DO give Kila Ka'aihue a shot. He's better than any other option at DH, besides Billy Butler, in the system. I'm guessing that Jose Guillen will find his way to the DL either during Spring Training or sometime shortly thereafter. Josh Fields should be used as a back up 3B/1B/OF. This team is desperate for walks and KK's great OBP would be a welcome sight at Kauffman Stadium. Not to mention he may bring some potentially fearsome pop to the 6 or 7 spot in the lineup.
DON'T have a good April. Have a decent April. We saw it last year and the year before and in 2003, it's not how you start, but rather sustaining success and winning at the right times. The pressure to win is always surrounding a team, but being "right there" in July and August could possibly propel this team to contention status in the weak AL Central. Stay within 5-7 games of the division leader, hover above .500 through July and you are a couple of solid winning streaks away from the playoffs.
DON'T think that you can piggy back Billy Butler, Zack Greinke and Joakim Soria to .500. If this team has any shot, it won't be because these three continue success, it will be due to Alex Gordon, Luke Hochevar and the bullpen putting it together this year. Any team with a handful of good players can always raise a little hell.
DO score runs when Zack Greinke pitches. Easy.
DON'T be tempted to use Kyle Farnsworth in game threatening situations.
DON'T bat Scott Podsednik or Jason Kendall in the top of the order. This is an awful idea that Trey seems to be toying with. Pods has decent numbers in the leadoff spot, but nowhere near what David DeJesus seems to offer. Podsednik is best suited for the 8th or 9th spot in the order. Kendall does not provide the OBP he used to and should no way warrant a spot in the 2-hole.
DON'T let Brayan Pena languish on the bench. He has shed quite a few pounds in the offseason and added some muscle to his frame. He may turn into an Alberto Castillo type, but maybe he turns into a Yadier Molina type as well. Give him a shot.
DO attempt to educate the front office on the broad idea of sabermetrics and advanced statistics. One of our best pitchers swears by them. Maybe Banny should have a little sit down with Dayton and Co. and explain in 4th grader terms why Yuniesky Betancourt is actually a worse option than Tony Pena Jr.
DON'T listen to Dave Owen.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Quick Thoughts on Ankiel
Dayton Moore raised some eyebrows this week by saying that "there is no question that Rick Ankiel should continue to improve". Pretty bold statement considering that Ankiel is going to be 30 this season, an age at which most players can only find their best seasons in the rearview mirror. But Ankiel has impressed the most out of all the Royals players in camp so far, hitting two homers in the intrasquad game. Kevin Seitzer said that there are three players that make a sound off their bat that sounds different from others. Those three players: Bo Jackson, Billy Butler and Rick Ankiel.
But not so fast my friends, Lets not forget that while he may be 30 and his skills could be declining, he is still a player that has only been batting at a major league level (an above average level at that) for 2+ seasons. That being said, treat Ankiel like a 24 year old. He is still learning. He is the most athletic player on the roster and I highly doubt that we see him regress much over this season.
But not so fast my friends, Lets not forget that while he may be 30 and his skills could be declining, he is still a player that has only been batting at a major league level (an above average level at that) for 2+ seasons. That being said, treat Ankiel like a 24 year old. He is still learning. He is the most athletic player on the roster and I highly doubt that we see him regress much over this season.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Royals 2010 Wild Cards- No. 4 Mike Aviles
Shortstop is a position that this team has struggled to fill in the last decade. There was one shining beacon of hope in 2008 when Mike Aviles finally got called up to the big leagues. We all know his story. A Baird era draftee, signed out of college in the 789,105th round. Given a bus ticket and a thousand bucks as a signing bonus and 7 years later, he was a few dozen at bats away from finishing in the top 5 in the AL batting title race while playing top notch defense at short. Last year was a disappointment for Mike. He was injured, some say mistreated by Royals' trainers and beaten up from the World Baseball Disast...I mean Classic. Some people thought that Aviles career not only as a Royal, but as a major leaguer, was over. After a Tommy John surgery and lengthy DL stint, Aviles is finally back in Royal Blue.
