2009 Kansas City Royals Repository.

[WilliamTheIrish]

All Royals All The Time!

After consultation with others who peruse the game threads we decided to create this as a repository for all things Royals. Minor league news, AL (ahem) Central (thanks Vonne) news and anything Royals can be found here.

alnorth will continue the game threads as usual. But if you locate something of interest.. ANYTHING.. deals on apparel, best ways in/out of the stadium, giveaways, great stories from this season or from seasons gone by, rumors, trades, anything.... feel free to post it here.

If a big story breaks, you can still start a thread about it. There is merely an all inclusive thread that will make a easy for us all to keep up with all things Royals.


Welcome! "Grab a Brew... don't cost nuthin"...[spills beer on feet]


Courtesy of ari:

Hey William... add this link to the opening post, if you want.

here. Free MLB radio... acts like you are a Holiday Inn customer... then you sign in with your MLB login

.
http://guest.ichotelsgroup.com/in_ro...Language=en-US

[BAS]

OK, so this is the repository, so hopefully some of the folks checking this stuff have some knowledge. We know that the Royals are not playing very well right now, but my question is: what are their chances for improving this year and next year? What minor league guys with potential are available in the following areas:

1) Catcher
2) Starting Pitcher
3) Middle Relief
4) Middle Infield
5) Left Field

It seems to be that, right now, we have 2 solid starters (Meche; Grienke), a solid #5 guy (Bannister), a handful of late relief guys (Soria; Cruz; Bale; Colon; perhaps Wright; and I might throw Farnsworth in there after his show in May), one solid middle reliever (Tejeda), and then about 1/2 of a team on offense/fielding (Butler -- 1B; Teahen -- UTIL; Bloomquist -- UTIL; DeJesus -- UTIL; Guillen -- RF; Callaspo -- 2B; Jacobs? -- DH; and maybe Crisp -- CF).

It seems to me that we really need: a full time SS with a bat; two Catchers with real pop and good OBP; a LF with a bat; perhaps a 3B (though Gordon or Moustakas will probably hold down that spot); perhaps a CF with a better arm and more consistent bat (lower priority); a big DH (lower priority); a second solid Middle Reliever (could move Jamey Wright into this role); and a couple of starters to emerge (probably either Davies or Hochevar will be 1, but another needs to come from elsewhere, perhaps even a LHP).

Obviously, no team is without holes, but if we could use Bloomquist, DeJesus, and Teahen as our utility players, this team could be pretty darn good. The question is: between now and the end of 2010, where could some of this happen (please exclude FA acquisitions -- too unpredictable)?

[BAS]

OK, now here's the followup. Who do we cut/trade to make room for these fictive people? Here are mine:

Pitcher: Mahay; Horacio Ramirez; Sir Sidney Ponson
Players: Tony Pena Jr.; Mike Aviles (maybe); the Catchers (at least 1 of them -- I prefer Buck to leave); Maier (he should be in AAA); Tug (same); Hernandez (same).

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by BAS

OK, now here's the followup. Who do we cut/trade to make room for these fictive people? Here are mine:

Pitcher: Mahay; Horacio Ramirez; Sir Sidney Ponson
Players: Tony Pena Jr.; Mike Aviles (maybe); the Catchers (at least 1 of them -- I prefer Buck to leave); Maier (he should be in AAA); Tug (same); Hernandez (same).

Mahay can stay.

The rest are dismissed.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by BAS

OK, so this is the repository, so hopefully some of the folks checking this stuff have some knowledge. We know that the Royals are not playing very well right now, but my question is: what are their chances for improving this year and next year? What minor league guys with potential are available in the following areas:

1) Catcher
2) Starting Pitcher
3) Middle Relief
4) Middle Infield
5) Left Field

It seems to be that, right now, we have 2 solid starters (Meche; Grienke), a solid #5 guy (Bannister), a handful of late relief guys (Soria; Cruz; Bale; Colon; perhaps Wright; and I might throw Farnsworth in there after his show in May), one solid middle reliever (Tejeda), and then about 1/2 of a team on offense/fielding (Butler -- 1B; Teahen -- UTIL; Bloomquist -- UTIL; DeJesus -- UTIL; Guillen -- RF; Callaspo -- 2B; Jacobs? -- DH; and maybe Crisp -- CF).

