SB Nation User Blog: raefzilla

But the Royals, being the Royals, found they had a difficult choice. Sort of a cosmic choice,...

raefzilla — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:43:14 -0000

But the Royals, being the Royals, found they had a difficult choice. Sort of a cosmic choice, really.

Do you send down:

A) Luis Hernandez
or
B) Tony Pena Jr.

Philosophers have pondered this question right there with the chicken and the egg one. The correct answer, Aristotle said, is "You send down both." But Aristotle had a very weak understanding of the Royals minor league system.

Posnanski

This is are a TERRIBLE base-running team. No, seriously, terrible, horrible, one of the worst in...

raefzilla — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:27:16 -0000

This is are a TERRIBLE base-running team. No, seriously, terrible, horrible, one of the worst in memory. According to the Bill James base running numbers (which you will recall simply measure going first to third, second to home, first to home and various bases taken and baserunning mistakes), the Royals are a minus-74 base running team this year. MINUS-74 in only 75 games. No other team is even close (Padres are -39). In fact, the worst base-running team since 2002, when Bill and the guys started keeping this stat, is the 2003 Brewers, who were minus-91. The Royals might get there by the All-Star Break.

Joe Posnanski

The buzz on the rumor mill is that the Royals are openly offering some veteran players in response...

raefzilla — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:38:37 -0000

The buzz on the rumor mill is that the Royals are openly offering some veteran players in response to their disappointing season. Names making the rounds include David DeJesus, Mark Teahen, Kyle Davies, Brian Bannister and virtually all of their relievers.

"One of their guys told me they’re looking to deal," one scout from another organization said. "He said everyone except Greinke, (Joakim) Soria and Meche are available.

"He said they want to hold on to (Billy) Butler and (Alex) Gordon, but they’re willing to listen."

One Royals official confirmed interest from other clubs in Davies, who was recently optioned to Class AAA Omaha after a series of poor starts.

ESPN’s Peter Gammons linked Teahen to the Giants, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox and Mets in a recent Twitter message. Interest in Teahen could grow because Mark DeRosa no longer is on the market after a trade Saturday from the Indians to the Cardinals.

Bob Dutton

Farnsworth is one of only three pitchers in baseball history — along with Ryne Duren and Oliver P...

raefzilla — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:17:26 -0000

Farnsworth is one of only three pitchers in baseball history — along with Ryne Duren and Oliver Perez — to strike out more than one batter per inning and have a below average ERA+. Farnsworth is the only one of the three to have a better than 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Joe Posnanski

TPJ to DL, L. Hernandez up

raefzilla — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:54:10 -0000

TPJ to DL, L. Hernandez up

Joel Goldberg

Juan Cruz and Kyle Farnsworth will likely get save chances in Soria's absence, so grab Cruz for...

raefzilla — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:50:51 -0000

Juan Cruz and Kyle Farnsworth will likely get save chances in Soria's absence, so grab Cruz for saves, Farnsworth for blown saves.

Rotoworld

The latest figures from Forbes magazine show the Royals made $9 million last season before adjustments and contend the franchise’s value increased $13 million to $314 million.

raefzilla — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:54:57 -0000

The latest figures from Forbes magazine show the Royals made $9 million last season before adjustments and contend the franchise’s value increased $13 million to $314 million.

Obviously, the numbers are a little fuzzy, but this is just more proof that the Royals have a lot more money than almost everyone realizes. Frankly, it makes so much of the Allard Baird era all that more sickening. Hopefully payroll continues to climb.

•Feb. 22, 2008: The Royals absolutely, definitely and undoubtedly will win the American League C...

raefzilla — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:20:09 -0000

•Feb. 22, 2008: The Royals absolutely, definitely and undoubtedly will win the American League Central in 2008. These guys all have the ability — this isn’t just dream talk here.

And you know what? Maybe all of them will do it. You want to talk about why the Royals will win? Maybe all of them will do it. Wouldn’t that be fun?

•Feb. 17, 2007: A miracle season would be welcome, of course — hey, it’s baseball and the Royals could win the American League Central, I can’t go a year without saying that — but the good news is that this time around the Royals are not counting on miracles. They are trying, instead, to change the entire landscape of Kansas City baseball. It’s a big job. It looks as if they’re on the right track.

•April 3, 2006: It’s April, and we should dream. We can complain in July. And August.

•March 16, 2005: Could. Might. Possibly. These are the words that get a sports fan’s heart pumping. There are possibilities.

•Feb. 27, 2004: If you figure that a baseball team in a certain city has not made the playoffs in 18 years, and the football team next door has not made the Super Bowl in 34 years, and the NBA team left 18 years ago, and the average temperature in July is 90 only it feels like 121, and the average person in this city gets bitten by 293,382 mosquitoes each summer, well, I’m telling you, the odds are real, real good that the baseball team will win this year.

•Feb. 27, 2003: Nobody wants to say anything nice about the Royals right now. It isn’t chic. It isn’t cool. People will laugh. But it’s February. And every February, no matter what, I believe the Royals will win.

•Jan. 27, 2002: It’s the Royals’ turn now. They’ve got young pitching. This is the year when it comes together. The Royals are going to win the American League Central.

No, I don’t expect you to come along this time. I don’t expect you to fall for this again. It’s crazy. It’s absurd. It goes against all logic. But January is not for logic.

•Feb. 25, 2001: We’re looking for believers. True Blue Believers. Because this is the year. This is the year the Royals take Kansas City on that magical pennant-race ride. This is the year of three-run home runs and ninth-inning strikeouts and Kauffman Stadium jam-packed in September, most of the people wearing old Royals T-shirts that were buried in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. This is the year. Can you feel it?

•April 2, 2000: The Royals could win the World Series this year. There you go. I said it. And I’m not joking. I’m not being sarcastic. The Royals could win it all. It’s possible. There you go. There’s nothing wrong with believing it. Sure, it will take a few breaks. It definitely will take some breaks.

But then, maybe the Royals are owed a few breaks.

Poz Predictions

Five Prospects to Watch (KC Star)

raefzilla — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:04:30 -0000

Five Prospects to Watch (KC Star)

Sort of arbitrary, but whatever.

1. Dan Cortes
2. Dan Gutierrez
3. Derrick Robinson
4. Jeff Bianchi (?!)
5. Greg Holland

JoePo talks to scouts

raefzilla — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:19:21 -0000

JoePo talks to scouts

Good column mentioning what the scouts are saying about the Royals. I wonder if the guy who predicted 15 wins for Tomko will ever be outed.