Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Four game losing streak? Last place? Adam Lind trapped in purgatory? Oh yeah? You think that's bad? Remember when I auditioned to be David Hasselhoff's car?


'Cause for the Royals, it's even worse than that. They're on a seven-game slide that has rocketed them past Detroit into the AL Central cellar. They're allowing 4.68 runs a game, which is OK, but they're averaging 3.18 on offense, which is - I mean it's better than the Giants, but the Royals are doing it with the benefit of a DH who just happens to be one of their few non-struggling hitters, Billy Butler. They have six regulars OPSing below .660, five if David DeJesus starts over Joey Gathright, which he seems to be doing exactly half the time.

(Joey Gathright can jump over a car.)

Then again, for all the Royals' struggles, there are certainly tougher teams to turn it around against than this incarnation of the Jays. Something's gotta give.

The series starts with its best pitching matchup, as A.J. Burnett takes on Donald Zackary Greinke, 3-0 with a 1.24 ERA. He seems to have overcome the well-documented social anxiety problems that derailed his career in 2006. Hooray! (Also, caution. Article linked in preceding sentence is a bit saccharine.) Greinke isn't exactly overpowering hitters with strikeouts or groundballs - it's going to take a few more of those before anyone officially declares him the AL's phenom starting pitcher for 2008 - but he's averaging 7 1/3 innings a start and has been KC's best pitcher thus far this year. According to pitch-fx, the slowest pitch Greinke has thrown this year is around 68 mph. I miss the eephus.

Tomorrow, it's top pitching prospect Luke Hochevar, making his second start of the season against local hero Shaun Marcum. Hochevar throws in the low 90s and has hard breaking stuff. He had a very high groundball rate in three strong starts at AAA. In his first big-league game of 2008 he got mauled by the dreaded A's, only lasting 4.2 innings and giving up 6 earned runs.

Sunday, it's inspired free-agent signing and ace Gil Meche. When looking at his line in the chart, bear in mind that he's faced the Twins twice. Alex Rios is 7-9 against Meche with 2 doubles, a triple and a walk. Sure hope he doesn't need a breather Sunday. The Jays' current roster is a combined .310/.391/.507 against Meche in 142 at-bats. Meche has a 17-point reverse OPS split over his career, and righties hit have him better in 2007 and 2008 as well. Maybe this is because his best pitches are a change and a knucklecurve. Noted knucklecurve practitioner Mike Mussina has a 73-point reverse OPS split over his career.

Finally, Joakim Soria is a machine. He could be well on his way to joining the ranks of the elite AL closers. Check out the natural cut to Soria's fastball, and then compare it to This Guy's heater. OK, Soria's doesn't cut quite as much, but still, the velocity combined with the cut... Take that guy and give him a huge freakin' curveball, and you've basically got Joakim Soria. And Soria turns 24 in May.

The Credit Section: All offensive stats, pitches per PA for pitchers and league average stats are from the Hardball Times. Pitchers' stats and leverage indices are from Fangraphs. Minor-league stats are from Minor League Splits and First Inning. K% and BB% are strikeouts and walks as a percentage of plate appearances; GB% + LD% + FB% = 100. These are 2008 stats, except where noted.



Finally, a hand-full of Public Service Announcements:

1. FREE ADAM LIND.

2. A fledgling baseball sim league, the TRBL, is looking for owners. It runs on the most recent edition of Out of the Park Baseball. The guy who operates it is dedicated and battle-hardened, and he has run an OOTP league in the past which was barrels of fun. The league's site is here and you can shoot the commissioner an email at (tykingmp at gmail) if you're interested. The league can accept at most 30 teams and the inaugural draft will happen within the next week, so don't walk, run!

3. FREE ADAM LIND.
Advance Scout: Royals, April 25-27 | 52 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 07:44 PM EDT (#183695) #

His family is very supportive and so is Emily Kuchar, his girlfriend since his high school days.

"She's as sweet as it gets," he said. "She's like the sweetest girl I've ever met. She's beautiful. Really, it doesn't get any better."

Just like Tupelo Honey. Straight from the bee.

Thanks for the saccharine warning, Alex. 





robertdudek - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#183698) #
I don't recall that DeJesus has lost his starting job. Perhaps he's still hurt a bit?
Alex Obal - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 08:53 PM EDT (#183699) #
There seems to be a very regular pattern to who starts in centerfield, which has nothing to do with the opposing pitcher's handedness.

