High Mileage

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 23, 2011 -> 03:12 AM) So what are your thoughts on Alex Gordon, HM? You think he has finally broken through? He hasn't been hitting many home runs, but he's doing just about everything else right now. Honestly I am happy for him. Seems like a nice kid and a very hard worker. I do think he's finally got it figured out. I don't expect him to hit .361/.404/.542 all year of course. I agree the home runs aren't there, but he's been hitting tons of line drives, not a lot of fly balls, at least from what I've seen. If he continues to play well (and be healthy) through the All-Star Break, then I'd be in favor of extending him. He and Kevin Seitzer worked together a lot in the off-season, working out flaws in his stride and swing, although his stance and overall swing appear the same. He's laying off the low and outside stuff he used to drive me absolutely f***ing crazy with, and he's staying on top of pitches, instead of rolling over on them and hitting weak infield grounders. I think the power will come with the warm weather, 15-25 homers from him sure would be nice...

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 05:52 PM) I'll give Glass credit for trying to establish some "legitimacy" in the FA market by going after Meche. And give Meche credit for retiring when he could have just continued to collect a paycheck. But the last couple of years, blending in the Guillens and Ankiels and Podsedniks, it just hasn't worked. On the other hand, they had to throw some journeymen out there to protect the youngsters from being overexposed before they were ready for the major league team. Even spending on Willie Bloomquist, Juan Cruz and Kyle Farnsworth....those are the kind of players who are complementary on a playoff contending team, but a waste of payroll for the Royals. I still remember how enthusiastic Posnanski tried to be when they brought in Hillman from Japan. Well, maybe they'll get it straightened out eventually. Uhhhh yeah, Gil Meche=better man than I am. Glass has showed he's willing to spend money, but that doesn't mean they've been able to get the right guys to take it. Guillen's contract was terrible, most people knew it at the time. Moore overpaid after losing out on both Torii Hunter and Andrew Jones that off-season. Other guys we went after but did not get: Rafael Furcal, Orlando Hudson, Carlos Silva (whew!), Ted Lilly, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others. I didn't mind Farnsworth so much, he wasn't completely atrocious here and along with Rick Ankiel, who was injured 90% of his time here, brought us Tim Collins (among others) from the Braves. I like how we came out on that deal already, and Collins has thrown a whole 10 innings. I liked Pods, thought he was pretty good in his time here. As for Hillman, a lot of people thought it was a great hire. I remember at the time, a lot of Royals people were hoping for Frank White or Terry Pendleton...

I'd be ecstatic to take two of three from Texas, but I've been a Royals fan too long (all my life) to get any further ahead than the next game...

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 05:32 PM) KC used to have the highest payroll in baseball back around 1990. They have been bad for so long after really being a model franchise. Yep, right around the time John Schuerholz left to take over the Braves, "leading" them to a 94-68 record and an NL pennant a year after they went 65-97. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 05:37 PM) Which had everything to do with Ewing Kauffman dying and his eventually being replaced by Mr. Wal-Mart. While he might have been a good businessman, the Royals fans have never come close to the same feelings of affection and adulation. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the decades of the 70's and 80's for Royals' baseball. But Glass is believed to be the anti-Kauffman by most. You're pretty much dead on. Kauffman brought baseball back to KC (after the A's moved to Oakland) and was very big in the community/region. Glass and family are rarely seen at Royals games, and they don't even keep a home in the area (well, in Arkansas they do). Glass either couldn't or wouldn't spend his first few years of ownership. The best thing he's done for the organization was hiring Dayton Moore and staying out of actual baseball decisions. Obviously the results have been limited on the field, but he has funded our Draft (we've spent more than anybody since '06) and International Scouting (we've spent more than everybody except the Pirates since '06, IIRC) as well as front office expansion. Out of sight, out of mind. Just keep writing the checks, Old Man...

