The Little Hump in the Middle of the Field

Many a quote from many a great baseball man has stated that nothing is more important in the game than pitching. If you have it you can make up for weaknesses elsewhere. If you don’t, then don’t expect to be playing in October. The Kansas City Royals knew this and spent last off-season fixing their pitching problem. Pitching is still an issue with the Royals and this past week a couple of notes related to the Royals pitching arose.

The most obvious note was the restructuring of Jeremy Guthrie’s contract. Sure, at first I wondered if there was a deeper meaning for Guthrie to restructure his dollars. Maybe he felt a greater need for shoes in 2015 rather than this year. Maybe the Backstreet Boys are planning to come out with a new album next year and he plans to follow them on tour. Speaking of, I don’t really understand his fascination with boy bands. I mean, if he was more old school, maybe more into New Kids on the Block, that would make sense. Hey, if he loved New Edition I would totally get it. I used to love New Edition, until Bobby Brown left and Johnny Gill took his spot. I know, I know, Gill wasn’t that bad. But he was no Bobby, as Whitney used to attest to…wait, I was discussing Guthrie…

If you are anything like me, once this was announced alarms went off. Big alarms. You normally only restructure a contract for two reasons: to free up room on the payroll because you are over or to make another addition. My thought was the addition of another starting pitcher. With the Royals seemingly set in their starting lineup, it only makes sense that Kansas City would go after another starter. I’ve felt(even after the Vargas signing) that the Royals needed to add another starter, at least for insurance. For one, there isn’t a lot of proven depth. You have James Shields, Guthrie, Vargas and then….well, it gets dicey from there. Sure, the Royals are hoping Danny Duffy or Yordano Ventura step up this year (and as far as we know they could) but it’s not assured. Wade Davis is still lingering around and (God help us all) they’ve even mentioned giving Luke Hochevar another (last) shot. Still, none of these guys are certain locks nor good replacements for Ervin Santana. So the idea of the Royals going out and bringing one more starter to Spring Training seems like the logical way to go. Although, speaking of Santana…

As of this writing Ervin Santana is still out there and available for the taking. The longer Santana is available, the better chance Kansas City has to bring him back. Now, most believe that Santana is just waiting for Masahiro Tanaka to sign with a team and then the dominoes will fall and Erv will have a new home. But at the same time, a lot of teams aren’t for sure Santana can duplicate his great 2013 season. Add in that to sign Santana you would have to give up a first round draft pick and more teams are leery to sign him to a long term deal. So far the Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles have all been mentioned in rumors for Erv, but two of those teams seem like a bad fit for a flyball pitcher. So with all that said, there is a very outside chance that Santana could come back to play for the Royals in 2014. Now, it would take him not getting the type of deal he has coveted all winter, but it could happen. I’m sure if he did return, it would be on a one year deal (and Dayton would have to get permission from the Glass’ to up the payroll) for at least $15-16 million. It actually would make some sense for him to go back to the Royals. Let’s say he returns to Kansas City this year and performs at least moderately close to how he did last year. Then he could return to the free agent market and with two straight solid seasons under his belt could probably get the type of deal he has wanted this off-season. But once again, this is a big long shot and I highly doubt it will happen. As far as we know, a team like Toronto will swoop in this week and lock him up for 3-4 years. But the longer he is out there, the greater the possibility that Santana is a Royal in 2014.

With all this being mentioned, Royals fans took a blow to the stomach this week as word came out that James Shields was seeking a “Zack Greinke-like” deal next off-season. Peter Gammons had reported this, as he was looking forward to next year’s pitching crop in free agency and the affects of Clayton Kershaw’s giant new contract. This is about the worst news the Royals could get, as that is money that the Royals just can’t spend on one player, even if that player is the caliber of Shields. Just as a reminder, Greinke’s deal is a 6 year, $147 million contract. Now, if you are like me, this hasn’t affected you much. I always felt the Royals weren’t going to be able to sign “Big Game James” so this was just confirmation that Wil Myers was traded for two years of James Shields. Now, there are warning signs that could hinder Shields being able to get a contract of that magnitude. For one, Greinke was 29 when he signed his deal; Shields will be 33 by the end of this season. Shields has also put more innings on his arm than Greinke has(although after the 2013 season they were fairly close on major league innings). But even if Shields lowers his expectations for his contract, it will still be out of the Royals price range. In theory it would be nice to bring Shields back after next year. But if you really thought about it, would you want the Royals to sign James to that big of a contract? More than likely it will have to be at least a four year deal, which would make him 37 by the end of the deal. At that point, regression would be his name(and game). Don’t be surprised if the Royals deal Shields before the trade deadline this summer if they are out of the playoff race. It would be the smart thing to do to at least get something for him rather than nothing. Even if they keep him for the duration of his contract, his time in Kansas City seems to be winding down.

With all of this in play, it makes for a very interesting next 9 months. Without a doubt the starting pitching will be a bit of a question mark and that looks to continue into next off-season. I personally feel that is just another reason to sign another starting pitcher now rather than wait until it is too late. Hopefully by Spring Training we have a better idea of who fits in where and whether there needs to be more concern about the pitching or if it sizes up with 2013. Stay tuned, folks…it’s starting to get interesting.

January 18, 2014 0

Hey Now, You’re an All-Star: How I Went Through the Possible Royals All-Star Selections & Loathed Smash Mouth

This Saturday Major League Baseball will announce the selections to the 2013 All-Star Game that will be played at Citi Field on July 16th. This is always a rough road if you are a Kansas City Royals fan, as for years we can expect just one selection to the game, and sometimes it’s not even someone we want to cheer for(I’m looking at you, Mark Redman). In fact 2003 was the last year that the Royals had more than just one selection. A full listing shows that before Billy Butler was chosen last year, the Royals hadn’t even had a position player get selected since Mike Sweeney in 2005. To say we’ve had some lean years would be an understatement. So with the selections just a coupe days away, let’s look at some possible selections for the Royals and what the odds are they will get selected. Also, make sure Smash Mouth is running through your head while you read this.

