young starters and relievers - holds on to them all - and changes the way that regular season baseball is played - to be a lot more like postseason baseball. In other words, the Royals might be brimming with a nice amount of the new modern currency in baseball - numerous bulk pithers, with a Big 3 or 4 as well.
So, the luck of the Royals strikes again. The struggling and underachieving hitter they traded to Atlanta regained his power stroke and ended up being World Series MVP. I hope you'll write a column about how the Braves found something in him that the Royals didn't. And will the Braves re-sign him, or will another team want him? And did he do enough to get a decent contract?