Like you I'm surprised and disappointed by Massey's poor start. But it's way too early to draw final conclusions. Put him in the lineup every day and let him work through it! Let the hitting coaches give him all the help they can but this is essentially a situation that he has to rectify for himself.
Yeah, I mean the reality is that it's 37 plate appearances. He looks especially bad right now, but literally every player has looked bad for 37 plate appearances. I think it's more something to keep an eye on and it certainly doesn't help that Samad Taylor is playing so well in AAA. But competition is a good thing.
I hope you're right about Samad Taylor. But every time I hear about some guy looking great at Omaha I can't help but think of Kila Ka'aihue. That's probably my curmudgeonliness showing again! Or maybe I'm just an experienced fan who has learned to take every claim, no matter how well-founded it seems to be, with a grain of salt.
I was able to see Omaha in Des Monies this week and Taylor went 3 for 5 and did look good in the game I saw and Josh Staumont looked great in the 1 inning he pitched. Loftin also looked good at 3rd. I will tell you who still didn't look good was Jackson Kowar. He got the win only because Omaha had such a big lead when he pitched. 2 innings 5 hits 4 run and he hit a guy. I can't figure him out. Also Garcia, he was the only guy who didn't get a hit for Omaha and he gves off the appearance to me that he did when he came up to KC last year he thinks he's great.
I don’t think Garcia is that way, though I can see how he might come off like that. But that’s great that Loftin is looking good. He has a small window, I think, to make an impression with Cayden Wallace potentially moving quickly. But he can absolutely show he deserves that spot.
I’m not surprised on Kowar. I talked to a scout who saw him and he was saying that he has so much talent that he will dominate but they have to find a way to help him be consistent because some nights will be ugly.
I really like Massey but with only 33 games played at the AAA level and 2 guys in Duffy and Lopez who can certainly play 2nd why would you not send him down to get his hitting worked out instead of typing to work it out at the major league level. I'd rather see him go down and get straightened out and his confidence at the plate back than flounder around.
My two cents worth: you leave him at the MLB level because he proved last year he could hit at that level. What he hasn't proven yet is whether he can do it consistently. You can't find that out by sending him to Omaha.
Maybe he'll turn out to be a guy who hits like Tony Pena Jr. But I remain confident that he's going to be a whole lot better than that.
That's entirely true. My only concern is that for some guys, sending them to the minor leagues hurts rather than helps their confidence. Maybe he just needs a few "mental health days" as so many of us do.
I think it depends on the player, of course. For many (maybe most), it's a lot easier to tell a guy "hey, you're not performing and we want to get you right" than for a guy to walk up to the plate in June hitting .171 in 200 plate appearances.
It just depends on if he actually is floundering without confidence or not. But there might be something mechanical that is best worked on in AAA where the numbers don’t state you down forever on a scoreboard. I don’t think it’s especially black and white.
I believe Massey will come around and I’m fine with a platoon of Lopez and Duffy at third. I’ve always wanted dozier to succeed but it doesn’t seem to be happening. I’m very pro Nicky Lopez. There’s just something about him. Eaton probably should be sent down and see if he can’t get back on track. I’m not convinced that the starting pitching will falter badly and the bullpen will be more consistent seems doable. What I’m definitely not on board with is trading Chapman or Barlow. The young starters are looking good and it has to be better turning over a lead to a bullpen that can close it out. Psychologically it has to help, and with the hitters benefiting also. I’ve heard so many times that saves don’t really mean anything on a young/rebuilding team. But they do. Thanks to MLB I can watch all the Royals games and I don’t miss much. Living in NY I was always limited to when they played the Yankees. Not anymore. My son is a huge Braves fan and this is going to be quite the weekend series!
I do agree that winning can really help development, but I also think that's what makes the job of a rebuilding GM difficult. They need to be looking toward 2024 and beyond. Chapman isn't going to be a part of that, so he should absolutely be traded, in my opinion. Barlow isn't likely to be around beyond 2024. I'd trade him too. If you have faith in your pitching development now, you should be able to protect leads for two months after the deadline without them.
I wish you luck this weekend in your house divided!
I've seen some spectacular defensive plays and I've also seen some, let's call them mis-cues, on defense. I'm curious about how the defensive metrics handle something like an outfielder throwing to the wrong base or not expecting a runner to tag on a shallow fly out. These are plays that are part of defense, but happen after the catch.
I haven't seen what the metrics say about Isbel, until the catch he made in Arlington. I think the Royals were in their shift-not-shift alignment and he came and got a ball in the left center gap from right center, picking it right off the grass blades. Can't ever remember seeing a finer play, even by LoCain.
Everything is tracked, so a throw to a wrong base is included in all of it.
I don't think they were in their quasi-shift on the Isbel catch because it was Marcus Semien. The funny thing is that I think he actually took a rare bad route to that one, but made up for it with a quick cut back to a good route.
