Comments on: Hochevared

By: KHAZAD

KHAZAD — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:10:11 +0000

It is asinine to compare a guy who has been the best hitter on the team 3 times and been a very good hitter throughout his career to one of the worst long term pitchers in the history of major league baseball.

There have been 915 pitchers to get 100 or more MLB starts. Luke is ranked 909th in ERA+. One of the pitchers below him is Kyle Davies, but Davies was actually better than Luke as a Royal starter. Kyle’s ERA was 5.34 as a Royal, Luke’s is 5.51 as a starter. Kyle’s ERA+ as a Royal was 81, Luke’s is 78 (77 as a starter). They were born 6 days apart, so it is not like Luke is youthful or anything either.

By: Connor

Connor — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:20:31 +0000

Man, some Royals fans are f***ing idiots. Like the guy said, Butler in some facets has better numbers than George effing Brett. He’s been our best hitter and the fact that people say he should take less walks and try to hit more homeruns is just downright moronic. The year after he hit 21 HR, his wRC+ was 10 points higher. He’s creating more runs with his walks, it’s just not seen. No player has hit as many doubles as Billy Butler has in the last 3 seasons. Get some effing perspective Royals fans.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:59:35 +0000

Oh my goodness, Royals fans who complain about Butler deserve all the crap that we have to watch as fans. He is not part of the problem. For three seasons fans complained that he walked to much and slugged to little. Now this season, young as it is, he has cut his walks by about a third and increased his ISO 60 points above his career average. He is tied with Hosmer for the team lead in HRs, leads the team in hits and RBI, and still gets poo pooed by fans. Not certain why fans are fixated on Butler, not certain why so many want him to walk less, not certain why people are incapable of appreciating one of the better right hand hitters in baseball just because he doesn’t knock out 30 HRs a season. Arggg.

By: Loyal Royal

Loyal Royal — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:36:13 +0000

I have no issue with Butler…he’s a great hitter and while his “power” numbers aren’t there in terms of HR’s, with all the doubles he racks up his SLG% is just fine. There’s not a RH bat out there that’s as good as Butler that the Royals could afford.

Just an FYI, after 700 career games Butler has better stats than Brett in AVG, OBP, SLG…only lagged behind in HR’s. Butler, to me, is completely underrated and is unappreciated by Royal fans.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:16:37 +0000

Let’s face it, though, our young talent isn’t that great. Butler is almost as bad as Hoch in terms of never living up to his “power” potential.

By: Loyal Royal

Loyal Royal — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:36:16 +0000

This is starting staff is just plain awful and it annoys me to know end that this is the best we can do as a franchise. I’m not a fan of Ned Yost, but there’s no manager that could make this work. GMDM pisses me off that he feels this is an acceptable MLB rotation to roll out there for a season, but yet he’s done a nice job of acquiring talent and locking up our young players. If this isn’t a love hate relationship, I don’t know what is.

It’s obvious its a lost season and I’m more convinced than ever that we cut our loses and figure out if our young arms are worth a damn and if there’s any hope for 2013. Stretch out their arms and get Crow, Duffy and Montgomery in the rotation and let them take their lump and learn how to pitch at the MLB level. Move Hovacher to the pen until if/when he figures it out again…if not, cut him and move on. At least this way, GMDM has no excuse to go through big money at an stud FA SP this winter (Grienke anyone?) and why not throw a big prospect package for King Felix who’s under control for another 3 yrs.

I personally could live with a rotation for Grienke, Felix, Chen, Duffy and Crow/Montgomery. Sure it would be pricey, but why not spend $18m/yr for three-four years for Grienke and Felix. As a small market team that’s been irrelevant for 25yrs, we have a small window with all this young talent under contract and Hosmer poised to test FA at the end of his contract (There’s zero change Boras doesn’t let him hit the market). David Glass owes it to the long suffering Royals fans to push all in for 3-4 yrs. That window is really “our time”.

By: DanL

DanL — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:44:36 +0000

During the winter and spring training, the buzz was how close this team was and how excited they were to start winning. Now, with the pitching being what it is, I wonder at what point does the clubhouse get divided, batters vs. pitchers. A divided clubhouse is not a good thing. About the only good that comes of that is a managerial change.

If it were me, I would tell each pitcher that a ‘quality start’ is the minimum expected each outing. If they fail that stat, then one of the long men (Adcock, Mendoza, Teaford) gets their next start – without appeal. Might even go the next step and say if the long man gets a quality start, they can keep earning the next start. Forget the salaries and draft status, make them earn their starts on the field.

By: Ted

Ted — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:02:18 +0000

Bryce Harper never watched George Brett play. And he is from Las Vegas, not the biggest enclave of Royals fans. Not necessarily BS, but smells a bit like it. My favorite players growing up we’re all guys I actually watched play the game…sure, I admired stars from my parent’s generation and before, but I will never list them as my favorites.

Anyway, Hoch might be a bust, but the team is still 6-4 over the last 10 games; much more enjoyable the 0-12 that proceeded these ten games.

By: mm

mm — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:40:31 +0000

would they ever consider moving aaron crow to the starting rotation, see if he could become a starting mlb pitcher & move luke to the bullpen?

By: Chad

Chad — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:27:32 +0000

Did anybody hear Bryce Harper’s interview Saturday? He stated his favorite player growing up was George Brett because he liked his fire. Anyway, Hochevar should be in the pen, maybe he could be the new closer with his cutter. oh well, until Yost is gone, the season is over.