Already, we are rooting for them to have the worst record? I know contention is out of the question, but I'd still like to see them turn it around this season and not hope they will magically figure it all out in spring training next year.
I don’t really have anything to say about the game but had an observation that I read that’s pretty damning. The royals strike out the least number of guys in the league? I thought that was so interesting with a bullpen of guys that throw so hard. Then I got to thinking of the starters and I guess that makes sense as Grienke, Keller, and Hernandez don’t really strike anyone out. But you couple the lack of strikeouts with the 5th most walks given up in MLB…..starting to think we might have some bright spots individually….but the pitching is quickly become a problem.
Yep, that's correct, but the bullpen strikeout rate isn't bottom. It's just 21st, which is, yes, still bad. And I will say that the pitching is not becoming a problem. It's done been a problem.
Well, you can’t preach first pitch strikes and then be last in the league at it as well. It just doesn’t add up. The whole thing. Either the message isn’t being received or they don’t have the ability to throw first pitch strikes. I would think since you are in the majors you could throw strikes…..so my Sherlock Holmes conclusion is that the message isn’t being received. It’s not rocket science here people. Move on already.
Now if they say they don’t care about first pitch strikes…..ok, that makes sense. Message being received. I could live with that. It’s a bit odd….but I’d take that at this point.
The bizarre obsession with Cal makes me question Dayton and Matheny almost more than anything else. The pitching is terrible and they don't do the things that they claimed they were going to be diligent about doing better. It's not hard.
Ah yes, the baserunners we leave; runners we can't even move over a base, but, something that absolutely drives me crazy is the tendency for the outfielders to throw to the wrong base. A simple rule learned in little league many many years ago, throw to second when there's a runner on first and the ball is hit to the outfield for a single. That way, of course, the team has a chance for a double play and the other team doesn't have runners at 2nd and 3rd. So of course this happened in the Royals game. e throw to third, runner is safe, the lead runner makes it to 2nd. There is one out. The very next batter hits to second. We get the out at first, a runner scores and the runner on 2nd moves to 3rd. Instead of an inning ending double play, the inning is extended. Basic coaching. If we can't do that, time for a new coach. If we keep the coaches, how about sitting down the player and explaining basic baseball. None of our guys are Bo Jackson!
Not to make excuses for guys, but I think this was part of the issue with Salvy when he was going bad too. The team stinks and every single player on the field knows it. My opinion is there's a tendency to be the hero and that's why you see these things happen. It doesn't make it right and you're absolutely right that it's a sign of a team that is poorly coached, but if I had to guess, I'd say that's where those issues come from. You'll notice you didn't see them in the first couple weeks when they were fine. It's also partially that every single mistake is magnified when the opponent makes them pay for it.
I think what is most frustrating for me, nothing we see on the field now will change how the Royals will piecemeal the prospects we all want to see. I will bet anything they scheduled the introduction months ago. Carved it in stone and other than an injury that would force their hand, won't deviate from that schedule. hoping each introduction will increase traffic and interest.
I've seen them do this before. However when you are this bad, its hard to create interest when nobody wants to pay attention. Except of course, us fanatics!!!
Comment: Greinke I member from 2004? And he can fool some, but he sucks. I bleed Royal Blue and this bunch doesn't suck, definitely need Pitching (who doesn't). Dozier is doing EG (Excellent)
Not a scout, obviously, but anecdotally speaking... it seems like all/most of Bobby Witt Jr's homeruns have been on off-speed pitches at the bottom-middle of the strike zone. Not sure how much you've noticed this, but I don't remember seeing him turn on fastballs as often to this point in the season. I wonder if that's a feature of his approach or his abilities. Anecdotally I think MJ's homeruns were also on off-speed pitches. Seems like more than a coincidence?
You're not wrong. Witt is hitting .167 with a .222 SLG on fastballs and in spite of hitting the ball generally hard, he's not wildly underperforming on them or anything. My theory is that he was struggling with the slider early, thought the fastball would always be a pitch he could hit and then has had trouble with it after an adjustment. The key, always, is how he adjusts from the adjustment.
It's pretty interesting because if you go back to the start of the series in Colorado (he's hitting .250/.326/.675 since that started), he's hitting .053 with a .142 SLG on fastballs. But his average exit velocity is 96.6 MPH. That's kind of odd. A huge part of it is he's pounding the fastballs into the ground. The average launch angle is just 1.5 degrees. But he's seen 102 total in that time, swung at 47 and only whiffed on nine. Some of it is small sample, but given his profile, I'd bet on him getting some lift on those balls and then you'll start to see the hard hit balls actually mean something instead of groundouts that the broadcast oohs and ahhs over him almost beating them out.
As for Melendez, he has one homer on a fastball, one on a breaking ball, but he's hitting .333 with a .467 SLG on fastballs, so he's doing just fine there. His issue has been on the high fastball. He's whiffed on nine of 11 swings up there. But that's a small sample and something to adjust to that I have faith he will.
Already, we are rooting for them to have the worst record? I know contention is out of the question, but I'd still like to see them turn it around this season and not hope they will magically figure it all out in spring training next year.
I’m just joking around with it.
Seth….they will turn it around in September. They need to sell tickets for next year!
