You could make an argument that the Chiefs had the biggest offseason of any team in the AFC. Acquiring Matt Cassel from the Patriots for a 2nd round pick.
Other than Cassel, the Chiefs have more holes on offense than most teams in the NFL. But as we head in to Training Camp, we can allow ourselves to dream (hell, it worked with the Royals in March). In my mind, the AFC West can be won with a 9-7 record this year. A .500 team won it last year...
The Chargers are definitely better than 8-8, I could see them going 9-7, but with the West playing the NFC East this year, I doubt it. LT is likely to continue breaking down. If he has a repeat performance of his 2007 season, then he is officially a freak of nature.
The Broncos are without a quarterback. Yes, Kyle Orton is a decent QB, but I doubt he can help the Broncos defense, which is almost as bad as the Chiefs.
The Raiders. Ha, oh the Raiders. Al Davis continues his "commitment to excellence" by drafting Darius Heyward-Bey, a guy who was predicted to go in the 2nd round, but drafted because he ran a 4.3 40 yd dash. Jamarcus Russel has one season to prove that he isn't a bust, but I think we already know the answer to that question. Tom Cable as head coach? Yikes. Just when you think things have gotten as bad as they can be, just remember, at least we're not the Raiders.
On to the Chiefs. If Matt Cassel can lead this offense like Tyler Thigpen did in some games last year, then I think the Chiefs have a shot.......at winning 5 games. If this team is going to win more than 5 games this year, the defense has to have a complete turnaround. Heres the good news, we only have to worry about three down-linemen instead of four this year! The combo of Jackson, Dorsey, Boone doesn't sound scary, but lets not forget that Dorsey and Jackson wreaked havoc on the SEC two years ago. Maybe Jackson's prescence is what could bring out the beast in Glenn Dorsey. Tamba Hali's move to outside linebacker is a smart move. I think the move to the 3-4 also takes pressure off of Derrick Johnson. Look folks, just because his first name is Derrick, does not mean this guy will ever be like Derrick Thomas. Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas give this linebacking corps an All-Pro look rather than a journeyman look.
On to the secondary. The cornerbacks were ok last year, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr are future stars in this league, no doubt, but the problem lies in our safeties. Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page looked lost last year and more concerned with de-cleating people than breaking up passes and disrupting routes. The addition of Mike Brown is a perfect move. I know a few Chicago Bears fans, and when I asked them about Mike Brown, they ranted and raved about this guy. In fact, they went as far to say as Brown was the anchor of that Super Bowl defense, not Brian Urlacher. I see Brown as the 3rd safety and a special teamer. But if Page or Pollard continues playing like last year, we could see him switch roles with one of those two. Of course, this is all contingent on Mike Brown staying healthy.
The offensive side of the football raises just as many questions as the denfense. I'll get to that tomorrow along with my prediction of the Chiefs' record and whether or not this is FINALLY the year that we win at Mile High.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Top 10 Moments of FAIL This Year for The "Roilets"
10. After long time organist, and KC favorite, Sam "The Man" Beckett unexpectedly quits after the 2008 season, the Roilets decide to not hire a replacement/not pay Sam Beckett a reasonable salary. So after a whole offseason of acquiring marginal talent, the Roilets decide not to provide crowds with live organ music at the New K, and instead subject them to awful mp3s of synthesized organ music. Not to mention, a horrendously awful version of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" that sounds like it was downloaded off LimeWire.
It's almost August and the Roilets still havent even found anyone to play the organ. They say they're looking, but I won't be holding my breath.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Mr. Perfect: Mark Buehrle
Wow. Just wow. This guy has got to be one of the most underrated pitchers not just this decade but EVER. Today, with a teeny bit of help from Dewayne Wise, Mark Buehrle vaulted himself into legendary status. He's dominated the AL Central for the past decade and belongs in a White Sox uniform.
I'll be honest, the White Sox are not one of my favorite teams, but watching Buehrle work his magic today had me mesmerized. No one can take anything away from Mr. Perfect today. Yeah, sure Wise robbed that HR, but that is just what happens when things are going your way. The ball finds its way into gloves, foul territory, the catchers mitt, etc. And the amazing thing, is that the ball goes nowhere else during a perfect game. That is what makes it "perfect". Baseball is the most imperfect sport in the world. We put guys in the Hall of Fame who fail 7 out of 10 times at the plate. That is what makes the perfect game so special. A bit of perfection in a non-perfect game.
