SB Nation User Blog: kcisbetterthanstlateverything

Callaspo gets a DUI

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:28:14 -0000

Last night, Alberto Callaspo had a good time. Sounds like he was out in the Westport/Plaza area throwing back a few, and then he made a bad decision. He got in his car, ran a red light near UMKC's campus, and was pulled over. He received a DUI citation and spent roughly seven hours in a KCMO prison. Callaspo is 25 and is in his first full major league season. He has been around the minors and around some big-league clubhouses. No doubt that this guy knows how to have a good time, but he will figure out soon he is not above the law or even above some sort of discipline. The Royals organization tries to uphold a high moral reputation, Jose Guillen tirades aside. They want to maintain the family-friendly reputation. To do this, perhaps some kind of discipline is in order from the team, although you can't really 'bench' a player who doesn't receive much playing time anyway. That said, what do we do, if anything?

Poll

What is to be done?

Pro-Tony Pena Media Bias

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:12:51 -0000

I don't even need to go into the statistics for you guys. We all understand how historically bad Tony Pena Jr. is. Even most sane sports journalists understand that concept that you can't have a hitter in your lineup that bats worse than pitchers. Even if he plays good (although not VERY good) defense. Just when we all had pretty much forgotten (some of us may never forget) about TPJ, thank God, he reappeared in Trey Hillman's lineup Sunday afternoon. The reason we forgot about him, Mike Aviles, was moved to 2nd for the game. Nothing wrong with the move here, except for the fact that Tony Pena was playing again. In the game, Pena was taken out of the game in favor of pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo during the Royals 5-run comeback inning (seemingly the first time Trey has realized the proper time for pinch-hitting for TPJ and having it work). But, here we are. The day after. What do we have? The media again heaping praise towards Tony Pena. The Royals.com preview for tonight's game has the headline, "Pena provides Royals with fresh infield option" with a caption that states, "Proving capable his last outing, Tony Pena hopes to get another chance tonight when the Royals face the Rockies in interleague play." In today's Royals rundown in the KC Star headlined, "Mahay gives Royals bridge to closer," the third heading section is about Pena's return to the lineup and his new comfort with his swing. TPJ is quoted as saying, "I'm just trying to feel comfortable, see the ball and not force anything. I feel better than what I've been feeling." Well, isn't that great? To make it more unsettling, Hillman says, "Hopefully we can get him more comfortable with his swing. Mentally, he's been strong. He has a good attitude." I hope Hillman is talking about these things in an attempt to distract us from Pena's terrible play and recent lack of playing time. He still should not see the field. Aviles is the reason why, even if he is not the future at SS. But the bigger issue I see is this: Why is TPJ in the news the day after the stunning 11-10 win? He played 5 innings. He hasn't played in weeks. Why are we hoping for him to return? Is there optimism about TPJ? While we can all agree we love TPJ's enthusiasm and love of the game, we can also agree that he is a bad baseball player. Let's stop plugging him as a useful part of this team royals.com and KC Star.

Mike Aviles, SS of the future, er...until we find a real one

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:27:14 -0000

I was one of the early callers for Aviles as a SS replacement for TPJ while he tortured us with his butterfly-net hacking techniques. As minor league player of the year and proven minor league hitter, Aviles seemed deserving of at least some kind of major league duty to me. When TPJ's bat hit the fan(shit is a bad word, but...well, that's what it was), Aviles seemed a better option than Berroa and other options playing out of position (Callaspo looking like Cecil Fielder w/ a glove at short and German looking like...well, German, but at short). Well, Aviles came up, to much cheer and fanfare. So much so that he went 0-3 in his major league debut and didn't see pt for another week (Buddy Bell would be proud). 27 years old and all, Aviles displayed minor league experience by (being patient and...) having 5 extra-base hits before his first major league single. He has since been used as our everyday SS. He has 2 homers and a very good batting line in this short timespan since his call-up. While he looks like me a fat guy, he has yet to embarass himself at SS as German and Callaspo have. Let's let this one play out. Let the guy hit and see where our offense goes. After all, this is the AL. Some teams have hitters at all positions here.

Poll

What is Mike Aviles?

