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Written by Craig Brown
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Thursday, 04 February 2010 00:00 |
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We’re in that annual lull before pitchers and catchers report. That’s something like 13 days away. Not that we’re counting.
To pass the time, here are some random questions. Feel free to let loose in the comments. Maybe we can get some solid debate going.
-- Are there any remaining free agents you would like the Royals to sign? You have to imagine anyone left at this point wouldn’t bust the budget, although some (Johnny Damon) still harbor illusions of a multi-year, many multi-million dollar deal. Other interesting names include Carlos Delgado (coming off an injury) and Jarrod Washburn (coming off a spectacular flameout for the Tigers.) Of course, the three I mentioned would still stretch the Royals budget, so maybe we have to look a little harder for some less expensive talent.
Is there anyone out there who catches your eye?
-- What current Royal prospect excites you the most? I’d have to go with Wil Myers but I’m extremely intrigued by Aaron Crow Hopefully, we’ll get to see him face some major league hitters early in camp.
-- Will Trey Hillman make it through the season? This was one of Kaegel’s 10 questions last month and it was the only one of the 10 that was relevant.
Can you see any scenario where he get’s the axe next summer? Will it be a double digit losing streak or a slow start or a 90 loss season that will doom the Royals skipper? Or is he safe and certain to return in 2011?
-- What pre-season type books will you purchase? I’m thinking of books like Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America Prospect Handbook and of course, the Royals Authority Annual (details forthcoming!) Can’t forget magazines, too. I used to buy Bill Mazeroski’s annual every spring and read it during spring break. I think I still have a bunch at my parent’s house in a box somewhere.
-- With the announcement of Apple’s iPad last week, MLB.com was present to tout their MLB.tv deal and how sweet it will look on the new device. Now, when you visit the official Royals site or the MLB.com front page, you’re greeted with an invitation to buy MLB.tv for the 2010 season. I bought MLB.tv last year for the first time and was incredibly disappointed. The high def feeds dropped way too often and the condensed games were too slow in appearing once the game was over and the DVR feature was non-existent. By May, I was wishing I had paid for the Extra Innings package on Time Warner. That’s how much I hated MLB.tv… I was thinking I should have given more cash to Time Freaking Warner.
So now my question is, should I give MLB.tv a second chance? And if you’re going to buy a package for the full season, are you going to go with Extra Innings on cable or MLB.tv on your computer?
Time to hit the comments. Answer all, answer one or answer none. Or ask your own question.
A couple of links to pass your time:
-- Fan Exchange is aggregating various projections into a kind of “super-projection.” As an added bonus, you can make your own projections for the 2010 season and then store your numbers on the site and revisit them during the season. You can also create a group and compete with other prognosticators to see who has the clearest crystal ball.
Here are the current Royals projections for hitters. At first glance these look pretty solid.
-- Diamond Futures is a site dedicated to prospects that recently ranked the Royals as the 12th best system in baseball. Like other prospect sites, they rank the top prospects. However, they give hitters scores weighted by league and other factors for power, discipline and speed while pitchers are scored on dominance, stamina and control. They take all that and plug it into a system to project future success. It’s an interesting system that - for you prospect hounds out there - is well worth your time.
The end result is a letter grade assigned to players. Mike Montgomery and Aaron Crow received “A” grades, placing them in the top 1% of all minor leaguers.
-- Rany has a riff on the quote from a Royals official who said “everybody thought we had the greatest offseason in the history of whatever.” He then proceeds to post several links of negative reaction about the Jacobs trade and the Farnsworth signing among others as proof that not everyone felt that way. However, I fear the joke is on Rany because the Royals don’t have the internet.
Still, that quote is alarming on many levels.
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Comments
2. Kila
3. Yes, Trey will survive the year.
4. I get all the information I need for free online.
5. No, I'll just watch the Royals on FSN.
Finally, pretty sure that quote was a bit tongue-in-cheek.
2. I'd settle for any of our prospects dominating at AA ball. And I'm sweating bullets over Hosmer. We passed on Smoak to pick this guy and he has just tanked.
3. Other than GMDM's complete inability to admit a mistake I can't see Hillman surviving to the ASG. This club is simply so bad they will struggle from the get-go. Very unlikely that Greinke can repeat his monster 2009. Maybe if they go injury free and guys like Gordon actually do something we might get to 70 wins.
4. I have ordered the BP book.
2. All the pitching prospects that will be in high A and AA this year. Crow, Duffy, Montgomery, Melville, Arguelles, etc.
3. If Hillman doesn't learn how to match a righty hitter vs a lefty, and to not pitch farnsworth against left handed power hitters he will be gone by May.
4. I get all of my stuff online.
5. I will most likely get mlb.tv again.
Who on the big league roster will have a breakout or repeat great year? Butler and Gordon, I HOPE!
2. short term Lough/ Parraz long term Will Meyers and Montgomery
3. He won't make it because there will be at least 1 horribly long losing streat and soon after a clubhouse incident
4. I get Baseball HQ Forecaster (love their articles and research actually more than projections) I also get John Sickles Minor League and Minor League Basseball Analyst, I like these 2 books because they combine statisitical analysis with traditional scouting points of view and you get a really nice picture of prospects.
5. No to MLB TV - far cheaper and satisfylng MLB Networl
2. I am actually interested to see how carlos rosa does in the pen
3. trey makes it the entire year, as much as I want him gone, I think dayton does the classy thing and doesnt fire him in season.
4. I bought the hardball times annual, will absolutely buy the royals authority annual and maybe the BA prospect book
5. didn't get mlb.tv last year, but there are enough royals games on fsnkc that i dont really need it. I would love to get the baseball package and the mlb network, but at this point I cant...long story.
2. Bianchi is a guy I have rooted for since rookie ball. I think this will be a huge stat year for Moose
3. Hillman will get canned if the Royals don't catch the ball. If the D looks like last year, then the fundamentals would not have been learned.
4. I also get all of my stuff online.
5. I have Extra Innings through DirecTV. They usually carry 4 feed for every game (Standard Def road and home and High Def home and away). This is a big deal, becasue I don't live in the KC area and I don't want to ever hear Hawk Harellson again.
mature. I thought Ankiel was a waste of money. Put that money into the minor league system. Mitch Maier had a decent 2nd half last year, Frank White who coached
him in AA really likes his potentiel, and he might be ready to break out with a decent year. Give him a chance and save some money.
We have too many "ifs" and to have any kind of a season better than what most analysts predict (68-72 wins), well, we would have to be successful with
about 75-80% of our "ifs". Those ifs include Gordon, Hochevar, and Davies fulfilling their potential. Ankiel, Guillen, Podsednik, Cruz,and Betancourt all having
bounceback performances and playing to past levels. And it would also include some surprise young player having a breakout perfomance. It's not going to happen.
2) Regarding Hillman, Moore is invested in him and until Hillman gets the personnel then you can't blame him for the Royals last place finishes.