Comments on: Three Catchers, No Waiting

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:52:26 +0000

Troy, I was going to address your comment, but found so many flaws in the statistical portion of your argument that it became, in fact, ridiculous.

By the way, since when does being a good leader/clubhouse guy exempt you from critique of one’s on field performance?

By: Big Lee

Big Lee — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:58:47 +0000

I agree Kendall should be on team, if he will accept his role, which is not to be the everyday guy. He can help Pena (or May) become a better catcher. He may have some trade value if a contender loses its starter, something that DM must obssess about. (Surely you guys will soon post something in reaction to Star piece about Melky). Kendall could catch 1 or 2 days a week, but he apparently will not accept this role. What does that say about his “leadership?”

Clark’s initial point was to keep 3 catchers. Kendall apparently will start season on DL (according to the Star), and many things may happen between now and the middle of April. But the question is will Kendall accept a reduced role? If not, let’s survive with 2 catchers and use 25th spot for a utility guy (but not a 13th pitcher).

By: Sean

Sean — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:42:10 +0000

I was ok with Kendall being on the team last year…I felt like Buck had ran his course with the team and Olivo spent too much time running to the backstop. That being said, he took too much time away from Pena, as playing almost two weeks straight is just not good for any catcher. I’m ok with him being on the team as long as he gets reduced playing time. If that is not going to happen, then i would prefer he get re-injured. He can not help this team by being on the field as much as he was last year.

By: Troy

Troy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:30:13 +0000

Spelling correction: I meant last year, not “last week”.

By: Troy

Troy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:29:21 +0000

You guys are rediculous. When you say in no uncertain words how bad Kendall is, who are you comparing him too? There are better catchers out there, but I can only count them on 1 hand. He was hitting over .300 almost 1/2 way through the season last week. He threw out more runners than Olivo and Buck combined from the year before. Get off the guys back. We have no veterarn leadership in the clubhouse AT ALL, with all of the trades and free agents that left. We could use just 1, is that okay? I like Bryan Pena and I think he will be great, especially offensively, but to compare .053 with .027 is just ignorant. Let Pena catch as many games and see where he is at. Let him catch 15 more seasons and see where he’s at? Let him have the same surgery and see where he’s at? Really? Really?

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:30:25 +0000

“You continue to strip him of his humanity.”

I am not getting paid enough if I have the power to do that.

By: Zack Daddy

Zack Daddy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:34:38 +0000

Clark, you miss my original point, but you have made it for me. I stated Kendall is not the enemy. But, you continue to strip him of his humanity like he is public enemy number one. Even in your defense of claiming not to do so. Set aside your natural inclination to be defensive and consider it as you sit in your mom’s basement.

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:10:13 +0000

Greg – I did, too! Actually, I kind of expected a ‘look at you cheerleading for the Royals’ comment or two, not the opposite. Of course, it is tough for me to get a good perspective on society from my Mom’s basement.

By: Big Lee

Big Lee — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:28:30 +0000

If Kendall is a bear in the clubhouse on the days he doesn’t play, then is he a good clubhouse presence? Last year he would play long skeins that a young man shouldn’t play behind the plate, yet Yost kept running him out there. If that was because Kendall is a bear, he should be cut. Putting your personal needs ahead of the team is not leadership.

Pena may not be worthy of a spot on the roster, but Yost/DM do not know. The same with May, although he is a longshot at best. The Royals braintrust deserved to be criticized from giving Jacobs and Gload ABs that should have went to Kila, and giving Kendall ABs that should have went to Pena. Royals were not competing for a playoff spot, so development should have been the focus. Pena’s defense may not be good enough, but Yost/DM wasted opportunity to find answers in the past, just like they wasted opps earlier to find out if Kila only has slider bat speed.

Yes, at catcher you need to worry about the handling of pitchers, too. But how much of that handling is done in the dugout? In todays mlb, catchers recieve lots of feedback from the dugout.

Summary-If Kendall cannot accept a reasonable role on the team, then he should be cut.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:04:19 +0000

Clark, it’s funny, I thought you were being to easy on Kendall by advocating his roster spot. Apparently I’m WAY off base. Ha.