Still a month or two from being 100%, Aviles has impressed so far in early camp, causing some club officials to say that he is the most defensively sound infielder the Royals have on their roster. A pleasant report for a fanbase and organization that is reeling from one of the worst defensive seasons in club history. There are whispers that Yuniesky Betancourt is still playing his role of a symbiotic Terrell Owens/Tony Pena Jr.
The point is that Aviles can not get healthy quick enough. Trey Hillman has sung Aviles praises in camp and has hinted that he will most likely overtake Yuni's spot once he returns to active duty, barring a miraculous first half from Betancourt.
The hope is that Mike can return to his 2008 form. An offense that is lacking serious pop in the bottom of the order could use an injection like Aviles to boost Royals bats to mediocre status. Even if he doesn't return to form, he has proven that he can hit at the big league level and be an adequate defensive part of this team. Obviously, he probably won't reach his .325 mark, but some say he could be a consistent .300 performer and put up similar numbers to Alberto Callaspo if given regular playing time.
If he can repeat even 80% of what he did in 2008, it will help this team in more ways than one. It will take at bats away from Yuniesky Betancourt and relegate Willie Bloomquist to what he does best, utility status. It will add depth to the team and the AAA level. Once Mike returns to the 25 man roster, either Chris Getz or Betancourt will be optioned to Omaha. Getz has options remaining, but if Betancourt is the one who goes, he can decline the option, forfeit the remainder of his contract and become a free agent, where no one will offer him a big league contract, or he can accept the assignment and get his big league paycheck while trying to fix one of his alleged 5 tools. Essentially, Mike Aviles coming back, no matter how you slice it, makes this team better. Of course, there are no guarantees.
The offense needs a serious injection of power. The defense needs a steady leg in the infield to stand on. The team needs another year like 2008 from Aviles to have any shot at contention. Mike is that kind of player that every team needs, the proverbial "energy guy". I'm not saying he'll be Brooks Robinson at the plate or Buddy Biancalana in the field. But he should be better than the turd pile we ran out there during 2009. You want someone to believe in besides Zack Greinke or Billy Butler in 2010? Look no further than Mike Aviles.
Still a month or two from being 100%, Aviles has impressed so far in early camp, causing some club officials to say that he is the most defensively sound infielder the Royals have on their roster. A pleasant report for a fanbase and organization that is reeling from one of the worst defensive seasons in club history. There are whispers that Yuniesky Betancourt is still playing his role of a symbiotic Terrell Owens/Tony Pena Jr.
The point is that Aviles can not get healthy quick enough. Trey Hillman has sung Aviles praises in camp and has hinted that he will most likely overtake Yuni's spot once he returns to active duty, barring a miraculous first half from Betancourt.
The hope is that Mike can return to his 2008 form. An offense that is lacking serious pop in the bottom of the order could use an injection like Aviles to boost Royals bats to mediocre status. Even if he doesn't return to form, he has proven that he can hit at the big league level and be an adequate defensive part of this team. Obviously, he probably won't reach his .325 mark, but some say he could be a consistent .300 performer and put up similar numbers to Alberto Callaspo if given regular playing time.
If he can repeat even 80% of what he did in 2008, it will help this team in more ways than one. It will take at bats away from Yuniesky Betancourt and relegate Willie Bloomquist to what he does best, utility status. It will add depth to the team and the AAA level. Once Mike returns to the 25 man roster, either Chris Getz or Betancourt will be optioned to Omaha. Getz has options remaining, but if Betancourt is the one who goes, he can decline the option, forfeit the remainder of his contract and become a free agent, where no one will offer him a big league contract, or he can accept the assignment and get his big league paycheck while trying to fix one of his alleged 5 tools. Essentially, Mike Aviles coming back, no matter how you slice it, makes this team better. Of course, there are no guarantees.
The offense needs a serious injection of power. The defense needs a steady leg in the infield to stand on. The team needs another year like 2008 from Aviles to have any shot at contention. Mike is that kind of player that every team needs, the proverbial "energy guy". I'm not saying he'll be Brooks Robinson at the plate or Buddy Biancalana in the field. But he should be better than the turd pile we ran out there during 2009. You want someone to believe in besides Zack Greinke or Billy Butler in 2010? Look no further than Mike Aviles.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Royals 2010 Wild Cards- No. 5 Gil Meche
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be breaking down a list of current Royals who are "Wild Cards" to the Royals success. These will be players who have the most questions surrounding them heading into the '10 campaign. I start breaking down the list, by importance, with #5, Gil Meche.