It seems to me that we really need: a full time SS with a bat; two Catchers with real pop and good OBP; a LF with a bat; perhaps a 3B (though Gordon or Moustakas will probably hold down that spot); perhaps a CF with a better arm and more consistent bat (lower priority); a big DH (lower priority); a second solid Middle Reliever (could move Jamey Wright into this role); and a couple of starters to emerge (probably either Davies or Hochevar will be 1, but another needs to come from elsewhere, perhaps even a LHP).

Obviously, no team is without holes, but if we could use Bloomquist, DeJesus, and Teahen as our utility players, this team could be pretty darn good. The question is: between now and the end of 2010, where could some of this happen (please exclude FA acquisitions -- too unpredictable)?

Where could this happen? Dreamland.

The first two of the bold are arguably the hardest positions to find. If you don't draft and develop these guys, good luck getting one. Even trying to trade for a top prospect at these positions in another team's organization would take a king's ransom.

[Chiefless]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Where could this happen? Dreamland.

The first two of the bold are arguably the hardest positions to find. If you don't draft and develop these guys, good luck getting one. Even trying to trade for a topic prospect at these positions in another team's organization would take a king's ransom.

Agreed...very few teams have ONE of those positions filled with players like that let alone both.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Pitching matchups for the start of a nine game roadie that will determine our fate: Come home 4-5, we breathe, anything less and we're gonna slide to the cellar. (JMHO)

Tonight:Tuesday, June 2 Tropicana Field | 6:08 PM CT

Kyle Davies, RHP (2-4, 5.09) Royals (23-27)

Andy Sonnanstine, RHP (3-5, 7.66) Rays (25-28)



Scouting Report:

Royals: Davies worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs -- five earned -- in his last start against Detroit. He walked two and struck out one, while giving up home runs to Miguel Cabrera and Placido Polanco. Davies had gone at least six innings in his last three starts, but he struggled to get ahead early in the count against the Tigers and his command problems were reflected on the scoreboard. The Royals right-hander has three quality starts in his last four outings, but no wins to show for it. Davies last victory came against the Blue Jays on April 30.


Rays: The best news for the right-hander is he won't have to face Cleveland outfielder Ben Francisco again this season. In Wednesday's 12-7 loss, Sonnanstine allowed a three-run homer and an RBI single to Francisco, who is now 8-for-9 with five homers and 12 RBIs in his career off the right-hander. Sonnanstine gave up home runs to Francisco in four straight plate appearances, dating back to July 10, 2008. The loss broke a two-game winning streak for Sonnanstine, who defeated the Indians on May 17 and the Marlins on May 22. Sonnanstine lost to the Twins last season, his only career appearance

[BigRock]

TPJ OFF THE DL!!!!!

Also, Soria.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by BigRock

TPJ OFF THE DL!!!!!

Also, Soria.

Do we.... do we.. print things for baseball??

[sportsman1]

Friggen' Ay'.... Print em with the Mexicutioner back.. but TPJ?... good lord.

[Sure-Oz]

TPJ will win a gold glove/dayton/

[Sure-Oz]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9...ealing-...-yet

The Royals are reportedly "kicking around the idea of adding a shortstop." Rosenthal believes the Pirates' Jack Wilson is the best fit, "but only if the Red Sox don't grab [him] first."

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by BigRock

TPJ OFF THE DL!!!!!

moves like this are why the royals suck.

hillman's obsession with playing turds like pena and horacio ramirez over and over is killing this team.

i know the rest of the team sucks too, but there are better options than tony pena jr, horacio ramirez, and sidney ponson.

[DeezNutz]

Rany on HoRam (www.ranyontheroyals.com):

Horacio Ramirez Sucks. Get Over It.

Come with me, if you don’t mind, on a tour of recent history.

May 21st: Zack Greinke allows two runs in six innings, departing the game with a slender 3-2 lead against the Indians. Horacio Ramirez, who comes into the game with a sparkling 5.84 ERA (his lowest at any point this season), starts the top of the seventh. He allows a leadoff single, and after a bunt and a groundout, surrenders another single to blow the lead. Jamey Wright comes in and allows a go-ahead RBI double; Ramirez is eventually saddled with the loss.

May 22nd: With the Royals now in St. Louis, Kyle Davies follows Greinke’s effort with a six-inning, two-run performance of his own, but his teammates fail to score a run for him. Ramirez once again starts the seventh. After getting two quick outs, Ramirez surrenders a home run to the mighty Tyler Greene. Nonetheless, Ramirez is brought out to pitch the eighth as well, and gives up a single to Skip Schumaker, followed by a double to Brian Barden. He IBB’s Albert Pujols, retires Chris Duncan, and then heads to the showers as Kyle Farnsworth gives up a two-run single to put the game out of reach.