Somehow, I doubt that pattern is going to continue too long. In fact, it seems to have ended today...

Ishai - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:19 PM EDT (#183703) #
Rolen is the saviour!
Sheldon - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:33 PM EDT (#183704) #
Let the calls for Johnny Mac begin....
natan79 - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:34 PM EDT (#183705) #

Free John Mcdonald!  (At least for late inning defence)

This is painful!

Ishai - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:36 PM EDT (#183706) #
Eckstein is the unsaviour!
owen - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:36 PM EDT (#183707) #
Free John McDonald?  Yes, that's one movement that deserves a groundswell of support.  But the other campaign that really should get started around here is, of course, fire John Gibbons.  The only good counter-argument that I can think of is 'but he's old friends with JP!'.  Except that isn't really a good counter-argument.
Sherrystar - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:37 PM EDT (#183708) #

This little run reminds me very much of last year (was it May when the ays lost 9 in a row?)

Why Gibbons refuses to use our best infielder in late innings is simply unaccepable.

King Ryan - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:41 PM EDT (#183709) #
Normally I am the last person in the world to be spouting cliches, but boy, oh boy is this team finding ways to lose right now.
owen - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#183710) #
By the way, infield in?  Why did you bother to load the bases?  You don't need the infield in, it's a force at the plate.  Plus, you know, don't you wanna turn a double play, instead of watching the two-run single that busts the game open roll into right field? (ok, maybe it isn't a double play ... but maybe it is).

robertdudek - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 10:50 PM EDT (#183711) #
Ball hit to the second baseman's left by a speedy left-handed hitter is never going  to be a double play. Not unless a baserunner "Royally" screws up.
deep dish - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:01 PM EDT (#183712) #
At the risk of ranting after a loss, when JP wants to hire his friends - can't he make them scouts?  Gord Ash was fired for less than this. 
scottt - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:01 PM EDT (#183713) #
Overbay homers. Rolen has a 2 RBI double. Burnett gives only 2 runs through 7 innings. And they still find a way to lose by 4 runs?

Lock up Gibbons!



timpinder - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:11 PM EDT (#183714) #
That was painful to watch, but Overbay's homerun was a good sign and I liked what I saw from Rolen and Burnett.  Lind will be in the lineup tomorrow, and I just have a feeling the Jays are about to break out of this rut.
ChicagoJaysFan - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:20 PM EDT (#183715) #
I'm usually an early one to throw in the towel, so take this with a grain of salt if you will ... but we're exceedingly close to essentially being all but eliminated from the playoffs.  We already require the greatest turnaround in franchise history.

I know 1989 is nice to think of for hope, but we only finished that season with 89 wins, which won't be enough this year.  Also, we played at a .611 clip under Cito that season - again, that wouldn't be enough for us to make the playoffs, which usually require 95 wins (although .611 is close as it would put us at 94).   What's needed for 95 wins is a .616 pace (franchise best for a season is .615).

I said a while ago that I judge the team's success on 17-game increments.  In order to be on pace for a playoff spot at the end of our second 17-game segment, the Jays need to reel off a 7-game win streak.

Sucks to say it, but unless things dramatically change (think 6+ win streak), and soon, it's time to start planning for 2009.    It's amazing that things are this desperate at the 24-game point.
robertdudek - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:27 PM EDT (#183716) #
In March, anyone who thought that this team had more than a 2% chance of winning 95 games this season was completely delusional. Nothing has changed in that regard.
ChicagoJaysFan - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:42 PM EDT (#183717) #
In March, anyone who thought that this team had more than a 2% chance of winning 95 games this season was completely delusional. Nothing has changed in that regard.

I don't know where you get your 2% figure from, but the odds of a playoff season coming into tonight, not in March, were higher than 2% - at least according to Pecota and others.  Looking at the average win #'s they have for division champ and wildcard, and it's easy to infer that the current odds of a 95+ win season are higher than 2%.  Thus I'd hardly call it delusional to think of 95 wins in March.

