It is good to see some of them picking it up some. Even Isbel is hitting some better. The last 15 games he has hit 288 and 253 the last 30 games. With his defense that average will work at the 8 or 9 spot. Great writing as usual.
Really good point on Isbel. He’s picked it up the last few weeks too. I tend to see fourth outfielder but if the other bats are there, he works at the bottom of an order. Really appreciate the kind words. Thank you! And thanks for reading and being active commenting!
After constantly hearing last year's rant about the need for pitchers to throw more change-ups, the note supination vs pronation is interesting. Just another wart on prior pitching coaches.
I tend to think that it's actually more of a positive for Sweeney & Co. than it is a negative for Eldred and his gang, but it's also certainly not a good look that they couldn't figure that out.
I do wonder a little bit if you interviewed Eldred Lesky…..DO IT! LOL. Just how much of it was they knew that but couldn’t get Singer to adjust. If they could, or couldn’t, its revisionist history a little bit by the people still left here. I’m just saying, I think a lot of this is on Singer too.
I can't imagine Eldred would be willing to sit down with me considering his cronies have spent airtime on certain radio stations in town calling me out specifically in the past.
I'm not saying Singer is blameless, but I also think that if you're asked to do something that's not working, you generally stop doing it. There have been spurts of throwing the changeup, and maybe this is one of them. But I also think actually tailoring something to the pitcher rather than trying to jam it through is a good start.
I’m more optimistic that I was two weeks ago. A lot of that is Ragans and the fact that this is more of what I expected from the offense here lately. League average is fine since the break. I’ll totally take that with young guys.
It’s a bit of a bummer that Ragans looks to be filling the part of taking the step were were hoping from with Lynch and/or Bubic this year. It’s looking like they found one….but was hoping for another. There is still time with those two…but coming off injury, and sometimes change of scenery is just better for everyone. We’ll see.
Lynch and Bubic were pretty disappointing. Bubic obviously had the much smaller sample, but it sure looked like he'd figured something out. And Lynch looked good at times too, even if he was looking more like a four/five starter. So yeah, that's a bummer. But on the flip side, if the Royals had lost their hopes in the past, that was just it. This year, they went out and identified a guy who they thought they could unlock more in and have so far. There's still plenty of time for that to go south, but that's a huge positive.
Last night was a lot of fun to watch. You could see how the future Royals could be a really scary team to face, with the mix of power and speed they showed off.
I don't see Singer as a trade piece. We have 3 more years of team control of a guy who is at worst a serviceable starter for a contender. If you trade that now (barring some unicorn deal), you're saying you don't plan to win in the next 3 years. At that point, I don't know what we're doing here. I would much rather see him extended.
In fact, I think it would make a lot of sense for the Royals to push hard to get several pieces of the core locked up. It's a financial commitment a lot of people have been screaming for (without wasting resources on vets who are on the downhill side of their careers).
Whether or not Singer should be a trade piece, I think, comes down to what you believe he is. Is he a two? Then no, you lock that up. Is he a three or a four? Well, then it gets a little more difficult and I don't think there's a wrong answer. It's a little harder to pinpoint destinations after the deadline because there are so many more avenues to upgrade, but let's say a team like the Orioles comes calling. If they offered Dylan Beavers, Hudson Haskin and Chayce McDermott (the names are only there to provide an example, you get the idea), then I think you move him. You don't *have* to move him, but I think you absolutely can, provided you don't think he's more than a mid-rotation guy who is starting to get expensive.
I do think they need to start locking guys up. I'd almost give Witt whatever the hell he wants at this point. And if they wanted to give Singer 5 years and $65 million or whatever, I'm fine with that too. I just don't think you can look at a 37-78 team and think anyone is untouchable, regardless of how they've played recently.
I’ve touched with Singer with you before. But one thing I really hope fans don’t get too attached to is not trading guys. We need that player movement. And it’s a lot easier to be ok with it when you are good. But if we can get two good players for Singer, gotta do it….cause two is better than one….and this team even if they get improvements from people…is still a little bit away talent wise.
I am up for trading everyone Except Singer, even though i don't feel super confident he is a good rotation piece next year.
