David, I love reading Inside the Crown and agree with your comments. Heasley was brutal in Goodyear against the Reds. Isbel, in addition to looking better at the plate, continues to get tremendous jumps on the ball in CF. I was sitting just behind him in Goodyear and he is off at the crack of the bat. He camped under and caught a ball hit to the warning track in center, while the Red's CF'er totally whiffed on a similar ball that Tolbert hit a couple innings later. Kowar was meh against the Dodgers. The two HR's he gave up were absolutely crushed. I don't know if the batters pick it up or not, but as I sat behind 3rd base, it is obvious to me that he reaches back for something extra on his fastball versus other pitches. Major leaguers love 96-97 mph fastballs right down the middle. BWJ looks great and Cuas has impressed to-date. I didn't see Franmil's long HR, but he hasn't looked great to me on several strikeouts. Maybe that's what you get from a guy with his power (similar to Soler). Finally, Duffy hitting cleanup gives such a Tampa Bay vibe, and I think that's a good thing!
Good to know that he's still getting those jumps because I think the skepticism with the team (and that's probably overstating it to say they're skeptical) is that he *shouldn't* be fast enough.
I was actually just thinking about Duffy cleanup (and Camargo today) being a very Rays thing. I'll actually have something on something vaguely related tomorrow that is intriguing.
Re Kowar, "Throw it down the middle" only works as a pitching philosophy if you have enough movement to count on the pitch not staying down the middle.
I commented before on Keller. If he has turned things around, I still don't see a future with him. I say this because, until I see the Royals open up their pocket book, I believe he is gone by years end.
I must say I do like Keller. For the first 3 years with the Royals he was one of the only bright spots in our starting rotation. I would have no problem if they decided to try and keep him. However the Royals don't spend the kind of money it would take to keep him if he turns things around. For all the talk of spending money by Sherman, none has really taken place since he got here.
You say they don't spend that kind of money. Just because they haven't doesn't mean they won't. The question is if it's smart to spend it on a guy who spent two years struggling before finding it in a contract year (again, that's if he's actually figured it out). It's a tough call for them. And they likely need to make that call by July if they want to go for it. They can offer the QO, of course, but that's probably their least desired outcome.
I agree. It is a tough call. That's one of the reasons I don't think they will spend the money. If he has turned things around, the greater value may be what we can get in return for a trade.
Your right, Sherman may yet spend some money to improve the team. I hope he does. Until he does, the team seems no different acquiring talent than with Dayton. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't believe coaching alone is going to turn this franchise around.
The time to spend money isn't when it gets you from 70 wins to 75 wins, it's when it gets you from 85 wins to 90. Sherman hasn't had an opportunity to spend yet.
I agree its not time to spend crazy money, however at some point you have to make a statement the players will see. If the better free agents don't see the team making steps to not just improve but contend long term, why come here. If you wait until you really need them to make those moves, many in the league will not believe the Royals are committed to long term winning. The best will simply ignore them and sign, even for less money, with teams that have a history of contending.
I get it. You need to see it to believe it. I can't fault that. I just know what I've been told and I think people will be happy if that comes to fruition.
I think I trust your scout more after hearing you say they said Heasley has been brutal and Kowar hasn’t been very good. I just get leery of hearing scouts say only really positive things on people without the other side sometimes. Hopefully Keller has found something, I’ve moved on as a fan with him but if the royals can move him for anything at the trade deadline then fine. It was fine to bring him back. I just don’t see this story extending with Keller and the Royals after this way no matter what happens. Brining him back on a one year deal is whatever to me.
I hear negative things all the time, but generally they don't add anything to the commentary because we see what they're seeing pretty easily. I also rely a lot more on scouts for the things I can't see myself, which means I'll probably relay a lot more of what they're saying for spring training and for minor league players.
Mr. L, I seem to remember a few years back that the cutter was THE pitch in MLB. Now it seems to have faded significantly in favor. Am I wrong? If it has faded, why?
I don't think it's faded at all. In 2022, 601 pitchers threw at last 250 pitches and 184 threw cutters. I think people realized that it could very easily look too much like a slider because of the shape of the pitch, but it's still pretty commonly thrown.
