Seems like he's on this list every year. We all know the story, it has become a common trend with Royals 1st round draft picks. The potential is there, yet Gordon and Luke Hochevar have struggled putting it all together for a full season, but there have been signs of their full potential. Whether it is an 80 pitch complete game from Hochevar or a 450 ft homer from Gordon into the second tier of the fountains, we have all seen it.
Now Gordon's future is definitely in doubt. His health has become more of a concern than his consistency. Hip surgery last year, a bad bounce broke his nose in 2008, broken thumb this Spring, a handful of trips to the 15 day DL, just a sample of what he has gone through.
He was proclaimed as the greatest baseball prospect ever by many, Minor League Player of the year in his first year in AA. He had all the potential in the world. His first at bat in the Major Leagues has become a microcosm of his career. Bases loaded, Opening Day, facing a legend in Curt Schilling, a team that had a bright future....he struck out. The hope is fading on Gordon, he's going from a guy who was unfairly labeled as the next George Brett to the next Craig Paquette, another unfair comparison. He is 26, going in to what is supposed to be the prime of a player's career and has barely scratched the surface.
The thing that worries me about Gordon's current injury, a broken thumb, is that it will turn into a nagging injury that once again prohibits him from reaching his potential with the Royals. I still have high hopes for him, he's shown us what he can do. He's got one of the purest swings I've ever seen and he is a tremendous athlete.
The hope remains for me that he will be able to overcome this inconvenient injury and become a staple in this lineup, something that this team has lacked for a long time. 2 years ago, it was the thought of Billy Butler and Alex Gordon smacked in the middle of the lineup, terrorizing Major League Baseball. Butler would hit doubles, walk and then Gordon would smash homeruns, Royals would dominate the AL Central and so on.
That hasn't happened.
Obviously, Gordon is the easiest choice for a Royals Wild Card. My hope is that he can stay healthy throughout the season and be a lock for 150 games. If that can happen, I have no doubts he can finally start reaching his potential.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Outside of the Batters Box: Missouri Mavericks Review
Those of you who know me, whether through this blog or in person, know I am a huge hockey fan. You know that I think Kansas City is a prime candidate for an NHL team. The NHL hasn't been around in these parts on a regular basis for nearly 35 years. The Blades were great in the 90s, The Scouts were a joke in the 70s and the Outlaws...well, the Outlaws never really stood a chance. This year, KC received a big time jolt of professional hockey when the Central Hockey League expanded to the Eastern-most part of the metro and placed the Missouri Mavericks at the brand new, 5,500 seat, state of the art Independence Events Center.
I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much when the team was announced. I had been to a couple of CHL games back when the Topeka Scarecrows were the nearest pro team around back in the early part of the millenium. I wasn't impressed. It was slow, poorly officiated, too violent and lacked a serious amount of skill. But the league has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade.
When I went to my first Mavs game, I was expecting a decent night at a hockey game. Maybe there would be a couple of fights, a nice looking goal or two and the fans would be loud. I was blown away. It was obvious that this league had changed. There are players in the CHL who have been drafted by NHL teams or even played in the NHL. Many of them are on their last stop in their careers, but still possess a decent amount of skill. There are fights. There are bad penalties, but for the most part, the players keep it clean and respect the game.
The Independence Events Center looks pretty big from I-70 for a 5,500 seater. But once you get in the building, the atmosphere is incredibly intimate and there really isn't a bad seat in the barn. My seats were in the corner, about 20 rows up and the sightlines were incredible. If you've never seen hockey up close, you've gotta go to a Mavericks game. Tickets are cheap too. $15 bucks to sit 10 rows up isn't bad at all considering you would pay around $150 for those same seats at an NHL game. The crowd was great the whole game. The fans at the IEC reminded me of how intense the fans were at Kemper Arena when the Blades were dominating the IHL. We've got smart hockey fans here. They stand up when there's an odd man rush. They clap and yell when the Mavs clear the zone on a penalty kill. They cheer loudly when the goalie makes a great save. The arena will never get louder during a fight than it does when the home team scores. Fans wear hockey sweaters from every team in the NHL, past and present. There is a spattering of Blades and Scouts jerseys, as well. Its an awesome atmosphere.
As I am writing this, the Mavs have won in a shootout against the Odessa Jackalopes (there are some great mascots in this league) and have gone four points up on the Tulsa Oilers for the final playoff spot with three games to go. All they have to do now is win one game on the road to secure a playoff spot and if the Mavericks can do that, this city will fall in love with hockey once again, even more than it already has. Because lets face it, we could all use a winner around here.
I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much when the team was announced. I had been to a couple of CHL games back when the Topeka Scarecrows were the nearest pro team around back in the early part of the millenium. I wasn't impressed. It was slow, poorly officiated, too violent and lacked a serious amount of skill. But the league has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade.