If I had a vote, Mark Buehrle would be a first ballot Hall of Famer in my mind. He's got a chance to win 300 games. But even if he doesn't do that, I still think a guy with two no-hitters/one perfect game on his resume absolutely deserves to be among the game's elite.
I'll be honest, the White Sox are not one of my favorite teams, but watching Buehrle work his magic today had me mesmerized. No one can take anything away from Mr. Perfect today. Yeah, sure Wise robbed that HR, but that is just what happens when things are going your way. The ball finds its way into gloves, foul territory, the catchers mitt, etc. And the amazing thing, is that the ball goes nowhere else during a perfect game. That is what makes it "perfect". Baseball is the most imperfect sport in the world. We put guys in the Hall of Fame who fail 7 out of 10 times at the plate. That is what makes the perfect game so special. A bit of perfection in a non-perfect game.
If I had a vote, Mark Buehrle would be a first ballot Hall of Famer in my mind. He's got a chance to win 300 games. But even if he doesn't do that, I still think a guy with two no-hitters/one perfect game on his resume absolutely deserves to be among the game's elite.
Friday, July 17, 2009
"Tribute" to Tony Pena Jr.
Well, an era in Royals baseball is finished. Tony Pena Jr. has officially been designated for assignment* by the Royals.
*This means that Pena will be put through waivers. If none of the other 29 teams in the MLB want to claim the rights to Pena's contract, then he will decide whether to accept his assignment to either AA NW Arkansas or AAA Omaha or become a free agent.
TJ's career with the Royals started out incredibly promising, as he hit two triples in his Royals debut against the Red Sox on Opening Day in 2007. He finished the year batting .267 and was gaining comparisons to great shortstops like Ozzie Smith on the defensive side of his game. Dayton Moore looked like a genius with the move, acquiring him from the Atlanta Braves (go figure).
2008 began the notorious rise of Pena in a Royals uniform. He started as the Royals Opening Day shortstop, and provided the go ahead single against Detroit in extra innings on Opening Day. But after that, much didnt go right for TJ.
Finally, the Royals decided enough was enough with TPJ and called up Mike Aviles to replace him. Aviles hit .325 that year and the rest as they say, is history.
Later on in '08, the Royals staged probably their most infamous giveaway: a Tony Pena Jr. bobblehead doll. Sellout crowds usually attend these games and lineup hours before the gates open to ensure that they get the collectible. A crowd of less than 16,000 was announced and there were stories of people actually declining to take the doll.
Tony made a brief relief appearance for the Royals in July of 2008. In the late innings of a July 21st game against Detroit, in which the Royals were being blown out by the Tigers, Tony Pena came into the game and got 2 quick outs. He completed the perfect inning by baffling future Hall of Famer, Ivan Rodriguez.
After that, there really isn't much to talk about. Tony Pena Jr. has gone down as the worst offensive player in Royals history and will live on far past these horrendous years of Royals baseball (if they ever come to an end).
That being said, here is what I think the Royals should do. If Tony Jr. is not claimed off waivers (rumor has it that 21 teams have filed paperwork to claim him. SUCKERS!), the Royals should place him in AA and have him start working on pitching mechanics. It may have been a small sample size, but TJ looked very impressive in that small sample size. He has a 90+ mph fastball with cut on it, and a pretty wicked breaking ball in the mid 70s. Try it. If it fails, then what have we lost?
*This means that Pena will be put through waivers. If none of the other 29 teams in the MLB want to claim the rights to Pena's contract, then he will decide whether to accept his assignment to either AA NW Arkansas or AAA Omaha or become a free agent.
TJ's career with the Royals started out incredibly promising, as he hit two triples in his Royals debut against the Red Sox on Opening Day in 2007. He finished the year batting .267 and was gaining comparisons to great shortstops like Ozzie Smith on the defensive side of his game. Dayton Moore looked like a genius with the move, acquiring him from the Atlanta Braves (go figure).
2008 began the notorious rise of Pena in a Royals uniform. He started as the Royals Opening Day shortstop, and provided the go ahead single against Detroit in extra innings on Opening Day. But after that, much didnt go right for TJ.