Hyperbole weakens an argument, it does not strengthen one.
John Northey - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:57 PM EDT (#183718) #
I had to double check but going into the bottom of the 8th inning what was the situation?
  • AJ just gave up his 2nd run of the game in the 7th, having a solid game at just 90 pitches but we all know AJ can shoot up that pitch count rapidly thus you know a complete game is unlikely.
  • Up next are left-right (with left handed pinch hitter available)-left-right-left.  So, 3 out of the next 5, 2 of the next 3 are definitely left handed hitters.  You have Downs warm and ready to go.  You are a manager known for doing left/right stuff up the wazoo. 
  • Accardo threw just 4 pitches the day before and no one in the pen threw the day before that thus Tallet (11 the day before) could be available as well
  • Eckstein must be a Frank Thomas type who can't stand being told anything negative as, again, our best defensive player is on the bench in late innings with a tight game on the line
Thus we get AJ left in until he could lose the game.  We get an error from Eck (but a gritty error I'm sure).  And another loss on the pile.

Sometimes it is a good idea to leave a pitcher in for a complete game.  If the pen is tired, if the team is hot, if the pitcher has a no-no going.  However, none of those conditions applied. 

Sigh.  Maybe the right things were done.  Maybe it was just bad luck.  Still, with each passing game I keep thinking how nice it would be to have Cito as manager, to have Lind in LF, to not waste a magical moment from Rolen (first hit giving the Jays the lead late in the game).  Ah well.  Things can't get worse right?
Leigh - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:58 PM EDT (#183719) #
Me, in the round-table, on March 30:

Forecast

"I don't consider myself a pessimist. I think of a pessimist as someone who is waiting for it to rain. And I feel soaked to the skin."
- Leonard Cohen


Not only do the Jays suck at the moment, but as the Roster's only Frederictonian, I can assure you that Mother Nature feels the same way.
robertdudek - Friday, April 25 2008 @ 11:58 PM EDT (#183720) #
Most of the times that the Jays make the playoffs under PECOTA, will be the times that it takes less than 95 wins to make the playoffs.

Let's put it this way, suppose you have a team with a true talent of 83 wins. How often is such a team going to win 95 games in a computer simulated season? That depends on the typical standard deviation of the pool of teams. But I would be surprised if such a team would win 95 or more games more that 3-4% of the time.

So I will up my percentage a bit.

This team is not substantially better than the team we had last year. The players that have arrived may be marginally better than those that have left (but with Thomas' departure, that may no longer be true), but that is true of most of the teams in the AL (because most teams are trying to improve). Nor are the Jays a particularly young team that you would expect to get better as the players mature.

Essentially, for the Jays to get into the playoff hunt would require an enormous amount of good fortune.

And I ask that you cease to admonish me for the use of hyperbole. I get your point already. I will continue to use hyperbole as I see fit. You are free to ignore it if you wish..

Shane - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 12:16 AM EDT (#183723) #

Not only do the Jays suck at the moment, but as the Roster's only Frederictonian, I can assure you that Mother Nature feels the same way.

I'm in Saint John, but i'm in the clear. I'm dry, sitting in the Tower of Song, where my hair is grey. Or likely to turn grey.

Mylegacy - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:01 AM EDT (#183724) #

Open letter to JP (the Schnozola) Riccaarrddii

JP - listen up pilgrim.

Lind up tomorrow or I'll send those pictures of you, McCain and Bush in that men's washroom to Teddy Boy. Stewart to the bench - Lind gets a shot at full time play.   Eckstein - eck - what can I say - JohnnyMac has WAY more glove, WAY more range, WAY more arm, and damn near the same bat - get the Prime Minister in there or else! Litsch back to AAA - Purcey up - NOW!

Then bat them - Hill (R), Lind (L), Rios (R), Stairs (L), Rolen (R), Overbay (L), Wells (R), Zaun (L), JMac (R)  - AND, keep doing it that way till at least the All-Star break.

If you don't - I send in Guido to gives ya a visit, and Guido - he got a mean streak, capiche.

The_Game - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:03 AM EDT (#183725) #

There is no reason John McDonald shouldn't be playing every night in some shape or form. I've been saying this since March. It's not surprising that this has cost them games so far (by my count, 2), and it will cost them many more if they don't change their strategy in the late innings. If it's "time to win now," they should atleast have the guts to tell Eckstein to sit on bench for a couple of innings every night. Pathetic.

And can anybody else believe they've kept Adam Lind under wraps this week to save a bit of money with his arbitration rights? 5 games he's been down in Syracuse, and 5 times a struggling offense has lost.

Oh wait...this is the Toronto Blue Jays, that isn't surprising at all.

Wake me up when they get rid of the current ownership and bring in somebody who's actually trying to win.

robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:05 AM EDT (#183726) #
Eckstein - eck - what can I say - JohnnyMac has WAY more glove, WAY more range, WAY more arm, and damn near the same bat - get the Prime Minister in there or else! Litsch back to AAA - Purcey up - NOW!

