Hosmer is gonna get his money and in a big way and it won't be the Royals giving it to him.

I say good for him. No ill will whatsoever. He can sign with whoever (except the White Sox) and I'll wish him well.

Thanks for the two amazing playoff runs (and, maybe, one or two more?)

Shelby Miller has been God awful. The Dbacks know they got fleeced big time in that trade. They're gonna want something decent back to save face. I'd give them Chris Young. Maybe.

Even peak Shelby Miller wasn't worth what the Diamondbacks gave up for him. Shitty Shelby makes the trade look really bad... And I actually like him as a buy-low candidate.

Re: Hosmer et al - going to be hard to keep him, for sure. But I continue to be amused by national guys who suggest the Royals may trade key pieces for prospects. They're not trading anyone they control next year for prospects. They're not sacrificing their chances next year, which I am sure the team thinks are good.

Kansas City's Baseball Prospectus site had a great feature yesterday about the offensive surge this year. Huge spikes league wife in HR rates and HR/FB rates, as well as slugging percentage.

Pretty great case for the ball being juiced.

Bad time to get caught with a starting staff built of flyball pitchers... And not sure how you can avoid that.


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Seriously, juicing the ball just ****ed gmdm's entire strategy, especially because the Royal's flyball pitchers are disproportionately affected. Maybe Manfred wanted his larger market, all-power teams to flourish. Dirty east-coast Yankees fan.

If hosmer leaves it's to a coast or high market team...def not the white sox

Next two weeks should tell us a lot ... Lots of Ames with contenders (Cleveland, Detroit, Texas).

Have a good stretch or even go .500, and I think they buy...

Have a rough stretch, and I think they sell assets they don't control for next year (Morales, Hochevar, Volquez).

Injuries plus the poor performance by the rotation have just sabotaged them too much (juiced ball doesn't help there, either).


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lol

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you&#39;ve gotta catch &#39;em all, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheK?src=hash">#TheK</a> is the place. Every PokeStop will have active lures all game starting Monday! <a href="https://t.co/gQKznCp3fs">pic.twitter.com/gQKznCp3fs</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/754003187162554368">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All 3 were significantly younger than Alex. You have to factor that in as a huge difference. For Sandoval he had 13WAR the prior four years and Alex was 16. Given the age gap, the comp is perfectly valid.

They keep saying that under inspection the balls look no different. Realize, first, just how tiny a change is required to see a spike in runs. If all balls hit came off the bat by an increase of 1 mph, it's a 13% increase in chances of hitting a homerun. Ball velocity off bats since last August when charted month to month, show an increase of 1 to 3 mph leaguewide.

Visual inspection shows that the balls look the same.

My theory. They are applying a harder resin to the yarn or a portion of the yarn when spun that wraps the core.
By itself, on a strand, it would indistinguishable. But all the yarn in the ball provides a tremendous amount of surface area to be treated by a minisculely harder resin. When wrapped around the core over and over, it would look and feel identical, but the properties of the core would result in a slightly harder ball, and we already know that a very very tiny change can result in some dramatic results.

New lineup!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Look at today&#39;s No. 2 hitter. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a> <a href="https://t.co/u1v70FaL9D">pic.twitter.com/u1v70FaL9D</a></p>&mdash; Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlannyMLB/status/754037466022023168">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is enticing:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="de" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash">#Royals</a> lineup vs. Verlander:<br><br>Merrifield 2B<br>Hosmer 1B<br>Morales DH<br>Perez C<br>Gordon LF<br>Cuthbert 3B<br>Eibner RF<br>Escobar SS<br>Dyson CF<br>Kennedy P</p>&mdash; David Lesky (@DBLesky) <a href="https://twitter.com/DBLesky/status/754037703847530496">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

LMAO
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Looks like Ned stumbled into his analytics guys during the break. <a href="https://t.co/HQ7jkKmbQ9">https://t.co/HQ7jkKmbQ9</a></p>&mdash; Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessenewell/status/754038299031769088">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

LMAO

Ned said his analytics guy set the ASG lineup too.


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How long until Ned recognizes that the opposition has figured Whit out?

You gotta give him a chance to re-adjust.