Gil has been a consistent performer for the Royals and one of the better pitchers in the AL Central, when healthy. Gil is on this list simply because he needs to stay healthy. His health isn't an issue all alone to Gil. It is an issue of Trey Hillman limiting Gil's workload. The Royals have said that they want their starters to combine for over 1000 innings this year. A pretty lofty goal, and seems to be congruent with the Royals and Dayton Moore's "Old School" and possibly ill-advised approach.
The fact of the matter is that Gil Meche is not a workhorse. He has only pitched over 200 innings twice in his career. Both came in back to back seasons in 2007 and 2008 when Meche was considered the team's ace. The interesting thing is that those seasons in which he pitched over 200 innings, they were the best seasons of his career (3.67 ERA in 2007, 3.98 in 2008). So I'm actually hoping that Gil can reach the 200 inning plateau that the front office has set him.
Those 200 innings will not come if he is once again abused by Trey Hillman for back to back 125 pitch outings. The Royals have invested $55 million in him. He is still due nearly $25 million before his contract is up in 2011. The Royals would be wise to get their money's worth from Gil Meche by using him appropriately. He needs to stay healthy this year and next as he is going to be prime trade-bait if he returns to his form that he displayed early in his Royals career. That is one way that the Royals could stand to gain in this scenario. The other is that Gil Meche will be a solid number two starter behind Zack Greinke, and possibly give this team the legs to actually contend this year. Any team that has a solid 1-2-3 punch in their rotation will almost always compete for a division crown.
Gil has been a centerpiece on this team for three seasons and a leader on and off the field. He is a valuable pitcher to have. His value is only good when he is healthy. Just because a pitcher is throwing a shutout through 6 innings doesn't mean you have to keep him in. Gil Meche usually has high pitch counts in the late innings and is generally solid into the 7th inning. But if those pitch counts are around 100-110 pitches and there are still multiple innings left, he needs to be sat down and hand it over to the pen. That is common baseball knowledge, especially with a guy who has a history with injury and the ever dreadful "dead arm".
Gil can be a big piece on a contender. He is still at the age where a player can consistently perform at a high level and I doubt he will display many signs of regression. His numbers most likely project him as a number three starter, but on a team that lacks consistency in the lower part of the rotation, that is a risk that the Royals cannot take.
Gil has been a consistent performer for the Royals and one of the better pitchers in the AL Central, when healthy. Gil is on this list simply because he needs to stay healthy. His health isn't an issue all alone to Gil. It is an issue of Trey Hillman limiting Gil's workload. The Royals have said that they want their starters to combine for over 1000 innings this year. A pretty lofty goal, and seems to be congruent with the Royals and Dayton Moore's "Old School" and possibly ill-advised approach.
The fact of the matter is that Gil Meche is not a workhorse. He has only pitched over 200 innings twice in his career. Both came in back to back seasons in 2007 and 2008 when Meche was considered the team's ace. The interesting thing is that those seasons in which he pitched over 200 innings, they were the best seasons of his career (3.67 ERA in 2007, 3.98 in 2008). So I'm actually hoping that Gil can reach the 200 inning plateau that the front office has set him.
Those 200 innings will not come if he is once again abused by Trey Hillman for back to back 125 pitch outings. The Royals have invested $55 million in him. He is still due nearly $25 million before his contract is up in 2011. The Royals would be wise to get their money's worth from Gil Meche by using him appropriately. He needs to stay healthy this year and next as he is going to be prime trade-bait if he returns to his form that he displayed early in his Royals career. That is one way that the Royals could stand to gain in this scenario. The other is that Gil Meche will be a solid number two starter behind Zack Greinke, and possibly give this team the legs to actually contend this year. Any team that has a solid 1-2-3 punch in their rotation will almost always compete for a division crown.
Gil has been a centerpiece on this team for three seasons and a leader on and off the field. He is a valuable pitcher to have. His value is only good when he is healthy. Just because a pitcher is throwing a shutout through 6 innings doesn't mean you have to keep him in. Gil Meche usually has high pitch counts in the late innings and is generally solid into the 7th inning. But if those pitch counts are around 100-110 pitches and there are still multiple innings left, he needs to be sat down and hand it over to the pen. That is common baseball knowledge, especially with a guy who has a history with injury and the ever dreadful "dead arm".