1) Alex Gordon

A month ago, this seemed like a lock. Most of us are aware that Gordon has been one of the most underrated players in baseball. Most of us can agree that A1 should have been selected for the All-Star Game back in 2011. Instead, Gordon is still searching for his first appearance, and this really seemed like the year it could happen. That is if the last month hadn’t been such a train wreck. While the Royals shook up their coaching staff and paid more attention to struggling youngsters Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, Gordon numbers took a taildive. The fact that his numbers are still pretty good are a sign of just how good of a season Gordon was having. Gordon was so far ahead of the rest of the team statistically that it almost seemed like as long as we had Alex, anything could happen. A month later and now there is a big question mark as to whether or not Alex will get selected for the mid-summer classic. Like last year, when Billy Butler seemed deserving just as much on past play as his play in the first half of the season, Gordon should be selected just as much on his consistency over the last few years. I would say at this point there is still a chance Alex Gordon could be the Kansas City Royals All-Star selection.

2) Salvador Perez

He hits. He throws. He leads the pitching staff. He blocks balls that no one else should even be near. He can jump buildings in a single bound…okay, maybe not that last one…I think. Salvador Perez might be the most complete Royal in a long, long time. As much as experts have touted Hosmer over the last few years as being a building block of this franchise, Perez is THE building block of this and future Royals teams. Perez’s argument for an All-Star selection is easy to see, but his biggest problem won’t be a slump, or even him missing some time due to a death in the family. No, Salvy’s biggest detriment against him going to Citi Field this month is who else could be picked behind the dish for the American League. Joe Mauer looks like he will get the fans vote. There is a good shot that Baltimore’s Matt Wieter’s will get in, and even a chance that Cleveland’s Carlos Santana could be an All-Star selection. If you counting on your fingers, that is three possible American League catchers on this team, and I highly doubt they will go for a fourth. Hey, there is still a chance Perez could get picked; he is not the secret he once was around baseball. Baseball people have noticed how good Salvy is and realize how good he is going to be for the forseeable future. But he might have to wait one more year. So we could see Salvy come July 16th; but don’t be surprised if he barely get’s passed over.

3) James Shields

I know, I know. The numbers just aren’t really there for James Shields. Actually, he is the perfect example of how the ‘wins’ statistic is an overrated stat. The Royals so far just haven’t been very supportive of him offensively. The numbers stress that fact. But most of us Royals fans can agree that Shields has probably been the best pitcher on the revamped Royals pitching staff. When you consider that Shields pitched with a lead last week against Minnesota, it was the first time since April he had pitched with a lead of more than one run. One run. Shields has been as hard luck as they come. So despite the lack of run support, he is still worth being mentioned as a possible All-Star. He has pitched like the ace the Royals wanted him to be, and he has kept this team floating around .500 like they were hoping to be. Players and coaches can look past won-loss records if you are pitching magnificiently. Just ask Zack Greinke of 2009. Shields would be another case and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him selected for this year’s All-Star game.

4) Ervin Santana

When Dayton Moore acquired Ervin Santana last winter, who would have thought he was in the conversation for an All-Star selection? Raise your hands. Not so fast, slap-nuts. Very few could have seen this coming. In fact I thought he would be injured by now. Goes to show you what I know. But Ervin has pitched above and beyond what we all expected, and has been a big part of why the Royals are still in the conversation in the American League Central. Santana has dealt with run support issues like Shields, but it hasn’t deterred him as much. Santana has averaged 7 innings a start this year and no one would have seen that coming as well. When it comes down to it, Santana has just as good a case for selection here as Shields. In fact, I am willing to say I think there is a great chance Ervin will be the selection for the Royals this year. If so, it will be a bonus for the Royals. If this happens, I can easily see Kansas City shipping him off at the trade deadline, flipping him for a bat in the outfield. Santana’s stock goes up if he is selected, and that might just be another reason why you could see him in New York on July 16th.

5) Greg Holland

Remember that first week of the season? Remember all the “Royals fans” who wanted Holland gone? This is why that never happened and why certain “fans” should never be allowed to make decisions like that. Outside of that first week and a few very small hiccups, Greg Holland has been lights out for the Royals. Like insanely lights out. Go ahead, look at the strikeouts per 9 number. 15.1!! 31 innings, 52 strikeouts. I believe we call that dealing. Holland has been the steady closer the team has needed this year out of the pen, and the team has been rewarded for their patience. With those numbers, no one could blame Jim Leyland for picking him for the All-Star game. In fact, reading those numbers now makes me want him picked. Holland has made lots of fans ask ‘Joakim who‘ and showed why it was okay to let him leave this winter. Managers love relievers on the smaller teams for their All-Star selection, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see number 56 at Citi Field in just a few weeks.

Sure, this All-Star game won’t mean as much to Royals fans, just because it isn’t in Kansas City. But it would still be a nice treat if more than one Royal could get selected. I tend to think it won’t happen, but there is an outside chance it could. It’s nice to know I can compile a list of five guys off this team that could have serious consideration. Tell me the last time that happened? Hopefully they’ll do the Royals justice and we’ll see more than the one selection at the mid-summer classic. Oh, and before I forget–to quote the band Smash Mouth: “all that glitters is gold, only shooting stars break the mold.” Then again, don’t listen to them; they also have the lyrics “your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb.” Idiots.

July 4, 2013 2

California Cat Fight-The Dodgers/Padres Brawl

This past Thursday, the Dodgers and Padres became involved in one of the bigger baseball brawl’s in quite some time. There has been a lot said about what instigated this fight, and the fallout from it. There is even more intrigue for us Kansas City Royals fan, as former fan favorite and current Benedict Arnold impersonator, Zack Greinke, was the center of attention in this brouhaha. So what fueled this struggle on the coast? Read on.

In the previous inning, the Padres threw a pitch high and tight in to Matt Kemp, a pitch that was dangerously close to Kemp’s head. There is no way of really knowing if that was done on purpose or not, but I tend to think that was just a pitch that got away. No harm, no foul, right? I think so. I don’t think the Dodgers, or Greinke were looking for payback. I don’t think the Padres think that either. Except for maybe Carlos Quentin. This leads us to the bottom of the inning.