Milton Bradley vs. Ryan LeFebvre

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:57:20 -0000

For those of you w/o past knowledge of Ryan's calls of Bradley's play....it is really biased. But as anyone who follows Milton Bradley can attest to, the guy is a prick and doesn't necessarily attract praise. For instance, during Tuesday night's game, on the ball that went under Bradley's glove as a run scored (i know, miraculously), Ryan exclaimed as Bradley half-assedly (new word Webster, get on it) ran towards the ball, "He's not hustling after it at all." While this is not unbiased reporting, it is also the truth. Milton Bradley is a bonafide prick in the baseball community. He goes after umpires, fans, coaches, teammates, and occasionally his own body in the process (see injury in last season's playoff chase for the Padres). Now, he has reached a new level. Four levels in fact. He climbed four flights of stairs in pursuit of Ryan LeFebvre, our beloved comedian-er, play by play guy. Link: sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3438827 ...so, who is right? The comedian honest observer/villain in Milton's world? Or Milton 'We almost acquired you for Leo Nunez; thank god we didn't' Bradley?

Poll

Who is in the right here?

Odell Thurman fails drug test

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:01:01 -0000

So much for all the speculation about a guy that may fit in w/ our cover 2 scheme. ESPN is reporting that Thurman failed a drug test, meaning he is subject to an indefinite suspension. As a guy w/ previous problems and a recent release due to behavior issues (bad timing, however, Cincinnati), Thurman should've known better than to test the system. As for us and this continuing discussion of character on our team, Thurman was disqualified before the discussion could reach its peak. Again, it's just a reminder that when you give guys more chances, it doesn't mean they've learned anything. Pacman, this includes you. His limited reinstatement and chance to come back will be watched closely. I hope Irvin and Primetime are able to keep 'Adam' on lock until September 1 so we can watch him play again. Guys need to start learning. I praise Goodell for all his efforts on player conduct.

Winning streaks, Major League comparisons, and...optimism?

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:25:58 -0000

So last night, I went to the Royals game. They had not won since i returned after graduating from college in Saint Louis. 12 days I resided in Kansas City again without a Royals victory. That curse was exorcised Saturday night, although there were a few moments where I was certain we were going to blow it. Pena and our outfielders created a blooper on a dropped fly ball. Joakim Soria doubled his season total for baserunners allowed. Anyway, we won. Today, we won again, 6-1. Holy hell. That's two in a row. Tuesday, if we win in Chicago, that's called a winning streak (Thank you manager Lou Brown). This reminds me of the baseball classic "Major League." Every season, because the Royals really mimic those terrible Cleveland teams of the late 80s and early 90s, I like to compare our laughability and roster with that of the Indians team in the hilarious movie. While I'm sure it's a stretch to do, and it always is, it at least amuses me to make comparisons. I'll add some quotables as well.

Willie Mays Hayes=Joey Gathright-- "Every time you hit the ball in the air I want you to drop and give me 20 push ups"

Roger Dorn=Mark Grudzielanek--"What am I supposed to do? Dive for it?" (apologies to Grudz because he is still one of our better players, but the age is showing and the skill doesn't seem to be there)

Pedro Cerrano=Jose Guillen (attitudes notwithstanding) "I hit straight ball very much. Curveball. Bats afraid."

Rube Baker=John Buck (southern accents, throwing issues, likeability) "My momma always said, 'It's better to eat shit than to not eat at all.'"

Harry Doyle=Denny Matthews "Baker swings and sends a 'real screamer' towards short. Ah wrap up with it, fires to first...and Baker beats it with a head-first slide. So the Indians have a runner. I think I'll wet my pants."

Rachel Phelps=Glass family "These are the players we'll be inviting to Spring Training this year."---"This guy is dead"--"Cross him off the list then."

Charlie Donovan=Dayton Moore "That reminds me. I was going to ask you. What exactly is our team concept?"

Lou Brown=Trey Hillman "Come on Dorn. Get in front of the damn ball. Don't give me this Ole bullshit"....also "No, keep him in, let's see how he reacts."

Past Royals that make the cut and fit accurately:

Rick Vaughn=Mike MacDougal "Look. I'll throw it. You just make sure you catch it."

Jake Taylor=Brent Mayne "I'm hungover. My knees are killing me and if you were gonna pull this shit at least you could've said you were from the Yankees."

