The Royals

[Jackstack99EMAW]

The fact that people think clogging the basepaths is a bad thing, fat or not, is pretty dumb.  Getting on base is literally never a bad thing, no matter who.

Not really dumb at all. Getting on base is critical. So is being fast enough to avoid, or break up, double plays. So is being able to take an extra base. Billy is good, but he doesn't present even an average base running threat.

There are tons of players who don't have this speed.  Most MLB players don't have the ability to break up double plays consistently.  Butler's double plays are definitely a problem, him taking walks, hitting, getting on base is not a bad thing at all.  Also, no one on the team has a home run, so bagging on solely him is dumb.  He also hits something like .320 with RISP for his career, and we're four games into the season.  I hope he can hit like he did in 2012, too, but hitting .290 with a .374 OBP with 82 RBIs  in what was probably the worst year of his career is not bad at all. 

[Jackstack99EMAW]

Can we please wait until a hitter gets more than 15-20 PAs until we start judging their season, people were saying Aoki sucked before these past 2 games, too.

[bones129]

The fact that people think clogging the basepaths is a bad thing, fat or not, is pretty dumb.  Getting on base is literally never a bad thing, no matter who.

Not really dumb at all. Getting on base is critical. So is being fast enough to avoid, or break up, double plays. So is being able to take an extra base. Billy is good, but he doesn't present even an average base running threat.

There are tons of players who don't have this speed.  Most MLB players don't have the ability to break up double plays consistently.  Butler's double plays are definitely a problem, him taking walks, hitting, getting on base is not a bad thing at all.  Also, no one on the team has a home run, so bagging on solely him is dumb.  He also hits something like .320 with RISP for his career, and we're four games into the season.  I hope he can hit like he did in 2012, too, but hitting .290 with a .374 OBP with 82 RBIs  in what was probably the worst year of his career is not bad at all.

You talk like I hate Billy and you misread my posts. I don't hate him and I'm not bagging on him for no homers this season. I'd just prefer that a DH average a few more than 17 HRs a year, even when he plays in KC's spacious park. I just agreed with another poster's asessment of his baserunning ability.

Do I think he'll return to 2012 form? Yes, I really do, and haven't said otherwise.

At this point, my greater concern is Moose.

[bones129]

Can we please wait until a hitter gets more than 15-20 PAs until we start judging their season, people were saying Aoki sucked before these past 2 games, too.

Agreed. My concern about Billy's baserunning prowess has nothing to do with this new season. He's been slow his entire career, and nothing will change that. He will be fine otherwise.

[Jackstack99EMAW]

The fact that people think clogging the basepaths is a bad thing, fat or not, is pretty dumb.  Getting on base is literally never a bad thing, no matter who.

Not really dumb at all. Getting on base is critical. So is being fast enough to avoid, or break up, double plays. So is being able to take an extra base. Billy is good, but he doesn't present even an average base running threat.

There are tons of players who don't have this speed.  Most MLB players don't have the ability to break up double plays consistently.  Butler's double plays are definitely a problem, him taking walks, hitting, getting on base is not a bad thing at all.  Also, no one on the team has a home run, so bagging on solely him is dumb.  He also hits something like .320 with RISP for his career, and we're four games into the season.  I hope he can hit like he did in 2012, too, but hitting .290 with a .374 OBP with 82 RBIs  in what was probably the worst year of his career is not bad at all.

You talk like I hate Billy and you misread my posts. I don't hate him and I'm not bagging on him for no homers this season. I'd just prefer that a DH average a few more than 17 HRs a year, even when he plays in KC's spacious park. I just agreed with another poster's asessment of his baserunning ability.

Do I think he'll return to 2012 form? Yes, I really do, and haven't said otherwise.

At this point, my greater concern is Moose.

There's no doubt I wish he had greater baserunning ability.  Billy hit into way too many double plays last year, I guess we'll see if the 2012 power returns.  Some of my statements were just more general than directed at you.  I was simply saying it's way too early to see yet.

['taterblast]

it's not that he's just slow, he's the second slowest dude in the majors:

http://www.baseballnation.com/hot-corner/2013/9/12/4724650/baseball-mlb-slowest-players-welington-castillo-billy-butler-paul-konerko

and all those other slow dudes either mash 30+ home runs regularly or provide defensive value (catcher mostly). to be honest i forgot billy had 29 in '12, i certainly hope he can return to that number.

[Jackstack99EMAW]

it's not that he's just slow, he's the second slowest dude in the majors:

http://www.baseballnation.com/hot-corner/2013/9/12/4724650/baseball-mlb-slowest-players-welington-castillo-billy-butler-paul-konerko

and all those other slow dudes either mash 30+ home runs regularly or provide defensive value. to be honest i forgot billy had 29 in '12, i certainly hope he can return to that number.