Soon I imagine. No hit Whit is just abysmal.

The amount of strike outs have been staggering.

The league is figuring Whit out. Can he adjust? If he does, we have a second baseman. If not, he goes back to being a bench utility guy. Then either Colon gets a shot again or maybe Mondesi?

Please sell the shit out of this garbage roster

I'd they don't pick this up soon they have to consider trading Morales, Hochevar, possibly Volquez at the deadline. I'm hoping they get on a win streak starting today.

I hate to say that any series in July is critical, but this one is pretty critical. We come out of the box getting swept in DET, and find ourselves 6+ back of the WC, we are looking pretty dire. Boston and Toronto look damn good right now - as they have the pitching and hitting to compete. Our offense is beyond pathetic at driving in runs, and our pitching is struggling keeping the ball inside the park. This team looks haggard, and I think it's a combo of injuries and all the games played over the last 2 seasons.

So, in short, I agree with your assessment

Obama has already disrespected the office to an all time low already.

Anyone figured out why we play well at home but not on the road?

While getting swept in Detroit would suck, it wouldn't quite signal catastrophe just yet. But it would necessitate needing to go at least 6-3 with probably a sweep of the Indians on the upcoming 9 game homestand.



In all honesty, I just don't see it happening this year. Almost every shitty thing we avoided the past couple years has come home to roost in 2016. Oh well. Still not sick of watching last year's highlights.

Couple of thought on this:


1. Our pitchers(although hardly stellar at home)pitch to an advantage at the K. This has been true the past few years but with as homer friendly as our group is, it is painfully obvious this year.

2. Part of the fun of the past few years has been the teams emotional connection with the city and the fans. I don't think we can deny that plays a factor

3. Just baseball.

Cardinals are just the opposite - can't win at home, but win on the road. That's baseball.

Seriously. STFU.

Well if there's one guy to bring respect back to the office it's Trump.

I'll show myself out.

Lots and lots of ball left to play, but I just can't see them making the playoffs this year. Too erratic on offense and the pitching isn't reliable, and that's not mentioning all the legitimate teams in the AL right now. Hell, it's going to take 90+ wins to make a wildcard spot this year.

It sucks, but it is what it is. After the mad dash at the end of '13 and the last two seasons, they could probably use an early break to catch their breath and regroup. Again, lots of games left, but that's how I feel as of today. We'll see.

I don't even feel that bad about the 8th inning last night because I really didn't see us scoring another run. We had hold the 2-1 lead to win in my mind.

Eat shit and get the **** outta here.

If intentional changes to the ball were made by MLB, don't they have to disclose that to the MLB teams? It effects what Kansas City is trying to do here a great deal.

I'm not sure why people are surprised that the Whit slump is happening. Whit Merrifield is likely not a good starting option in MLB. He's a perfect utility guy though, maybe similar to Willie Bloomquist.

You aren't going to hit .270 in AAA and then suddenly become better than that in the MLB as a 27 year old.

I would imagine Colon needs to be our everyday 2nd baseman. Mondesi isn't even close to ready, maybe in 2018 he will be but he hasn't hit yet. If you want to give Mondesi a shot if you know we won't be competitive in 2017 I'm fine with that. I think guys can learn in the majors just the way they learn in the minors as long as that is communicated to them that the stats don't necessarily matter at first.

I think they thought this might happen.and why they were kicking the tires on Jose Reyes awhile back.

http://3jrjps1t0ztwsakr03fp3bhy.wpen...NYP-e1457101pg

http://www.at60inches.com/ai/web/art...wndic-zoom.jpg

I noticed you qualified your point by putting up a specific age lest someone remind you that Brett was hitting .250 at AAA before being brought up.

As what a 19 or 20 year old? And most likely in minimal at bats. That comparison is not valid. There is no reason to believe Whit Merrifield will be able to hit .280 or above. None.

I suppose .270 in AAA with good contact could equate to .250. If he can play good D at 2B then maybe that would be enough. Maybe.

He'd play great D at 2b. Plus Arm, plus range, plus hands and plus instincts defensively.