When I went to my first Mavs game, I was expecting a decent night at a hockey game. Maybe there would be a couple of fights, a nice looking goal or two and the fans would be loud. I was blown away. It was obvious that this league had changed. There are players in the CHL who have been drafted by NHL teams or even played in the NHL. Many of them are on their last stop in their careers, but still possess a decent amount of skill. There are fights. There are bad penalties, but for the most part, the players keep it clean and respect the game.
The Independence Events Center looks pretty big from I-70 for a 5,500 seater. But once you get in the building, the atmosphere is incredibly intimate and there really isn't a bad seat in the barn. My seats were in the corner, about 20 rows up and the sightlines were incredible. If you've never seen hockey up close, you've gotta go to a Mavericks game. Tickets are cheap too. $15 bucks to sit 10 rows up isn't bad at all considering you would pay around $150 for those same seats at an NHL game. The crowd was great the whole game. The fans at the IEC reminded me of how intense the fans were at Kemper Arena when the Blades were dominating the IHL. We've got smart hockey fans here. They stand up when there's an odd man rush. They clap and yell when the Mavs clear the zone on a penalty kill. They cheer loudly when the goalie makes a great save. The arena will never get louder during a fight than it does when the home team scores. Fans wear hockey sweaters from every team in the NHL, past and present. There is a spattering of Blades and Scouts jerseys, as well. Its an awesome atmosphere.
As I am writing this, the Mavs have won in a shootout against the Odessa Jackalopes (there are some great mascots in this league) and have gone four points up on the Tulsa Oilers for the final playoff spot with three games to go. All they have to do now is win one game on the road to secure a playoff spot and if the Mavericks can do that, this city will fall in love with hockey once again, even more than it already has. Because lets face it, we could all use a winner around here.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Royals 2010 Wild Cards- No. 3 Robinson Tejeda
Tejeda has really impressed me in his time with the Royals, whether it be in the bullpen or starting rotation. The reason he is included in the "wild card" discussion is because I'm not sure that the Royals know what they want to do with him. He's been solid out of the 'pen in the past, but he had an amazing September in which he posted a 2.84 ERA as a starter, and averaged 10.6 K/9.
Tejeda isn't a wild card because I am unsure of what he will do, but rather I am unsure about where he is most valuable to this team. If used in the bullpen, he provides a steady and reliable arm in a sea of question marks. Not to mention, it would be nice to have a sturdy bridge to Joakim Soria rather than have to bet on Juan Cruz being healthy and reliable. But his best stuff didn't come from the bullpen last year. It came in the starting rotation.
Once again, a wild card comes down to whether or not Trey Hillman and Dayton Moore make the right decision, which based on past performance, is not likely to happen. Tejeda is a good starter. The only issue with him starting is that he usually is only good for 5-6 innings. With Dayton & Co.'s ridiculous notion that this rotation will pitch 1000 innings, it is unlikely that we will see Tejeda in the rotation on a regular basis. The Royals have also been tinkering with his delivery. Last year, he pitched exclusively out of the stretch. Now, Bob McClure has tried to incorporate a windup into his delivery, and as we have seen in his first two Spring Training starts, Tejeda has struggled. Hopefully the Royals coaching staff can correct this and maybe limit him to only using the stretch, rather than force him to change his mechanics. With Kyle Davies showcasing his inability to conserve his pitches and limit his pitch count, I would like to see he and Robby switch places. Davies is obviously a failed experiment in the rotation. The obvious option is for him to be placed in the bullpen.
I think most Royals fans would prefer 5-6 good innings from Tejeda rather than suffer through more 60 pitch, 6 earned run, 2 inning Kyle Davies performances.
Tejeda isn't a wild card because I am unsure of what he will do, but rather I am unsure about where he is most valuable to this team. If used in the bullpen, he provides a steady and reliable arm in a sea of question marks. Not to mention, it would be nice to have a sturdy bridge to Joakim Soria rather than have to bet on Juan Cruz being healthy and reliable. But his best stuff didn't come from the bullpen last year. It came in the starting rotation.
Once again, a wild card comes down to whether or not Trey Hillman and Dayton Moore make the right decision, which based on past performance, is not likely to happen. Tejeda is a good starter. The only issue with him starting is that he usually is only good for 5-6 innings. With Dayton & Co.'s ridiculous notion that this rotation will pitch 1000 innings, it is unlikely that we will see Tejeda in the rotation on a regular basis. The Royals have also been tinkering with his delivery. Last year, he pitched exclusively out of the stretch. Now, Bob McClure has tried to incorporate a windup into his delivery, and as we have seen in his first two Spring Training starts, Tejeda has struggled. Hopefully the Royals coaching staff can correct this and maybe limit him to only using the stretch, rather than force him to change his mechanics. With Kyle Davies showcasing his inability to conserve his pitches and limit his pitch count, I would like to see he and Robby switch places. Davies is obviously a failed experiment in the rotation. The obvious option is for him to be placed in the bullpen.
I think most Royals fans would prefer 5-6 good innings from Tejeda rather than suffer through more 60 pitch, 6 earned run, 2 inning Kyle Davies performances.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Do's and Don'ts for Royals Contention in 2010
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.
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.
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.
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