Gil can be a big piece on a contender. He is still at the age where a player can consistently perform at a high level and I doubt he will display many signs of regression. His numbers most likely project him as a number three starter, but on a team that lacks consistency in the lower part of the rotation, that is a risk that the Royals cannot take.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ryan Lefebvre's "The Shame of Me"
I just got done reading Royals TV Broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre's book, "The Shame of Me" for the second time in a month. I am incredibly grateful that Ryan is allowing the world to look into the dark and disturbing story of his battle with clinical depression and alcoholism. It really gives the reader a look inside the mind of someone who struggles with the proverbial "inner demons" and takes us on the violent journey that took hold of Ryan during the 2005 season.
It gave me, an aspiring radio show host and sports broadcaster, some perspective on the lives that these men live. That it sometimes isn't enough to be successful, handsome and well-liked. It made me realize that you have to confront your emotions and problems in your life, rather than hide them in the deepest abyss of your soul. We are incredibly lucky to have a man like this representing the Royals' organization in our community.
I'll be honest, I did not like Ryan when he started his career with the Royals at the turn of the millenium. I thought he was a cocky, smug jerk who was using the Royals as a stepping stone to something bigger than Kansas City. But he started to grow on me throughout the years and I came to learn that he is an incredibly intelligent baseball announcer and he has turned into one of my influences in my quest for a career in sports broadcasting. But after reading this book, Ryan Lefebvre is more than an influence on me, he is a hero. I usually don't throw that word around too much, but he really is. The courage he has shown in publishing his heartbreaking story has given me so much more respect for him as a man. As men, we are taught to hide our emotions and hold the tears back when the weight of the world becomes too much for us. He has given me faith that it is okay to talk about your emotions and to really tell people what you are feeling, rather than put up walls and facades to make us appear tough.
I look forward to the opportunity of getting to know Ryan Lefebvre during this season. I highly recommend reading his book, because whether or not you suffer from addiction or depression, you will learn something about yourself and begin to ask questions about your own mental health.
As for Ryan Lefebvre's future as a broadcaster with the Royals, I hope he stays here forever. He is one of the best announcers in the game and I think that he will one day join Denny Matthews and Fred White in the Royals Hall of Fame, and years down the road, be enshrined in Cooperstown, not only as a broadcaster, but also as an advocate for depression and addiction awareness among the baseball community.
It gave me, an aspiring radio show host and sports broadcaster, some perspective on the lives that these men live. That it sometimes isn't enough to be successful, handsome and well-liked. It made me realize that you have to confront your emotions and problems in your life, rather than hide them in the deepest abyss of your soul. We are incredibly lucky to have a man like this representing the Royals' organization in our community.
I'll be honest, I did not like Ryan when he started his career with the Royals at the turn of the millenium. I thought he was a cocky, smug jerk who was using the Royals as a stepping stone to something bigger than Kansas City. But he started to grow on me throughout the years and I came to learn that he is an incredibly intelligent baseball announcer and he has turned into one of my influences in my quest for a career in sports broadcasting. But after reading this book, Ryan Lefebvre is more than an influence on me, he is a hero. I usually don't throw that word around too much, but he really is. The courage he has shown in publishing his heartbreaking story has given me so much more respect for him as a man. As men, we are taught to hide our emotions and hold the tears back when the weight of the world becomes too much for us. He has given me faith that it is okay to talk about your emotions and to really tell people what you are feeling, rather than put up walls and facades to make us appear tough.
I look forward to the opportunity of getting to know Ryan Lefebvre during this season. I highly recommend reading his book, because whether or not you suffer from addiction or depression, you will learn something about yourself and begin to ask questions about your own mental health.
As for Ryan Lefebvre's future as a broadcaster with the Royals, I hope he stays here forever. He is one of the best announcers in the game and I think that he will one day join Denny Matthews and Fred White in the Royals Hall of Fame, and years down the road, be enshrined in Cooperstown, not only as a broadcaster, but also as an advocate for depression and addiction awareness among the baseball community.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Quick Thoughts on Farnsworth
Today, the Royals announced that Kyle Farnsworth would be competing for a spot in the starting rotation. My first thought was "why?", which over the next few hours turned into "why not?"