Eddie Harris=Paul Byrd "Crisco...Bardol...Vagisil. Any one of them will give you another two to three inches drop on your curveball. Of course if the umps are watching me real close, I'll rub a little jalapeno up my nose, get it runnin', and if I need to load the ball up I just...wipe my nose."

Anyways, just some entertainment to hold us over on the off day. Draft coming up as well. I look forward to reading a lot from you studious people. I love the Royals and love all the stat analysis, just not enough to do all the research myself.

Jose Guillen's rant...and leadership issues

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:44:58 -0000

Did anyone else hear Jose Guillen's rant on 810 last night after the tragic loss? If not, click on this link and go to the podcast at the bottom of the page... http://www.810whb.com/podcast.asp

Some highlights:

"This team is full of f***ing babies"

"Don't blame the manager. He works harder than anyone here so we can win some games."

"These guys don't know how to play the f***ing game."

I think we've thought these thoughts for some time, and we had quit blaming Jose Guillen for our problems since mid-April when we realized he really is the best hitter of the bunch. But, more broadly, isn't it about time someone blew up? I mean, this team is full of REAL people right, with REAL emotions and anger, the kind that builds after years of torment and losing streaks like this one. Jose wasn't even a part of those problems, yet he is the one to say something. I love the emotion and anger here, and I wonder how long it will take for Trey or Dayton to do something about these problems. I know Trey works very hard, and I'm sure Dayton does as well.

But there is something going on here, something missing in our organization that tends to make change difficult. I would call it a Steinbrenner quality in our organization, that urge to make drastic changes to end the losing. Dayton seems to be immune from this tendency, for better or for worse. I think it is for worse. In Jeffrey Flanagan's KC Star article on hitting instructor Mike Barnett, Dayton claims he would not fire a coach until the end of the season unless the manager said something first. Well, Trey is really nice, one of those good old Texas boys, the type that does not throw his colleagues or players under the bus. However, if he is not going to point out obvious problems or suggest organizational changes, it is clearly Dayton's role to do it. Someone, in the spirit of Jose Guillen, needs to put the foot down. As Harry Truman's plaque said, "The buck stops here!" Not to call out John Buck personally, but there is a lot of bull that needs to be stopped in this organization, and someone, super-Christian (Dayton, Trey, and I'm sure others in the organization) or not, has to not be so nice about it. Swearing is okay when things are not going well, because whether it's appropriate or not, it gets the point across. Also, everyone is thinking it. Trey's team meeting, while I'm sure it was serious and pointed, may not have gotten the job done that a GM with more power could accomplish. People need to be fired, DFA'd, or other things need to happen. In classic French Revolution style, heads need to roll for real change (sorry Obama fans for stealing this one) to happen. Only then can the Royals embark on Napoleonic conquest for the next decade or so in the AL. That said, I hope there are angry mobs willing to agree with Jose Guillen. His rant reveals problems that were known but not discussed. The babies and fake ballplayers need to go, and we don't have to wait or be nice about it. So let's go out there and stop this streak and start winning again!

Poll

What is the best way to change the franchise's direction in these difficult times?

Pessimism or is this reality?

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:26:34 -0000

I've been known to be a pessimist for a lot of my life, and Royals baseball, while not totally to blame (along with Chiefs post-season appearances), has certainly contributed to this pessimism. That said, I was fairly optimistic about this Royals season. We had a new manager singing the praises of on-base pct and sounding like the perfect guy for our boys in blue. We started hot thanks to some dynamite pitching, some of which was seen as the next step in the development of our pitchers (Greinke, Bannister, Hochevar, Soria, Nunez, Ramirez, etc). We even scored some runs (well, not many) and started hot by Royals standards. But April, that cruel bitch, could not let the Royals have a winning month for the second time ever (2nd time since 1993). The Royals offense revealed itself as singles-based, impatient, and BAD (Baserunning Arduously Difficult). Meche started slow, and has turned into the above average pitcher making 11 million off of this past free agent market, not his own. Greinke has slowed his quest for the Cy Young Award, and Brian Bannister turned into Dr. Jeckyll/Mr. Hyde (although this is not necessarily a new phenomenon). The bullpen began allowing runs sparingly, which is slightly worse than not allowing runs at all. But, my oh my, what a difference that pitching made. Our team has gone from mediocre to not that bad. From not that bad to winning 6 of 7. From playing with our minds to reminding us that these are the Royals. We have lost 6 of 7 (of course overlapping that last streak). So the question is: Am I that pessimistic? Or is this Royals team closer to a 100 loss team than the 75-80 win team we hoped for?