If you actually watch the at bat Carlos Quentin has against Zack Greinke, you can actually figure out what Greinke was trying to do. He starts by working him down, then Zack starts working on the outside of the plate. With a full count now on Quentin, and mind you with runners on base, Greinke then throws his 3-2 offering to Quentin and hits him in the shoulder. It was obvious Greinke, after throwing him away most of the at bat, was trying to then throw inside to Quentin, hoping to catch him off guard. But the pitch got away from Zack, and hit Carlos. But Quentin is notorious for leaning over the plate and crowding it to a point to where it is hard NOT to hit him. This can’t be mentioned enough, but plays into this scuffle and the history between these two. Quentin led the NL in HBP(hit by pitch) last year. He led the AL the year before. He averages 26 HBP per year, and has the all-time minor league record for HBPs in a season with 43. Even Craig Biggio and Don Baylor think that Quentin gets hit a lot!! This is probably where we should also mention that Greinke has hit Quentin twice before, and Carlos had mentioned to his teammates that the next time Zack hit him he was going to go after him. Nevermind that Quentin is the only person to blame for getting hit. I would love to see a player like Quentin try his little tricks against someone like Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale. I don’t think he would like how those plate appearances would go. So Quentin gets plunked and we are off to the races.

Quentin charges the mound, a few words are spoken and Greinke throws his glove down. There has been some debate as to what Greinke should have done here. Obviously, he couldn’t just run away. Could you imagine him trying to live THAT down? Maybe he should have been a bullfighter and moved at the last second to ole Quentin. There was also the option of jumping on Quentin’s back and riding him around the infield. Go ahead, get that visual in your head. Instead, Zack lowered his body and shoulder-blocked Quentin. What ensued was this.

and this…

and then it turned into this…

More than anything, this fight was over Carlos Quentin getting hit by Zack Greinke for the third time in his career. This is what happens when you lean over the plate. You get hit. This wasn’t revenge, this wasn’t retaliation. I mean, if it was payback for the Kemp at bat, why would Zack do it on a 3-2 count? He wouldn’t. With runners on base? Nope, no way, no how. It was too close of a game to even chance it. Not even Zack Greinke, a flake if there ever was one, would do that. This obviously angered Matt Kemp quite a bit…

and it didn’t exactly make Jerry Hairston happy either…

In fact, this brawl continued after the game. It seems Matt Kemp had some choice words for Carlos Quentin in the parking lot after the game…

I’m pretty sure Kemp didn’t wish Quentin a good night’s sleep and good health:

So what did all of this solve? Well, Greinke broke his left collarbone and will be out close to two months. Quentin received an 8-game suspension for his actions while Jerry Hairston was given a 1-game suspension. Both suspensions are being appealed. The Dodgers are now without one of their top pitchers for awhile, and Quentin has soured his name, as many of his Padres teammates have said they don’t agree with his actions. This is probably where I should mention that the Dodgers and Padres play in the same division, so they play each other about 18 games each season. Oh, and if you thought the flames would cool by the next time these two teams play each other–the Padres travel to Los Angeles to kickoff a three game series on Monday. So there is that as well. Two lessons have been learned from this brawl. One, if you crowd the plate you are very likely going to get hit and two, when a batter is charging the mound, do NOT lower your shoulder and ram it into a guy who outweighs you by forty pounds. I have a feeling we might be hearing more about these two teams the first part of next week. Stay tuned…

April 14, 2013 0

Monday Notes-3/4/13

With Spring Training in full swing, and with a number of topics coming up within the past week, let’s take a look at some items of interest going on in baseball.

The Underpaid Mike Trout

This past weekend, the Los Angeles Angels renewed the contract of outfielder Mike Trout, bumping it $20,000 above the major league minimum. This has caused Trout’s agent to claim that he should be compensated for his great rookie season of 2012. Sure, Trout put up numbers last year that a rookie had NEVER put up before. Never. But…it is a known fact in baseball that a player doesn’t really make his money early in his career. In fact, most players make the most money in the latter days of their career, as they are paid on what they have done over said career, not for what they are doing now. It means you almost get paid off of your legacy rather than your performance at that moment. Unless a major injury happens and Trout becomes a note in baseball history, he will be paid and paid in full when his time comes(Eric B. and Rakim can vouch for that). Just being eligible for arbitration in 2014 will give him a chance at getting paid way more than he is now. Notice this is his agent flapping gums instead of Trout. Trout has said he is fine just focusing on the Angels winning this year, which is what he should say. The best advice he could take right now is to tell his agent to let it go and to not say anything publicly. No one likes the guy demanding more money after only one year in the majors, even if it is through a mouthpiece.

So…World Baseball Classic?

I know, I know. I should care about the World Baseball Classic and be glad they have it after baseball was ixnayed from the Olympics. But I don’t. I know, me being as big a baseball fan as I am, I should be all over this like…like…like…something. I should be all excited, that is the point. But I’m not. I have no interest in this whatsoever, and in fact I’m a bit perturbed that is interrupting Spring Training. Once again, I know, I should be glad baseball is allowed to do this, and it only occurs every four years, and blah blah blah…I just don’t care. I had MLB Network on the other day, and Australia was playing someone(that’s how little I care), and kept thinking ‘Why would I want to watch a bunch of players who couldn’t play in the majors today?’ Once again, I get it. They are representing their country and want to prove their country is the best. I just don’t care about it. I’m not too fond of the Olympics either, so this shouldn’t really be a shock. I’m glad they are getting to do this, but I won’t be watching any of it. Or reading about it. Or tweeting about it. Hopefully this doesn’t screw up any major league teams as they get their players ready for opening day, which is less than a month away. We can then go back to worrying about more pressing matters when this is done; like why Zack Greinke signed for the money. Speaking of…

It’s All About the Benjamins to Mr. Greinke

“What y’all wanna do?
Wanna be ballers? Shot-callers?
Brawlers –”

What a revelation this week! As someone who used to cheer on Greinke, I have to say that nothing that flies out of his mouth shocks me. So when he revealed that he signed with the Dodgers for the money, I wasn’t shocked. Nor was I upset. Not because of what Greinke has done in the past. I’ve come to grips with him being…well, being Zack. No, I wasn’t upset because it is about time that a major league ballplayer admitted he signed with a team for the dollar dollar bill, y’all. So many players give cliche reasons for their choice of team. You hear everything from the environment to wanting to win. Sure, all those might be true. Hell, Mike Hampton’s excuse of liking the Denver school system when he signed with the Rockies might even be valid. But when Team A offers you one number, and Team B offers you a larger number, Team B will win out nine times out of ten. To find out Greinke was the player to say it was even less shocking. Zack is known for being, let’s say, eccentric. He’s also known for just saying how he feels, instead of cloaking it in a bunch of normal sport’s jargon. It really is a fresh breath of air, even if I think the guy is overrated and a bit of a douche. It should also show the Dodgers that he doesn’t have loyalty to his team, which any Royals fan could have told you. Do not be surprised when Zack ends up with another team before his six year contract is up. But by that point, he will have pocketed a lot of Magic Johnson’s money. Good luck, Los Angeles!