Is it bad after the first inning, I was imagining which horrendous way we would go on to lose the game?
I don’t know if it’s bad but not surprising. At least it was just a normal blown lead and not the total gut punch from Sunday.
I don’t really have anything to say about the game but had an observation that I read that’s pretty damning. The royals strike out the least number of guys in the league? I thought that was so interesting with a bullpen of guys that throw so hard. Then I got to thinking of the starters and I guess that makes sense as Grienke, Keller, and Hernandez don’t really strike anyone out. But you couple the lack of strikeouts with the 5th most walks given up in MLB…..starting to think we might have some bright spots individually….but the pitching is quickly become a problem.
Yep, that's correct, but the bullpen strikeout rate isn't bottom. It's just 21st, which is, yes, still bad. And I will say that the pitching is not becoming a problem. It's done been a problem.
Well, you can’t preach first pitch strikes and then be last in the league at it as well. It just doesn’t add up. The whole thing. Either the message isn’t being received or they don’t have the ability to throw first pitch strikes. I would think since you are in the majors you could throw strikes…..so my Sherlock Holmes conclusion is that the message isn’t being received. It’s not rocket science here people. Move on already.
Now if they say they don’t care about first pitch strikes…..ok, that makes sense. Message being received. I could live with that. It’s a bit odd….but I’d take that at this point.
The bizarre obsession with Cal makes me question Dayton and Matheny almost more than anything else. The pitching is terrible and they don't do the things that they claimed they were going to be diligent about doing better. It's not hard.
Ah yes, the baserunners we leave; runners we can't even move over a base, but, something that absolutely drives me crazy is the tendency for the outfielders to throw to the wrong base. A simple rule learned in little league many many years ago, throw to second when there's a runner on first and the ball is hit to the outfield for a single. That way, of course, the team has a chance for a double play and the other team doesn't have runners at 2nd and 3rd. So of course this happened in the Royals game. e throw to third, runner is safe, the lead runner makes it to 2nd. There is one out. The very next batter hits to second. We get the out at first, a runner scores and the runner on 2nd moves to 3rd. Instead of an inning ending double play, the inning is extended. Basic coaching. If we can't do that, time for a new coach. If we keep the coaches, how about sitting down the player and explaining basic baseball. None of our guys are Bo Jackson!
Not to make excuses for guys, but I think this was part of the issue with Salvy when he was going bad too. The team stinks and every single player on the field knows it. My opinion is there's a tendency to be the hero and that's why you see these things happen. It doesn't make it right and you're absolutely right that it's a sign of a team that is poorly coached, but if I had to guess, I'd say that's where those issues come from. You'll notice you didn't see them in the first couple weeks when they were fine. It's also partially that every single mistake is magnified when the opponent makes them pay for it.
Alright, we got something to root for now. At least we're in a race for something. Great article, as usual.
I think what is most frustrating for me, nothing we see on the field now will change how the Royals will piecemeal the prospects we all want to see. I will bet anything they scheduled the introduction months ago. Carved it in stone and other than an injury that would force their hand, won't deviate from that schedule. hoping each introduction will increase traffic and interest.
I've seen them do this before. However when you are this bad, its hard to create interest when nobody wants to pay attention. Except of course, us fanatics!!!
I'm actually going to have something about the prospect promotions and the issues that will come with them this week.
Any updates on Rivera's hand after the HBP?
Comment: Greinke I member from 2004? And he can fool some, but he sucks. I bleed Royal Blue and this bunch doesn't suck, definitely need Pitching (who doesn't). Dozier is doing EG (Excellent)
Not a scout, obviously, but anecdotally speaking... it seems like all/most of Bobby Witt Jr's homeruns have been on off-speed pitches at the bottom-middle of the strike zone. Not sure how much you've noticed this, but I don't remember seeing him turn on fastballs as often to this point in the season. I wonder if that's a feature of his approach or his abilities. Anecdotally I think MJ's homeruns were also on off-speed pitches. Seems like more than a coincidence?
You're not wrong. Witt is hitting .167 with a .222 SLG on fastballs and in spite of hitting the ball generally hard, he's not wildly underperforming on them or anything. My theory is that he was struggling with the slider early, thought the fastball would always be a pitch he could hit and then has had trouble with it after an adjustment. The key, always, is how he adjusts from the adjustment.
It's pretty interesting because if you go back to the start of the series in Colorado (he's hitting .250/.326/.675 since that started), he's hitting .053 with a .142 SLG on fastballs. But his average exit velocity is 96.6 MPH. That's kind of odd. A huge part of it is he's pounding the fastballs into the ground. The average launch angle is just 1.5 degrees. But he's seen 102 total in that time, swung at 47 and only whiffed on nine. Some of it is small sample, but given his profile, I'd bet on him getting some lift on those balls and then you'll start to see the hard hit balls actually mean something instead of groundouts that the broadcast oohs and ahhs over him almost beating them out.
As for Melendez, he has one homer on a fastball, one on a breaking ball, but he's hitting .333 with a .467 SLG on fastballs, so he's doing just fine there. His issue has been on the high fastball. He's whiffed on nine of 11 swings up there. But that's a small sample and something to adjust to that I have faith he will.