3-4? does it fit the chiefs?

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:17:16 -0000

From the FanPosts. We'll replace the morning update with this. Enjoy. -Chris

so, looking at the chiefs defensive roster, a few things jump out at me. we have gotten some help on the interior DL w/ dorsey. we have become weak at end losing jared allen. we added athleticism and pass-rushing ability (ask nebraska fans, don't consult nfl stats) with the addition of demorrio williams at LB. and we have replaced ty law w/ a youthful multi-coverage first-round talent CB in flowers. so what does this personnel lend itself to? the 3-4. hear me out.

DL:

Hali: Always considered more than a pass rusher. But teams routinely ran at him in 2007. Hopefully his foot injury was a fluke and he can return to rookie form or better in 2008. If he doesn't, it will be a terrible season for the chiefs. He also may have always been a 3-4 end in making.

Dorsey: Consensus best pick in the draft. He has been most compared to Warren Sapp (Herm was an assistant on that defensive staff). Let's hope everyone is right and this guy can immediately dominate opposing lines. In many schemes this guy is the cornerstone, and this can't be more true in the cover 2. I'll get to the 3-4 in a second.

Boone/Edwards/etc.: These guys are role players that are bottom-feeders in the NFL DL rotation. Sure, they will succeed, but none of these guys can contribute to the pass rush w/o killing run-stopping, or the other way around. I hate this DE situation for a 4-3...and this is why we need a shift.

Conclusion: We have the talent at linebacker and in the secondary to change schemes.

LB (the best position group on the team)

Edwards: The veteran leadership and expertise. He is the class of our defense and, arguably, the league. This guy can play OLB, ILB, probably DE if we needed it. But we are apparently attempting to move him back to the middle to remove Napoleon Harris, whom I'll get to in a minute. But Donnie is a great player mostly out of instinct. It doesn't take a real football expert or statistician to see his best and most productive years came as an inside linebacker in san diego's 3-4. He played this role to near perfection, and i think we may need it out of him again due to our dearth of talent on the DL. He CAN and WOULD succeed in any system we put him in.

DJ: Athleticism has never been questioned. He also is a prototype Will LB. He is not much for rushing the passer straight up, but he can be an effective blitzer and run-stopper. He is a freestyle player best-suited for a freestyle system, not a disciplined cover-2 style. The classic OLB role would work for him, but a 3-4 might work better. He might be the guy consistently in coverage, but he has proven a good run-stopper and penetrator. He also has the athleticism to make up for any pressure-lapses from the front 7 w/ his coverage. Screams Derrick Brooks to me, if we can ever muster the rest of the defensive talent.

Harris: There could never be a bigger challenge to your job than an employer hiring someone for another job and moving that person occupying that position to yours. That said, Harris did not do all that poorly last season. Problem is, he didn't do well either. Maybe there is a gray area here...mix schemes to get your best players on the field. I think Harris fits this group and would be benefited by the move. While it's true he wouldn't hold up in the Jeremiah Trotter big 3-4 ILB mold, he has the athleticism to at least make it worthwhile. Donnie Edwards will help him, and If Glen Dorsey is THE MAN, this move makes a ton of sense.

Williams: A small LB. He has outstanding speed but limited experience in pass-rushing. He was used as a coverage linebacker, something he excelled at. Our problem is that we have one of those, DJ. In college, Williams was an excellent stand-up pass rusher. This makes him an ideal transition LB for the 3-4. The only thing i'm concerned w/ him about is his size.

Surtain: Elder statesman and overpaid FA signing. He is still a good cornerback, and i think people lose sight of this. He isn't playing the position the way he did in Miami, when he was a lockdown man corner. To be fair, this has taken some of the aggressiveness out of him that made him an all-pro player. But also, he has not played up to the standards we held for him. He will at worst be a league average corner next year, but that would be a problem, b/c he is the best we have at this position.

Flowers: I love everything I've heard about him, and he tackles well from what little I've seen. He also seems to have played a lot of different coverages in college and has good ball skills. If he likes Beamer-Ball and is the video rat i hear about, he will be fine and could be a steal. If he busts, I'll be stunned.

