Comments on: On Believing and Pulling The Trigger

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:15:17 +0000

Your question is flawed. The Royals will never trade a prospect now to make a late season push.

That is ample sample size to prove Kila can’t hit major league pitching. There is no sample size on Clint Robinson. Kila is just like Mike Jacobs, only worse. Jacobs actually hit better.

I’ve never seen a guy who can’t hit any pitch. He must have faced terrible AAA pitching, because he raked decent at Omaha. Plus he doesn’t catch short hops at first and he looks lost on fly balls.

Dude got his chance, now it’s time to give someone else an opportunity.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:08:10 +0000

I have to say that Gordon has at least figured out his major weakness, and that is hitting left handed pitching. His numbers are even better than against right handers. I feel the credit needs to be given to Sietz for getting him to “go with the pitch” and take those outside pitches into the left center gap.

By: Trevin

Trevin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:18:45 +0000

I think the Royals feel obligated to put Butler in the field 1-2x per 10 days because he’s still grumbling about not playing in the field. Personally I don’t buy it, since his numbers have been good without playing infield every day (he has claimed that he doesn’t hit well when he’s not “locked in” by playing 1B) and I don’t think the Royals do either. But Butler has been and is important to the development of the franchise and they want to keep him as happy as they feel they can. I feel Kila should get at least another 2 or 3 weeks to see if it’s just a slow start.

The unasked question above…when do we decide that -this- Alex Gordon is for real? He seems like a completely different player this year – like somebody flipped a switch. I’ve been very very good about not getting my hopes up but at what point can we, as fans, say that he’s for real?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:59:33 +0000

Much agreeable-ness…but looking ahead, I’ll say this; any of the kids brought up should be watched very closely for production, whether Hosmer or Moustakas. They will, of course, but the point in that is Betemit. If Betemit keeps hitting like this, Dayton would need to find out what can be had for him in the trade market, same as he should do with Francis if he keeps pitching well. Now, there’s nothing wrong with considering keeping them, either — players that can hit for an .850-.900 OPS are nice to have, as are solid #3 starters — but whereas Francis is easily kept in the rotation, Betemit would still likely be an odd man out in 2012, so his max trade value would be this year if he continues to hit well.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:25:52 +0000

In my opinion, Kila the way he’s hitting serves 0 purpose as the DH. I want him to play everyday and get his at-bats no doubt, but his asset when he’s not hitting is his defense at 1st base. Yesterday for example, does Kila snag or stop the triple hit by Milton Bradley? Maybe/maybe not but Billy couldn’t even bend down for it. If you are gonna stick with Kila through good and bad, he’s proven the better defender.

By: Trevin

Trevin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:17:41 +0000

Kila fascinates me. He may be the most polarizing player on the current Royals roster (nobody thinks Davies doesn’t s*ck) – some really don’t like him and point to the problem numbers. Others in the Royals fan community love him and cry about sample size and “haters.” I’ve often felt that both sides go somewhat overboard on the love/hate for him. As in most things, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle – it’s definitely too soon to call him a failure but it’s also probably too soon for all of the fawning that some others do about him because he walks a lot.

Personally, I think the big problem is that Kila isn’t hitting anything at all and striking out 1 in 3 ABs. If he hit .250 with the current walk rate, but when he hit the ball it was a double or HR – nobody would question the Ks. But right now he’s not slugging when he does get the rare hit…and he’s striking out once or twice a game.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:16:39 +0000

I think Greg has the correct notion here, and probably what Clark was aiming for, too. People’s definition of “good” can range from Willie Bloomquist (Dayton loved him 2 years ago.) to Justin Upton (Rumors were made about a trade for Greinke and him; thankfully, it never bore fruit.) But I guarantee if July comes around and we are still in contention but haven’t made some move to fill some needs, we would be complaining, as well. I think the thing we have to be the most concerned about is not who we give up, but rather, who we got in return. Dayton hasn’t shown any credible ability to manage and build a big league roster, yet, and I’m worried his definition of good is to bring in Yuni for Dan Cortez, because Dayton loves his bat… Oh, crap.

By: Clark Fosler

Clark Fosler — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:12:54 +0000

I kind of thought people would be against trading any of the prime prospects, I pretty much am myself. Still, I will offer up that in 2005, Andy Marte was the ranked the 9th best prospect in baseball and was traded by the Braves to Boston for Edgar Renteria, who was one year removed from being an All-Star and Gold Glove winner and who would be an All-Star for them a year leater. (Marte was subsequently flipped to Cleveland in a multi-player deal that same winter)
As we all know, Marte has never hit in the majors. It is not apples to apples in that Atlanta was in a different position than a possibly contending Royals team would be this summer, but it does point out that a prospect, no matter how well thought of, is still ‘just’ a prospect.

By: royal_pain

royal_pain — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:05:14 +0000

No trades, no pulling the trigger. Let the team you have play out the year (internal promotions/demotions just fine). The single thing I am most scared of, especially with the extra-low payroll, is DM and/or fan base getting antsy and wanting to jump the gun. We all expected a crappy season and should take anything above 90 losses as gravy, not catalyst.

I guess that’s easier for me to say as a non-KC native who adopted the Royals since moving to the area, so it’s easier for me to be patient than a lifer.

By: CL_on_the_DL

CL_on_the_DL — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:52:00 +0000

I don’t trade any of the future “stars” this season.

Clint Robinson is a possibility given the logjam that currently exists – Even if Kila works his way out of the lineup, AND Betemit gets injured (or otherwiase loses all grasp of how to hit the ball), you’ve still got Hosmer available, so Robinson is an unfortunate numbers casualty.

David Lough is the real question mark. He’s hitting well in AAA, and with all the projections of him as a DDJ clone, he might be a worthy trade chip and he’d also have a future with the club, but as a second tier player.

The other intriguing question is that while the lineup has looked good this year, if you’re in contention at the trade deadline, that probably means Francoeur, Melky, Francis, and maybe Betemit/Kila/Aviles are all performing at a level where they could be legit trade candidates. Furthermore, it can be argued that there are better players (or at least not worse players) in AAA to take their place (Lough, Cain, Duffy/Mongomery, Moustakas, Hosmer).

So if you’re in contention, and you think you can flip 4 players for prospects AND replace them with cheaper, potentially better players from within the organization, do you do it? If the new guys pick up the slack and perform it’s a win-win (you win this year and haven’t mortgaged your future, other than potentially starting service clocks early). If they don’t perform it’s a lose-win (you blow your opportunity this year, but help re-stock the talent pool). From a public perception, if you gamble there and fail, you can bet the public is going to want Moore’s/Glass’s head on a stick.