***Royals @ Minnesota - June 30th, 2014***

[Shogun]

First game thread this season, holla,.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by tk13

Since they both signed their extensions? It looks like Mauer clearly has a better BA and OBP although I'm not going to do the math. Mauer has 97 doubles and 26 HR in the last four years. Butler has 120 doubles and 65 HR in the last four years.

Butler has definitely played more games, which helps, but that's still not good when you're comparing a guy who makes $23 million a year for almost the rest of this decade, to a guy making $8 million a year you have the option of cutting loose.

I'm talking about this season.

[ChiefsCountry]

I really don't get the Billy Butler hate. Especially after the June he had.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Three7s

I'm talking about this season.

They're putting up nearly identical stat lines this year:

Player A: .270/.342/.350, 2 HR, 16 2B
Player B: .273/.328/.350, 2 HR, 17 2B

Except one is making $8 million this year while the other is making $23 million.

From 2011-2014, the Twins will pay Joe Mauer $92 million dollars. The Royals will pay Billy Butler $27.5 million.

And their numbers over that span are nearly identical (.811 OPS for Mauer, .810 for Butler), except that Butler homers twice as often and doubles just as often.

We think Butler is overpaid? How about Minnesota? You could live with Mauer putting up those numbers when he was catching, but now? That's just crippling.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

They're putting up nearly identical stat lines this year:

Player A: .270/.342/.350, 2 HR, 16 2B
Player B: .273/.328/.350, 2 HR, 17 2B

Except one is making $8 million this year while the other is making $23 million.

From 2011-2014, the Twins will pay Joe Mauer $92 million dollars. The Royals will pay Billy Butler $27.5 million.

And their numbers over that span are nearly identical (.811 OPS for Mauer, .810 for Butler), except that Butler homers twice as often and doubles just as often.

We think Butler is overpaid? How about Minnesota? You could live with Mauer putting up those numbers when he was catching, but now? That's just crippling.

I think a lot of the issue with Mauer is his age. Isn't he in his low-mid 30s now?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Three7s

I think a lot of the issue with Mauer is his age. Isn't he in his low-mid 30s now?

He just turned 31 in April. Should still be in the prime of his career.

It's possible Minnesota burned him out by keeping him at catcher and playing him so much. I always thought they should have moved him to 3B early to protect his bat long-term.

He would have been a GG caliber 3B and an All-Star level hitter.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

He just turned 31 in April. Should still be in the prime of his career.

It's possible Minnesota burned him out by keeping him at catcher and playing him so much. I always thought they should have moved him to 3B early to protect his bat long-term.

He would have been a GG caliber 3B and an All-Star level hitter.

It makes you wonder if we should plan on moving Sal to 1B immediately after Hosmer inevitably jumps ship elsewhere.

[TLO]

Will Shogun continue his winning streak today? Will he even be around to start the game day thread?? These are questions that need answering.

[Halfcan]

Can someone please tell Hos to stop batting with a downward swing. Sometimes it looks like he is trying to chop wood up there or karate chop the ball out of the air.

Why does he look so awkward at the plate this year? Hos has been killing us with guys on base.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

It makes you wonder if we should plan on moving Sal to 1B immediately after Hosmer inevitably jumps ship elsewhere.

They should start scaling Perez's time behind the plate back substantially starting next year, when Butler will be gone and the DH spot will be used to rotate guys through there.

Limit Perez to about 100 games behind the plate and DH him another 50 games.

Of course, Yost is a moron, so he'll probably keep Perez on burn-out paces and have him washed up by the time he's 28-29.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

They should start scaling Perez's time behind the plate back substantially starting next year, when Butler will be gone and the DH spot will be used to rotate guys through there.

Limit Perez to about 100 games behind the plate and DH him another 50 games.

Of course, Yost is a moron, so he'll probably keep Perez on burn-out paces and have him washed up by the time he's 28-29.

That's about when he becomes a FA so I think I'm cool with that.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

They should start scaling Perez's time behind the plate back substantially starting next year, when Butler will be gone and the DH spot will be used to rotate guys through there.

Limit Perez to about 100 games behind the plate and DH him another 50 games.

Of course, Yost is a moron, so he'll probably keep Perez on burn-out paces and have him washed up by the time he's 28-29.

Given Hosmer, Butler and Salvy it really doesn't make much sense to keep Butler around next year. Spend that money on a power outfield guy instead. As much as I love Sal behind the plate, he needs a reduction of about 1/3 playing time at C and with Butler gone, it would be an obvious chance to get his bat in the lineup in the DH spot when needed.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

It makes you wonder if we should plan on moving Sal to 1B immediately after Hosmer inevitably jumps ship elsewhere.

Probably but he's a superior defensive player to Mauer so it's not quite the same affect losing Mauer behind the plate. We don't have any margin for error given how bad our offense is right now

[Shogun]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

Will Shogun continue his winning streak today? Will he even be around to start the game day thread?? These are questions that need answering.

I was going to, but some other time, Alnorth has the rock today and has done well!