Can't believe JD Martinez and Carlos Hernandez are still playing. I guess other teams would say the same about Sal probably.
I'm all in on youth, unless we think we could flip one of these guys at the deadline and the early half season wouldn't hurt a younger players development.
Do we have a DH candidate in the minors? I don't think so. It's a shame Pratto hasn't worked out.
As of right now, you could argue they have a DH already with Melendez, Velazquez, Olivares and Gentry all on the roster. But I still think moves are coming at some point to thin that out and I do think any veteran is there to be flipped at the deadline unless something wild happens and they're contending in a bad division.
I'd bring back Taylor before I'd consider Santana or Soler. Not because they're bad but because they were so not good for KC that it would just send the wrong message, and also if I was them I'd want nothing to do with the place.
Santana definitely wasn’t good, but Soler was good in 2018 before he got hurt, great in 2019, fine in 2020 and then had a brutal half in 2021. They may not want to come back, but I think not signing players who can help because they struggled at one point with a different regime sends a worse message. That is, of course, assuming there wasn’t a KC/Kauffman Stadium reason for their struggles.
Great analysis David! Can you comment or have statistics on how many called third strikes the Royals had this past season? Nothing infuriates me more than watching a guy NOT change his approach at the plate and look at a third strike! Choke up on the bat to increase bat speed and at least try to put the ball in play!!!
They were 11th in baseball in called third strikes and actually 11th in percentage of two-strike pitches that ended in a third strike. So a little more than average, but in that middle third. The truth, though, is that a called third strike isn't always really a big deal. For example, a runner on first and one out can be a perfectly fine time to take a pitch you can't do anything with.
Sure, there's the possibility that a squibber can find a hole, but take this pitch for example - https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=29ba7216-305a-4480-9205-733a7e0b3cde&videoType=AWAY. That's a double play that (probably) would have been a called third strike. I'd much rather have a runner on and only one out. It's just situational. I do agree that two-strike hitting is an art that is more important than many make it out to be, but just remember that nothing is black and white.
Thanks for this information! I believe Bobby Witt Jr. really started to blossom last season when he shortened his stroke with 2 strikes and quit trying to hit high pitches.
He actually swung at 26% of high pitches from June 1 on compared with 19.6% prior to that and June 1 was when he started hitting. He just hit them better.
I just…..I need to see a Salvy trade before I’ll believe it. I know the hype and “talk” at the deadline about almost having a deal done. But it’s just talk. I guess my fear is that everyone knows his numbers are declining this offseason and isn’t quite the push to get a deal done. Yes, Chicago is a weird organization and maybe they have interest. Just feels like it really needed to get done last deadline but who knows. I’m just a little skeptical brass actually makes the move. Are you surprised at how quite it as been so far? Royals…yes, but I’m a little surprised in baseball in general. Saw Gray went to St. Louis yesterday. Maybe more coming.
I'm pretty surprised at how quiet it's been. I guess the winter meetings haven't even started yet and things shut down for a few days around Thanksgiving usually, so maybe it's just that time is moving pretty slow. The Athletic has a top-40 free agents and I think four have signed. That's kind of wild to me. I'll be a lot more surprised if we get past the meetings and it doesn't pick up.
Ease my mind a little bit here. The Royals have to do something fairly significant this offseason right? Was hoping they would jump the market. I’ll give it time…but the silence is maddening. Lol.
Can't believe JD Martinez and Carlos Hernandez are still playing. I guess other teams would say the same about Sal probably.
I'm all in on youth, unless we think we could flip one of these guys at the deadline and the early half season wouldn't hurt a younger players development.
Do we have a DH candidate in the minors? I don't think so. It's a shame Pratto hasn't worked out.
As of right now, you could argue they have a DH already with Melendez, Velazquez, Olivares and Gentry all on the roster. But I still think moves are coming at some point to thin that out and I do think any veteran is there to be flipped at the deadline unless something wild happens and they're contending in a bad division.
I think you have Carlos Santana incorrectly listed in the outfielder group (unless he's making an unusual late career position change!)
Great stuff as usual!
You don't think he can play outfield? H8r.
I'd bring back Taylor before I'd consider Santana or Soler. Not because they're bad but because they were so not good for KC that it would just send the wrong message, and also if I was them I'd want nothing to do with the place.
Santana definitely wasn’t good, but Soler was good in 2018 before he got hurt, great in 2019, fine in 2020 and then had a brutal half in 2021. They may not want to come back, but I think not signing players who can help because they struggled at one point with a different regime sends a worse message. That is, of course, assuming there wasn’t a KC/Kauffman Stadium reason for their struggles.
Great analysis David! Can you comment or have statistics on how many called third strikes the Royals had this past season? Nothing infuriates me more than watching a guy NOT change his approach at the plate and look at a third strike! Choke up on the bat to increase bat speed and at least try to put the ball in play!!!
They were 11th in baseball in called third strikes and actually 11th in percentage of two-strike pitches that ended in a third strike. So a little more than average, but in that middle third. The truth, though, is that a called third strike isn't always really a big deal. For example, a runner on first and one out can be a perfectly fine time to take a pitch you can't do anything with.
Sure, there's the possibility that a squibber can find a hole, but take this pitch for example - https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=29ba7216-305a-4480-9205-733a7e0b3cde&videoType=AWAY. That's a double play that (probably) would have been a called third strike. I'd much rather have a runner on and only one out. It's just situational. I do agree that two-strike hitting is an art that is more important than many make it out to be, but just remember that nothing is black and white.
Thanks for this information! I believe Bobby Witt Jr. really started to blossom last season when he shortened his stroke with 2 strikes and quit trying to hit high pitches.
He actually swung at 26% of high pitches from June 1 on compared with 19.6% prior to that and June 1 was when he started hitting. He just hit them better.
I just…..I need to see a Salvy trade before I’ll believe it. I know the hype and “talk” at the deadline about almost having a deal done. But it’s just talk. I guess my fear is that everyone knows his numbers are declining this offseason and isn’t quite the push to get a deal done. Yes, Chicago is a weird organization and maybe they have interest. Just feels like it really needed to get done last deadline but who knows. I’m just a little skeptical brass actually makes the move. Are you surprised at how quite it as been so far? Royals…yes, but I’m a little surprised in baseball in general. Saw Gray went to St. Louis yesterday. Maybe more coming.
I'm pretty surprised at how quiet it's been. I guess the winter meetings haven't even started yet and things shut down for a few days around Thanksgiving usually, so maybe it's just that time is moving pretty slow. The Athletic has a top-40 free agents and I think four have signed. That's kind of wild to me. I'll be a lot more surprised if we get past the meetings and it doesn't pick up.
Ease my mind a little bit here. The Royals have to do something fairly significant this offseason right? Was hoping they would jump the market. I’ll give it time…but the silence is maddening. Lol.
They're not going to be quiet all winter. Keep in mind too that it's been like three weeks and most of one of them was spent on mostly a break.
I think Garver or Hernandez would be interesting. I should ask for my 70th n
I started to say I should ask for my money back and quit reading foe you to even mention MAT. Thanks for the good reading.
Hey, the numbers are what they are!