Rotation is Royals number one priority and the hardest to come by. why trade the only one we have for 2 question marks? He is our only good gamble for rotation next year and even if Ragans maintains, Royals still need to find at least 2 quality rotation pieces.
My concern is Singer is too in his head to be reliable when royals need him to win. I don't know if anyone can know if that is the case, but only this or some other serious concern about his abilities by the staff would be reason for trade imo
but for now i hope they stick with the bird in hand/ devil they know
Been wondering if you saw a possible core now, thanks for the article. I am starting to come around on MJ again in part due to your opinion and his hitting potential.
I am surprised you don't have Garcia as boldface, i know you like his glove. His hitting is reliable and he seems more than willing to make the sacrifice fly for the team.
Isbel would be my addition at CF, with waters and mj on the corners. I realize isabel's hitting is just below average (and his wrc+ is concerning), but I think he is a must for a team of sketchy pitchers.
In your ideal for opening day next year: who would be at first and who would be DH ?assuming (I realize this scenario is no way a given) Salvy is gone
I only don't have Garcia in the listing because he's been below average since the break. I was just putting the guys who have been above average. I think Isbel fits better as a fourth outfielder, but there are worse things than having an elite defender in center.
Vinnie is one of the 1B/DH, and I honestly don't care which one. As of now, I'd say they probably go outside the organization at first, but it could pretty easily be Nick Pratto.
MJ was on fire tonight (Wednesday). The hard hits are finally paying off. If not for that train wreck of a 4th inning and the random GRD into the light fixture, we’d be looking at a potential series win at Fenway. The 4th reminded me of all the talk earlier in the season about the Royals’ luck: that it wasn’t so much an excess of bad luck as a lack of good luck, ever. Massey missing that popup. MJ being an inch from catching that double. Fermin’s interference call. Garcia getting caught stealing in the 9th against a catcher who’s thrown no one else out this year.
I know wins and losses don’t much matter now, but this one would’ve been nice.
It is good to see some of them picking it up some. Even Isbel is hitting some better. The last 15 games he has hit 288 and 253 the last 30 games. With his defense that average will work at the 8 or 9 spot. Great writing as usual.
Really good point on Isbel. He’s picked it up the last few weeks too. I tend to see fourth outfielder but if the other bats are there, he works at the bottom of an order. Really appreciate the kind words. Thank you! And thanks for reading and being active commenting!
After constantly hearing last year's rant about the need for pitchers to throw more change-ups, the note supination vs pronation is interesting. Just another wart on prior pitching coaches.
I tend to think that it's actually more of a positive for Sweeney & Co. than it is a negative for Eldred and his gang, but it's also certainly not a good look that they couldn't figure that out.
I do wonder a little bit if you interviewed Eldred Lesky…..DO IT! LOL. Just how much of it was they knew that but couldn’t get Singer to adjust. If they could, or couldn’t, its revisionist history a little bit by the people still left here. I’m just saying, I think a lot of this is on Singer too.
I can't imagine Eldred would be willing to sit down with me considering his cronies have spent airtime on certain radio stations in town calling me out specifically in the past.
I'm not saying Singer is blameless, but I also think that if you're asked to do something that's not working, you generally stop doing it. There have been spurts of throwing the changeup, and maybe this is one of them. But I also think actually tailoring something to the pitcher rather than trying to jam it through is a good start.
I thought I remembered you guys having a history. Lol
Nothing direct, but I'm pretty sure he hates me. I'm okay with that.
I’m more optimistic that I was two weeks ago. A lot of that is Ragans and the fact that this is more of what I expected from the offense here lately. League average is fine since the break. I’ll totally take that with young guys.
It’s a bit of a bummer that Ragans looks to be filling the part of taking the step were were hoping from with Lynch and/or Bubic this year. It’s looking like they found one….but was hoping for another. There is still time with those two…but coming off injury, and sometimes change of scenery is just better for everyone. We’ll see.
Lynch and Bubic were pretty disappointing. Bubic obviously had the much smaller sample, but it sure looked like he'd figured something out. And Lynch looked good at times too, even if he was looking more like a four/five starter. So yeah, that's a bummer. But on the flip side, if the Royals had lost their hopes in the past, that was just it. This year, they went out and identified a guy who they thought they could unlock more in and have so far. There's still plenty of time for that to go south, but that's a huge positive.
