He still throws it 23% of the time vs. 28% of the time last year.

And honestly, that's probably not because of design but because of pitch sequencing.

Like most guys with a devastating changeup, Herrera uses his has a putaway pitch and often when he's ahead in the count. If he can't get to a putaway count, he won't likely throw that changeup as often.

Looking through his situational stats, it looks like he starts about 1/2 the batters he faces with a ball. If you start from behind in the count, you're going to constantly be fighting to get out of 'fastball' counts to allow you to go to your off-speed stuff.

It looks to be a simple control issue to me. He can't get ahead of batters. Now even when he does, he's giving up a .316 BA and .887 OPS, but when he's behind his OPS jumps to a staggering 1.297 based largely on the strength of a near .800 Slg%.

When the guy falls behind, he gets crushed. And he's just falling behind way too much.

So you may be right in that his lack of changeup use is a problem. However, his lack of changeup use is a symptom, not the disease. The disease is erratic control that keeps him from getting into positive counts that allow him to go to his off-speed stuff. That control keeps him from using his best pitch and allows batters to tee off on him when he's forced to come to them rather than work the corners.

Most fans probably missed Dayton's craziest rant of the year (which is saying something!). That's when he tried to explain in the KC Star that sending Herrera down made sense but keeping Moose up was different. Why? Because "hitters need to face MLB pitching. There's no substitute."

One might have been thinking, well then what's the substitute for pitchers facing MLB hitting? And of course this would be sane. But sane is not how Dayton thinks. He makes shit up as he goes.

He hates bad pitching. He doesn't mind a bad offense.

@DJ

i based that off of my own opinion. I thought before he was originally demoted he wasn't throwing it nearly as often.

Maybe it isn't nearly as effective as last year's.

But, him overthrowing has been blatant this year. Overthrows, falls behind in the count, then throws a high 90s meatball right down the middle.

Boom.

Ned must go. He babies them. He expects development not winning. He gets what he expects. If I hear him talk about the "kids" one more time I'm going to lose it. Kids don't get millions of dollars to play freaking baseball. We're never going to get past .500 with him in charge.

How much does the owner make "no matter how many games they lose"? That's all you need to know when you ask yourself why so many of these clowns are still around in this organization...

\thread

Pretty sure Dan Glass still thinks Myers is on the Royals

Royals have the exact same record as last year at this time.

SOB

What about Miguel Cabrera, Yadier Molina, David Wright, Joe Mauer, Adrian Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, Derek Holland, Gio Gonzalez, Wandy Rodriguez, Santiago Casilla, etc.?

Shame they couldn't eak out a win there. Is be happy with winning just one, if we can get the win tomorrow.

Wow....I just looked at the July schedule. Surely by the end of next month we'll know for for sure of this Royals team is contender or pretender.

I don't know how to say this without looking like a troll, but I think pretender is a couple levels up from where they are right now. That's a team that needs a spark (drill sgt. manager maybe?) in the worst way.

So, is July 31st GMDM's deadline to make a move for a bat, or is it earlier?

All moot, the team can't hit the ball out of the infield. Not remotely competitive with legit teams. We're basically a Seattle.

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
#Royals vs. ATL LHP Minor: Gordon 7, Escobar 6, Hosmer 3, Butler DH, Perez 2, Cain 8, Moustakas 5, Francoeur 9, Tejada 4 and Mendoza 1.

Lineup of doom.