Sunday morning thoughts (twins are napping, Dad is reading):

1) Rich Hill's asking price is going to be similar to what the price was for Scott Kazmir last year. What would that look like for KC? Something like Chase Vallot and Jake Junis or Alec Mills. I make that deal in a heartbeat. Neither Junis nor Mills profiles as more than a No. 4 starter, and Vallot is 19.

I love Vallot's combination of age, power (it's impressive and rare) and plate discipline, but he also is a long shot to stick behind the dish, leaving him without a sure defensive spot (likely a 1B/DH type).

Considering Meibrys Viloria is looking like a similar prospect and is a similar distance from the majors, I could bite the bullet on trading Vallot (But just barely).

There are so many teams interested, the final price will likely inflate a little bit, but you're not talking about RA Mondesi in the deal, which makes it do-able, IMO.

2) Despite everything that's happened this year (injuries, Morales' early funk, Gordon's yearlong slump, the collapse of Young and Medlen, Ventura's mercurialness, the juiced baseball), they're just 3.5 games out of the wildcard with a chance to move a 1/2 game in front of Detroit with a win today and be just a game back of a playoff spot.

I think if you get a healthy Lorenzo Cain back and add a starter to solidify the 5th spot, they're still in position to make a run at the playoffs, and we've seen what this team can do when it makes it to the postseason.

I still think they're going to buy, not sell. And maybe quickly (There's speculation today may be Hill's last start with the A's).

Texas is also a concern for Hill, but it sounds like the Rangers are more focused on guys they can control, like Matt Moore or Odorizzi.

I am still looking more at getting in the playoffs via the division than the wildcard just because of the smaller number of competing teams. This next series starting tomorrow can go a long ways to determining how possible winning the division actually is.

We're only 7 back in the division. Two years ago we were 7-8 games back at the break and were in 1st place by several games in mid-August. It only took a month.

Now, the following month we fell behind the Tigers again, but it just shows 7 games is nothing. Same is true for the Tigers and White Sox too. If one of these teams can run off 15 of 20, they can get right back into it.

Yeah, anything is still possible at this point but that Indians rotation is good enough to fend off a collapse

If the Indians can be average offensively, their pitching staff will carry them to the AL Central Title

We should concentrate on the wild card. This team isn't that good.


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This team isn't that good.

We don't have the lockdown bullpen like we did in 2014 & 2015.

Probably moot anyway. Not even worth paying attention to the playoff picture until this team can get and stay a few games over .500. Currently this looks much more like an 78 to 83 win team than it does a contender

This offense is ridiculously awful at scoring runs. Doesn't matter who bats where, nobody can drive in a ****ing run. Really awful baseball to watch

3rd Place MVP Cain needs to get well and back in the lineup in a hurry. Otherwise this season is toast.

Nice game today by the bullpen again. This isn't the same team as the last couple. I'd be ok selling if we stay 7-8 games back.

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I know Cuthbert has filled in admirably, but this team really misses Moose.

Cain getting his ass back in the middle of the lineup would help to . . . . .

I knew we've been awful offensively, we certainly hardly ever pass the eye test, at least my eye test lol, so I took a gander at the stat sheet. Yeah, 2nd from dead last in the AL in runs scored.

Say what you want about style or whatever but this just isnt a playoff caliber team. Were still in it record wise and theres time to make a run but this current play doesnt deserve to make the playoffs.

We can control our place in the division much more than the wildcard. Our most realistic hope at this point is for the division winner to finish in wins right around or even less than the wildcard winners.

But it probably doesn't matter. Our games are not six inning games this year like they were the last two.

The Royals should definitely be looking to deal with the Rays, imo. Matt Moore would seem to be a guy that they could extract the most value from with four controllable years. And he looks like a candidate who could benefit from a cutter against opposite handed pitching. Maybe that is something Eiland could make happen.

Additionally, we could take a stab at one of the Rays middle in-fielders given the depth they have there.

Colome might also not be a bad bullpen option, if we could get them to look at trading him.

Can we just pretend that we never brought Soria back and go steal Madson and Morales back?