It's a perfectly good question. Why not try him as a starter? Farnsworth has long toiled as a tormented set up man all across baseball. But he has never once been a starting pitcher. He isn't really built like a pitcher, more like a UFC fighter. He's had his chances in the bullpen and he usually blew them. But the funny thing is, when he pitches in low pressure situation, the guy gets people out. He had a 19 inning scoreless streak last year (which was broken when he appeared in a late innings situation and blew a lead). My point is, why not give him no lead to work with? Baseball is a mental game and has driven men crazy (See Dykstra, Lenny). Let's face it, if you're a pitcher you have to be mentally tough. Especially if you're in the bullpen. But I think the psychological advantage of being in the rotation is that there is less pressure on you than sitting on a bench for 3 hours and then being thrust into a game threatening situation.
I don't know if I could fully endorse the move, but like I said, why not?
It's a perfectly good question. Why not try him as a starter? Farnsworth has long toiled as a tormented set up man all across baseball. But he has never once been a starting pitcher. He isn't really built like a pitcher, more like a UFC fighter. He's had his chances in the bullpen and he usually blew them. But the funny thing is, when he pitches in low pressure situation, the guy gets people out. He had a 19 inning scoreless streak last year (which was broken when he appeared in a late innings situation and blew a lead). My point is, why not give him no lead to work with? Baseball is a mental game and has driven men crazy (See Dykstra, Lenny). Let's face it, if you're a pitcher you have to be mentally tough. Especially if you're in the bullpen. But I think the psychological advantage of being in the rotation is that there is less pressure on you than sitting on a bench for 3 hours and then being thrust into a game threatening situation.
I don't know if I could fully endorse the move, but like I said, why not?
Excuse Me While I Process...I Mean Project...
Well, Spring Training is just days away for the Royals. That being said, it is time for me to unveil my "gut instinct", non-statistical-yet-based-on-past-performance-projections! Enjoy.
We'll start off with the starting rotation.
Zack Greinke- 17-9, 2.56 ERA, 247 K, 230 IP. I expect Zack to regress, if you can call it that, due to the fact that I think the league will somewhat key in on him after watching mountains of tape. It probably won't help that much. I think his strikeouts will also go up just a bit.
Gil Meche- 13-12, 4.03 ERA, 162 K, 203 IP. As I have said in the past, I think we've seen the best of Gil Meche in a Royals uniform. He's getting older, but not old enough to warrant a big regression this year. I think Trey learned his lesson last year and Gil will stay relatively healthy.
Brian Bannister- 12-10, 3.57 ERA, 152 K, 210 IP. Banny is going to turn into a work horse this year. A REAL innings eater. I think he'll throw several good games for the Royals this year.
Luke Hochevar- 10-14, 4.38 ERA, 163 K, 187 IP. Luke is a guy who I think will finally start putting it together this year and will start climbing his way up to the top half of the rotation heading in to 2011. I really have faith in him because he showed us some brilliance in a handful of starts last year.
Kyle Davies- 2-8, 5.67 ERA, 102 K, 140 IP. I think he'll be relegated to bullpen duty by the All Star Break. He's got a world of potential, but I'm not sure if the mental makeup is there.
Lineup (projected)
1. RF David DeJesus- .283/.356/.440, 12 HR, 76 RBI, 10 SB. I think he's been the most consistent player on our roster in the past few years. If he puts up numbers like this with the Royals cellar dwelling in July, I expect him to be traded.
2. LF Scott Podsednik- .270/.325/.387, 4 HR, 48 RBI, 26 SB. I am not as gloomy about Pods as I was when we acquired him, but I think he'll provide average to decent numbers for a light hitting, poor baserunning 2-hole hitter.
3. 1B Billy Butler- .315/.385/.460, 28 HR, 105 RBI, 1 SB. I was looking forward to this projection all week. Really excited to see what Billy will do this year.
4. CF Rick Ankiel- .254/.312/.425, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 12 SB. All I want for him to do is gun people down and not strike out with runners in scoring position. I think he'll play well enough for people to like him.