Finally, the Royals decided enough was enough with TPJ and called up Mike Aviles to replace him. Aviles hit .325 that year and the rest as they say, is history.
Later on in '08, the Royals staged probably their most infamous giveaway: a Tony Pena Jr. bobblehead doll. Sellout crowds usually attend these games and lineup hours before the gates open to ensure that they get the collectible. A crowd of less than 16,000 was announced and there were stories of people actually declining to take the doll.
Tony made a brief relief appearance for the Royals in July of 2008. In the late innings of a July 21st game against Detroit, in which the Royals were being blown out by the Tigers, Tony Pena came into the game and got 2 quick outs. He completed the perfect inning by baffling future Hall of Famer, Ivan Rodriguez.
After that, there really isn't much to talk about. Tony Pena Jr. has gone down as the worst offensive player in Royals history and will live on far past these horrendous years of Royals baseball (if they ever come to an end).
That being said, here is what I think the Royals should do. If Tony Jr. is not claimed off waivers (rumor has it that 21 teams have filed paperwork to claim him. SUCKERS!), the Royals should place him in AA and have him start working on pitching mechanics. It may have been a small sample size, but TJ looked very impressive in that small sample size. He has a 90+ mph fastball with cut on it, and a pretty wicked breaking ball in the mid 70s. Try it. If it fails, then what have we lost?
Monday, July 13, 2009
NHL in KC (Part 2/Anti-NBA)
Like I explained in my previous NHL post, KC has the right combination of corporate and community support to justify an NHL team being placed in our fine city.
Now, for those of you who counter with a Pro-NBA argument, I will shoot back in the least biased way that I can.
I'll be honest, I really cannot stand the NBA. I think it is more spectacle than it is sport. It is popular because Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are considered more celebrity than they are athlete. I don't like the league, I think it has become a circus, more like a hip hop concert than a sporting event, with music going on during the games and huge pyrotechnic displays before games.
I used to be a pretty big Chicago Bulls fan in the 90s (who wasnt?) and still follow the team on a casual basis, but other than that I hardly pay attention to the NBA.
Those of you out there may argue that I am just not a fan of basketball. Untrue. I am a HUGE college basketball fan. When the Big 8/12 tournament was held in KC, I went every year. I go to Mizzou and have attended at least 10 games a year since my freshman year, and that was during the Quin Snyder/Melvin Watkins era. I love college basketball that much.
I've been to NBA games too. I went to see LeBron James play the Memphis Grizzlies a few years ago. I went in expecting a packed house, full of excited fans ready to see the next Jordan. I paid $25 to sit in the very last row of FedEx Forum. That was the first thing that set me off. The atmosphere in the arena was awful. On a Saturday night, with the game's biggest star in town, and the Grizzlies in 5th place in the Western Conference, a crowd of 13,000 was announced. LeBron vs. Pau Gasol drew 13,000 people in a basketball hotbed.
That being said, I think the NBA just cannot draw in smaller markets where college basketball is king. I don't think anyone will argue that college basketball could make a case for biggest sport in KC, even over the Chiefs and Royals.
Lets say that the NBA relocates to KC*. The team is awful, but the arena is mostly full on most nights. But what happens when Kansas, Missouri, K-State, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State, UMKC, Nebraska, and Iowa State play on nights that the NBA team plays? Those fans are going to make the trek to that University to watch their team play. Good luck getting even a half full building if the Border War or Sunflower Showdown fall on the same date that the Milwaukee Bucks are in town.
*By the way, I think it would be awesome if the Kings relocated here. That is the only way I would support the team.
Basically, what I'm saying is that people in this town prefer college basketball to the pro game. Look across the country at the 3 biggest collegiate areas in the country that have NBA franchises. North Carolina/Charlotte, Indiana and Memphis all finished in the bottom 5 of attendance last year. Sure, you could argue that the teams are awful and no one wants to go see them, but did anyone see how awful the Hoosiers were this year? Each game looked sold out to me though. Whenever the Grizzlies play home games, FedEx Forum turns into a mauseleum, but when the Memphis Tigers play ANYONE, you would think that FedEx Forum is Cameron Indoor or Allen Fieldhouse. And Charlotte already had a team in the Hornets, but they moved on to greener pastures and guess what? The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes have vastly outdrawn the Bobcats since they were expanded.