Hud keeps insisting that 3rd base is easier to steal than 2nd base but it can't be that simple. There are too many variables involved: does the pitcher do a good job of upsetting the baserunner's timing? Is he slow or quick to the plate? Does he use a slide step? Are the middle infielders good at keeping the baserunner close to second base? Is the third baseman unusually adept at quick swipe tags? Is the batter a legit threat to bunt, thus drawing the third baseman in? Is the batter a lefty or a righty? Is the baserunner unusually good at getting a walking or a "hopping" lead?
We know for certain that throws to 3rd base are much shorter than throws to 2nd base for the catcher. OTOH we also know that catchers generally have much more practice throwing to 2nd base.
As usual Hud's opinions, stated as blanket assertions of fact, continue to be terribly annoying and woefully foundationless. Your thoughts, David?
For a basestealer, third base is easier to steal for a couple very basic reasons. One, there generally isn't someone holding the runner on so the runner can take a bigger lead and often can get a walking lead. The middle infielder can break in, but it takes longer to throw to second from the mound and a runner can generally hear that middle infielder's steps. Two, they can actually see the catcher and while they can't steal signs and this isn't anything surefire, they generally have an idea where the pitch is going to be. And three, the pitcher is pitching with a runner in scoring position, which might keep him focused on the batter and the delivery is actually a touch slower on average with a runner on second than a runner on first.
Plus, while a lefty batting can impact a throw to second, it isn't near the impact that a righty has on a throw to third, so if there's a righty batting, there's a pretty big barrier. I went back to 2010. The success rate on stealing third has been higher than second every year. This year it's 92.1% vs. 80.1%. Over the last 13 seasons plus the first two weeks of this year, it's 77.6% vs. 72.8%. Obviously there are factors with everything, but Hud is right.
Those are obviously highly pertinent numbers so thank you for that! What I'm wondering is if maybe those numbers came about because only the very best base stealers attempt to steal 3rd base in the first place.
I'd argue that only the very best base stealers are attempting any steals. The steal has been in decline for some time and we don't know how the new rules are going to impact that yet, but the signs are that everyone is running more.
The Royals are 2nd worst in runs scored in the AL after scoring 13 in the last two games. It is as simple as our offense is pathetic. Find anyone who can hit for an average above .200 consistently. We have yet to see nine guys on the field do so. Another disappointing April when we don’t win 10 games again....
Like you I'm surprised and disappointed by Massey's poor start. But it's way too early to draw final conclusions. Put him in the lineup every day and let him work through it! Let the hitting coaches give him all the help they can but this is essentially a situation that he has to rectify for himself.
Yeah, I mean the reality is that it's 37 plate appearances. He looks especially bad right now, but literally every player has looked bad for 37 plate appearances. I think it's more something to keep an eye on and it certainly doesn't help that Samad Taylor is playing so well in AAA. But competition is a good thing.
I hope you're right about Samad Taylor. But every time I hear about some guy looking great at Omaha I can't help but think of Kila Ka'aihue. That's probably my curmudgeonliness showing again! Or maybe I'm just an experienced fan who has learned to take every claim, no matter how well-founded it seems to be, with a grain of salt.
I was able to see Omaha in Des Monies this week and Taylor went 3 for 5 and did look good in the game I saw and Josh Staumont looked great in the 1 inning he pitched. Loftin also looked good at 3rd. I will tell you who still didn't look good was Jackson Kowar. He got the win only because Omaha had such a big lead when he pitched. 2 innings 5 hits 4 run and he hit a guy. I can't figure him out. Also Garcia, he was the only guy who didn't get a hit for Omaha and he gves off the appearance to me that he did when he came up to KC last year he thinks he's great.
I don’t think Garcia is that way, though I can see how he might come off like that. But that’s great that Loftin is looking good. He has a small window, I think, to make an impression with Cayden Wallace potentially moving quickly. But he can absolutely show he deserves that spot.
I’m not surprised on Kowar. I talked to a scout who saw him and he was saying that he has so much talent that he will dominate but they have to find a way to help him be consistent because some nights will be ugly.
I really like Massey but with only 33 games played at the AAA level and 2 guys in Duffy and Lopez who can certainly play 2nd why would you not send him down to get his hitting worked out instead of typing to work it out at the major league level. I'd rather see him go down and get straightened out and his confidence at the plate back than flounder around.
My two cents worth: you leave him at the MLB level because he proved last year he could hit at that level. What he hasn't proven yet is whether he can do it consistently. You can't find that out by sending him to Omaha.
Maybe he'll turn out to be a guy who hits like Tony Pena Jr. But I remain confident that he's going to be a whole lot better than that.
I 90% agree with that. The only thing that I think changes the equation is if it becomes a confidence issue. Sometimes guys just need a reset.
That's entirely true. My only concern is that for some guys, sending them to the minor leagues hurts rather than helps their confidence. Maybe he just needs a few "mental health days" as so many of us do.