5. 2B Alberto Callaspo- .298/.345/.425, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 6 SB. I think 'Bert will continue hitting. Most baseball people think he's a .300-.310 career hitter. I put him in the .285-.300 range. His RBI numbers will slip as he probably will not be hitting behind DeJesus' hefty OBP and rather Ankiel's sluggish OBP.
6. Alex Gordon- .265/.345/.450, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 13 SB. A season like this would have us all optimistic that he could really be a special player, but time is running out on him. I hope his real numbers are better than this projection.
7. DH Josh Fields*- .242/.320/.432, 20 HR, 53 RBI, 2 SB. I think we could see him succeed in a new environment.
8. SS Yuniesky Betancourt- .265/.289/.376, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 6 SB. I am actually thinking about taking these numbers to Vegas and seeing what the odds are. I'm guessing they're less than 50:1.
9. C Jason Kendall- .245/.325/.320, 0 HR, 37 RBI, 5 SB. Pretty weak way to round out a lineup, but I doubt we see better numbers than this. Hopefully his defense behind home plate will lead to more wins and he won't strike out in big situations.
*I did not put Jose Guillen's projection up because I believe he will play in very few games this year.
Bench
1B/DH Kila Ka'aihue- .238/.356/.420, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 2 SB. This may be a pipedream, but I think that the Kila Whale (nice, right?) deserves his shot. Another year in AAA turns him into Justin Huber 2.0. He needs a chance to develop.
C/DH Brayan Pena- .276/.330/.390, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB. I like him alot. I really hope that he gets a real look in Spring Training. My hope is 50 starts for him, especially if Kendall breaks down.
SS/2B/OF/3B/DH/Janitor Willie Bloomquist- .260/.307/.325, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 15 SB. Willie is a valuable player, if he only starts every fourth day.
OF Brian Anderson- .278/.350/.385, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 12 SB. He really broke out in Boston in 21 games where he hit .280. If he doesn't impress in Spring Training, then he has options left.
Bullpen
RHP Kyle Farnsworth- 4.75 ERA, 35 K, 35 IP. MOP UP DUTY ONLY. MOP UP DUTY ONLY. MOP UP DUTY ONLY
RHP Juan Cruz- 3.67 ERA, 67 K, 57 IP. I think he struggled last year due to injury. I could be wrong and he could be yet another NL pitcher who can't hack it in the Junior Circuit.
LHP Edgar Osuna- 4.13 ERA, 27 K, 40 IP. Our Rule-5 pick could surprise us this year and provide decent lefty help.
RHP Robinson Tejeda- 3.06 ERA, 56 K, 60 IP. I think he will be our primary set up man. I also think that he will challenge Kyle Davies for the 5th starter in Spring Training.
RHP Matt Herges- 4.67 ERA, 28 K, 35 IP. Another guy who will be a mop up man.
LHP Dusty Hughes- 3.98 ERA, 37 K, 48 IP. For a bullpen that needs incredible help from a lefty, Dusty could be a nice surprise.
Closer Joakim Soria- 43 Saves, 2.06 ERA, 70 K, 69 IP. I have a feeling it will be another All Star type season for the Mexicutioner.
There you have it.
We'll start off with the starting rotation.
Zack Greinke- 17-9, 2.56 ERA, 247 K, 230 IP. I expect Zack to regress, if you can call it that, due to the fact that I think the league will somewhat key in on him after watching mountains of tape. It probably won't help that much. I think his strikeouts will also go up just a bit.
Gil Meche- 13-12, 4.03 ERA, 162 K, 203 IP. As I have said in the past, I think we've seen the best of Gil Meche in a Royals uniform. He's getting older, but not old enough to warrant a big regression this year. I think Trey learned his lesson last year and Gil will stay relatively healthy.
Brian Bannister- 12-10, 3.57 ERA, 152 K, 210 IP. Banny is going to turn into a work horse this year. A REAL innings eater. I think he'll throw several good games for the Royals this year.
Luke Hochevar- 10-14, 4.38 ERA, 163 K, 187 IP. Luke is a guy who I think will finally start putting it together this year and will start climbing his way up to the top half of the rotation heading in to 2011. I really have faith in him because he showed us some brilliance in a handful of starts last year.