My argument is that just because KC is college basketball Mecca, doesn't mean that the NBA is a viable option. In fact, I think it would fail miserably, unless the Sacramento Kings relocated here, but Kansas City is nowhere on the NBA's radar for relocation.
KC is at the front of the line for the NHL. The arena is ready, people have already bought tickets for a team that doesnt exist, and there is an organization dedicated to growing the game (NHL21). The fact of the matter is that basketball fans in this town don't care about the NBA in comparison to college basketball. The Jayhawks, Tigers, Wildcats, Shockers, Huskers and Cyclones are royalty here, and the NBA would have a tough time competing with that.
Now, for those of you who counter with a Pro-NBA argument, I will shoot back in the least biased way that I can.
I'll be honest, I really cannot stand the NBA. I think it is more spectacle than it is sport. It is popular because Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are considered more celebrity than they are athlete. I don't like the league, I think it has become a circus, more like a hip hop concert than a sporting event, with music going on during the games and huge pyrotechnic displays before games.
I used to be a pretty big Chicago Bulls fan in the 90s (who wasnt?) and still follow the team on a casual basis, but other than that I hardly pay attention to the NBA.
Those of you out there may argue that I am just not a fan of basketball. Untrue. I am a HUGE college basketball fan. When the Big 8/12 tournament was held in KC, I went every year. I go to Mizzou and have attended at least 10 games a year since my freshman year, and that was during the Quin Snyder/Melvin Watkins era. I love college basketball that much.
I've been to NBA games too. I went to see LeBron James play the Memphis Grizzlies a few years ago. I went in expecting a packed house, full of excited fans ready to see the next Jordan. I paid $25 to sit in the very last row of FedEx Forum. That was the first thing that set me off. The atmosphere in the arena was awful. On a Saturday night, with the game's biggest star in town, and the Grizzlies in 5th place in the Western Conference, a crowd of 13,000 was announced. LeBron vs. Pau Gasol drew 13,000 people in a basketball hotbed.
That being said, I think the NBA just cannot draw in smaller markets where college basketball is king. I don't think anyone will argue that college basketball could make a case for biggest sport in KC, even over the Chiefs and Royals.
Lets say that the NBA relocates to KC*. The team is awful, but the arena is mostly full on most nights. But what happens when Kansas, Missouri, K-State, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State, UMKC, Nebraska, and Iowa State play on nights that the NBA team plays? Those fans are going to make the trek to that University to watch their team play. Good luck getting even a half full building if the Border War or Sunflower Showdown fall on the same date that the Milwaukee Bucks are in town.
*By the way, I think it would be awesome if the Kings relocated here. That is the only way I would support the team.
Basically, what I'm saying is that people in this town prefer college basketball to the pro game. Look across the country at the 3 biggest collegiate areas in the country that have NBA franchises. North Carolina/Charlotte, Indiana and Memphis all finished in the bottom 5 of attendance last year. Sure, you could argue that the teams are awful and no one wants to go see them, but did anyone see how awful the Hoosiers were this year? Each game looked sold out to me though. Whenever the Grizzlies play home games, FedEx Forum turns into a mauseleum, but when the Memphis Tigers play ANYONE, you would think that FedEx Forum is Cameron Indoor or Allen Fieldhouse. And Charlotte already had a team in the Hornets, but they moved on to greener pastures and guess what? The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes have vastly outdrawn the Bobcats since they were expanded.
My argument is that just because KC is college basketball Mecca, doesn't mean that the NBA is a viable option. In fact, I think it would fail miserably, unless the Sacramento Kings relocated here, but Kansas City is nowhere on the NBA's radar for relocation.
KC is at the front of the line for the NHL. The arena is ready, people have already bought tickets for a team that doesnt exist, and there is an organization dedicated to growing the game (NHL21). The fact of the matter is that basketball fans in this town don't care about the NBA in comparison to college basketball. The Jayhawks, Tigers, Wildcats, Shockers, Huskers and Cyclones are royalty here, and the NBA would have a tough time competing with that.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Yuniesky Betancourt
Well, I don't really know what to think of this trade. Dayton Moore's OBP philosophy has fallen flat on its face this year. But on the surface, this trade raises a few question marks, good and bad.
