Royals *** Official 2015 Royals Repository *** - Page 55

duncan_idaho · 04-04-2015, 09:25 AM

In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions.

Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins
Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer

I can't wait for this season to start. The AL Central should be a very entertaining race. I'll give brief thoughts on each team the Royals must contend with to make it back to the postseason - strengths and weaknesses.

Detroit Tigers:
Strength: The offense is still full of powerful hitters, and Miguel Cabrera may be healthier.
Weakness: Rotation is questionable after Price and Sanchez, bullpen continues to be horrible.

Cleveland Indians:
Strength: Great manager and a deep, versatile lineup.
Weakness: The rotation is a question mark past Corey Kluber, and even he has a few questions about him.

Chicago White Sox:
Strength: 1-2-3 combo of Sale, Quintana and Samardzija is pretty formidable. Offense is anchored by Jose Abreu, too.
Weakness: Defense still has major questions, and this team has 20 games to improve by if it really wants to make the playoffs.

The Royals will be a division winner IF ...
1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work
2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts
3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland
4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy
5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form

Let's get this started!

Three7s · 04-15-2015, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Are the Indians going to be a total bust this year? They're 2-5 with 4 straight losses by 3+ runs. Brantley has ongoing back problems, Swisher is on the DL, Gomes is out 6-8 weeks with a knee injury, and they're 0-2 in Kluber's starts.

They could be 6 games back before their taxes are due.

In the AL East and West, the last place teams are 3 games back (Yankees) and 1.5 games back (Astros). In the Central, the Sox, Indians, and Twins are already 4, 5, and 6 games behind us. Hell...all three of thise teams are farther behind the second place team in the division than any other AL team is out of first.

Hopefully they keep it up. I want to see them all give up by the All Star break and start playing for next season so we can have a bunch of easy wins in August and September.

/getting WAY ahead of myself

I don't know if I'd call them a bust. Injuries, more than anything, are just bad luck, and that's why they're struggling. I do think they were overrated from the start though.

**BigMeatballDave** · 04-15-2015, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Have you guys seen this guys pitch delivery? It's weird.

This is the most awkward wind-up/delivery I've ever seen?

WTF is up with that hop off the rubber?

duncan_idaho · 04-15-2015, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Should be able to run on this guy.

Yeah. I've got him around 3.5 seconds from first move to home (figured off of his average fastball velocity of 96.6). That's incredibly slow.

duncan_idaho · 04-15-2015, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Are the Indians going to be a total bust this year? They're 2-5 with 4 straight losses by 3+ runs. Brantley has ongoing back problems, Swisher is on the DL, Gomes is out 6-8 weeks with a knee injury, and they're 0-2 in Kluber's starts.

They could be 6 games back before their taxes are due.

In the AL East and West, the last place teams are 3 games back (Yankees) and 1.5 games back (Astros). In the Central, the Sox, Indians, and Twins are already 4, 5, and 6 games behind us. Hell...all three of thise teams are farther behind the second place team in the division than any other AL team is out of first.

Hopefully they keep it up. I want to see them all give up by the All Star break and start playing for next season so we can have a bunch of easy wins in August and September.

/getting WAY ahead of myself

Don't forget that Carlos Carrasco, who was supposed to be a key part of their rotation and No. 2 starter, just took a liner off of his face yesterday.

As I pointed out, their pitching staff had a lot of questions, even including Kluber (who has been just as good so far this year but also has a start against the K-happy Astros mixed in there). To just expect all those unproven guys past him to all pitch as well as they did in the second half was a bit much.

Their defense still was/is weak, and is made even more so without Brantley and Gomes, two of their better defensive players.

**Saul Good** · 04-15-2015, 08:40 AM

http://cdn.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-co...ayoff-odds.png

Gotta love big data.

The Indians are still twice as likely to make the playoffs as we are, I guess.

**Saul Good** · 04-15-2015, 08:55 AM

Here's an interesting piece on Torii Hunter's defense. The guy was absolutely terrible last year...the worst RF in baseball. He's only getting worse this year. That ball hit by Cain Monday went over his head, and I don't think it even got close to the warning track. We're talking about a ball hit to the opposite field by a guy with only moderate power, and Hunter wasn't even close. In fact, he knew right away that he wasn't going to get there, so he tried to deke Moose by holding up his glove pretending he was going to catch it rather than sprinting after it and making an attempt to snag it.

We dodged a huge bullet by not signing him. He's a shell of his former self.

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/16131-ar...bad-can-it-be/

**alnorth** · 04-15-2015, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Have you guys seen this guys pitch delivery? It's weird.

wow....

Pitt Gorilla · 04-15-2015, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Here's an interesting piece on Torii Hunter's defense. The guy was absolutely terrible last year...the worst RF in baseball. He's only getting worse this year. That ball hit by Cain Monday went over his head, and I don't think it even got close to the warning track. We're talking about a ball hit to the opposite field by a guy with only moderate power, and Hunter wasn't even close. In fact, he knew right away that he wasn't going to get there, so he tried to deke Moose by holding up his glove pretending he was going to catch it rather than sprinting after it and making an attempt to snag it.

