I agree with you on your award winners. I thought they were actually pretty easy. I don't know if you could call it an award or not, but I might include the bust of the year presentation to Carlos Santana. His horrible season really hurt the Royals, maybe to the tune of 10 wins. Anyway, great article as always.
Santana would definitely be the LVP. It's between Wade and Kowar for the Cy Yuk. And then Kowar is the anti-Rookie of the Year.
I will say that 10 is probably a good chunk too high for Santana. He was bad, but you'd have to hit like .100/.120/.175 with 55 double plays to cost a team 10 wins, especially when he was actually pretty good for a couple months of the season.
Man, people sure are hard on Santana - but he did deliver some Ws early in the year. No idea what his future is but we're paying him either way which is unfortunate. Unless, of course, he becomes Carlos Meche!
One thing about this front office and scouting department: They are *really good* at finding freely available talent for the bullpen. I knew Barlow had a good year, but man. A 2.63 FIP is something else.
The thing that gets me about Barlow is that there's 95+ in the tank and he only throws it a third of the time. His slider is great, but if he can figure out a way to get some of the movement on that fastball that he does on the slider, he could actually be a monster. Which is scary that there might be more in there than what he showed this year.
Shortly after the Cubs got Madrigal for Kimbrel, I convinced myself that Barlow was all but gone because there HAD to be an offer like that for him. I think it's clear in hindsight that the White Sox had honed in on the name-brand guy (and Barlow isn't Kimbrel).
Still, I agree with your assessment. Barlow has 3-ish years of team control left depending on what happens with the CBA. I continue to think packaging him with Melendez or Pratto over whomever they deem expendable from the prospect ranks would have to generate a lot of interest on the trade market.
Hey David, I read your article on RR and I'm pretty sure I asked you about moving Mondesi. So that was fun to read! I seem to be on the other side than most with Mondesi in that if they can pair him with someone to get back a better starter than what we currently have from one of these teams that may be looking to trim payroll go for it. At some point you have to produce, and he really hasn't. I'm ok if he suddenly plays 150 games and hits .290 with 20 hr's and 50 sb's. Its not like the royals haven't given him every opportunity to do that already. If it works somewhere else good for him and sometimes guys need that. Will it happen? Probably not, but I just want them to be creative.....and they certainly have the pieces to be creative if they choose so.
One thing on Bubic not being in the opening day starting rotation. I know his ceiling isn't as high and some of the advanced metrics don't like him as much as Singer and some of the other guys. To me, I can very easily see where he is MIKE MINOR to this team in the next two years. A 200 inning guy that gets stronger as the year goes on with a 4-5 ERA. Exactly what the royals wanted Minor to be this year. If I'm his agent, I'm telling him that's who you want to be cause you'll play a long time in the league if you can do that. The jury is still out for these other guys but he's role is crystal clear to me. Good or bad....who knows but not an unknown anymore I think.
Just a thought on the Bubic thing because someone on RR seemed to misconstrue what I was saying. I love Bubic. I've said on multiple occasions that because of his pitching acumen that he could be the best of the bunch when it's all said and done. Guys who work on things and maybe leave breaking balls or changeups in the middle of the zone in Arizona get punished and with that thin air there and the Royals needing to basically hold a competition due to the number of arms, I think Bubic could look bad in Arizona and not win the job based on that and that alone.
Also, if you need any material for this offseason. I'd love for you to go through the young starters......Hernandez, Singer, Lynch, Bubic, Kowar, Heasley, and Zerpa and comp them against others when you watch them pitch. Or for you to play GM, and tell me who you would trade away.....and it can't just be Kowar. lol
For instance:
Hernandez - I see a young Verlander (high praise, but just pure stuff wise) Most excited about
Lynch - I see Danny Duffy as the ceiling.
Singer - I struggle with him because I just see a nasty bullpen piece with the sinker/slider combo. Many of those guys.
Heasley - Pleasac or Civale with Cleveland....alot would have to go right, and maybe add a fourth pitch. But command seemed more advanced than the others inside the zone.
Bubic - Mike Minor all the way
Zerpa - a poor mans Urias. Build seemed the same. Mechanics seemed close. Stuff not quite as advanced......but I saw it and sticking by it....in ONE example. lol
Kowar - It was so bad I have no idea what to comp him against.
I'm always happy for some offseason content ideas. I'll definitely be breaking down the young pitchers throughout the winter, but comps from the eye test are a good idea!
All good calls. Next year we will have some legitimate CY candidates! And I had the over on 74.5, but it was certainly worth it and an enjoyable season - we were legitimately in first place for a while and didn't lose over and over out of the gate!
They had the common decency to wait until May to go on their back breaking losing streak. And then against all odds somehow rebounded from it, so we could go through the pain all over again.
The Journalism major in me is recoiling at the use of the phrase "First Annual" - there can't be a "First Annual" anything, because it's the first.
It can be the "inaugural" or "Initial" or "First Ever" - and this is my weird hill to die on.
I actually meant that exactly as a joke as a fellow journalism major. But now I'm terrified more people won't realize it.
Respect on the trolling, sir - and I should've said the article is really good, too.
Really enjoyed your work this season, and I look forward to your future articles!
