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Wins and All-Star appearances. Two things the starting pitcher has almost zero control over. Absolutely antiquated way to look at a player's value (just like the guys who will take a .300 hitter who rarely walks and therefore has an OBP of around .330 over a .260 hitter who walks 100 times and has an OBP in the .350-375 range). Kind of like the guys who think bunting (in any situation other than tied/one-run 7th inning or later) is a good strategy in the AL.
Not saying Chen can be built around or is a true ace. Just that he has, as dozens of lefthanded pitchers before him have, become a pretty solid starter in his early/middle 30s by relying on craft and experience.
The statement that he wouldn't even start for 3/4 of the teams in MLB (or the several teams mentioned and rebutted) is just silly.
The Royals luck is going to normalize. They're going to rebound and play to their true talent level. As Rany said, it is still possible to take a ton of positives away from this year. But it needs to start happening soon.
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"You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass."
---- Sinatra
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