There was a discussion in another forum bemoaning the fact that there's really no one to blame here, because the ownership and the front office and the coaches are all so new. I couldn't have disagreed more strongly.
I know exactly who to blame: Us. The fans. For buying into all the foundationless hype about the new coaches and the alleged "new approaches" to hitting and pitching. We should have known better.
You keep saying things in absolutes as if 29 games is how it's going to be forever. I know you clearly don't believe in the new coaches and that's fine, but as I've said before, if you can evaluate a team with this many changes this quick, you should be making 15 times what anyone in the game is making. I'm not even saying you're not going to end up right because you very well might, but to have any definitive answers on this group at this moment is incredible hubris.
David I hope you know how much I respect your work and your opinions. I was one of your first subscribers and I'm proud to say that. But if my opinions express hubris then to me yours express the height of naivete. There was and is absolutely no reason to believe in all the hype about the new coaches and the "new approaches" they claim to bring. The fact that they've taught themselves to speak the language of analytics means nothing if the outcomes don't change. This is feeling very much like 2005. I hope I'm wrong but for now all we can do is hope. As usual.
I don’t believe it’s being naive to believe coaches who came about as highly regarded as anyone I’ve ever discussed with those in the game can make a difference or to allow it to take more than one month of their first season with largely the same cast and crew. But you are, of course, free to your opinion on the matter.
I'll leave it alone after one final observation: the Royals have had so many "highly regarded" coaches and managers over the years who proved to be abject failures that that can hardly be a valid or reliable standard. Peer review may work well in certain academic pursuits but it's far less dependable in professional sports.
29 games in...It is more a reflection of what they took over than what they have done. Clearly this is a bad team. You could criticize the decision to stand pat in the offseason. However, there is no amount of free agency activity that would make them a playoff team this year. So, it appears the decision to mostly do nothing and create the space for rookie talent to audition was a smart one. It is painful as a fan, but at least the team should conclude the year with definitive decisions on players that could be a part of a core that competes in 2025+. New management should also be willing to spend on places where we are deficient over the 2023-24 offseasons. Withholding judgement until then.
I don't really have any criticism of what they did in the offseason. My concerns are more with the current new crop of coaches. We'd all like to forget this now but even Mike Matheny and Cal Eldred were once "highly regarded" by multiple organizations. Until they weren't.
Right you are. Poor attempt at humor on my part. I am a Royals fan and have been since 1969. I will enjoy the next five months right up to game number 162. Many young players, especially pitchers, have to go through tough times in MLB before they bear fruit. Watching players and a team grow makes the eventual success all the more enjoyable.
Like the positives. I’m actually a little torn on Olivares. I’m done with him as far as an outfielder goes. But he hits so which makes it darn near impossible not to play him on this team. But as a corner outfielder he doesn’t have enough pop….but he hits. So…what are you going to do.
Maybe you have more of this tomorrow. But at what point are we a a little concerned about Bobby Witt? OBS is down in the .270’s now. I know he’s a slow starter. But….that’s a major issue if we go backwards this year on that.
Olivares in the outfield probably only works with two elite outfielders. I suppose maybe one elite and one good? I don’t know though. He’s very much a tweener, but he’s in a great spot to see if he can be more than that because they just don’t have other options.
As for Witt, yes, there will be something on him tomorrow.
I'm with you on OBP with him. I've always said to be a good player you need to be hitting for average or power. To do both means a player is one of the greats. Let's hope he develops more.
I feel like one of the big problems with Witt is that I'm sure at this point, pitchers know that he can't hit fastballs as well as he can hit offspeed pitches, so they're just throwing heaters inside because they know he can't turn on them. This is just anecdotal, but I feel like a number of his PAs end on fastballs inside that he just weakly lifts to RF.
The fastballs are a big problem and one I know he worked on quite a bit this offseason. I was given a lot of reason to believe there was some hope on that end (and there still is, of course), but he's reverted back quite a bit for some reason. I'm trying to get a bit more information on all that, but just haven't really had the chance to.
I also think it's worth noting that he hit .313/.343/.516 in the 15 games prior to having a bad series in Minnesota. Now, I think it's worrisome that he had a bad series against a team that knows him so well, so that's something to keep in mind, bu I also wonder a little if we're not putting too much stock into a bad series. Again, I haven't had a chance to talk with anyone and I didn't get to watch as much this weekend as I typically do.
There was a discussion in another forum bemoaning the fact that there's really no one to blame here, because the ownership and the front office and the coaches are all so new. I couldn't have disagreed more strongly.
I know exactly who to blame: Us. The fans. For buying into all the foundationless hype about the new coaches and the alleged "new approaches" to hitting and pitching. We should have known better.