I was with you until the bolded part. Also Purcey is not going to pitch better than Litsch this year.
robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:07 AM EDT (#183727) #
Wake me up when they get rid of the current ownership and bring in somebody who's actually trying to win.

Is that you, Rip van Winkle?

The_Game - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:46 AM EDT (#183728) #

Is that you, Rip van Winkle?

The only reason I know that story is because I watched a show called Wishbone when I was a kid. Awesome show. Nice dog, too.

timpinder - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 03:44 AM EDT (#183729) #

Intersting 2:05 a.m. blog from Mike Wilner.  He almost always tows the company line, but in a blog entitled "Inexcusable", he basically blasts the Jays for continually refusing to bring McDonald in to replace Eckstein for late inning defense, and for keeping Lind in the minors to save a buck.  I'm sure almost everyone here will agree with him.

http://blog.rogersbroadcasting.com/mikewilner/2008/04/26/inexcusable/

brent - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 04:12 AM EDT (#183731) #

game 24- WPA heroes Rolen, Overbay (5), Rios (6)    Letdowns Downs (3)*, Burnett (5), Stewart (3), Barajas (6)

* means over +- .300

greenfrog - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 09:12 AM EDT (#183735) #
I thought the same thing in the bottom of the 8th, well before Eckstein's error: where is Johnny Mac? The only plausible justification might be that J-Mac's defense tends to be better when he's out there on a regular basis. But I think Gibbons's decision (if the thought of inserting McDonald even crossed his mind) was grounded more in his "these are my starters, and I have faith in them" philosophy. Which makes sense in some cases, but not when you're up 4-2 in the 8th, have a terrific shortstop on the bench and desperately need a win.

Another thing: even if Eckstein catches that ball, which he normally does, I'm not sure he turns the DP. Gload is a left-handed hitter and was getting down the line pretty fast. I think J-Mac would have been more likely to make the quick turn and complete the play.
Frank Markotich - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 10:34 AM EDT (#183740) #

If anything good comes of this debacle, perhaps the stunningly obvious move of putiing McDonald in for late-inning defense will now be made going forward. And of course Lind should be called up - who wants a bench of three infielders and a catcher.

I'm not a John Gibbons fan, and I think if the road trip turns out to be the disaster it's shaping up to be, he doesn't survive. But who do you replace him with? There's still plenty of time, 138 games to go. The team will need luck, but then it did anyway. Hiring a caretaker manager for a team that harbours hopes of contending doesn't make sense. Who's available that fits the bill of getting things turned around?

Parker - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 11:07 AM EDT (#183741) #

Is there even any point to keeping McDonald on the roster if he's not being used in those situations?

I think I'm going to stop watching the Jays play these games against weak-sister teams they should be beating up on.  It's bad enough watching them lose when I'm expecting it.

Also, a memo to Sportsnet's superlative broadcast team: "clicheic" is NOT a word.

scottt - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 11:10 AM EDT (#183742) #
Sometimes it is a good idea to leave a pitcher in for a complete game.  If the pen is tired, if the team is hot, if the pitcher has a no-no going.  However, none of those conditions applied. 

You do not get extra points for complete game wins. With a 2 run leads, you put in your setup/closer combo and whatever defensive replacements you have on the bench. Especially if you're competing for the win. We're talking about a team with a 7 man pen, none of which are long-relief/spot starter type.

Still wonder why this team can take on New-York and Boston but can't win series against weak clubs? It's like Gibbons makes them play with a handicap. I'd be surprised if they win this series.

Well. That felt good.
China fan - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 12:04 PM EDT (#183745) #
  The most amazing aspect of the John McDonald thing is the fact that the Jays are paying him almost $4-million for his services this year and next year.  That's a huge amount for a back-up -- especially if you're not playing him in key situations where his salary would be justified.  As soon was Eckstein was signed in the off-season, the $4-million to McDonald seemed like a questionable use of money.  The only justification for McDonald's contract, after Eckstein's signing, would be if the Jays had a strategic plan to put McDonald into the field in key late-inning situations.  Yesterday's game was the perfect opportunity for that strategy -- which makes it all the more baffling that the Jays would spend $4-million on a player who is kept on the bench in obvious situations where he would be valuable.
    On another front:  Jeff Blair has an interesting article today on the team's catching situation.  He suggests that Zaun could eventually be supplanted as the starting catcher because Barajas is a superior defender and seems to be better in handling pitchers.  He notes that Jays pitchers have a much lower ERA when Barajas is catching (small sample-size alert).  He also discloses that Diaz impressed the Jays brain-trust by making good contact in his four ABs in his only game in the majors so far (although he didn't actually get a hit).  So, reading between the lines, a catching battery of Barajas and Diaz might be in the works next season.

