The Royals

[wetwillie]

I thought maybe the tigers would come to play against us but damn they look like the walking dead out there. 

[8manpick]

The Blue Jays are basically the Raiders of baseball and everyone knows it. Gregg Zaun is just a meathead. He would've ended up a small town cop if not for baseball, and I'm sure he's the type of Dad who tells his kids to not back down from fights and is probably a very road raged driver. I don't take his comments too seriously, and neither should anyone else. He hadn't crossed my mind in like 10 years. He was a forgettable average backup catcher. Who cares what he thinks?

As for the sign stealing, its already been weighed in on plenty, including analysis from our high level baseball insider WackyCat08. My take is this: Having some dude wave his arms to signal pitches from the stands, is unethical, and the Blue Jays know it. Its different than stealing signs from 2nd IMO. If they are doing that, then MLB should take action and punish/fine/suspend the manager.

/signstealing

the vast majority of us disagree with his sentiments, but allowing him to spout off his bullshit without reproach only reinforces that type of behavior and thought process for that small, but vocal and idiotic minority. Certainly, Yordano shouldn't have taken to social media to voice his displeasure with Bautista, but you know damn well that Zaun wouldn't have felt the need to say those sort of things on television about/to a white ballplayer. Not discussing this type of bullshit only allows the institutional racism that exists within baseball to perpetuate.

He was defending another guy from the Dominican roidhead. He might be a racist, I have no idea, but nothing he said IMO was racially charged.

He was talking down to a black ballplayer for not having what he thought was proper tact. It is fairly easy to say racially charged things without using slurs. His tirade's entire purpose was to put the uppity black ballplayer back in his place.

Royals Review has a pretty good piece making Roidhead's point.

The first quote of the article, the (only) one attributed to Zaun himself puts it pretty solidly in the veteran/young guy camp.  The rest seems to be trying pretty hard to straw man Zaun's comments into some overarching racially based narrative.

Nothing Zayn or any other employed broadcaster says is overtly racist. The point is we have a broadcaster dressing down a minority player and actually challenging him to meet up in person. Would any broadcaster do that to Smardjia or Lawrie? I think it's a fair question to raise.

Why add race when it isn't mentioned by the commentator? It's turned into a witch hunt.  This wasn't the Colin Cowherd situation by any stretch of the imagination.  Zaun's point is totally valid that Yordano hasn't earned the right to say those things to Bautista, he's young, struggling, should be in the minors, etc.  (I love the fire from Yordano but that's irrelevant) 

It's absurd that he challenged him to a fight but it wasn't racist.  More likely that Yordano gets challenged at 50-80 pounds less than Lawrie and Samardizja.

Again, why decide it must be racial, when there are more obvious reasons that were clearly stated in his rant?

[sys]

I thought maybe the tigers would come to play against us but damn they look like the walking dead out there.

that's what dick duffy do.

[sys]

great job with the goat-in-tree pic, cf3.

[Missouriscribe]

The Blue Jays are basically the Raiders of baseball and everyone knows it. Gregg Zaun is just a meathead. He would've ended up a small town cop if not for baseball, and I'm sure he's the type of Dad who tells his kids to not back down from fights and is probably a very road raged driver. I don't take his comments too seriously, and neither should anyone else. He hadn't crossed my mind in like 10 years. He was a forgettable average backup catcher. Who cares what he thinks?

As for the sign stealing, its already been weighed in on plenty, including analysis from our high level baseball insider WackyCat08. My take is this: Having some dude wave his arms to signal pitches from the stands, is unethical, and the Blue Jays know it. Its different than stealing signs from 2nd IMO. If they are doing that, then MLB should take action and punish/fine/suspend the manager.

/signstealing

the vast majority of us disagree with his sentiments, but allowing him to spout off his bullshit without reproach only reinforces that type of behavior and thought process for that small, but vocal and idiotic minority. Certainly, Yordano shouldn't have taken to social media to voice his displeasure with Bautista, but you know damn well that Zaun wouldn't have felt the need to say those sort of things on television about/to a white ballplayer. Not discussing this type of bullshit only allows the institutional racism that exists within baseball to perpetuate.

He was defending another guy from the Dominican roidhead. He might be a racist, I have no idea, but nothing he said IMO was racially charged.

