***Royals vs. Blue Jays Game Thread - July 12, 2015***

[tk13]

Since no one else will do it. Last game before the break.

Volquez (8-4) vs. Felix Doubront (1-0)

Jays:

J Reyes SS
D Travis 2B
J Bautista DH
E Encarnacion 1B
C Colabello LF
R Martin C
D Valencia 3B
K Pillar CF
E Carrera RF

Royals:

A Escobar SS
M Moustakas 3B
L Cain CF
E Hosmer 1B
K Morales DH
S Perez C
O Infante 2B
A Rios RF
P Orlando LF

Also, the Futures Game starts at 3/2 central on MLB Network.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

Royals MVP's thus far, in order:

1) Cain
2) Salvy (though he's certainly our most important player)
GIANT GAP
3) Moose
4) Esky
5) Gordon
6) Hos
7) Chris Young (huge boost when we needed it)
8) Wade Davis
9) Volquez
10) Morales
11) Madson
41) Infante
953) Rios

Drop Moose below Escobar and Gordon, and move Hoz down behind Morales.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Just to clarify, I'm not arguing that Morales is MVP.
But I don't think RBI should be relegated to the relevance of a W for pitchers. RBI is a lot about opportunity. But you still have to deliver.

That's why you quantify it by OPS with guys in scoring position. A player could have the most opportunities to knock in runs than any other MLB hitter in a seaon but not deliver a high percentage and still have 90 RBIs. While another guy might be mid-pack on opportunities but generates a high completion percentage of those and only has 85 RBIs. But he's done more with a decreased number of opportunities. Who's better at producing runs? It gives you no insight into his ability to get a hit with runners in scoring position if you're just looks at RBI total.

[tk13]

I was going to say, I don't know if he's really the MVP of the team... but you can't have that discussion without at least including Perez.

[Hootie]

Nah. Hos is an .800 OPS guy with excellent defense. He's getting out of his slump. He was an all star until his horrid June

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Duncan can maybe chime in on this but it seems defensive ratings seem to penalize guys like Escobar who can get to balls that others cannot but might not make an out of that play?

I think the dWAR figures do penalize guys who have great range and attempt more high-difficulty plays like Escobar does. I think part of it may be shift-driven, too, and affecting range based on that. Guys who play for aggressive shifting teams seem to get an out-of-whack range bonus.

That's the only reason I can think of for Asdrubal Cabrera being rated with the second best UZR/150 in baseball, ahead of Jose Iglesias, Escobar and Andrelton Simmons.

[bsroyals54]

Originally Posted by tk13

I was going to say, I don't know if he's really the MVP of the team... but you can't have that discussion without at least including Perez.

Yea if you can't decide who the MVP of your team is it means your team is going well

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by tk13

I was going to say, I don't know if he's really the MVP of the team... but you can't have that discussion without at least including Perez.

He's kind of our LeBron. He's basically always the MVP regardless of what he's doing with his bat

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Drop Moose below Escobar and Gordon, and move Hoz down behind Morales.

Hos glove keeps him up higher. He saves a ton of throws and makes alot of plays at first.

[RealSNR]

Sometimes you have to accept 5 innings of 0-run ball, Ned. It's not a crime to go to the pen in the 6th

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by bsroyals54

Yea if you can't decide who the MVP of your team is it means your team is going well

I think we have decided who the MVP of the team is..

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by petegz28

WTF?? 6 run lead and back-back walks? I understand pitching around Encarnacion.....but come on

Ned to get in his face. Unacceptable baseball.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by bsroyals54

Cain should bat 5th, what is Ned doing?

That isn't what we are saying. Because Cain getting on base in front of Morales is important and this DOES help increase Morales RBI total. If you don't understand what we are saying, you're reeruned.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by bsroyals54

Cain should bat 5th, what is Ned doing?

No one is saying that. He actually has morphed nicely into the classic No. 3 hitter (Hits for average and power, runs really well).

All anyone is saying is that Morales' RBI total is a combination of him performing well + the number of opportunities he has. And that Cain would produce similarly if hitting in that spot.

[Hootie]

Moose has been great at third this year, too. His defense is super underrated

[bsroyals54]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

I think we have decided who the MVP of the team is..

No I'm still not aware, Is it Cain or Salvy? or Esky? I've heard several different answers, thanks for joining us