Dayton had an awful offseason. As bad as last year was good. He's why we suck this year, not Moose getting hurt

I don't even mind not making the playoffs, especially with the injuries, but to be losing games because of what is supposed to our strength (the bullpen) infuriates me and makes it hard to swallow, especially with Soria who didn't look like a good signing when it happened, and it looks even worst now.

I was really surprised when they brought back Soria, and thought it was a terrible idea especially for the money.

No.

It's a culmination of slumps, injuries, and the rest. I'd put the offseason moves probably 3rd at the highest.

Swapping a healthy Holland for Soria was a huge downgrade to years past. The Kennedy move was just fine.

Excuse you, but the answer is a clear Yes.


He set fire to $50 million this year alone signing Kennedy (0.5 WAR), Gordon (0.2), Soria (0.1), Wang (0.1), Gee (-0.1), and Chris Young (-1.5). They're worse than replacement level. Daytpn is why we suck this year.

Did we expect nuch for the 3 million we gave Wang and Gee?
Young and Soria were shit signings.
Kennedy has been fine
Gordon needs to be better.and might be turning the corner.

Ok then, he burnt $47M to buy negative WAR

The money spent on Kennedy, Soria, Gordon, and Young could've been used to resign Cueto and extend Moose and Hosmer.

If you remove those 4 we probably have a better record, add in Cueto and we are close to the top of the division and aren't nearly as concerned about the wild card.

I'm not sure Cueto pitched well enough in the American League to justify paying him that much money though. I'm not sure how well that would've gone over. I think he was huge in the World Series but some of his antics, saying Salvy held his glove too high, etc... didn't go over well.

Cueto is NOT an AL pitcher.

**** him.

Hosmer's getting a minimum of $25 million per on the open market. There's no way the Royals could have resigned Cueto and extended Hosmer & Moustakas.

That's silly talk.

How Silly is Kennedy getting $24M over two years, Soria $25M over three, young 12 over two and Gordon $72M over four. Hosmer is Getting $8M this year and probably $11M in arbitration next year. That's about $53M a year, Cueto is getting $20M a year...........


Resume your silly talk about how losing Finnegan and Lamb are costing us wins.....

Are you complaining about 12 mill for a pitcher with a 3.8 ERA and 1.1 WHIP? I think you should see.how much avg pitchers get these days in the FA market.

@Buster_ESPN: Oakland's asking price for the Red Sox for Rich Hill was the same as San Diego's for Drew Pomeranz: Anderson Espinoza.

holland not healthy still recovering from tommy john. Also soria must be dfa this is not a good look bring back pounder. Also must trade for a fifth pitcher and that it i trust our hitters we have now.

I'm complaining that we didn't take his money and add it with the shit signings to go after a top of the rotation guy. I'm not happy with signing one decent pitcher and a pile of shit instead of getting a great starter and extended our current young/haven't peaked yet core guys.

Soria is good enough to be in our pen. His issue is the god awful contract; a dumb dfa doesn't solve that.

Cueto was too high of a risk after his AL performance last year. He even got toasted in the AS game. Volquez ended up taking the 1 spot from him last year.

Cueto had a 4.76 ERA with the Royals and you think they should have given him 150 mil?

Cueto at $20M per year looks great. He has had a great career, isn't that old, and had some stellar post season starts for us.

No. When he comes in and it's a 50/50 tossup on if he'll shit the bed today. That's not a bullet you want in the chamber.

I think Tim Collins might be more dependable at this point.

He looks good pitching in the NL

Again 4.76 ERA with the Royals.

He is definitely throwing in way too high leveraged situations. He should be behind Wader, Herrera, Hoch, and a loogy, but he is good enough to be on the roster.

Has Ian Kennedy proved he can pitch in the AL? Medlen? Kennedy had a 5.07 FIP which is a full run above his career FIP. He's kept his official ERA below 4 because of a super low .255 BABIP. Is that sustainable? (Career .290 BABIP against)

He's an NL guy. He got hammered by AL pitching in he all star game. Of course, Salvy and Hosmer had inside info on him having played with him.

We will see.. however to think the Royals were going to hand out, by far, the biggest contract they ever have to a guy that had a 4.8 ERA in his first stint in the AL seems a little far fetched, yes?

Kennedy is basically on a 2 year deal.