Last night was a lot of fun to watch. You could see how the future Royals could be a really scary team to face, with the mix of power and speed they showed off.
I don't see Singer as a trade piece. We have 3 more years of team control of a guy who is at worst a serviceable starter for a contender. If you trade that now (barring some unicorn deal), you're saying you don't plan to win in the next 3 years. At that point, I don't know what we're doing here. I would much rather see him extended.
In fact, I think it would make a lot of sense for the Royals to push hard to get several pieces of the core locked up. It's a financial commitment a lot of people have been screaming for (without wasting resources on vets who are on the downhill side of their careers).
Whether or not Singer should be a trade piece, I think, comes down to what you believe he is. Is he a two? Then no, you lock that up. Is he a three or a four? Well, then it gets a little more difficult and I don't think there's a wrong answer. It's a little harder to pinpoint destinations after the deadline because there are so many more avenues to upgrade, but let's say a team like the Orioles comes calling. If they offered Dylan Beavers, Hudson Haskin and Chayce McDermott (the names are only there to provide an example, you get the idea), then I think you move him. You don't *have* to move him, but I think you absolutely can, provided you don't think he's more than a mid-rotation guy who is starting to get expensive.
I do think they need to start locking guys up. I'd almost give Witt whatever the hell he wants at this point. And if they wanted to give Singer 5 years and $65 million or whatever, I'm fine with that too. I just don't think you can look at a 37-78 team and think anyone is untouchable, regardless of how they've played recently.
I’ve touched with Singer with you before. But one thing I really hope fans don’t get too attached to is not trading guys. We need that player movement. And it’s a lot easier to be ok with it when you are good. But if we can get two good players for Singer, gotta do it….cause two is better than one….and this team even if they get improvements from people…is still a little bit away talent wise.
I am up for trading everyone Except Singer, even though i don't feel super confident he is a good rotation piece next year.
Rotation is Royals number one priority and the hardest to come by. why trade the only one we have for 2 question marks? He is our only good gamble for rotation next year and even if Ragans maintains, Royals still need to find at least 2 quality rotation pieces.
My concern is Singer is too in his head to be reliable when royals need him to win. I don't know if anyone can know if that is the case, but only this or some other serious concern about his abilities by the staff would be reason for trade imo
but for now i hope they stick with the bird in hand/ devil they know
"Ragans and Singer bring pain
The others make me wish for rain!
The hitting's right on key
But the question for me
Is whether the heat will sustain."
Tonight was a reality check. The bats weren’t dead, but there was an awful lot of striking out going on.
Been wondering if you saw a possible core now, thanks for the article. I am starting to come around on MJ again in part due to your opinion and his hitting potential.
I am surprised you don't have Garcia as boldface, i know you like his glove. His hitting is reliable and he seems more than willing to make the sacrifice fly for the team.
Isbel would be my addition at CF, with waters and mj on the corners. I realize isabel's hitting is just below average (and his wrc+ is concerning), but I think he is a must for a team of sketchy pitchers.
In your ideal for opening day next year: who would be at first and who would be DH ?assuming (I realize this scenario is no way a given) Salvy is gone
I only don't have Garcia in the listing because he's been below average since the break. I was just putting the guys who have been above average. I think Isbel fits better as a fourth outfielder, but there are worse things than having an elite defender in center.
Vinnie is one of the 1B/DH, and I honestly don't care which one. As of now, I'd say they probably go outside the organization at first, but it could pretty easily be Nick Pratto.
MJ was on fire tonight (Wednesday). The hard hits are finally paying off. If not for that train wreck of a 4th inning and the random GRD into the light fixture, we’d be looking at a potential series win at Fenway. The 4th reminded me of all the talk earlier in the season about the Royals’ luck: that it wasn’t so much an excess of bad luck as a lack of good luck, ever. Massey missing that popup. MJ being an inch from catching that double. Fermin’s interference call. Garcia getting caught stealing in the 9th against a catcher who’s thrown no one else out this year.
I know wins and losses don’t much matter now, but this one would’ve been nice.
What has happened to Pratto?