[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

So, I might not have been clear about this in earlier threads and posts, but the signing of Betancourt was a complete ****ing travesty, and the idea that he would be an adequate second baseman was also, to be kind, misguided. Rany provides solid analysis of one of the key moments in yesterday's abortion that was the first inning:

Shin-Soo Choo singled to right, Brantley and Cabrera scored. This is the turning point of the inning – Choo dribbled a ground ball to the right side, and Yuniesky Betancourt inexplicably was unable to move ten feet to his left to field the ball before it scooted past his outstretched glove.

You know how Alcides Escobar makes a fantastic play from deep in the hole and you have to rewind the play several times to figure out how he did it? This was the exact same thing, only the exact opposite – I had to watch the play over again just to figure how on God’s green earth Yuni didn’t get to this ground ball.

And on this one play, in the first inning of the first game at Kauffman Stadium this year, the concept that Betancourt might be a less atrocious defender at second base than he was at shortstop shattered. It was already fragile, mind you, but all spring long we heard the Royals make the claim that oh-my-God Betancourt is just such a good defender at second base, and we have to get him in the lineup, and you just wouldn’t believe the range he has at his new position.

And then he waves at a groundball that Frank White would have personally escorted to second base. I mean Frank White today. Rex Hudler could have come down from the announcer’s booth in his suit and tie and made that play.

Instead, it went for a two-run single, and the rest of the inning went downhill. If Yuni gets one out on that play, the inning ends with just two runs scoring. There’s no way to know what would have happened in subsequent innings; maybe Hochevar just keeps giving up line drives the next inning. But the arc of the game would have been completely different.

www.ranyontheroyals.com

Originally Posted by alnorth

I remember that play vividly. I was just staring at second, most of me thinking "I can't believe he didn't get that ball", and a tiny nugget of doubt going "I don't have instant replay. Maybe it was hit harder than I thought, or maybe Yuni was lined up far away"

I just know at the time when the ball was hit and bouncing towards the gap between second and first, but more towards second, I was fully expecting to see Yuni get the ball and make the play, and when he didn't, I was left completely confused, thinking either we were lined up in an unfortunate way that opened that hole, or Yuni's range at second was just as God-awful as his range at shortstop.

Then I forgot about it as the hit parade continued. Didn't think of that play again till now.

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

The only place where Yuni might not be an inexcusable defensive liability would be third, but Moose makes this moot.

Shocking little note to Royals management: range matters at 2B, too. Dude looks like he's walking in mud every time he moves laterally. Baseball Reference has Getz as replacement level defensively. Sadly, this is an improvement over Yuni, who has absolutely no place on this roster.

But, but...the Brewers! Pop!! No. And ****ing no. Betancourt is a waste of a roster spot and a huge negative on this team.

The fact that he's on the roster annoys me. The fact that he starts makes me sad. The fact that he starts over a better player who's in Omaha pisses me the hell off. The fact that he's been here before, sucked, and we brought him back makes me think that maybe Dayton just doesn't know WTF he's doing sometimes...

Now let's get a ****ing win.

And call up Gio. Or trade for somebody. Or something.