Kyle Davies- 2-8, 5.67 ERA, 102 K, 140 IP. I think he'll be relegated to bullpen duty by the All Star Break. He's got a world of potential, but I'm not sure if the mental makeup is there.
Lineup (projected)
1. RF David DeJesus- .283/.356/.440, 12 HR, 76 RBI, 10 SB. I think he's been the most consistent player on our roster in the past few years. If he puts up numbers like this with the Royals cellar dwelling in July, I expect him to be traded.
2. LF Scott Podsednik- .270/.325/.387, 4 HR, 48 RBI, 26 SB. I am not as gloomy about Pods as I was when we acquired him, but I think he'll provide average to decent numbers for a light hitting, poor baserunning 2-hole hitter.
3. 1B Billy Butler- .315/.385/.460, 28 HR, 105 RBI, 1 SB. I was looking forward to this projection all week. Really excited to see what Billy will do this year.
4. CF Rick Ankiel- .254/.312/.425, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 12 SB. All I want for him to do is gun people down and not strike out with runners in scoring position. I think he'll play well enough for people to like him.
5. 2B Alberto Callaspo- .298/.345/.425, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 6 SB. I think 'Bert will continue hitting. Most baseball people think he's a .300-.310 career hitter. I put him in the .285-.300 range. His RBI numbers will slip as he probably will not be hitting behind DeJesus' hefty OBP and rather Ankiel's sluggish OBP.
6. Alex Gordon- .265/.345/.450, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 13 SB. A season like this would have us all optimistic that he could really be a special player, but time is running out on him. I hope his real numbers are better than this projection.
7. DH Josh Fields*- .242/.320/.432, 20 HR, 53 RBI, 2 SB. I think we could see him succeed in a new environment.
8. SS Yuniesky Betancourt- .265/.289/.376, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 6 SB. I am actually thinking about taking these numbers to Vegas and seeing what the odds are. I'm guessing they're less than 50:1.
9. C Jason Kendall- .245/.325/.320, 0 HR, 37 RBI, 5 SB. Pretty weak way to round out a lineup, but I doubt we see better numbers than this. Hopefully his defense behind home plate will lead to more wins and he won't strike out in big situations.
*I did not put Jose Guillen's projection up because I believe he will play in very few games this year.
Bench
1B/DH Kila Ka'aihue- .238/.356/.420, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 2 SB. This may be a pipedream, but I think that the Kila Whale (nice, right?) deserves his shot. Another year in AAA turns him into Justin Huber 2.0. He needs a chance to develop.
C/DH Brayan Pena- .276/.330/.390, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB. I like him alot. I really hope that he gets a real look in Spring Training. My hope is 50 starts for him, especially if Kendall breaks down.
SS/2B/OF/3B/DH/Janitor Willie Bloomquist- .260/.307/.325, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 15 SB. Willie is a valuable player, if he only starts every fourth day.
OF Brian Anderson- .278/.350/.385, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 12 SB. He really broke out in Boston in 21 games where he hit .280. If he doesn't impress in Spring Training, then he has options left.
Bullpen
RHP Kyle Farnsworth- 4.75 ERA, 35 K, 35 IP. MOP UP DUTY ONLY. MOP UP DUTY ONLY. MOP UP DUTY ONLY
RHP Juan Cruz- 3.67 ERA, 67 K, 57 IP. I think he struggled last year due to injury. I could be wrong and he could be yet another NL pitcher who can't hack it in the Junior Circuit.
LHP Edgar Osuna- 4.13 ERA, 27 K, 40 IP. Our Rule-5 pick could surprise us this year and provide decent lefty help.
RHP Robinson Tejeda- 3.06 ERA, 56 K, 60 IP. I think he will be our primary set up man. I also think that he will challenge Kyle Davies for the 5th starter in Spring Training.
RHP Matt Herges- 4.67 ERA, 28 K, 35 IP. Another guy who will be a mop up man.
LHP Dusty Hughes- 3.98 ERA, 37 K, 48 IP. For a bullpen that needs incredible help from a lefty, Dusty could be a nice surprise.
Closer Joakim Soria- 43 Saves, 2.06 ERA, 70 K, 69 IP. I have a feeling it will be another All Star type season for the Mexicutioner.
There you have it.
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