He was talking down to a black ballplayer for not having what he thought was proper tact. It is fairly easy to say racially charged things without using slurs. His tirade's entire purpose was to put the uppity black ballplayer back in his place.

Royals Review has a pretty good piece making Roidhead's point.

The first quote of the article, the (only) one attributed to Zaun himself puts it pretty solidly in the veteran/young guy camp.  The rest seems to be trying pretty hard to straw man Zaun's comments into some overarching racially based narrative.

Nothing Zayn or any other employed broadcaster says is overtly racist. The point is we have a broadcaster dressing down a minority player and actually challenging him to meet up in person. Would any broadcaster do that to Smardjia or Lawrie? I think it's a fair question to raise.

Why add race when it isn't mentioned by the commentator? It's turned into a witch hunt.  This wasn't the Colin Cowherd situation by any stretch of the imagination.  Zaun's point is totally valid that Yordano hasn't earned the right to say those things to Bautista, he's young, struggling, should be in the minors, etc.  (I love the fire from Yordano but that's irrelevant) 

It's absurd that he challenged him to a fight but it wasn't racist.  More likely that Yordano gets challenged at 50-80 pounds less than Lawrie and Samardizja.

Again, why decide it must be racial, when there are more obvious reasons that were clearly stated in his rant?

I can't agree that race has to be brought up for an action to be racist. I believe Yordano is about as established as Josh Donaldson. Both young players popped off after the game, with ventures words being stronger than either Donaldson or Bautista, but Donaldson is  as young and hot tempered as Ventura. If any commentator said what Zaun did about a brash young white player, particularly "skinny a$$' and challenging them to come find him, I absolutely think the reaction would be different. Maybe that's racial or cultural, but it is over the top bull$hit that is an embarrassment to baseball. I'd be ashamed if he worked on my teams broadcasts.
You're right, the comments weren't direct racism like cowherds were.

[bones129]

Another pretty fine outing by Duff.

[WildcatNkilt]

I feel good about sweeping the series.

[420seriouscat69]

I might celebrate with a glass of wine tonight! Watch out, guys!

[bones129]

And the lead is now 9.5 games. Royal Life is good.

[WillieWatanabe]

i needed this win.

[kso_FAN]

i needed this win.

We all did.

[kso_FAN]

https://twitter.com/pimpino/status/628745257543294976

[Powercat Posse]

Posse stat of the night....

He gave up those 3 HRs in Toronto, but his other 5 starts since July began, Duffy ave statline is 6.2 a Innings, 1 ER, and 4.5 hits.  And We won all 5 of the starts.   Looking more like a very solid #3 guy to go along with Cueto/Volky


Just a nice easy game to watch.  Our bottom 3 guys had been in a funk.  They got 7 hits and 4 RBIs

[Cartierfor3]

Allow me to go out on a limb here:



I predict a Salvador Perez homerun, and at least 1 other hit tonight.

I kno rite?

great job with the goat-in-tree pic, cf3.

[TownieCat]

Very impressive, CF3. Good job.

[slobber]

It feels better waking up after a win.

[kso_FAN]

It feels better waking up after a win.

Yes it does.

Happy Cueto Day too!

[steve dave]

it feels like we've gone like 2-8 in our last 10 but really it's 6-4 

[slobber]

it feels like we've gone like 2-8 in our last 10 but really it's 6-4 

After our loss on Sunday, I checked our record post ASG because I was worried if was under .500.
(that really happened)


Gonna win 'em all!

[wetwillie]

It feels better waking up after a win.

Yes it does.

Happy Cueto Day too!

Wiggle wiggle wiggle!

[Belvis Noland]

will somebody compile our record against probable playoff teams.  I'm sure it's fine - but I feel like it's pretty meh   

[sys]

i'd like it if the royals hit the crap out of this minor leaguey canadian today.

[ksupamplemousse]

I'd like it if Sal continued to hit well today. That was a sight for sore eyes last night. He's been so miserable at the plate lately.

[420seriouscat69]

I'd really appreciate it if Cueto started pitching on days where I could watch him. 

[kso_FAN]

And the lead is now 9.5 games. Royal Life is good.

I'm finished worrying much about the Central, it's all about securing home field now. If the Central becomes a real race again, then we've fallen off a lot down the strength. I realize taking the playoffs for granted shouldn't happen after our first playoff appearance in 30 years, but it's clear that just making the playoffs again is not the goal for this season anymore.