May 24th: Two days later, the Royals once again get a six-inning, two-run effort from their starting pitcher, this time it being Brian Bannister. With the Royals holding a 3-2 lead on St. Louis going to the bottom of the seventh, once again Trey Hillman inexplicably calls on Ramirez. Ramirez retires the first two batters in order, then intentionally walks Pujols with the bases empty. He then allows a wild pitch on his way to walking Chris Duncan, forcing Hillman to make the unconventional move of replacing one lefty reliever with another. In his season debut, John Bale, uh, bales out Ramirez by whiffing Rick Ankiel on three pitches; the Royals would hold on for the win.

May 27th: Ramirez is called on with two outs in the sixth inning to rescue Davies, who has allowed seven runs so far and leaves a man on first base. Ramirez gives up a single to Josh Anderson, and is immediately replaced by Roman Colon, who gives up another single to plate the eighth run before ending the inning.

June 2nd: Once again, Davies is on the mound. Once again, the Royals’ starter has allowed two runs, only in this instance the game is tied, and instead of being called upon to start an inning, Ramirez is brought in with two outs in the sixth – and men on first and second. The first batter he faces, Matt Joyce, hits a two-run double that effectively ends the game. Ramirez would pitch a scoreless seventh, but the game is already over.

Over his last five appearances, Ramirez has pitched four innings, allowed eight hits and five runs. He blew a one-run lead in one game, gave up the tie-breaking runs in another game, allowed a 2-0 deficit to get out of hand in a third game, had to be rescued by another pitcher to preserve a lead in a fourth game, and gave up a hit to the only batter he faced in mop-up relief in the fifth game.

And before this stretch, he had a 5.74 ERA.

It’s now June, and Horacio Ramirez has a 6.86 ERA for the season. He has allowed 27 hits in 19.2 innings. He only has 12 strikeouts. He has walked 10 batters (granted, three intentionally). He has allowed three homers. There is absolutely nothing on his statistical record that is positive.

Lefties are hitting .261/.306/.348, which isn’t bad, but not particularly good. Right-handers are hitting .405/.500/.811. Even Jimmy Gobble thinks that’s bad.

And still Hillman sends him out there, in key situations, gambling that Ramirez won’t cost the Royals yet another game.

I guess it would make sense if the Royals were desperate for a LOOGY, even though Ramirez, you know, doesn’t even make for a good LOOGY. Except last I checked, the Royals have both Ron Mahay and John Bale on the roster, meaning that they’re keeping Ramirez around even though they have two better left-handers in the bullpen.

Look, guys, I know you invested a lot of money in Ramirez. I don’t know why you invested a lot of money, mind you, because he had done nothing to deserve the money, and no other team was particularly interested in offering him a comparable deal. But you did. You blew $1.8 million on a pitcher who doesn’t belong in the major leagues any more. It happens. Teams make mistakes.

But the money is gone, and no amount of putting Ramirez on the mound to justify that contract is going to bring the money back. All you’re accomplishing by keeping Ramirez on the roster is proving that you can’t resist throwing good games after bad money.

I have no idea if the Royals are going to turn things around, whether they’ll get back to .500 this year, whether they’ll contend again in 2009. On paper, there’s no obvious reason why the Royals can’t reverse course. But I know that the Royals aren’t going to win a damn thing so long as they’ve got a GM who isn’t willing to cut losses on a contract that was a mistake the moment it was signed, and a manager who doesn’t understand that just because you have a pitcher on your roster doesn’t mean you have to use him in tight situations.

Horacio Ramirez sucks, guys. The sooner you accept that fact, the sooner we can get around to the business of putting together a winning roster.

[Sure-Oz]

Thank you Rany.....now you need another 8 articles on our other sucky players

[doomy3]

Not Royals related, but the Braves just traded for Nate McClouth. Sounds like a hell of a deal for the Braves...

Nate McLouth-OF- Braves Jun. 3 - 8:06 pm et


Braves acquired outfielder Nate McLouth from the Pirates in exchange for RHP Charlie Morton, LHP Jeff Locke and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez.
The Braves had to do something to stimulate their lackluster offense, and Jordan Schafer's demotion left a gaping hole in center field. McLouth will likely hit directly in front of or behind Chipper Jones, increasing his fantasy value while addressing the Braves' woeful middle-of-the-order production. While the Bravos gave up three prospects, none of them are considered potential impact players.