The Bad:
-Dayton Moore has once again acquired someone who can't get on base.
-He gave up one of the organization's top pitchers.
-Betancourt has had issues off the field.
The Good:
-This means that Tony Pena Jr. is likely off the roster.
-Betancourt has a very good defensive skill set, his errors come in bunches though.
-His best seasons came when Jose Guillen was his mentor.
-Dayton Moore now has 3 players from a team that won 88 games in 2007. (Bloomquist, Guillen, Betancourt)
-Tony Pena Jr. will be moved off the roster.
If Tony Pena Jr. is not DFA'd after this move, I will have no choice but to fully lose all faith in Dayton Moore in that he really does not have any idea how to measure a player's value.
The Bad:
-Dayton Moore has once again acquired someone who can't get on base.
-He gave up one of the organization's top pitchers.
-Betancourt has had issues off the field.
The Good:
-This means that Tony Pena Jr. is likely off the roster.
-Betancourt has a very good defensive skill set, his errors come in bunches though.
-His best seasons came when Jose Guillen was his mentor.
-Dayton Moore now has 3 players from a team that won 88 games in 2007. (Bloomquist, Guillen, Betancourt)
-Tony Pena Jr. will be moved off the roster.
If Tony Pena Jr. is not DFA'd after this move, I will have no choice but to fully lose all faith in Dayton Moore in that he really does not have any idea how to measure a player's value.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Royals First Half Report Card
Well, 81 games down, 81 games to go. As we've seen in the 1st half of 2009, a season can start out as promising as the day of prom and end up being more disappointing than prom night.
We all know the Royals started the season 18-11, their best start since going 16-3 in 2003. They had a 3 game lead at one point. Zack Greinke captivated the nation with an ERA lower than AJ Pierzynski's sperm count. Mike Jacobs looked like a Mack Truck at the plate, hitting homers to ALL fields, something he hadn't done ever in his career. Alberto Callaspo batted well over .300 and was ok on defense. Coco Crisp was walking and stealing bases. Willie Bloomquist was doing his best Jose Oquendo impression.
Then, May happened. Mike Jacobs has hit 1 homerun since then. Willie Bloomquist has returned to being Willie Bloomquist. The defense looks like the remake of the Bad News Bears. Its gone bad quickly. Now before I get too depressed, here are my grades for the 1st half of '09:
Starting Pitching Staff:
Zack Greinke: A+. Zack is the leading candidate for the Cy Young. Any questions?
Gil Meche: B-. Yes, Gil has been misused by Trey Hillman, but that doesnt exclude a horrendous stretch in may in which his ERA ballooned over 4.75.
Brian Bannister: B. Banny has been a pleasant surprise. I think starting out in Omaha was the right choice for him. The 3.93 ERA and 0.9 HR/9 make him a good candidate for a July 31st farewell.
Kyle Davies: D. MGD failed. M and G were pretty good, but the D sums up his performance. I'm glad the front office sent him down to Omaha to work it out. ERA+ of 75 is unacceptable for your #3 starter.
Luke Hochevar: C+. Luke's ERA of 5.08 is deceiving. His WHIP is a very respectable 1.286. Plus, that 80 pitch masterpiece against Cincy puts Luuuuuke from a C- to a C+.
Sorry, but I'm not giving grades out for Bruce Chen and Sidney Ponson.
Lineup
CF Coco Crisp: B. Coco's OBP was at a career high and he was on pace to shatter his career high in walks until that mysterious shoulder problem showed up. I would be interested to see where this team would be with a healthy Coco in the lineup.
LF David DeJesus: C. DDJ has started hitting lately, but that average with RISP has slumped since last year. His defense in LF has been average, but that is expected. Looks like he's settled back into the leadoff position nicely boosting his average from around .220 to .250.
1B Billy Butler: B+. Billy has been better than anticipated on defense this year. But I was really hoping for a bigger jump in his homerun and RBI totals. But it looks as if Billy will surpass all of his career highs in a majority of offensive categories.
RF/DH Jose Guillen: D. Ugh. I'm not going to waste any time on him, as the Royals have already wasted too much money on him. OBP has dropped an incredible 80 points since June.
UTIL Mark Teahen: B-. Mark has had a good season so far. It would be nice to see him eclipse 20 homers this year. I don't like how Mark gets ragged on for not being THE guy. He never will be. Mark will always be a good ball player, but he isn't the savior people are hoping for.