Spring Training Games Count, correct?

So Royals fans, have you noticed our team is undefeated? We should be going ahead and printing off playoff tickets, right? I mean, Spring Training games count, right? Sorry. I’ll quit being a smartass now. The Kansas City Royals have gotten off to a great start this spring, and if you asked some people, their expectations for this team couldn’t be higher. But unfortunately, I have to be realistic about this. It is only Spring Training. Do these games matter when there are guys playing whose jersey’s are in the 90’s? Does it matter when cuts haven’t been made and players haven’t been sent to minor league camp yet? The honest answer, and the one that any knowledgeable fan knows, is no. It’s exciting to see them play good, and as a fan you hope it transfers over to the regular season, but there are no guarantees. Just look at last year. Eric Hosmer tore up the Cactus League and practically made it his bitch. But then the season started, and as the season progressed, so did Hosmer’s slump. When it was all said and done, Hosmer had an awful sophomore season, and looked nothing like the guy who could do no wrong last spring. So nothing is guaranteed here, folks. Last I checked, they don’t hang Cactus League titles on the flag pole at Kauffman Stadium. There is a reason for that. Slow and steady, guys. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

March 5, 2013 0

2013 Predictions That Will Probably Be Wrong By June

Spring Training has started and before you know the 2013 baseball season will be underway. Spring might be the best time for most teams, as everyone is filled with hope and think their team could be THE team. Yes, even some Houston Astros fans. Or not. Hope springs eternal and Spring gives team eternal hope, even when they maybe should be more realistic. With the season only six weeks away, I will go ahead and try to guess how the season will unfold. Just remember when June rolls around to not point out my bad predictions(or bad guesses, however you want to word it) and realize that very few so called “experts” can predict what will happen. That’s part of what makes baseball so great. So without further ado, here are my division predictions for 2013.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

1.Tampa Bay

2.Toronto

3. New York

4. Baltimore

5. Boston

This might be the hardest division to handicap. I literally could rotate most of these teams in any slot and wouldn’t really argue too much with the results. Tampa almost seems like the safe bet, since Joe Maddon and company always find a way to win and probably have the best rotation in the American League. I like what Toronto has done this offseason, especially with how their rotation will shape up. Dickey, Morrow, Buerhle, Johnson and Romero? If everyone stays healthy, that could be a lethal round of arms. The Blue Jays could also turn out like the Marlins did last year, so they might be interesting to follow. I hate putting the Yankees in third place, especially since they did nothing major this offseason and in fact lost talent, but they still have some good arms, and they are the Yankees. Unfortunately. Baltimore will slip, as no team can keep up the amount of luck this team had last year(especially in extra innings), but they still won’t be a bad team. Buck Showalter is too good of a manager for that. Boston is at the bottom of my list, but I do think they will be better than they were last year. Farrell will do fine in his first year in Beantown, but this team still doesn’t have the firepower they have had in the past. All in all, this division will be a fun one to watch, and might have the most depth of the bunch.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

1. Detroit

2. Cleveland

3. Chicago

4. Kansas City

5. Minnesota

This pains me more than you will ever know. Let’s start at the top, with the Tigers. Detroit won the Central late last year, after Chicago held the top start for a good chunk of 2012. Not only did the Tigers get to the World Series, they have IMPROVED since last year. Detroit now gets Anibal Sanchez for a full season, Victor Martinez returns from injury and they added Torii Hunter to the team, which will help them offensively, defensively and in the clubhouse. No reason to think the Motor City will be giving up the reigns on the division anytime soon. I’m going ahead and taking Cleveland second, although you should be able to flip flop them and Chicago in all honesty. I really like the moves that the Indians have made this offseason and the biggest acquisition has to be manager Terry Francona. Francona alone makes that team better in 2013 and when you add in Swisher, Bourn, Stubbs, and Bauer, and the offense looks tons better than they did last year. The real question with Cleveland will be their pitching and whether or not they can get Ubaldo Jimenez back to being the guy who made NL batters look dumb. Chicago ran out of gas late last year, but they have a lot of quality young arms and somehow GM Kenny Williams always makes it work. It’s easy to say they will fall a bit this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t. I’ve got Kansas City sitting in fourth place and I will go into more detail obviously when the season gets closer. To shorten up my thoughts, the Royals have a lot of ‘ifs’ going into this year and they are counting on a lot of things that didn’t work in 2012 to work in 2013. That is really expecting some major changes, when not as much has changed with this team as they have people thinking. Just saying, you might want to hold off on purchasing those playoff tickets, my Royal Blue brethren. Minnesota takes up the bottom of the league, but I have to believe they will be better than they were last year. If the Twins play this year like they did last year, I think Ron Gardenhire might blow a gasket and up and quit before the season is over. A part of me is leery to count out the Twinkies. They are THAT team, the one who never truly goes away. Just ask the Royals about that. I know everyone thinks the Central is the worse division in baseball, and they might be right. But it is already way better than it was this time last year.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

1. Los Angeles

2. Texas

3. Oakland

4. Seattle

5. Houston

Another good division, with a number of teams that could contend for a playoff spot. It is also a division with one extra team this year, as the Astros move over to the American League and join the West. Granted, they were kind of held at gunpoint to move and really didn’t want to, but they are there now and a number of NL Central teams are a lot sadder because of it. Let’s start at the top with the Angels. I’ve got them in first, and will freely admit that it is partially because they are my second favorite team. Year two of the Pujols Project should help the team way more than last year, and they’ve even added that Hamilton guy to take some of the load off of Albert’s back. Oh yeah, and there is that Trout guy as well. I’ve heard he’s pretty good. Texas is slotted in second, but they just as easily could get first. One wonders if their early exit out of the playoffs will motivate them or let it linger as the season begins. Even though the Rangers have lost some key players(Hamilton, Young, etc.) I love the young talent that is shooting up the pipeline for the Rangers and think they will be just as lethal as they were before. Oakland is in third, but it is hard to bet against Bob Melvin and company. This team has no stars, and yet had over 90 wins last year. They still have the good pitching that guided them to the playoffs last year and an offense that buys into what Melvin and Billy Beane are selling. If the team makes a push at the traded deadline they could once again win the West in 2013. The Mariners are booked for fourth place and I want to like this team more. I think they have a some really good young talent, but I totally don’t know what they are thinking with the offseason acquisitions. I mean, does the team really need 253 outfielders/first basemen/designated hitters? They do realize that those three areas only cover 5 spots in the order, right? It just doesn’t make much sense. Lastly, the Astros will take up the cellar of the West. This team is completely rebuilding, and as much as they should be credited for it, it will make for a very, very long season in Houston. Good luck, Astros fans. You are going to need it.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