Anders - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:03 PM EDT (#183750) #
Well Gregg Zaun turned 37 this year, and although his career is relatively young in terms of games caught, there is a reason why you don't see many catchers this old in the majors - it wears on your body, catching. He's put up nearly the same line every year with the Jays - roughly .260/.355/.400, which is about where he is this year, and I'm sure the Jays are happy to have him hit that well. Barajas, however, is five years younger and probably not a better hitter though a better defender, and Diaz is only 24 and the organization's top catching prospect. It doesn't take a lot of conjecture to come to the conclusion that Diaz and someone, perhaps Barajas, will be the catchers at some point. Free Matt Clement (to the Blue Jays)!
Joanna - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:04 PM EDT (#183751) #

Letdowns Downs (3)*, Burnett (5), Stewart (3), Barajas (6)

I'm sorry, but AJ wasn't a let down.  He was efficient, made outs and kept his team in it.  And he had his offspeed stuff working.  The balks were annoying, but they didn't do any damage and he didn't let them bother him.

I don't mean to harp on you specically, but what more do people want from him?

Mike Green - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#183752) #
I think you mean Jeff Clement, Anders.


Anders - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 01:44 PM EDT (#183754) #
Ack - I was thinking Jeff, and somehow typed Matt. Alas.
deep dish - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 02:09 PM EDT (#183757) #
He also discloses that Diaz impressed the Jays brain-trust by making good contact in his four ABs in his only game in the majors so far (although he didn't actually get a hit).  So, reading between the lines, a catching battery of Barajas and Diaz might be in the works next season.

I must admit to being pretty ignorant of the esoterics of pitching, but  I found it interesting last night that Darrin Fletcher seemed really unhappy about pitch selection (was it Zaun calling pitches?); I also find him the most credible and entertaining Blue Jays colour man.  Fletcher caught quite a few Cy Young pitchers, so I suspect he is pretty smart when it comes to pitching.

Oh what the hell,  free Darrin Fletcher!!!
robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 02:26 PM EDT (#183759) #
Is there even any point to keeping McDonald on the roster if he's not being used in those situations?

They have to pay him a total of 3.8 million over 2008 and 2009. That and Eckstein or Hill could get injured and you want him to be able to share time with Scutaro.
GregJP - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 02:37 PM EDT (#183761) #
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/04/26/proof-that-the-baseball-gods-do-exist/
Mike T - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 02:59 PM EDT (#183764) #
Ha, thanks for the read :)
I can't exactly remember but...I have this kinda deja vu feeling. Back when Buck Martinez was the manager, didn't he get fired after the Jay's got swept in K.C.? Something along the lines of that anyway.
Given how quickly J.P. got rid of Thomas, I don't expect him to wait to long to find another manager, maybe use Butterbean as an interim for a bit.

ChicagoJaysFan - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 03:53 PM EDT (#183774) #
Robert, what's your position on why Green should have started?  Did he have the bat to play everyday or was he not good enough against lefties and need to develop?  The two are mutually exclusive and it's amazing that you can take both points in a single argument.
Alex Obal - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 04:25 PM EDT (#183776) #
I don't think they have to be mutually exclusive. Consider a guy who hits .330/.470/.600 against righties and .220/.270/.350 against lefties. This guy is a lefty batter and he's 24 years old. (This is not allegorical, btw, usually my made up examples are but not this one.) You're killing yourself if you don't play him against righties. And you're killing him if you don't bite the bullet and play him against the odd lefty to, as you say, 'develop' him.
robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 04:33 PM EDT (#183778) #
Buck Martinez was the manager, didn't he get fired after the Jay's got swept in K.C.?

I'll check on it, but I think Buck got fired after a three game winning streak.
Magpie - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 04:40 PM EDT (#183779) #
I'll check on it, but I think Buck got fired after a three game winning streak.

Yes he was. After a discouraging 11-27 run, they went into Detroit for three games and swept. It gave Buck exactly 100 career wins as a manager, at which point the axe fell,  proving that Ricciardi is just a sentimental fool.
robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 04:40 PM EDT (#183780) #
I was right.