Haha thank you! And thanks so much for always reading, supporting, retweeting, etc!
Real surprised on manager of the year, really thought Pedro Grifol had a shot
He got some votes for the 5 innings he matched one game, but Matheny pulled it out. Amazingly.
I agree with you on your award winners. I thought they were actually pretty easy. I don't know if you could call it an award or not, but I might include the bust of the year presentation to Carlos Santana. His horrible season really hurt the Royals, maybe to the tune of 10 wins. Anyway, great article as always.
Santana would definitely be the LVP. It's between Wade and Kowar for the Cy Yuk. And then Kowar is the anti-Rookie of the Year.
I will say that 10 is probably a good chunk too high for Santana. He was bad, but you'd have to hit like .100/.120/.175 with 55 double plays to cost a team 10 wins, especially when he was actually pretty good for a couple months of the season.
Man, people sure are hard on Santana - but he did deliver some Ws early in the year. No idea what his future is but we're paying him either way which is unfortunate. Unless, of course, he becomes Carlos Meche!
Heh, I have a hunch he's not doing that, but you never know!
One thing about this front office and scouting department: They are *really good* at finding freely available talent for the bullpen. I knew Barlow had a good year, but man. A 2.63 FIP is something else.
The thing that gets me about Barlow is that there's 95+ in the tank and he only throws it a third of the time. His slider is great, but if he can figure out a way to get some of the movement on that fastball that he does on the slider, he could actually be a monster. Which is scary that there might be more in there than what he showed this year.
Shortly after the Cubs got Madrigal for Kimbrel, I convinced myself that Barlow was all but gone because there HAD to be an offer like that for him. I think it's clear in hindsight that the White Sox had honed in on the name-brand guy (and Barlow isn't Kimbrel).
Still, I agree with your assessment. Barlow has 3-ish years of team control left depending on what happens with the CBA. I continue to think packaging him with Melendez or Pratto over whomever they deem expendable from the prospect ranks would have to generate a lot of interest on the trade market.
Yep, totally agree. And it seems like they have the arms in place to lose him (or Staumont) if they decide to make that move.
Hey David, I read your article on RR and I'm pretty sure I asked you about moving Mondesi. So that was fun to read! I seem to be on the other side than most with Mondesi in that if they can pair him with someone to get back a better starter than what we currently have from one of these teams that may be looking to trim payroll go for it. At some point you have to produce, and he really hasn't. I'm ok if he suddenly plays 150 games and hits .290 with 20 hr's and 50 sb's. Its not like the royals haven't given him every opportunity to do that already. If it works somewhere else good for him and sometimes guys need that. Will it happen? Probably not, but I just want them to be creative.....and they certainly have the pieces to be creative if they choose so.
One thing on Bubic not being in the opening day starting rotation. I know his ceiling isn't as high and some of the advanced metrics don't like him as much as Singer and some of the other guys. To me, I can very easily see where he is MIKE MINOR to this team in the next two years. A 200 inning guy that gets stronger as the year goes on with a 4-5 ERA. Exactly what the royals wanted Minor to be this year. If I'm his agent, I'm telling him that's who you want to be cause you'll play a long time in the league if you can do that. The jury is still out for these other guys but he's role is crystal clear to me. Good or bad....who knows but not an unknown anymore I think.
Good stuff! Thanks!
Just a thought on the Bubic thing because someone on RR seemed to misconstrue what I was saying. I love Bubic. I've said on multiple occasions that because of his pitching acumen that he could be the best of the bunch when it's all said and done. Guys who work on things and maybe leave breaking balls or changeups in the middle of the zone in Arizona get punished and with that thin air there and the Royals needing to basically hold a competition due to the number of arms, I think Bubic could look bad in Arizona and not win the job based on that and that alone.
Also, if you need any material for this offseason. I'd love for you to go through the young starters......Hernandez, Singer, Lynch, Bubic, Kowar, Heasley, and Zerpa and comp them against others when you watch them pitch. Or for you to play GM, and tell me who you would trade away.....and it can't just be Kowar. lol
For instance:
Hernandez - I see a young Verlander (high praise, but just pure stuff wise) Most excited about
Lynch - I see Danny Duffy as the ceiling.
Singer - I struggle with him because I just see a nasty bullpen piece with the sinker/slider combo. Many of those guys.
Heasley - Pleasac or Civale with Cleveland....alot would have to go right, and maybe add a fourth pitch. But command seemed more advanced than the others inside the zone.
Bubic - Mike Minor all the way
Zerpa - a poor mans Urias. Build seemed the same. Mechanics seemed close. Stuff not quite as advanced......but I saw it and sticking by it....in ONE example. lol
Kowar - It was so bad I have no idea what to comp him against.
I'm always happy for some offseason content ideas. I'll definitely be breaking down the young pitchers throughout the winter, but comps from the eye test are a good idea!
All good calls. Next year we will have some legitimate CY candidates! And I had the over on 74.5, but it was certainly worth it and an enjoyable season - we were legitimately in first place for a while and didn't lose over and over out of the gate!
They had the common decency to wait until May to go on their back breaking losing streak. And then against all odds somehow rebounded from it, so we could go through the pain all over again.