1. Washington

2. Atlanta

3. New York

4. Philadelphia

5. Miami

The top of this division will probably have a couple of the best teams in the league. They also might have a couple of the worst. Washington looks to once again see October baseball this year, as they have both Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper for a full season. This is just a really, really good team with lots of great talent and depth. Yes, depth will win you games, especially come postseason. Atlanta looks at a possible second place finish, although anyone who thinks they win the division might not be too far off. Great pitching, great offense, great defense and this team will probably be a wild card team when it is all said and done. The Upton boys will get a full season playing together and even with the loss of Chipper Jones might not slow down Atlanta as much as originally thought. I’ve got the Mets in third place, as this team seems on the verge of some really good seasons. It is a young bunch, but one with some great up and comers. I think they will be way better than anyone gives them credit for. Philadelphia takes up fourth place, and I am aware the team still has Halladay and Lee. But they also have a group of aging veterans(Utley, Rollins, Howard) and players who are bloated and overpaid(Delmon Young, Yuniesky Betancourt). Phillies fans, a lull is in your future. Embrace it. As much doom and gloom as the Phillies seem to be, the Marlins are in worse shape. Another rebuilding year. A rookie manager. A bunch of new, young faces. Don’t embrace this, Marlins fans. You deserve better.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

1. Cincinnati

2. St. Louis

3. Pittsburgh

4. Milwaukee

5. Chicago

The National League Central hosts one less team this year. Unfortunately for the other five teams, they won’t have the Astros to feast on anymore. Let’s start with the Reds, who sit atop the perch of this division. Dusty Baker’s team was right on the verge of getting to the NLCS this past fall, but those pesky Giants took that dream away from them. It was kind of San Francisco’s thing this past year. Back to the Reds. They are basically bringing back the same team, and with it probably the NL Central title. If I had to find something that worried me, it would be the switch of Aroldis Chapman to the rotation. I don’t get it, but we’ll see how it goes. The Cardinals will make it interesting for Cincy, but the loss of Chris Carpenter for the year could cause the Cards to go out and pick up another starter, although using someone like Shelby Miller might do just as good a job. I totally think this is the year Pittsburgh FINALLY gets a winning season, even if it is just a few games over .500. The baseball Gods have to be looking out for those faithful fans that have stuck by that team for so long. With Andrew McCutchen leading the charge, I see good things in the Pirates future. Milwaukee takes up fourth, as it seems the team just doesn’t have the pitching to keep it in the hunt. Rounding out the division is the Cubs. Now, I completely think Chicago will be better this year, especially with the great offseason they had acquiring pitching. But the team is still fairly young and will go through some growing pains. Stay strong, Cubs fans. Your time is coming soon.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

1. San Francisco

2. Los Angeles

3. Arizona

4. San Diego

5. Colorado

What a hot mess this division could turn out to be? Almost any of the last four teams could collapse and make for a rough season for their ballclubs. Or they could go on a hot streak and give San Francisco a run for their money. The Giants are not only the defending World Champions, but with their team basically kept in tact, could be a favorite for another world title. Their pitching alone should have the other teams in their league worried. The Dodgers have the chance of giving their rivals a run for their money, but it could go the other way. A lot of money spent does not guarantee one a playoff spot. Ask the Red Sox about that. There is a part of me that can’t wait until Zack Greinke implodes in LA, but how soon that happens is anyone’s guess. There is a good chance it won’t be this year. The Dodgers could be interesting to follow, just to see how the team chemistry is in that clubhouse. Also in the conversation is Arizona, but they also had a major upheaval. The team got rid of their best player, and got rid of any players who don’t live by manager Kirk Gibson’s hard nosed style. This will either be a team who is fun to watch, or one that has to scrap to score runs. San Diego will get a reprieve again from last place, mainly because Bud Black is really good at his managing job. I hope the Padres are paying attention, since that guy deserves a more competitive team. Last once again looks like it will be Colorado. Some changes have been made, and one is curious to see how first year manager Walt Weiss does. I have to believe that if Troy Tulowitzki is healthy, this could be a much better team. But like all things in this game, that is a big if.

So there you go, my predictions for 2013. I’m sure I will be forced to eat my words within a few months and you’ll want to point out where I was wrong. You’re right; I should have just gone with a Cubs/Red Sox World Series! I’m sure Major League baseball and the Fox Network would just love that. Now….LET’S PLAY BALL!

February 13, 2013 0

FLASHBACK: The Curse of Buddy Biancalana

Author’s Note: The Flashback articles on here I originally wrote for the website royalsbaseball.net. That website has now become defunct, so I thought I would move them over here to Bleeding Royal Blue. I’d like to thank Joel Matheny for giving me the opportunity to write for his website, even if it was for just a few months. So enjoy, and go Royals!

Many a Major League baseball team have that one position they are constantly looking to upgrade. For whatever reason, they can’t seem to find stability and are stuck every few years finding someone else to take over that spot and hope they finally have found that player who will be there for years to come. Over the years, The Royals have gone through countless players at Shortstop and none ever seem to stick. Why exactly is shortstop a black hole for Kansas City?

It wasn’t always like that. Back in the offseason of 1970, the Royals acquired a little known Shortstop by the name of Fred Patek from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Patek was not the tallest man alive(5’5″, some even say 5’4″)but Patek was like a hoover on the field. Patek was a three time All-Star with Kansas City and even finished sixth in the MVP voting back in 1971. Patek would end up being a vital cog for the Royals as they made 3 playoff appearances in the mid-to late 70’s. Former Royals manager and Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog once said about Patek that he was “the best artificial turf shortstop he ever managed”, ranking him even higher than Ozzie Smith. Patek would leave the Royals at the end of the 1979 season, signing with the California Angels. Alas, him leaving began the Royals carousel of revolving Shortstops.

