SB Nation User Blog: Matty486

2010 NW Naturals

Matty486 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:35:24 -0000

With the announcement of the Crow signing, I think we can now look at the AA Naturals as the team that we will all be keeping an eye on next year. Just like we did a few years back with Butler, Gordon, Greinke, Hoch, and others, I think we should pretty much load up our prospects at this level and let them play together for at least the 1st half of next season. I know that people will say that Hosmer and Moustakas haven't earned this promotion but I think it's still a good idea to get those guys out of Wilmington. If this is playing them up a little early I'm ok with it. They need to start producing against better competition.

The NW lineup should include those two along with possibly Taylor, Johnny G (not a great year but also could benefit from getting out of Wilmington), and possibly Wil Myers by the middle of the season. The rotation should incluse Crow, Duffy, Montgomery, and possibly Melville and Dwyer by the middle of the season.

I say give this group a season to play together at AA and bring them up when they're ready, probably 2011.

Thoughts?

I declare this the TOM WATSON, BRITISH OPEN THREAD

Matty486 — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:14:11 -0000

How often do we get something like this to follow? It seems like more fun than posting about Yuniesky or Trey or bullpen problems.

I heard this question on the radio today: if Tom Watson holds on today should KC have a parade for him? I say yes. Tom is as big a part of Kansas City sports as the Royals and Chiefs and his winning this thing at almost 60 would be one of the biggest moments in the history of the sport. To me, that says a parade from Olathe to Liberty! Ok, not that far.

HEY JOBDDT - Don't Diss Mike Sweeney

Matty486 — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:24:28 -0000

In the AROD post about steroids this guy made a comment that "Mike Sweeney likely used also." Why would you just throw this around? Some people take the integrity of the game seriously so I can't think of many things more disrespectful than commenting like this when you have NOTHING to base this on.

In my opinion, if Sweeney would have been on roids his career wouldn't have crashed with injuries. We'd probably be talking about one of the best right handed hitter in the past 15 years. But because he refused his body broke down in different ways.

This is what I think. There's a minute chance I'm proven wrong but until that happens lets not make outrageous claims like this so non-chalantly.

This is good for this time of year

Matty486 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:09:08 -0000

This is good for this time of year

www.sportspickle.com/features/volume4/2005-0727-trade.html

New Roster (Including future trades)

Matty486 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:31:42 -0000

Being that we made the Coco Crisp trade, I still see us making another trade, probably involving DDJ or Teahen. I still like the idea of getting Fontenot and Pie from the Cubs for either one of those guys. I know not a lot of people like this for DDJ but Fontenot could start right away at 2B (900 OPS last year) putting Callaspo as utility again. This would also put Pie as 4th OF (good spot for him being that we are would be waiting for him to get better and realize his talent). These two moves get rid of TPJ and Gathright.

New Bench: Buck, Shealy, Callaspo, and Pie. (no TPJ, Gload, German, Gathright)

Lineup:

C Olivo

1 Jacobs

2 Fontenot

3 Gordon

S Aviles

L Teahen/DDJ (one would be traded)

C Crisp

R Guillen

DH Butler

Are you telling me this isn't any better than last year? With this, we just dumped ALL of the fluff off the 25 man roster! ALL OF IT! GLOAD! GATHRIGHT! TPJ! And what did we add to the team to get rid of those 3? A guy who just hit 32 bombs, a guy with a 900 OPS who plays good 2B, and a slick fielding CF that just hit .450 in the playoffs. And what did we have to get rid of to makes these changes? Really? Just 2 middle relievers and an average OFer?

Sign me up for that. I just can't take the over-analyzing anymore.

Anyway we can change the name of this site to "The Fans of Rob Neyer?"

Updated 2009 lineup

Matty486 — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:40:01 -0000

Watching the games this weekend has gotten me excited about next year (not to mention the rest of this one, if we can just finish this tough homestand well, like 4-2, maybe we can cut the division lead to around 8 or 9, maybe better. Dammit! I do this every year). If Callaspo gets back and gets to play a little I think he can prove himself enough to earn a platoon with Esty at 2B next year. Also, I'd love to get Shealy some time at the end of the season at 1B and maybe he'll prove he can platoon at 1B next year also, but not with Gload...with Teahen. I have Teahen at 1B because I'm starting to really like Maier. He reminds me a lot of Aviles. Now his numbers aren't there yet, but I think over time he could be that kinda guy. I think he also reminds me on DeJesus 2 or 3 years ago. I think he projects to be the same type of player. This also moves Dejesus to left and Guillen to right. Add in Gordon (3b), Butler (DH), Aviles (SS), and combo of Buck and Olivo in semi-platoon role at C.