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 05:17 PM) Do you know the White Sox almost acquired Sweeney from KC as a catcher before he became the prolific hitter he became? They traded for Fordyce instead. You learn something new everyday.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2011 -> 04:36 PM) You're right. I guess a lot of it is the disappointment with losing the 2009 Cy Young version of Greinke. That was easily worth another 7500-12500 fans per night. The "Roy Halladay Effect" that you also saw in Toronto. Those same fans had already lost Mike Sweeney as their idol due to injuries and aging (they chose the wrong player to hold onto, and for too long), and DeJesus was more of an enigma than the second coming of Johnny Damon with KC fans. Maybe the 3rd factor is that the formerly overhyped and "new face" of the franchise, Alex Gordon, was in danger of finding himself on another team heading into this spring. And then the Chiefs are back as a contending team again, so that might be yet another factor. All very valid points. I think with most casual fans, they look at it as another Jermaine Dye-for-Neifi Perez or Johnny Damon-for-Angel Berroa. Trading a star player for somebody they've never heard of. With diehard fans, I think most of them feel the way that I do, that it sucks to lose a guy like Zack, but at the same time it had to be done because of his words and actions, obviously the jury is still out on that deal and will be for years. They knew they weren't going to be able to keep (afford) Sweeney, Dye, and Damon. Keeping all three was going to be a huge risk, as the farm system and the rest of the big league roster was pretty bare anyways. We also didn't have an actual owner at the time either. As far as Sweeney, the Royals were just bit by bad luck. The man had just made 3 consecutive All-Star Games and had hit .340/.417/.563, and it's hard to fault a guy for injuries. And I also hadn't thought about the weather, it's been cold, raining a lot (and very, very windy) here...

Some good series this weekend... Sox: 3 @ Tigers Indians: 3 @ Twins Royals: 3 @ Rangers

I don't believe there is much (if any) concern about attendance here in KC. The organization pretty much waived the white flag on the '11 season with all of the talk about 2012 and our farm system. Moving Greinke and DeJesus surely didn't help either. Last year, there was at least some expectation that they'd be able to contend (I know right), and despite our "hot" 12-7 start, people are still waiting for the team to come back down to it's expectations this year and/or waiting until June for the prospect(s) to get here. It also seems like we've played a lot of day games already this year...

No Royals thread like this yet...?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 08:07 PM) How does it feel that Alex Gordon appears to have finally figured it out? QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 06:36 AM) It was only a matter of time, imo. Dude had to much talent, to me it was just all the pressure to save that franchise. I'm not ready to say he's arrived yet, but it is nice to remember what skillset everybody in baseball swore was "can't miss"...

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 09:01 PM) Their numbers are identical and Alex has 2 more years of experience at the MLB level and is 2 years older. Alex has spent the majority of those 2 extra years in the minors and/or on the DL.

Twins down 0-4 to Baltimore after 4.5...

Is Teahen your 3rd baseman now or still coming off the bench...?

Royals and Indians kick off a 4 game series in KC tonight, it will be interesting to see which team comes back to earth first...

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 04:06 PM) I would love to see Montero come in a Jackson deal at some point. Word was that they weren't going to give up Montero for Soria, so good luck...

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 03:16 PM) Is Frankie Rodriguez their closer? Jordan Walden/Fernando Rodney.

QUOTE (SoxPride56 @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 03:15 PM) Angels fans are so lucky to have a good manager. You wouldn't know it from their boards, they were posting like you guys are now, but after 3 games...

QUOTE (Real @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 02:48 PM) All on the road: 4x TB 3x DET 4x NYY Ouch. QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 02:49 PM) You're not missing a thing, trust me. I stopped watching this one. I'm watching the Mariners- Royals. Pineda looks pretty good. For whatever reason it's not on TV hear, I'm listening to the game via Mariners' affiliate from Juneau, Alaska...

Who do you guys play next?

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Apr 17, 2011 -> 02:32 PM) Few if any are jumping ship but we have the right to be pi$$ed off the way the Sox have played of late. That's all that's going on is everybody"s frustration showing. Calling for guys to be traded and fired, it's pretty early for that. The season is already a whole 9% over, uh oh...

Relax Sox fans, it's too early to jump ship...

Rain delay?

Royals blast up King Felix, move to 10-4!

Royals up 5-1 on the Mariners, rain delay in the 8th. LOL@ Mauer/Twins!

Was Jenks really that bad?