The Royals

[bones129]

Let's get well against Cleveland. Time to get back on track.

[bones129]

Johnny and Ned talk Johnny. I'm not terribly optimistic.

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/149172302/ned-yost-not-worried-about-johnny-cueto

[Canary]

I guess I am glad I haven't watched the last couple games.  Probably won't for awhile.  Was it as bad yesterday as reported?

[Rage Against the McKee]

I still think it's more likely than not that Cueto will start throwing well again by October.

[slobber]

I still think it's more likely than not that Cueto will start throwing well again by October.

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[Yard Dog]

A few days late but I had a busy weekend.

Gordo's ball in right field at Camden Yards:



Panoramic from my seats:



Our guys looked pretty good and I got a lot of gloating in. I even talked about the Royals 88% win rate win they are leading after the third. . . .then the eighth inning happened. I've never seen two grand slams in one inning before, so there's that.

Chris Davis is a little crybaby though. No way he got hit on purpose but he had to cry and break his bat. I was the only person around me that thought that hitting that batter wasn't on purpose.

[AppleJack]

I told myself at the beginning of the year that I would be satisfied with a division title.

[ksupamplemousse]

It's obvious to me at this point that Cueto was the catalyst for Ventura's turnaround. Sorry for my outburst the other day. You guys were totes right about the whole thing.

[kso_FAN]

I told myself at the beginning of the year that I would be satisfied with a division title.

Yeah, we definitely have been spoiled this year.

20 to go and a 10 game lead for the division. That's pretty good.

Also, hopeful for 95 wins now (hoping for 100 was fun though). Seems like we can still do that, which is also very good.

[mocat]

It's obvious to me at this point that Cueto was the catalyst for Ventura's turnaround. Sorry for my outburst the other day. You guys were totes right about the whole thing.

yeah i can't believe people disagreed with you on such a clear cut black and white issue with loads of concrete evidence in your favor

[mocat]

but now that Cueto has been released by the Royals and Ventura has fallen apart again it must feel really good to be validated

[Yard Dog]

http://www.kmaland.com/sports/martin-daily-blog-monday-september-th/article_c51911a2-5ae5-11e5-b5de-7f4dedab817a.html

A lot of people are mad at Cueto. If you take a look at Kansas City Royals Facebook and Twitter you might think these were St. Louis Cardinal fans. I’m not mad at Cueto. I’m just sad. And lost. This isn’t how it was supposed to go down. He was supposed to spearhead a revamped rotation to 100 wins. That’s not going to happen now. However, the Royals didn’t trade for Johnny Cueto to pitch well in September.

Cueto is in a Kansas City Royals uniform to win this team, this city, this franchise a championship. Just as quickly as everything turned sour, it can turn right back to sweet. Sure, he’s been bad more than he’s been good, but it’s only September. And if it turns sweet, if Cueto regains his form in time for the playoffs, nobody is going to give a rat’s patoot about what he did during this five-start stretch. I’m just not predicting that will happen any longer.

[ksupamplemousse]

but now that Cueto has been released by the Royals and Ventura has fallen apart again it must feel really good to be validated

Just pointing out that Cueto maybe isn't the greatest at pulling out of a slump. I think he'll get it together pretty soon though. Also, loving Ventura's recent string of starts. It's a good thing anytime your fourth best starter starts playing like your #1 best starter.

[TownieCat]

but now that Cueto has been released by the Royals and Ventura has fallen apart again it must feel really good to be validated

I Googled to see if this actually happened because releasing Cueto based on the past 3 weeks wouldn't be that outrageous. I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that.

[AppleJack]

I envious of those that are optimist, I was not blessed with that gift. I also enjoy that the Royals have made me look like an idiot several times the last 2 years. I really really hope they turn it around but my expectations have gone from WS to maybe winning the ALDS.

I'm just talking myself into being ok with just winning the division. It's a defense mechanism.

[mocat]

if they don't win a playoff series i will be v. sad, but not mad at the royals. they have been the best team in the AL start to finish, and also made all the right moves for October. playoffs are random, nothing you can do about it if they lose to the astros or whatever.

[mocat]

Q: how does Alcides have a positive OWAR? i think OWAR way overvalues steals

war almost certainly undervalues steals.

sorry, just saw this. i don't agree.

let's compare Orlando and Dyson

Orlando: 216 ABs, .250/.272/.444, 12 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 5 BB, 43 SO, 3 SB, .717 OPS = 0.2 OWAR
Dyson: 179 ABs, .257/.321/.391, 6 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 13 BB, 34 SO, 25 SB, .712 OPS = 1.1 OWAR

there is one glaring difference there imo

[sys]

the only thing that scares me is that the royals might watch him struggle all the way through the end of the season and still roll him out for the playoffs.  maybe not first, but still in the rotation.  if he gets fixed, then great start him first or wherever.  or if he just keeps sucking, then fine, i'm happy to live or die with chris young.

i just don't want to roll into the playoffs with a guy that hasn't pitched well in fourty days and the royals pretending it's not a thing.

[sys]

sorry, just saw this. i don't agree.

let's compare Orlando and Dyson

Orlando: 216 ABs, .250/.272/.444, 12 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 5 BB, 43 SO, 3 SB, .717 OPS = 0.2 OWAR
Dyson: 179 ABs, .257/.321/.391, 6 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 13 BB, 34 SO, 25 SB, .712 OPS = 1.1 OWAR

there is one glaring difference there imo

25 vs 3 steals is a hell of a difference.  what reason do you have to think that 22 steals isn't worth 0.9 wins?  i think it's worth more.


also do you know how many of dyson's numbers are at cf, rather than a corner of position?  that could also account for some of the difference.

[star seed 7]

Maybe cueto would make a good long reliever

[kso_FAN]

if they don't win a playoff series i will be v. sad, but not mad at the royals. they have been the best team in the AL start to finish, and also made all the right moves for October. playoffs are random, nothing you can do about it if they lose to the astros or whatever.

This is where I'm at. If we lose the first round, I'll buy about 4 Central Division shirts and wear them all the time. Winning a division, especially winning it by August like we did, is a significant accomplishment. But probably not as fun as winning in the playoffs and making a run in October.

[star seed 7]

The umps will be in our pocket in October, the league desperately needs our ratings

[TownieCat]

maybe we're last year's giants.

we're not last year's anything.

The Giants had a 3-8 stretch in mid-September last year but yeah its very rare for a WS champ to be stumbling towards the finish line like this.

[sys]

its very rare for a WS champ to be stumbling towards the finish line like this.

not so rare.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9617

[Rage Against the McKee]

sorry, just saw this. i don't agree.

let's compare Orlando and Dyson

Orlando: 216 ABs, .250/.272/.444, 12 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 5 BB, 43 SO, 3 SB, .717 OPS = 0.2 OWAR
Dyson: 179 ABs, .257/.321/.391, 6 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 13 BB, 34 SO, 25 SB, .712 OPS = 1.1 OWAR

there is one glaring difference there imo

25 vs 3 steals is a hell of a difference.  what reason do you have to think that 22 steals isn't worth 0.9 wins?  i think it's worth more.


also do you know how many of dyson's numbers are at cf, rather than a corner of position?  that could also account for some of the difference.

That's not to mention Dyson's higher OBP. He's 18% more likely to get on base than Orlando, and he's good at turning walks into doubles by stealing. Dyson has gotten himself on base 3 more times than Orlando and has been at the plate 26 less times.