Keller will be fine with the right coaches. Like most of the other royal pitchers he couldn't get the ball over the plate and also like the others his pitches were too high in the zone. I actually blame a lot of the pitchers problems on the catchers. Perez has always set up too high or out of the zone. People wonder why KC's pitchers walk so many. Most of the time they're hitting the catchers glove. I could never figure out why with the count 3 and 2 the catcher would set up 6 inches off the plate. You get Keller back over the plate and pitching down he'll be OK. I watched lynch the other day. Same thing. Everything up. I just don't understand why they can't get the ball down. There's only 2 or 3 pitchers on this staff that can throw a decent slider. A real slider does not start above the batters head and drop to the center of the Strike zone. It starts at the knees then hit the plate or right above it. Hopefully these new coaches can teach these guys. They're at the point where they're not really all that young anymore. 25 26 years old they should be getting it by now
Thought your call a few weeks ago on Keller being in starting rotation might be off, but that's why I keep reading - because you know much more than I do.
If he keeps it up it is a good conundrum for mgmt to have! Hope we get a couple extra wins in the meantime
I am in on Duffy, but mostly because I want to say "DUFFMAN" out loud. At 32 and prone to injuries, I wonder how long I get to say it, but looking good right now
Do you have a gut feeling on Kowar? If you are too busy with baby bowels I understand no reply :)
Him being good would be a good problem to have but they need to make the right call on how to handle him. And it’s tough. Do you offer a big contract based on 3-4 months? If you do and he’s bad, you don’t get slack from most because it was a tough decision. As Petro says so often, they’re in the get it right business.
I honestly don’t know about Kowar. I think enough has changed with the pitching development in the organization that I’d really like to see what he looks like after some game action, but it sure doesn’t look good for him right now.
David, I love reading Inside the Crown and agree with your comments. Heasley was brutal in Goodyear against the Reds. Isbel, in addition to looking better at the plate, continues to get tremendous jumps on the ball in CF. I was sitting just behind him in Goodyear and he is off at the crack of the bat. He camped under and caught a ball hit to the warning track in center, while the Red's CF'er totally whiffed on a similar ball that Tolbert hit a couple innings later. Kowar was meh against the Dodgers. The two HR's he gave up were absolutely crushed. I don't know if the batters pick it up or not, but as I sat behind 3rd base, it is obvious to me that he reaches back for something extra on his fastball versus other pitches. Major leaguers love 96-97 mph fastballs right down the middle. BWJ looks great and Cuas has impressed to-date. I didn't see Franmil's long HR, but he hasn't looked great to me on several strikeouts. Maybe that's what you get from a guy with his power (similar to Soler). Finally, Duffy hitting cleanup gives such a Tampa Bay vibe, and I think that's a good thing!
Good to know that he's still getting those jumps because I think the skepticism with the team (and that's probably overstating it to say they're skeptical) is that he *shouldn't* be fast enough.
I was actually just thinking about Duffy cleanup (and Camargo today) being a very Rays thing. I'll actually have something on something vaguely related tomorrow that is intriguing.
Thanks for the eyewitness reports!
Re Kowar, "Throw it down the middle" only works as a pitching philosophy if you have enough movement to count on the pitch not staying down the middle.
I'd be curious to see what Kowar looks like in, say, June, but it's not a great start!
I commented before on Keller. If he has turned things around, I still don't see a future with him. I say this because, until I see the Royals open up their pocket book, I believe he is gone by years end.
I must say I do like Keller. For the first 3 years with the Royals he was one of the only bright spots in our starting rotation. I would have no problem if they decided to try and keep him. However the Royals don't spend the kind of money it would take to keep him if he turns things around. For all the talk of spending money by Sherman, none has really taken place since he got here.
You say they don't spend that kind of money. Just because they haven't doesn't mean they won't. The question is if it's smart to spend it on a guy who spent two years struggling before finding it in a contract year (again, that's if he's actually figured it out). It's a tough call for them. And they likely need to make that call by July if they want to go for it. They can offer the QO, of course, but that's probably their least desired outcome.
I agree. It is a tough call. That's one of the reasons I don't think they will spend the money. If he has turned things around, the greater value may be what we can get in return for a trade.