We dodged a huge bullet by not signing him. He's a shell of his former self.

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/16131-ar...bad-can-it-be/

Did people want him over Rios?

Pitt Gorilla · 04-15-2015, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alnorth

wow....

Is that legal? How many hops can a pitcher take prior to releasing the ball?

Three7s · 04-15-2015, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Did people want him over Rios?

I think most figured he was too old.

**Saul Good** · 04-15-2015, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Did people want him over Rios?

I don't know. There were rumors that we were pursuing him, though.

On a semi-related note, here are some amusing numbers that should tell you just how bad defensive metrics are. These are Torii Hunter's DWAR numbers in they years he won gold gloves.

2001 2.3 GG
*
2002 -0.2 GG
*
2003 1.9 GG
*
2004 2 GG
*
2005 1.1 GG
*
2006 0 GG
*
2007 0.2 GG
*
2008 -0.1 GG
*
2009 1.4 GG

Last year, CFs in the AL were a combined -20. WTF?

**alnorth** · 04-15-2015, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Is that legal? How many hops can a pitcher take prior to releasing the ball?

Unclear. The rules do not address it at all. Apparently the Marlins consulted with MLB on it since this is how this weirdo pitcher learned how to pitch and he can't easily change. MLB said he can take one hop, but he can't elevate much, just jump forward on a lateral plane. Thats also not in the rules, but MLB had to figure out something on the fly that seemed fair to everyone.

Why Not? · 04-15-2015, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alnorth

Unclear. The rules do not address it at all. Apparently the Marlins consulted with MLB on it since this is how this weirdo pitcher learned how to pitch and he can't easily change. MLB said he can take one hop, but he can't elevate much, just jump forward on a lateral plane. Thats also not in the rules, but MLB had to figure out something on the fly that seemed fair to everyone.

Surely he can't be allowed to pitch like that with runners on base?

**alnorth** · 04-15-2015, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Surely he can't be allowed to pitch like that with runners on base?

I think thats why MLB told him not to elevate so that it didn't look like he was making a jump throw. If he's clearly stepping (or hopping in this case) towards the plate though, then the rules don't really seem to forbid it. Its weird, no one should learn to pitch this way even if this is legal because that extra hop over many years is just one more opportunity to land funny and get hurt.

Prison Bitch · 04-15-2015, 09:26 AM

SS Ian Desmond has managed to commit 6 errors already.

04-04-2015, 09:25 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1280308	* Official 2015 Royals Repository * In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions. Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer I can't wait for this season to start. The AL Central should be a very entertaining race. I'll give brief thoughts on each team the Royals must contend with to make it back to the postseason - strengths and weaknesses. Detroit Tigers: Strength: The offense is still full of powerful hitters, and Miguel Cabrera may be healthier. Weakness: Rotation is questionable after Price and Sanchez, bullpen continues to be horrible. Cleveland Indians: Strength: Great manager and a deep, versatile lineup. Weakness: The rotation is a question mark past Corey Kluber, and even he has a few questions about him. Chicago White Sox: Strength: 1-2-3 combo of Sale, Quintana and Samardzija is pretty formidable. Offense is anchored by Jose Abreu, too. Weakness: Defense still has major questions, and this team has 20 games to improve by if it really wants to make the playoffs. The Royals will be a division winner IF ... 1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work 2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts 3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland 4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy 5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form Let's get this started!
Posts: 21,182

04-15-2015, 08:40 AM	#815
Saul Good Quit your bullshit Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bored of winning Casino cash: $10052799	http://cdn.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-co...ayoff-odds.png Gotta love big data. The Indians are still twice as likely to make the playoffs as we are, I guess. __________________ Today is not a good day to be a pussy.
Posts: 41,870

04-15-2015, 08:55 AM	#816
Saul Good Quit your bullshit Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bored of winning Casino cash: $10052799	Here's an interesting piece on Torii Hunter's defense. The guy was absolutely terrible last year...the worst RF in baseball. He's only getting worse this year. That ball hit by Cain Monday went over his head, and I don't think it even got close to the warning track. We're talking about a ball hit to the opposite field by a guy with only moderate power, and Hunter wasn't even close. In fact, he knew right away that he wasn't going to get there, so he tried to deke Moose by holding up his glove pretending he was going to catch it rather than sprinting after it and making an attempt to snag it. We dodged a huge bullet by not signing him. He's a shell of his former self. http://twinsdaily.com/topic/16131-ar...bad-can-it-be/ __________________ Today is not a good day to be a pussy.
Posts: 41,870

04-15-2015, 09:26 AM	#825
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	SS Ian Desmond has managed to commit 6 errors already.
Posts: 87,025