Patek’s leaving left the spot open, and in slid UL Washington. Washington had been with Kansas City for a few years as a backup infielder and was going to finally get a chance to show what he could do. Washington had great speed, and was yet another success of the Royals Baseball Academy, a program that also netted them Frank White. Washington was above the league average in batting those first few years, and combined solid defense with excellent baserunning to give the Royals another weapon in their lineup. Washington had a career year in 1982 after coming back from injury, and it looked as if the Royals had their Shortstop for the near future. In 1983 UL slumped badly and injuries ruined his 1984 season, as Onix Concepcion had made his way into the lineup. After the 1984 season, Washington was dealt to the Montreal Expos.

Concepcion took over the job in 1984, and was the starter for most of 1985. Not happy with his play, Royals manager Dick Howser replaced him with rookie Buddy Biancalana, and Biancalana would finish not only the season as the starter, but would start all 14 playoff games for KC that season. Biancalana was inserted in the lineup more for his defense, but his offense in the playoffs was a big boost for the ballclub. His funny name even brought mentions on the David Letterman show, and eventually an appearance on Late Night. Buddy would come back to reality in 1986, hitting .242 in 100 games, although providing solid defense. By 1987 the Royals had traded Biancalana to the Astros and was out of the big leagues by the end of the next season.

Now, I joke about the curse of Royals Shortstops being on Biancalana’s head. Whether it was bad judgement or just plain bad luck, the Royals would continue to go through Shortstops throughout the next decade. The player that seemed to have the best shot of longevity for the Royals was one Kurt Stillwell. Stillwell was acquired from the Reds after the 1987 season, as the Royals parted way with lefthander Danny Jackson. The Reds had a logjam at Shortstop, as another youngster was ready for the bigs at the point. Some guy named Barry Larkin…ever heard of him? So Stillwell became the starter at Short and after injuries hit a few All-Stars, was an American League All-Star in 1988. Stillwell showed flashes of greatness at Shortstop, and would have streaks at the plate where it seemed he was really starting to advance, only to have equally as down periods. 1990 seemed to start off as Stillwell’s coming out party, hitting .386 in April and was still over .300
in June. Unfortunately, injuries hampered him the rest of the year and could only hit .205. In 1991, Kurt would get off to another hot start, but by Independence Day he was mired in another slump and manager Hal McRae ended up benching Stillwell. Kurt was not very fond of his new manager, and after the season wrapped up, Stillwell, still only 26 at this point, packed up and headed to San Diego. Later Kurt would say his relationship with McRae, or lack of one, sent him on his way, and alas another Shortstop for the Royals was out the door after only 4 years.

Over the next few years, a number of players tried to solidify the position, only to leave earlier than expected. Greg Gagne, Jose Offerman, Jay Bell and Rey Sanchez are just a few of the players who occupied the position. Most were solid players, but none were long term solutions.

That seemed to all change in 2003. Rookie Angel Berroa was handed the Shortstop job and seemed to be the future of this organization. Berroa had a rocky start to the season, but by years end his defense seemed to get better and his hitting had more than improved. Berroa hit .287 that season with 17 Homeruns, 73 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Berroa would win the American League Rookie of the Year Award, being only the fourth Royal to accomplish such a feat. Things went downhill from there on. Season by season, Berroa seemed to regress more and more, especially defensively, as his error rate was the highest in the Majors during that period. Angel also seemed lost at the plate, not seeming to have any real gameplan and flailing at pitches out of the strike zone. Finally in 2007, the Royals acquired Tony Pena Jr. from Atlanta, and Berroa was sent to the minor leagues. Outside of nine games that season, Berroa spent the rest of his time in AAA Omaha. 2008
started the same way and on June 6th was traded to the Dodgers.

Pena wasn’t the answer here either. As much as Pena was a good fielder, he couldn’t hit worth a lick. By mid-2008, Pena was out and in stepped Mike Aviles. Aviles was finally getting his shot in the Bigs, and he took advantage of it. Aviles ended the season hitting .325 in 102 games, with 10 home runs and 51 RBI’s. Aviles’ season was so good that the Royals named him their 2008 Player of the Year. Aviles, unfortunately, would suffer an arm injury playing winter ball, and be forced to miss most of the 2009 season due to Tommy John surgery. Whatever it was that Aviles had in 2008, he never seemed to catch it again. Aviles split 2010 between Omaha and the Majors, but mainly as a backup. Mike started the 2011 season at Third Base for KC but never got going and was traded to Boston at the end of July. I was always an Aviles fan and really hoped that he would end up breaking the curse. Unfortunately, Mike Aviles was not meant to be that guy.

When it became apparent in 2009 that Aviles would be gone for the foreseeable future, the Royals acquired Yuniesky Betancourt from the Seattle Mariners. Betancourt went from being one of the better defensive Shortstop’s in the game early in his career to a plodding Shortstop with no range by the time he appeared in Kansas City. Betancourt brought a little pop in his bat as well, and to be honest, at the time it wasn’t like there was a better option for the team either on the roster or in the minors. In 2009, he had the lowest on base percentage of any starter in the major leagues, at .274, and the lowest slugging percentage in the American League with .351. His numbers did improve in 2010, but he still was a liability on both defense and offense. Yuni obviously wasn’t the long term answer.

In the winter of 2010, the Royals would acquire their current Shortstop, trading Ace pitcher Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt to the Milwaukee Brewers for Alcides Escobar and three youngsters. Escobar showed last season why he was a good commodity, flashing great defense at Shortstop. After the Berroa/Betancourt years, it was good to see a Shortstop with a great glove. Escobar even earned the nickname “Shortstop Jesus” by Royals fans. Escobar struggled with the bat, although he seemed to hit better as the season went on. By the time it was all said and done, Escobar hit .254 for the Royals, and some experts predict he could hit as high .269 this upcoming season.His defense though, is why he is in the starting lineup. Any offense is just an addition to his amazing play on the diamond.

So is Escobar the one to break the curse? Time will only tell, but if Alcides can hit even in the .260 range, he seems like a good fit for the position for many a year. He was a .300 hitter in the minors, so it is possible. One thing is for certain; luck has not been on the Royals side when finding a Shortstop all these years. For them to break the curse, they need both good judgement and good luck…and maybe a guy who stands only 5’5″. Hey, it worked before!