I think it depends on the player, of course. For many (maybe most), it's a lot easier to tell a guy "hey, you're not performing and we want to get you right" than for a guy to walk up to the plate in June hitting .171 in 200 plate appearances.
It just depends on if he actually is floundering without confidence or not. But there might be something mechanical that is best worked on in AAA where the numbers don’t state you down forever on a scoreboard. I don’t think it’s especially black and white.
I believe Massey will come around and I’m fine with a platoon of Lopez and Duffy at third. I’ve always wanted dozier to succeed but it doesn’t seem to be happening. I’m very pro Nicky Lopez. There’s just something about him. Eaton probably should be sent down and see if he can’t get back on track. I’m not convinced that the starting pitching will falter badly and the bullpen will be more consistent seems doable. What I’m definitely not on board with is trading Chapman or Barlow. The young starters are looking good and it has to be better turning over a lead to a bullpen that can close it out. Psychologically it has to help, and with the hitters benefiting also. I’ve heard so many times that saves don’t really mean anything on a young/rebuilding team. But they do. Thanks to MLB I can watch all the Royals games and I don’t miss much. Living in NY I was always limited to when they played the Yankees. Not anymore. My son is a huge Braves fan and this is going to be quite the weekend series!
I do agree that winning can really help development, but I also think that's what makes the job of a rebuilding GM difficult. They need to be looking toward 2024 and beyond. Chapman isn't going to be a part of that, so he should absolutely be traded, in my opinion. Barlow isn't likely to be around beyond 2024. I'd trade him too. If you have faith in your pitching development now, you should be able to protect leads for two months after the deadline without them.
I wish you luck this weekend in your house divided!
I've seen some spectacular defensive plays and I've also seen some, let's call them mis-cues, on defense. I'm curious about how the defensive metrics handle something like an outfielder throwing to the wrong base or not expecting a runner to tag on a shallow fly out. These are plays that are part of defense, but happen after the catch.
I haven't seen what the metrics say about Isbel, until the catch he made in Arlington. I think the Royals were in their shift-not-shift alignment and he came and got a ball in the left center gap from right center, picking it right off the grass blades. Can't ever remember seeing a finer play, even by LoCain.
Everything is tracked, so a throw to a wrong base is included in all of it.
I don't think they were in their quasi-shift on the Isbel catch because it was Marcus Semien. The funny thing is that I think he actually took a rare bad route to that one, but made up for it with a quick cut back to a good route.
Hud keeps insisting that 3rd base is easier to steal than 2nd base but it can't be that simple. There are too many variables involved: does the pitcher do a good job of upsetting the baserunner's timing? Is he slow or quick to the plate? Does he use a slide step? Are the middle infielders good at keeping the baserunner close to second base? Is the third baseman unusually adept at quick swipe tags? Is the batter a legit threat to bunt, thus drawing the third baseman in? Is the batter a lefty or a righty? Is the baserunner unusually good at getting a walking or a "hopping" lead?
We know for certain that throws to 3rd base are much shorter than throws to 2nd base for the catcher. OTOH we also know that catchers generally have much more practice throwing to 2nd base.
As usual Hud's opinions, stated as blanket assertions of fact, continue to be terribly annoying and woefully foundationless. Your thoughts, David?
For a basestealer, third base is easier to steal for a couple very basic reasons. One, there generally isn't someone holding the runner on so the runner can take a bigger lead and often can get a walking lead. The middle infielder can break in, but it takes longer to throw to second from the mound and a runner can generally hear that middle infielder's steps. Two, they can actually see the catcher and while they can't steal signs and this isn't anything surefire, they generally have an idea where the pitch is going to be. And three, the pitcher is pitching with a runner in scoring position, which might keep him focused on the batter and the delivery is actually a touch slower on average with a runner on second than a runner on first.
Plus, while a lefty batting can impact a throw to second, it isn't near the impact that a righty has on a throw to third, so if there's a righty batting, there's a pretty big barrier. I went back to 2010. The success rate on stealing third has been higher than second every year. This year it's 92.1% vs. 80.1%. Over the last 13 seasons plus the first two weeks of this year, it's 77.6% vs. 72.8%. Obviously there are factors with everything, but Hud is right.
Those are obviously highly pertinent numbers so thank you for that! What I'm wondering is if maybe those numbers came about because only the very best base stealers attempt to steal 3rd base in the first place.
I'd argue that only the very best base stealers are attempting any steals. The steal has been in decline for some time and we don't know how the new rules are going to impact that yet, but the signs are that everyone is running more.
The Royals are 2nd worst in runs scored in the AL after scoring 13 in the last two games. It is as simple as our offense is pathetic. Find anyone who can hit for an average above .200 consistently. We have yet to see nine guys on the field do so. Another disappointing April when we don’t win 10 games again....