The Royals

[j-dub]

i don't think his slowness or bad body should all of a sudden eliminate his hand-eye awesomeness at age 28. AGE 28 j-dub.

ballplayers peak at age 27 bud, according to some rany blog/tweet. He started tailing off significantly the 2nd half of last season. and has only gotten worse this year. we've seen the best of billy. but man, if he could just put together a couple of months for old time sake.. 

I did a quick google and found this:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9933

Billy should still be strong enough and coordinated enough to hit home runs at age 28. He's in better shape physically than he was at age 25, and should be the most knowledgeable, disciplined hitter within the franchise. Yeah he's not athletic, but still. Its perplexing. 

The table reveals that player skills peak at different times, often quite far apart from each other. Hitters peak in batting and slugging average at 28 while continuing to improve in their home-run hitting and walking abilities until 30 and 32, respectively. Home runs rising beyond the peak for doubles and triples indicates that foot-speed on the basepaths fades before hitting power. In addition, batters may be using veteran knowledge to better manage the strike-zone-or possibly becoming more friendly with umpires-to walk more and hit with power as they age.

billy's not a home run hitter. never was. so i don't think this really applies to billy. billy is a really unique hitter guys. a big slow guy who hits the hell out of the ball without a lot of home runs. as a line drive gap hitter, he's not going to fit easily into the normal categories.

alex has noticeably improved his pitch selection this year, and billy has done the opposite. it's weird.

[slucat]

chick. 

[j-dub]

slucat good grief. 

he she isn't is completely wrong bud. unfortunately, billy has earned a demotion of some sort. also unfortunately, so has hos.

even more unfortunately, we don't have viable replacements. everyone knows chicks don't know anything about baseball 

i thought slucat was a female cat 

low slucat iq over here. slucat can you confirm, man or woman?

chick. 

 

[SdK]

chick. 

I love chicks!

[slimz]

alex has noticeably improved his pitch selection this year, and billy has done the opposite. it's weird.

I don't disagree that Billy's physical makeup may ultimately cause him to drop off more quickly, but I don't think that's what's happening here, just yet. From what I've read, Billy's big problem is he's swinging at worse pitches this year, as you note.

Also, if Billy chose to adopt Jose Bautista's approach, then he could be a 30+ HR guy, I think. He has chosen to hit for average and gap power instead. It will be interesting to see (if he straightens out his current issues) whether he ever chooses to go power over average. It wouldn't necessarily be the worst decision for someone with his, uh, speed/physique. Wouldn't surprise me to see him go this way if he leaves the Royals (and the perceived/actual HR-killing confines of the K).

[Cartierfor3]

i don't think his slowness or bad body should all of a sudden eliminate his hand-eye awesomeness at age 28. AGE 28 j-dub.

ballplayers peak at age 27 bud, according to some rany blog/tweet. He started tailing off significantly the 2nd half of last season. and has only gotten worse this year. we've seen the best of billy. but man, if he could just put together a couple of months for old time sake.. 

I did a quick google and found this:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9933

Billy should still be strong enough and coordinated enough to hit home runs at age 28. He's in better shape physically than he was at age 25, and should be the most knowledgeable, disciplined hitter within the franchise. Yeah he's not athletic, but still. Its perplexing. 

The table reveals that player skills peak at different times, often quite far apart from each other. Hitters peak in batting and slugging average at 28 while continuing to improve in their home-run hitting and walking abilities until 30 and 32, respectively. Home runs rising beyond the peak for doubles and triples indicates that foot-speed on the basepaths fades before hitting power. In addition, batters may be using veteran knowledge to better manage the strike-zone-or possibly becoming more friendly with umpires-to walk more and hit with power as they age.

billy's not a home run hitter. never was. so i don't think this really applies to billy. billy is a really unique hitter guys. a big slow guy who hits the hell out of the ball without a lot of home runs. as a line drive gap hitter, he's not going to fit easily into the normal categories.

alex has noticeably improved his pitch selection this year, and billy has done the opposite. it's weird.

Yes Alex has continued to learn the game all around and is amazing. I do think that applies to billy though. There are a lot of players who hit 29 HRs at age 26 and will hit like 28, 30, 31, 24, 26 or whatever homeruns over their next 5 seasons. At minimum he should've stayed in the 18-27 HR/season range.

[j-dub]

alex has noticeably improved his pitch selection this year, and billy has done the opposite. it's weird.

I don't disagree that Billy's physical makeup may ultimately cause him to drop off more quickly, but I don't think that's what's happening here, just yet. From what I've read, Billy's big problem is he's swinging at worse pitches this year, as you note.

Also, if Billy chose to adopt Jose Bautista's approach, then he could be a 30+ HR guy, I think. He has chosen to hit for average and gap power instead. It will be interesting to see (if he straightens out his current issues) whether he ever chooses to go power over average. It wouldn't necessarily be the worst decision for someone with his, uh, speed/physique.

i'm pretty sure he already did that in '12 or '09. i remember a lot of chatter about it a couple years back. hold on let me check.

[mocat]

his highest season of power was also his highest season for average. it is the previously referenced 2012. alas, that Billy was somebody that i used to know

[j-dub]

his highest season of power was also his highest season for average. it is the previously referenced 2012. alas, that Billy was somebody that i used to know

thanks mocat. 

[Rage Against the McKee]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

[Stevesie60]

So everyone is just ignoring the fact that Billy is going through hardcore AM workouts? WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!!

[j-dub]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

[Rage Against the McKee]

So everyone is just ignoring the fact that Billy is going through hardcore AM workouts? WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!!

Is it sort of like when Frank made the players go through a really tough practice right before they played like crap against FHSU?

[j-dub]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

but not for a week.

but instead for:

[Rage Against the McKee]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

Well, some of us want to see the Royals in the playoffs. Seems like you and Cfor3 just want Billy to stay in the lineup because he deserves it, even though he is terrible.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

but not for a week.

but instead for:

Is this racist? I don't really know, but I'm assuming it is.

[Cartierfor3]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

Well, some of us want to see the Royals in the playoffs. Seems like you and Cfor3 just want Billy to stay in the lineup because he deserves it, even though he is terrible.

Don't you dare insinuate that you want that and I don't. Don't even.

[j-dub]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

but not for a week.

but instead for:

Is this racist? I don't really know, but I'm assuming it is.

this idiot hasn't even seen the sandlot. my word..

[slimz]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

but not for a week.

but instead for:

Is this racist? I don't really know, but I'm assuming it is.

Edit: Darn, j-dub beat me.

[slucat]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

ding, ding, ding.

oh, and btw i think he's looking less fat. is anyone with me on that? maybe less fat=worse hitting?

[j-dub]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

ding, ding, ding.

oh, and btw i think he's looking less fat. is anyone with me on that? maybe less fat=worse hitting?

his new morning workout regimen has been well documented in this thread. i'll confirm later if billy will be back at it tomorrow morning per usual.

 

[mocat]

bitb is jerking off Ryan LaFeberefever and talking crap on Rex and it literally has my blood boiling

[j-dub]

Why not just send Billy to the minors for a week like they did Moose? They can platoon DH with people they are giving the day off to and get better production than Billy is giving right now.

why don't we send you to the minors, dumbass.

but not for a week.

but instead for:

Is this racist? I don't really know, but I'm assuming it is.

Edit: Darn, j-dub beat me.

nope. yours was better. you win again slimz 

[420seriouscat69]

Ugh. Someone kidnap Raul.

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[Rage Against the McKee]

Why are some of the names red?

Edit: Oh, never mind. I figured it out.