February 1, 2013 0

FLASHBACK: The Return of Zack

2012 is a very pivotal year for the Kansas City Royals, especially for those of us that have been following “the process”. This is the year in which we find out whether or not all the time and money that has been put in developing the new crop of Royals will pay off or not. Now, that is not to say Kansas City is playoff bound(although it could be interesting in the lackluster American League Central), but we should know by the end of the season just how close the team is to contending. Predictions have always been that 2012 we would start to see improvement, and be on the brink of contending, with 2013 as the possible arrival date. If all goes as planned, the Royals might be a team just in need of a solid #1 starter, one guy who can dominate every fifth day when he takes the mound. Is that guy Zack Greinke?

Now, I probably just threw out a no-no. How dare I mention Judas! Look, I’m with all of you; if anyone was not happy with Zack’s attitude when he left, it was me. I’m a huge proponent of locker room chemistry and what a solid character guy(like Jeff Franceour) or a cancer(see Guillen, Jose) can do and what it means to a winning team. By the end of his tenure in Kansas City, Greinke had become a cancer in that locker room, a less than solid influence for the younger players to look up to. It showed in his pitching, as he looked uninterested in taking the mound for the Royals. He went from a one of a kind year in 2009, one that very few pitchers ever experience, to a year of mediocrity. As Royals fans, we understand his frustration in the team continuing to lose. Look, I’ve been a fan since 1984, and the last 15 years has taken it’s toll on me. But at the end of the day, I still bleed Royal blue, through and through. Why couldn’t Zack see the future was coming?

The part of the whole deal that killed me is the team stuck with him through his issues and let him come back at his own pace. They didn’t rush him, letting him play in the minors with no pressure and learn what he loved about the game in the first place. So to have him then turn around and want to leave when things were tough really left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. After years of awful pitching, the Royals had a guy they could put up there with Leonard, Splittorff, Saberhagen, Cone and Appier.

Just like that, he was gone. Now, most of us will agree that the return for Zack softened the blow. This year we’ll get to see just how good Lorenzo Cain, and Shortstop Jesus has made the trade of Greinke seem like a great move. Soon, we’ll get to see Jake Odorizzi who has been compared to Greinke in alot of circles. Trading Zack helped make “the process” seem even more plausible. But what if at the end of this year there is still that one piece of the puzzle to acquire?

Every team that yearns to reach the World Series knows they need a good #1 starter if they have any chance of making it deep into the playoffs. Detroit has one in Justin Verlander, a guy who can go out every fifth day and pretty much guarantee his team a ‘W’. That is what the Royals will eventually need if they are serious. As much as we might hope he is Danny Duffy or Mike Montgomery or even Jake Odorizzi, know of those guys will be in a position to fill that slot to start off 2013. Zack Greinke will be a free agent after this season and when his head is on straight, he is a number one guy.

So should the Royals go after the guy who spurned them just one year ago? I think it should at least be looked into. Greinke will never survive in a major market like New York or Boston. Philadelphia would eat him for lunch. His best bet is to stay in a smaller market where the scrutiny won’t be so harsh. He is familiar with Kansas City and already knows what to expect from management. He would have to mend some fences, and prove to some people that he isn’t going to bail out at the next sign of trouble, but it could be done. The Royals should at least invest into the thought of whether or not he could help return them to the playoffs. It might be a smarter move than originally expected.

February 1, 2013 0

Dayton Moore, Saying all the Wrong Things

I just need to vent real quick. Earlier today, the Kansas City Royals claimed pitcher Chris Volstad off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Volstad didn’t have a great year last year, but my gut tells me the Royals signed him more because of his potential, which is fine. This signing is okay as long as he is used next year as either a reliever or an emergency starter. If he starts over 15 games next year…well, if that happens there is a good chance the Royals are in trouble. But it wasn’t the Volstad signing that bothered me. It was the comments GM Dayton Moore made after the signing. So lets pick apart what Dayton is saying and why it is so distressing.

“We know who we are and how we have to build this team,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “and how we have to build our rotation. We’re going to be as aggressive as we can, but we know who we are and how we need to do it.”

This is Dayton alluding to the Royals being a small market team and how they can’t spend as thrifty as the big dogs in baseball. It’s true, but it almost reads like we as fans shouldn’t expect much this offseason. As in “no big catch on our fishing line”. I totally think this is Dayton preparing us for them to not sign a Zack Greinke or Anibal Sanchez. I can understand this to a degree, but I would rather have a GM who is confident and doesn’t use a team’s limitations as an excuse.

Luke Hochevar, Version 2.0

“His career, obviously, hasn’t gone to script,” Moore said. “He’s had a lot of ups and downs, but he’s still very young. Our scouts have seen him, and his stuff is still good. He just hasn’t had a lot of success but, hopefully, we can get him back on track.”

Of course Moore is talking about Volstad here. I have no issue with the Royals signing guys like this. It is a necessary evil in baseball, just in general. But doesn’t that read the same as if he was talking about Luke Hochevar? Shouldn’t you be fixing the first Hochevar you have first before taking on another Hochevar? and do the Royals get a discount for having two Hochevar’s on their roster? BOGO anyone?

“We’ve got to look internally,” he said. “We’ve got to look through trades. We’ve got to look, certainly, through free agency…we might be able to pick off a player or two, but we’re not going to build our team through free agency. It won’t work.”

I actually agree with Moore here. I think the teams needs to really look for trades this offseason rather than on the free agent market. I’ve written before that Tampa Bay would be a good partner. But as a small market team, you need to have an open mind and keep all options available. The Royals won’t be able to go out and sign a major name, but they can still make a splash in the free agent pool if David Glass is sincere about spending the dough.

“We’re not going to jump out there and be crazy on things,” Moore said. “We’re going to be aggressive and try to create as much depth and competition as we can. We know it’s going to continue to be a work in progress with everything we do in building a rotation.”

Depth is good. Bring as many pitchers to camp to compete as you can. Just don’t break the bank on lesser talent players. Spend money accordingly. Although, if there is a pitcher out there that you can get at a good price, the Royals should pounce. What if Greinke or Shawn Marcum would take a hometown discount? You can be crazy without anyone checking you into the nuthouse.

“He’s healthy and still young,” Moore said. “He broke into the major leagues when he was very young. He’s had some success, but it’s mostly been down lately.

“That being said, you get guys when they’re on the downturn. You don’t get them when they’re on the upturn.”