The Jays swept Detroit in Detroit (May 31-June 2) to stand at 20 and 33. Martinez was then dismissed. Maybe Ricciardi feared that the team would go on a huge tear and he wouldn't be able to get rid of him until the off-season.

robertdudek - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 05:08 PM EDT (#183782) #
Robert, what's your position on why Green should have started?  Did he have the bat to play everyday or was he not good enough against lefties and need to develop?  The two are mutually exclusive and it's amazing that you can take both points in a single argument.

How do you become a good pianist? Answer: you play the piano a lot.

No question that playing Green everyday in 1995 and probably in 1996 would have cost the Jays something in win expectation (though his defensive abilities would have mitigated that somewhat).

But playing him everyday against lefty and righty major leaguers is without a doubt the best way to "develop" Green's potential, unless he is a total failure overall and gets down on himself (clearly not the case, since he was able to handle righties well).

I suppose if you could bat Green against righties in the majors and against lefties in AAA at the same time you'd have the perfect compromise (but we all know that that is impossible).

So, for a mediocre team, development of a potential star is always more important than a small loss of current win expectancy.

My conclusion is that he had the bat (and the glove: great arm, almost a centerfielder's range at the corner) to be a major leaguer in 1995 (i.e. he should not have languished in AAA , which he is fact did not)  and he had the superstar potential that mandated he play everyday in the majors given the (lack of) competitiveness of Toronto during those years.

Green of course eventually learned to hit lefties adequately and for a time was one of the elite players in MLB. Who knows, but it could have happened a year earlier if not for Gaston platooning him for 2.5 years.

Lesson here is, you learn by doing.

I really think it was no accident that, having inherited a veteran team, Gaston was a very good and very successful manager. But when faced with the task of building a young team into a contender, he failed. That's the way it usually is - very few managers in history have been able to do both well.

You can see that Gaston hung onto the guys that had brought him his glory and other veteran players (like Nixon) at the expense of playing time for most of the younger players bubbling up through the system. When you are expected to win between 88 and 95 games year in year out Gaston's way is probably the right way. When you're winning 75-85 - not so much.
 
Mike T - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 05:14 PM EDT (#183783) #
ahh, I see. Thanks guys. I was way off, haha.
If the team continues to make silly mistakes on the field I can't see Gibby staying, it's getting ridiculous. And then there's Gibbys in game decisions, geez.
I can remember feeling the same way the year Stewart was dealt. I was hoping so much for him to go and Reed would be the starter. Stewart was and still is a huge defensive liability.
It's all about the money though... bummer.

brent - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 05:59 PM EDT (#183784) #

Joanna, WPA is win probability added. For that game, Burnett's number was -.281. This basically measures his clutchness for the game. It is a different way of looking at things than the box score. Burnett's box score was: 7.1 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 earned runs, 6 Ks, 3 walks and his groundballs were 14/23. What hurt Burnett's WPA score is as follows. He gave up the first run (and the lead). The Jays tie it at one and the Royals get the lead again (2-1). The Jays take the lead at 4-2. Then, Burnett gets the first out in the eighth. Next, he gives up a single and a walk. Last, Butler hits a single scoring a runner and Burnett leaves the game 4-3 with runners on the corners and one out. When leaving the game, Burnett was leaving quite a bit of fire for the next reliever to face (Downs had a 4.97 leverage index when he came in). 

To put it a different way, what you are saying is true, and WPA doesn't want to measure these other things. I don't mean that Burnett or any other player is a huge disappointment; I mean they just didn't have a clutch game overall to get a win. You can argue that Frank Thomas is a great hitter, but you can't argue that his batting average is over .200 right now for this season. You can point to other things and merely dismiss it as Frank did and say you weren't having any luck. Burnett could say that he just wasn't lucky enough at the right time or that the manager should have pulled him sooner.   

scottt - Saturday, April 26 2008 @ 06:06 PM EDT (#183787) #
Barajas came heavily discounted and with a club option to boot. He was J.P's first choice last year. I'd be surprised if he doesn't stick around.

Diaz put the first 2 pitches he saw in play. It's too bad he didn't get a hit.

Scutaro had a Frank Thomas year in 2007.  He was .139 .205 .222 in April, but .326 .340 .435 in May. Normally, he shouldn't get that many ABs, but we'll have to see how much rest Rolen needs.
Advance Scout: Royals, April 25-27 | 52 comments | Create New Account
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