Comments on: Happy Mendoza Day

By: Axl

Axl — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:32:40 +0000

Some funny tidbits today. The Royals were voted on by the players as the 3rd least team you would want to play for. It’s gotta be the combination that’s offered of low money and no chance to win. The Glass/GMDM combo needs to change this culture. They have yet to do that.

Secondly Yost and trainer Nick Kenny were chosen for the All Star game. Well deserved with how well Yost manages games and as many DL trips as we’ve had. Who says we are only getting 1 All Star!!!

#Our Time

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:10:25 +0000

“Haven’t studied bunts as much as others have – wouldn’t there be times when you would want a pitcher to bunt? I’m thinking that if you want a productive out (moving a runner), a bunt would avoid a strikeout and double play.”

The Royals play in the AL so the pitchers do not hit. Now if you are talking Interleague games then yes we would want our pitchers to bunt IF there is a runner on 1st or 2nd.

By: DanL

DanL — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:55:25 +0000

Haven’t studied bunts as much as others have – wouldn’t there be times when you would want a pitcher to bunt? I’m thinking that if you want a productive out (moving a runner), a bunt would avoid a strikeout and double play.

Speaking of pitchers, I looked over the list on MLBTradeRumors for free agent starters – there were alot of pitchers – not more than one or two that I would want to make an offer to – wow. Seems like a trade would be the best/only option to improve the starting rotation.

Also noticed the story about Mark Teahan can opt out of his minor league contract on June 15th. I’m probably the only guy who sees that as an opportunity for the Royals – here’s my logic (or lack of logic): Teahan and Mitch give you essentially the same offense (not the reason they have a job), but Teahan is an actual third-baseman who can also play acceptably at first, left and right. So Mitch could be DFA’d, keeping Dyson to backup CF and pinch run. Then you only need a traditional middle infielder as the other backup, so Falu, Abreu, Seratelli (or Colon) could replaced a DFA’d Yuni. Basically, the more positions a backup can play at an acceptable level, the better.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:51:12 +0000

I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about fb. Mendoza has a received an opportunity beyond A) what anyone else would have given him and B) what he deserved. It’s fine he’s a placeholder, but if the Royals count on him as anything more than gap filler / long man then we’re in real trouble.

By: fb0252

fb0252 — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:41:40 +0000

hard to judge off one good start, but is Mendoza yet another e.g. of the management team’s (avoid mentioning names) inability to judge talent. till last night, we get everybody but mendoza. how does this affect the record?

By: BigCKc

BigCKc — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:30:48 +0000

Sure, Greinke will likely get offers in that $20-25mil/yr range, but that’s overlooking the fact those will be big market teams offering him that money. Where I can most assuredly guarantee he will NOT go.
That being said, I think the Royals will make a competitive offer, yet he will decline and stay in the NL. A) the hitting is weaker and more importantly B) he gets to keep hitting.

At the end of the day, with so many quality arms available this upcoming off-season, we better land one #2 (not #2 by Royals standards, but an actual #2) or better this off-season. If not, then I will seriously start questioning the Glass families commitment to fielding a winner

By: Kyle E.

Kyle E. — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:16:03 +0000

Did anyone see the 3rd base coach last night trying to screen Gordon from getting a clear path to home plate? I don’t think I’ve seen that before and nobody made a fuss about it (they probably would have if he was out.) The 3rd base coach started off half way down the line and ran towards Gordon like he was passing the runner a baton, it was blatant what he was trying to do 40 feet away from his designated box.

By: C-Lark

C-Lark — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:59:38 +0000

Need a list of available free agent starting pitchers to sign for our rotation next year?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/04/2013-mlb-free-agents.html

Scroll down to the list of starting pitchers with their 2013 ages listed, plus any options they currently have.
Only a couple #1/#2 types, but several reliable #2/#3 types

By: Craig Brown

Craig Brown — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:42:37 +0000

Totally respect the bunt comments. Really. But I disagree. You’re not advancing your opportunity to score in this situation. Now, if the runner was on 1st? I’d say bunt for sure. That keeps you out of the double play and gives you 2 chances to bring the runner home from second. It’s different when you bunt a runner to 3rd. You’re basically playing for a sac fly. That’s a one-shot deal. And you’re taking 3 opportunities to drive him home from 2nd and reducing it to 2.

Not a fan.

By: CL_on_the_DL

CL_on_the_DL — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:12:54 +0000

Thoughts:

Bunting in the bottom of the 8th of a tie game is perfectly acceptable. IMO, the only innings to bunt are 8th and 9th where you’re down 1 or tied and you HAVE to have the run to stay alive.

I think you offer Greinke a max of 6 yrs/$102M (that’s $17M per). That’s $1.5M more per yr than CJ Wilson got and an extra year. That’s not to say someone else won’t offer $20M per, but I think at $17M per you’re not insulting him. Plus he’s only 36 after the 6 yrs so he can still sign another moderate length contract.

What’s Brandon McCarthy out of Oakland going to fetch as a free agent? Is he a $10M per year guy or more along the lines of an $8M per year guy?