2B Alberto Callaspo: C. Bert would get an A if his defense was better than it has been. He's one of the league leaders in doubles, but his defense is overshadowing his great year at the plate.
C Miguel Olivo: B+. He should get an A, but when he's drawn only 3 walks this year, he just isnt worthy. Not to mention he's been having an awful time with balls in the dirt.
SS Mike Aviles: D. Oh Mike, we all knew thee so little. This begs the question, was he healthy? Hope to see him back in action some time next year in a big league uniform.
DH Mike Jacobs: D-. Oh Jakey, Jakey boy. Where have you gone? He gave us hope that he would destroy Balboni's record this year, but he has yet to hit a homerun in nearly a month. Can't get on base. I feel for the guy. BRING BACK THE GOATEE.
Bench
C John Buck: D. Buck once again proving that he is going to be a career backup.
OF Mitch Maier: D. Sorry kid, you're just another failed Baird experiment.
UTIL Willie Bloomquist: B. Bloomers has been great as a bench player. He was doing everything right from April to late May. I like having guys like Willie on the bench. His 14 steals out of 16 tries is impressive too.
SS Tony Pena Jr.: F-. Tony Pena Jr. gets an F- on his 3rd straight report card. In most schools, no wait, in ALL schools that is generally grounds for dismissal.
UTIL Tug Hulett: Incomplete. Never really got to see much of him.
C/DH Brayan Pena: B. I love what he is doing with Luke Hochevar. Also making great strides at the plate with solid contact and occasional power. Isn't that all you want out of your catcher? I think the plan is for BP (Better Pena) to be the DH while Jacobs tries to get back to what he was in the early season.
SS/2B Luis Hernandez: D. Once again, an overvalued "defensive specialist" who can't hack it.
Bullpen
John Bale: D+. Misused as a setup man. He's got "grit". But the last time I checked, grit doesn't show up on the back of baseball cards.
Jamey Wright: C. For consistent.
Roman Colon: C+. Been doing nicely in long relief and mop-up duty. 3.21 ERA is better than expected. Likely to regress, but I would like to see him establish a little more control and take over a set up/late inning role.
Ron Mahay: Incomplete. Underused by Trey Hillman. I just don't understand why John Bale takes prescendence over him.
Kyle Farnsworth: C+. It isn't his fault we're paying him 4.5 million dollars. Was doing pretty well after an awful start. Didn't allow a run in 19+ innings.
Juan Cruz: D-. Not worth a 2nd round pick. Maybe he'll pick it up in the 2nd half.
Joakim Soria: A. Mexicutioner making us all believers that 2008 was not a fluke. Leads the team in ERA (1.74) and WHIP (1.02).
Total Team GPA: 1.95
Manager/Coaches
Manager Trey Hillman: D. Mismanagement of the bullpen and lineup makes you wonder how many games he has lost us. Too many starts for Jacobs vs. LHP. Use of Kyle Farnsworth. Use of Gil Meche. Use/lack of use of Joakim Soria in the 8th inning. Plus, that mustache is pretty weak.
1B/OF Coach Rusty Kuntz: B. You gotta love Rusty. But how many cutoff men will be missed this year?
3B/INF Coach Dave Owen: D. Has sent runners home when they should have been held. The infield defense has been atrocious this year.
Pitching Coach Bob McClure: B+. Mac has done a terrific job. Zack Greinke has given him praise. The Royals pitching staff has allowed only 70 homeruns this year, the lowest in baseball.
Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer: C. The hometown boy seemed to have gotten through to the hitters in Spring Training and early on in the year. Especially with Coco Crisp and Jose Guillen. Mike Aviles struggles could be attributed to Seitzer, but they could also be from the WBC or the lingering elbow injury. His true test will come when Alex Gordon makes his return later this month. If Seitz can turn him into the 40+ HR threat, then his job is secure into the next decade.