Lineup vs. Righties: Aviles, Teahen, DeJesus, Guillen, Gordon, Butler, Callaspo, Buck, Maier

Lineup vs. Lefties: Aviles, DeJesus, Butler, Guillen, Gordon, Olivo, Shealy, Esty, Maier

Now this all follows my theory of not going out and getting a big FA this off season. I'm of the belief of setting a 5 to 7 year plan with salaries that starts with them being lower for the next 2 years before we need to sign our own players that earn a longer contract (whoever they may be). If we stay between 60-70 mil. the next 2 seasons we can then afford to be in the 100's in years 4 through 6. That would allow us to get everyone we deem fit a longer contract.

It's just my theory. And still think that lineup could compete next year if our rotation progresses.

Settling on a lineup

Matty486 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:57:09 -0000

I know we are all excited about the recent winning ways of our boys in blue and the way our offense has been performing, but I don't think we are performing well because of all the players that get into the lineup but in spite of that. At what point do we know what we have and go with a certain lineup for the rest of the way (barring injuries and the OCCASIONAL day off)? I'm going with July 15th. I figure by then Butler will have taken Pena's place on the team and possibly Grud will be back playing regularly. I think these guys should be in there 19 out of 20 games. Olivo and Buck (DH and C), Butler (DH or 1B), Aviles (SS), Gordon (3B), Grud (2B), if Grud gets traded then Callaspo (2B), DDJ, Guillen, and Teahen (OF). Our lineup against right handers could include Gload instead of Olivo or Buck. But THAT'S IT. 2 lineups. Games that include Gathright and Pena make me throw up in my mouth a little. None of those 1st 11 guys are auto outs.

What do you think? July 15th? By then we should see:

DDJ

Aviles

Gordon

Guillen

Grud

Teahen

Butler

Olivo / Gload

Buck

Tough month

Matty486 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:02:57 -0000

Just so everyone knows my fantasy football team name was Royal Fan=Packer Fan. I'm 31 years old, so I basically spent all of my 20's cheering for my favorite baseball player of all time, Mike Sweeney, in the summers and favorite footballer, Brett Favre, in the falls and winters. In the same month they both left my teams. At a very, very, very lower level, I feel like a dad of military kids and getting 2 of those bad letters in the same month. I understand why we didn't resign Sweeney, and I understand that Favre is 'tired mentally,' but this is NOT what I need while I am selling my house and trying to get a new job. I need April to be better, like the Royals start with 15-8 record and Alex is hitting .432 with 7 bombs. Then, the Pack follows it up by trading up 6 spots and drafts Aqib Talib with the 21st pick of the 1st round. NOW THAT WOULD BE A REBOUND MONTH!

AA Pitching

Matty486 — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 04:38:38 -0000

Reading Sisquatch's diary about Dan Cortes started to get me thinking about the talented Wilmington rotation that is moving up to AA this year. That is, Dan Cortes, Julio Pimental, Blake Johnson, and Rowdy Hardy. The fact that we got the 1st three in trades where they weren't even the main player involved really gets me excited thinking about GMDM's evaluating ability. Didn't we get all three in about a 5 month span? I'd like to think we can get guys like this about once a year at worst.

Now, out of those 4 guys, which one is going to end up the best? Who knows. But I'd think ideally we get 2 of them into the rotation and maybe 1 in the pen. And the 4th as a good piece of a trade? Again, ALL speculation. But it's starting to get fun again thinking about our prospects.

Humorous Irony

Matty486 — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:09:18 -0000

Wouldn't it be kind of ironic if the R's signed Fukudome and Kuroda to add to Shake (Yabuta) and Sergent Hillman being that there would be 3 Japanese players playing near Harry S. Truman Rd.?
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