I understand how extremely slow he is, but having anyone on the bases is still very valuable.  I absolutely think he needs to provide more power, too.  I'm simply saying I don't think he sucks or is overrated, most of our fanbase hates him or wanted him traded because he had a single "bad" year.  He wasn't really a power hitter his entire career until 2012 when he broke out.  I hope he returns to that status ultimately, but I would be fine if he just hit into far less double plays. 

['taterblast]

it's not that he's just slow, he's the second slowest dude in the majors:

http://www.baseballnation.com/hot-corner/2013/9/12/4724650/baseball-mlb-slowest-players-welington-castillo-billy-butler-paul-konerko

and all those other slow dudes either mash 30+ home runs regularly or provide defensive value. to be honest i forgot billy had 29 in '12, i certainly hope he can return to that number.

I understand how extremely slow he is, but having anyone on the bases is still very valuable.  I absolutely think he needs to provide more power, too.  I'm simply saying I don't think he sucks or is overrated.  He wasn't really a power hitter his entire career until 2012 when he broke out.  I hope he returns to that status ultimately, but I would be fine if he just hit into far less double plays.

i don't think he sucks and i get what you're saying, i just wish that if we're going to have an extremely slow DH he would be a true power hitter.

[Jackstack99EMAW]

it's not that he's just slow, he's the second slowest dude in the majors:

http://www.baseballnation.com/hot-corner/2013/9/12/4724650/baseball-mlb-slowest-players-welington-castillo-billy-butler-paul-konerko

and all those other slow dudes either mash 30+ home runs regularly or provide defensive value. to be honest i forgot billy had 29 in '12, i certainly hope he can return to that number.

I understand how extremely slow he is, but having anyone on the bases is still very valuable.  I absolutely think he needs to provide more power, too.  I'm simply saying I don't think he sucks or is overrated.  He wasn't really a power hitter his entire career until 2012 when he broke out.  I hope he returns to that status ultimately, but I would be fine if he just hit into far less double plays.

i don't think he sucks and i get what you're saying, i just wish that if we're going to have an extremely slow DH he would be a true power hitter.

Absolutely understand that, also Paul Konerko led the league in GDPs in his age 27 year after a really good year the year before, too, hit 18 HRs, and hit .234.  Billy is still young, has an excellent approach at the plate, makes good contact, reasons to be optimistic about him.  He needs to start lifting the ball more and not putting it on the ground.

[Jackstack99EMAW]

Also, our infield should be so much better once Mondesi and Dozier get up or Moose bounces back.

[WillieWatanabe]

sweet rough ridin' christ.

[EMAWmeister]

Speed isn't that important in baseball

[jtksu]

it's not that he's just slow, he's the second slowest dude in the majors:

http://www.baseballnation.com/hot-corner/2013/9/12/4724650/baseball-mlb-slowest-players-welington-castillo-billy-butler-paul-konerko

and all those other slow dudes either mash 30+ home runs regularly or provide defensive value. to be honest i forgot billy had 29 in '12, i certainly hope he can return to that number.

I understand how extremely slow he is, but having anyone on the bases is still very valuable.  I absolutely think he needs to provide more power, too.  I'm simply saying I don't think he sucks or is overrated, most of our fanbase hates him or wanted him traded because he had a single "bad" year.  He wasn't really a power hitter his entire career until 2012 when he broke out.  I hope he returns to that status ultimately, but I would be fine if he just hit into far less double plays.

This post doesn't make much sense.   He had "one bad year" yet was never a power hitter except for the one year he "broke out?"   

 

[star seed 7]

I enjoyed myself at the ballpark yesterday.

this is one of my favorite posts 

[sys]

i'd pr dyson here.  who knows if sale will even still be in the game next 3b at bat.

[sys]

oh well.

['taterblast]

 

['taterblast]

RALLY RALLY THE PITCHER'S NAME IS SALLY

[PowercatPat]

Our bullpen is terrible.

['taterblast]

still no HR's. billy hit some pretty hard ground balls though!

[bones129]

Eskie finally got a hit.

[mocat]

eff YOU NED!!! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?

[Pete]

Moustakas got the day off, so he'll be right as rain tomorrow.

[420seriouscat69]

I blame Obama.

[bubbles4ksu]

i'm really optimistic guys! nori was a great pickup. how does 32 japanese years translate into american? is he only like 27???

our "ifs" are so tiny compared to last year. IF we get any power from the 3/4/5 or IF moose and alicides can hit .200+, then we will make the playoffs. I'm so grateful to have a team to follow over the summer.