Alright, this is where I have a problem. Look at that last line. I’m sorry, that is just stupid thinking. You CAN get players on an upturn. You’ll have to either pay the money or trade talent for them, but like I have said ad nauseum, to get talent you must trade talent. If all you acquire are guys who are at the downturn of their careers, then that will be all you have; players at the downturn of their careers. Yes, some will pan out and improve. But the chances of that happening are slim and none. I’m sorry, but making such a ridiculous comment is insane and makes me think the sooner Dayton is fired, the better. I get that the Royals are not going to be a financial monster. But neither is Oakland’s Billy Beane and look what he does year after year. Dayton just seems like he can’t be creative or isn’t even willing to try. Maybe it’s just me, but I think having some of these “upturn” players would help Kansas City. It’s like Moore is working inside of his little itty bitty box and isn’t willing to venture outside of it.

So what do we take away from Dayton Moore’s comments today? Well, it seems like Moore is willing to live and die by his constraints. I really hope this doesn’t mean the Royals don’t sign two solid, established starters. I hope this doesn’t mean that they won’t re-sign Jeremy Guthrie. I hope this doesn’t mean that February rolls around and the pitchers competing for a starting gig are a bunch of Volstad’s. More than anything, I hope that this doesn’t mean that they are putting all their eggs into the “well, Duffy and Paulino will be back soon” basket. Sure, they should return in 2013. But you have to look at them as if they will not contribute to the Royals next year. Anything you get from them is a bonus. If they are counting on those two to return, plus Chen, Hochevar and Volstad to improve plus whatever lot of castoffs they acquire this winter, then we are in trouble. Dayton Moore has had over six years to build a rotation that is acceptable at the least. Instead, the Royals rotation looks like the island of misfit toys. At this point, I would take King Moonracer in the Royals rotation.

October 27, 2012 0

Frenchy, It’s Time to Hand Back the Keys to the Bus

Back when the Kansas City Royals signed Jeff Francoeur in December of 2010, the one positive of the signing was that Frenchy was a good clubhouse guy. I figured even if he didn’t hit(which at that point he really hadn’t for years) he could at least be a good influence on the younger players in the Royals clubhouse. After years of having clubhouse cancer’s like Jose Guillen and Zack Greinke, it would at least be nice to know there would be a guy that could show everyone the correct way to handle yourself. I honestly believe that having good clubhouse chemistry is an underrated part of a baseball team and can push a team farther than their abilities. Just look at the Oakland A’s this season. For the most part, it has seemed that Francoeur has been good for this Royals team the past two years. But after last week, I’m thinking he might not be a guy the rest of the team should emulate.

play_francouer_sy_576 — Head is actual size.

To say Francoeur had a bad season might be an understatement. Jeff pulled off one of the worst seasons by a regular player in baseball history, especially for someone who played in all but 14 games. Francoeur slid in almost every category from 2011, but the one stat that really stands out is the 49 RBI’s. For a guy who hit in the 5th spot most of the year, that number is atrocious. Add in a .235 average and a WAR of -2.7 and you can see why Manager Ned Yost penciling Frenchy into the lineup day after day really hurt this Royals team this year. In late July/early August, Yost started moving Francoeur down in the lineup, as he just wasn’t driving in runs,when his main job in the 5th spot in the order is to drive runners in. But this fact is also why Frenchy might not be the clubhouse guy we thought he was.

frenchy swing — He just needs a longer bat.

Last week, the Royals fired hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, laying the blame of the under performing Royals offense on his shoulders. That same day, Seitzer did an interview with 810 WHB radio in Kansas City. His interview is here: Seitzer Interview . In the interview, Seitzer revealed that back in August, Frenchy went and complained to Kevin that the reason he wasn’t driving in many runs this year was because Royals All Star Billy Butler was batting ahead of him and clogging up the bases, making it hard for Frenchy to knock him in. Because of this, Jeff said he was overcompensating by swinging for the fences, trying to get Butler in from first. Nevermind that Frenchy wasn’t making much contact this season or that in the 26 doubles he had this year, Butler was only on base for 2 of them. God forbid facts get in the way of a good argument. Nope, Frenchy in effect was throwing the team’s best player under the bus. For a guy who is supposed to be the clubhouse leader, this isn’t a trait becoming of someone in that position. In that position, you are to be a shining example for everyone to look up to. Instead, he seems more concerned about personal numbers than the fact that he needed to look in the mirror and see how he was hurting the team with his poor play.

JeffFrancoeurIsBlind — Seriously…he’ll swing at anything!

After doing some research, maybe we should have seen this coming. Maybe Frenchy wasn’t the stand up guy we thought he was. Exhibit A: Francoeur Whines. Or Exhibit B: More Whining. The point is that if you are a character guy, a guy who is a clubhouse leader, you lead by example. You don’t make excuses, you don’t blame other people or situations, and you definitely don’t throw your team’s best player under the bus. Look, being a professional baseball player means you do have some sort of ego. It is almost impossible to not have one, and in some ways it can help you. But if you are a leader, you worry about what is best for the team and that is it. Nothing more, nothing less. Whining that you aren’t getting enough playing time or not driving in enough runs isn’t something a leader does. Your case isn’t helped by hitting .235 and only driving in 49 runs.

So should Jeff Francoeur remain the clubhouse leader of the Royals? Personally, I don’t think so. I’m sure Frenchy is a great guy to be around, and sure he brings a lot of positives to this team. But there is just no excuse for blaming your star player when you can’t carry your own weight on the field. Up until all this happened, I was ok with Francoeur being back in 2013 and being a mentor to future Right Fielder Wil Myers. Now, I wonder if that is such a good idea. The last thing we need is Frenchy telling Wil that he needs to swing from the heels and swing at everything thrown at him, or just teach any of Francoeur’s many bad habits. At this point, I just can’t trust that Frenchy will do the right thing.

October 10, 2012 0

Tag: zack greinke

The Little Hump in the Middle of the Field

Hey Now, You’re an All-Star: How I Went Through the Possible Royals All-Star Selections & Loathed Smash Mouth

California Cat Fight-The Dodgers/Padres Brawl

Monday Notes-3/4/13

2013 Predictions That Will Probably Be Wrong By June

FLASHBACK: The Curse of Buddy Biancalana

FLASHBACK: The Return of Zack

Dayton Moore, Saying all the Wrong Things

Frenchy, It’s Time to Hand Back the Keys to the Bus

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