You keep saying things in absolutes as if 29 games is how it's going to be forever. I know you clearly don't believe in the new coaches and that's fine, but as I've said before, if you can evaluate a team with this many changes this quick, you should be making 15 times what anyone in the game is making. I'm not even saying you're not going to end up right because you very well might, but to have any definitive answers on this group at this moment is incredible hubris.
David I hope you know how much I respect your work and your opinions. I was one of your first subscribers and I'm proud to say that. But if my opinions express hubris then to me yours express the height of naivete. There was and is absolutely no reason to believe in all the hype about the new coaches and the "new approaches" they claim to bring. The fact that they've taught themselves to speak the language of analytics means nothing if the outcomes don't change. This is feeling very much like 2005. I hope I'm wrong but for now all we can do is hope. As usual.
I don’t believe it’s being naive to believe coaches who came about as highly regarded as anyone I’ve ever discussed with those in the game can make a difference or to allow it to take more than one month of their first season with largely the same cast and crew. But you are, of course, free to your opinion on the matter.
I'll leave it alone after one final observation: the Royals have had so many "highly regarded" coaches and managers over the years who proved to be abject failures that that can hardly be a valid or reliable standard. Peer review may work well in certain academic pursuits but it's far less dependable in professional sports.
29 games in...It is more a reflection of what they took over than what they have done. Clearly this is a bad team. You could criticize the decision to stand pat in the offseason. However, there is no amount of free agency activity that would make them a playoff team this year. So, it appears the decision to mostly do nothing and create the space for rookie talent to audition was a smart one. It is painful as a fan, but at least the team should conclude the year with definitive decisions on players that could be a part of a core that competes in 2025+. New management should also be willing to spend on places where we are deficient over the 2023-24 offseasons. Withholding judgement until then.
I don't really have any criticism of what they did in the offseason. My concerns are more with the current new crop of coaches. We'd all like to forget this now but even Mike Matheny and Cal Eldred were once "highly regarded" by multiple organizations. Until they weren't.
How come you don't announce the names of the winner/winners on the ticket giveaways?
I don't know. I guess I thought it didn't matter too much as long as they know they won. I suppose I can announce this one if that's what people want.
A bad April, yet here I am looking forward to ... next ... April.
Why else be a fan unless you find yourself with irrational hopes?
Right you are. Poor attempt at humor on my part. I am a Royals fan and have been since 1969. I will enjoy the next five months right up to game number 162. Many young players, especially pitchers, have to go through tough times in MLB before they bear fruit. Watching players and a team grow makes the eventual success all the more enjoyable.
Oh no, I was just joking around right back!
That said, I wouldn't make such a bold proclamation that you'll "enjoy" the next five months. I'm not sure that's possible haha.
Like the positives. I’m actually a little torn on Olivares. I’m done with him as far as an outfielder goes. But he hits so which makes it darn near impossible not to play him on this team. But as a corner outfielder he doesn’t have enough pop….but he hits. So…what are you going to do.
Maybe you have more of this tomorrow. But at what point are we a a little concerned about Bobby Witt? OBS is down in the .270’s now. I know he’s a slow starter. But….that’s a major issue if we go backwards this year on that.
OBP*
Olivares in the outfield probably only works with two elite outfielders. I suppose maybe one elite and one good? I don’t know though. He’s very much a tweener, but he’s in a great spot to see if he can be more than that because they just don’t have other options.
As for Witt, yes, there will be something on him tomorrow.
I'm with you on OBP with him. I've always said to be a good player you need to be hitting for average or power. To do both means a player is one of the greats. Let's hope he develops more.
I feel like one of the big problems with Witt is that I'm sure at this point, pitchers know that he can't hit fastballs as well as he can hit offspeed pitches, so they're just throwing heaters inside because they know he can't turn on them. This is just anecdotal, but I feel like a number of his PAs end on fastballs inside that he just weakly lifts to RF.
The fastballs are a big problem and one I know he worked on quite a bit this offseason. I was given a lot of reason to believe there was some hope on that end (and there still is, of course), but he's reverted back quite a bit for some reason. I'm trying to get a bit more information on all that, but just haven't really had the chance to.
I also think it's worth noting that he hit .313/.343/.516 in the 15 games prior to having a bad series in Minnesota. Now, I think it's worrisome that he had a bad series against a team that knows him so well, so that's something to keep in mind, bu I also wonder a little if we're not putting too much stock into a bad series. Again, I haven't had a chance to talk with anyone and I didn't get to watch as much this weekend as I typically do.
About time to shuffle the deck. Massey Melendez & whoever else. Who to move up & when?
I’d guess there’ll be at least a couple moves tomorrow. I wrote about a few I’d like to see on Friday.