Front Office
GM Dayton Moore: B-. Dayton did all he could to assess the needs on this team in the offseason. He added speed, power and defense with the Crisp and Jacobs additions. Now they haven't really panned out, but that doesn't go on DM, it goes on the player. Extending Zack Greinke was his crowning achievement so far in his Royals career, but giving Farnsworth 4.5 million is a question mark, as is the signing of Juan Cruz. The draft was good. Aaron Crow could possibly be on the Major League roster by this time next year, and Wil Myers was a steal in the 3rd round. If this team loses over 90 games this year and a change at manager is not made, then DM's grade could receive a serious drop.
Royals PR Department: The only reason I include this is due to the absolutely mind boggling job the PR department has done this year. From poorly timed articles to "RanyGate", this season has turned into a disaster, both on the field and off. Grade: F.
Owner David Glass: D. He got his stadium renovation and has been absent from many games. Showed up in Houston with his BFF to catch the series with the 'Stros, but still the owner's box sits empty on many nights. His grade can improve if he gives Dayton Moore the proper cash to sign all of our draft picks.
We all know the Royals started the season 18-11, their best start since going 16-3 in 2003. They had a 3 game lead at one point. Zack Greinke captivated the nation with an ERA lower than AJ Pierzynski's sperm count. Mike Jacobs looked like a Mack Truck at the plate, hitting homers to ALL fields, something he hadn't done ever in his career. Alberto Callaspo batted well over .300 and was ok on defense. Coco Crisp was walking and stealing bases. Willie Bloomquist was doing his best Jose Oquendo impression.
Then, May happened. Mike Jacobs has hit 1 homerun since then. Willie Bloomquist has returned to being Willie Bloomquist. The defense looks like the remake of the Bad News Bears. Its gone bad quickly. Now before I get too depressed, here are my grades for the 1st half of '09:
Starting Pitching Staff:
Zack Greinke: A+. Zack is the leading candidate for the Cy Young. Any questions?
Gil Meche: B-. Yes, Gil has been misused by Trey Hillman, but that doesnt exclude a horrendous stretch in may in which his ERA ballooned over 4.75.
Brian Bannister: B. Banny has been a pleasant surprise. I think starting out in Omaha was the right choice for him. The 3.93 ERA and 0.9 HR/9 make him a good candidate for a July 31st farewell.
Kyle Davies: D. MGD failed. M and G were pretty good, but the D sums up his performance. I'm glad the front office sent him down to Omaha to work it out. ERA+ of 75 is unacceptable for your #3 starter.
Luke Hochevar: C+. Luke's ERA of 5.08 is deceiving. His WHIP is a very respectable 1.286. Plus, that 80 pitch masterpiece against Cincy puts Luuuuuke from a C- to a C+.
Sorry, but I'm not giving grades out for Bruce Chen and Sidney Ponson.
Lineup
CF Coco Crisp: B. Coco's OBP was at a career high and he was on pace to shatter his career high in walks until that mysterious shoulder problem showed up. I would be interested to see where this team would be with a healthy Coco in the lineup.
LF David DeJesus: C. DDJ has started hitting lately, but that average with RISP has slumped since last year. His defense in LF has been average, but that is expected. Looks like he's settled back into the leadoff position nicely boosting his average from around .220 to .250.
1B Billy Butler: B+. Billy has been better than anticipated on defense this year. But I was really hoping for a bigger jump in his homerun and RBI totals. But it looks as if Billy will surpass all of his career highs in a majority of offensive categories.
RF/DH Jose Guillen: D. Ugh. I'm not going to waste any time on him, as the Royals have already wasted too much money on him. OBP has dropped an incredible 80 points since June.
UTIL Mark Teahen: B-. Mark has had a good season so far. It would be nice to see him eclipse 20 homers this year. I don't like how Mark gets ragged on for not being THE guy. He never will be. Mark will always be a good ball player, but he isn't the savior people are hoping for.
2B Alberto Callaspo: C. Bert would get an A if his defense was better than it has been. He's one of the league leaders in doubles, but his defense is overshadowing his great year at the plate.
C Miguel Olivo: B+. He should get an A, but when he's drawn only 3 walks this year, he just isnt worthy. Not to mention he's been having an awful time with balls in the dirt.
SS Mike Aviles: D. Oh Mike, we all knew thee so little. This begs the question, was he healthy? Hope to see him back in action some time next year in a big league uniform.
DH Mike Jacobs: D-. Oh Jakey, Jakey boy. Where have you gone? He gave us hope that he would destroy Balboni's record this year, but he has yet to hit a homerun in nearly a month. Can't get on base. I feel for the guy. BRING BACK THE GOATEE.