Patterson/Brackenridge: Hope you make the roster. Herm certainly loves you. As for actual field skills, a lot remains to be seen.

Carr: This guy could be a total steal. But until we hear how he does in camps, he is still just a rookie w/ lesser-college experience. I hope he competes for a top job, but he is a total unknown here, w/ a reputation that certainly exceeds what we know of him.

Page: Pure ball hawk. This guy seems to be a playmaker, on the good and bad side. He can end games with picks or missed tackles. That said, I do think he is developing well and will be a productive safety in the league for a long time. Certainly a serviceable starter for us.

Pollard: Some work needed, but overall a good player. Pollard is ideal for a cover 2 scheme in that he could kill any receiver over the middle at any time. He is a punishing hitter (overall tackling could use work). He also could use work in overall coverage discipline, and i think this will happen. He is a raw talent, and keeping the next guy around might help. But it might not....

Wesley: I wish we would have traded him last year before/after the houston game to start the year. He is washed up in my opinion. He has been beaten on blown coverages far too many times in his career to be considered a veteran help. He does have the reputation of a hitter that Pollard already has, but having that w/o considerable success does not help. Wesley is a ball hawk, and still a good player, but i think he is a hindrance and unnecessary player in our defensive development. I have not mentioned his spotty health record either. (Not that Pollard's is better)

Other S: I don't know anything about the other guys, other than McGraw is a special teams guy who should never see the field on defense. Additional depth at safety would help.

Analysis:

Our defensive personnel leads me to think we need a 3-4/4-3/cover-2 combo scheme that is probably more detailed than most teams care to get into. We are seriously weak at DE while deep at LB. This screams 3-4. The issue is whether or not that 3-4 group could consistently stop the run. I think it could if it is mixed in with 4-3 groups that include the bigger guys, including new DE boone (HA!). It would be a challenge, but i think it could work. the secondary would be afforded new coverage opportunities with additional coverage help w/ the LB, which would enormously benefit surtain by putting him in more man situations or mixed coverages, things he excels at.

I love the idea of the 3-4, and i think we could blitz more out of it to get pressure to account for the loss of Jared Allen. I just think we are at a huge disadvantage using the 4-3 version of the cover 2 w/o any kind of DE at one spot. Even if the coverage holds steady, the lack of a pass rush leads to holes in the zone and open receivers. We are better suited for a 3-4 setup for the front 7 to get whatever pressure we can. Mixed coverages and more detail can only help. Further substitutions in and out of the 3-4/4-3 schemes can only hinder, not help, opposing offenses attempting to prepare for us.

As any coach should, a coach should not apply a system to personnel that does not fit. Rather, a coach's personnel should steer his planning and coaching, especially in terms of systems and schemes. I know Herm is a big cover-2 guy, but the front 7 has pretty little to do with this. Even alternating or rotating which linebacker goes back in coverage in the tampa-2 can only confuse defenses. Other than that, i just think what i have suggested really could work and would be innovative, not for us, but for the league. Teams need to further detail and specify what systems and schemes work for certain personnel groups....not the other way around.

When is the sample size significant enough to judge?

kcisbetterthanstlateverything — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:42:13 -0000

As everyone who follows statistics in any field knows, you can never judge statistics too soon for fear of being wrong in assumptions. While some trends are easy to see from past statistics in combination with current statistics, when should we take this year for what it is? More specifically, when should this year's stats start to count in what we expect? In fantasy baseball, as far from reality as it is, I always wait until 40-45 games into a season to give up on someone to search for another player. In real baseball, it depends on at bats, innings, and other things compared with previous stats. That said, we are all stat geeks. Who among us can give me the at bats and innings where statistics become significant? It is a difficult task, and the question begs an obvious answer that we can use common sense to make sense of the stats so far. But is Billy Butler a singles-hitting guy w/ his .360ish slg but obvious ability to hit for average and RBI? Is Callaspo a contact-hitting Robinson Cano in disguise? Can German still produce? Should we even worry about Guillen's slow start? Are Greinke's and Bannister's starts significant or simple Runelvys Hernandez-ish (yeah, had to bring this up) hot streaks to start a year? All of these questions can be answered at the same time as the sample size question. All theories and answers are relevant here. Discuss. Gracias.