Your right, Sherman may yet spend some money to improve the team. I hope he does. Until he does, the team seems no different acquiring talent than with Dayton. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't believe coaching alone is going to turn this franchise around.
The time to spend money isn't when it gets you from 70 wins to 75 wins, it's when it gets you from 85 wins to 90. Sherman hasn't had an opportunity to spend yet.
I agree its not time to spend crazy money, however at some point you have to make a statement the players will see. If the better free agents don't see the team making steps to not just improve but contend long term, why come here. If you wait until you really need them to make those moves, many in the league will not believe the Royals are committed to long term winning. The best will simply ignore them and sign, even for less money, with teams that have a history of contending.
I get it. You need to see it to believe it. I can't fault that. I just know what I've been told and I think people will be happy if that comes to fruition.
Brad Kellers Career Timeline:
2018-Good (one hit wonder tho)
2019-Sucked
2020-Good but short sample size
2021-Sucked
2022-Sucked
2023-?
He had a 114 ERA+ in 2019 in 165.1 innings with a 97 FIP-. If that's sucked, they need more sucking.
Fine I’ll bump it up too “Slightly than 2018”
I think I trust your scout more after hearing you say they said Heasley has been brutal and Kowar hasn’t been very good. I just get leery of hearing scouts say only really positive things on people without the other side sometimes. Hopefully Keller has found something, I’ve moved on as a fan with him but if the royals can move him for anything at the trade deadline then fine. It was fine to bring him back. I just don’t see this story extending with Keller and the Royals after this way no matter what happens. Brining him back on a one year deal is whatever to me.
I hear negative things all the time, but generally they don't add anything to the commentary because we see what they're seeing pretty easily. I also rely a lot more on scouts for the things I can't see myself, which means I'll probably relay a lot more of what they're saying for spring training and for minor league players.
Mr. L, I seem to remember a few years back that the cutter was THE pitch in MLB. Now it seems to have faded significantly in favor. Am I wrong? If it has faded, why?
I don't think it's faded at all. In 2022, 601 pitchers threw at last 250 pitches and 184 threw cutters. I think people realized that it could very easily look too much like a slider because of the shape of the pitch, but it's still pretty commonly thrown.
Keller will be fine with the right coaches. Like most of the other royal pitchers he couldn't get the ball over the plate and also like the others his pitches were too high in the zone. I actually blame a lot of the pitchers problems on the catchers. Perez has always set up too high or out of the zone. People wonder why KC's pitchers walk so many. Most of the time they're hitting the catchers glove. I could never figure out why with the count 3 and 2 the catcher would set up 6 inches off the plate. You get Keller back over the plate and pitching down he'll be OK. I watched lynch the other day. Same thing. Everything up. I just don't understand why they can't get the ball down. There's only 2 or 3 pitchers on this staff that can throw a decent slider. A real slider does not start above the batters head and drop to the center of the Strike zone. It starts at the knees then hit the plate or right above it. Hopefully these new coaches can teach these guys. They're at the point where they're not really all that young anymore. 25 26 years old they should be getting it by now
Oh, that Keller. I'm hoping for the best with him and you are getting me to start believing in the lad.
Thought your call a few weeks ago on Keller being in starting rotation might be off, but that's why I keep reading - because you know much more than I do.
If he keeps it up it is a good conundrum for mgmt to have! Hope we get a couple extra wins in the meantime
I am in on Duffy, but mostly because I want to say "DUFFMAN" out loud. At 32 and prone to injuries, I wonder how long I get to say it, but looking good right now
Do you have a gut feeling on Kowar? If you are too busy with baby bowels I understand no reply :)
Hey, a blowout only takes so long to handle.
Him being good would be a good problem to have but they need to make the right call on how to handle him. And it’s tough. Do you offer a big contract based on 3-4 months? If you do and he’s bad, you don’t get slack from most because it was a tough decision. As Petro says so often, they’re in the get it right business.
I honestly don’t know about Kowar. I think enough has changed with the pitching development in the organization that I’d really like to see what he looks like after some game action, but it sure doesn’t look good for him right now.