Bench
C John Buck: D. Buck once again proving that he is going to be a career backup.
OF Mitch Maier: D. Sorry kid, you're just another failed Baird experiment.
UTIL Willie Bloomquist: B. Bloomers has been great as a bench player. He was doing everything right from April to late May. I like having guys like Willie on the bench. His 14 steals out of 16 tries is impressive too.
SS Tony Pena Jr.: F-. Tony Pena Jr. gets an F- on his 3rd straight report card. In most schools, no wait, in ALL schools that is generally grounds for dismissal.
UTIL Tug Hulett: Incomplete. Never really got to see much of him.
C/DH Brayan Pena: B. I love what he is doing with Luke Hochevar. Also making great strides at the plate with solid contact and occasional power. Isn't that all you want out of your catcher? I think the plan is for BP (Better Pena) to be the DH while Jacobs tries to get back to what he was in the early season.
SS/2B Luis Hernandez: D. Once again, an overvalued "defensive specialist" who can't hack it.
Bullpen
John Bale: D+. Misused as a setup man. He's got "grit". But the last time I checked, grit doesn't show up on the back of baseball cards.
Jamey Wright: C. For consistent.
Roman Colon: C+. Been doing nicely in long relief and mop-up duty. 3.21 ERA is better than expected. Likely to regress, but I would like to see him establish a little more control and take over a set up/late inning role.
Ron Mahay: Incomplete. Underused by Trey Hillman. I just don't understand why John Bale takes prescendence over him.
Kyle Farnsworth: C+. It isn't his fault we're paying him 4.5 million dollars. Was doing pretty well after an awful start. Didn't allow a run in 19+ innings.
Juan Cruz: D-. Not worth a 2nd round pick. Maybe he'll pick it up in the 2nd half.
Joakim Soria: A. Mexicutioner making us all believers that 2008 was not a fluke. Leads the team in ERA (1.74) and WHIP (1.02).
Total Team GPA: 1.95
Manager/Coaches
Manager Trey Hillman: D. Mismanagement of the bullpen and lineup makes you wonder how many games he has lost us. Too many starts for Jacobs vs. LHP. Use of Kyle Farnsworth. Use of Gil Meche. Use/lack of use of Joakim Soria in the 8th inning. Plus, that mustache is pretty weak.
1B/OF Coach Rusty Kuntz: B. You gotta love Rusty. But how many cutoff men will be missed this year?
3B/INF Coach Dave Owen: D. Has sent runners home when they should have been held. The infield defense has been atrocious this year.
Pitching Coach Bob McClure: B+. Mac has done a terrific job. Zack Greinke has given him praise. The Royals pitching staff has allowed only 70 homeruns this year, the lowest in baseball.
Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer: C. The hometown boy seemed to have gotten through to the hitters in Spring Training and early on in the year. Especially with Coco Crisp and Jose Guillen. Mike Aviles struggles could be attributed to Seitzer, but they could also be from the WBC or the lingering elbow injury. His true test will come when Alex Gordon makes his return later this month. If Seitz can turn him into the 40+ HR threat, then his job is secure into the next decade.
Front Office
GM Dayton Moore: B-. Dayton did all he could to assess the needs on this team in the offseason. He added speed, power and defense with the Crisp and Jacobs additions. Now they haven't really panned out, but that doesn't go on DM, it goes on the player. Extending Zack Greinke was his crowning achievement so far in his Royals career, but giving Farnsworth 4.5 million is a question mark, as is the signing of Juan Cruz. The draft was good. Aaron Crow could possibly be on the Major League roster by this time next year, and Wil Myers was a steal in the 3rd round. If this team loses over 90 games this year and a change at manager is not made, then DM's grade could receive a serious drop.
Royals PR Department: The only reason I include this is due to the absolutely mind boggling job the PR department has done this year. From poorly timed articles to "RanyGate", this season has turned into a disaster, both on the field and off. Grade: F.
Owner David Glass: D. He got his stadium renovation and has been absent from many games. Showed up in Houston with his BFF to catch the series with the 'Stros, but still the owner's box sits empty on many nights. His grade can improve if he gives Dayton Moore the proper cash to sign all of our draft picks.
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