The Royals

[kso_FAN]

https://twitter.com/McCulloughStar/status/656519221715726337

He also said that the bullpen mound was different than the field mound.

[AppleJack]

Cueto needs to shut up

[sys]

Oh boy.

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2015/10/20/9573947/video-johnny-cueto-looks-to-have-tried-to-knee-kevin-pillar-in-the

garbage pitcher and garbage human.

[SdK]

Why can't he just hit a batter with a fastball like a normal pitcher?

[mocat]

well that sort of changes my opinion of him

[slobber]

I believed until the 3rd inning was unfolding yesterday. Now, as I have stated, he does not belong on the WS roster. I would love for Ned to come out and say that right now.

[DQ12]

Oh boy.

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2015/10/20/9573947/video-johnny-cueto-looks-to-have-tried-to-knee-kevin-pillar-in-the

garbage pitcher and garbage human.

Meh.  I don't think it's a big deal.  Even the Jays fans in the comments don't seem to think he intended anything.

I believed until the 3rd inning was unfolding yesterday. Now, as I have stated, he does not belong on the WS roster. I would love for Ned to come out and say that right now.

He's definitely going to get another start.  And he should.  That said, yesterday was really really bad.

[sys]

And he should.

explain your rationale for stating that he should.  it is quite evident to me that he should not.  i'd like to hear any reason for giving him another start that's more sophisticated than: "that's what we got him for".

[Gooch]

Guys I'e got the nervous shits. It could also be from the cough drops I have been eating all morning.

[SdK]

Oh boy.

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2015/10/20/9573947/video-johnny-cueto-looks-to-have-tried-to-knee-kevin-pillar-in-the

garbage pitcher and garbage human.

Meh.  I don't think it's a big deal.  Even the Jays fans in the comments don't seem to think he intended anything.

I believed until the 3rd inning was unfolding yesterday. Now, as I have stated, he does not belong on the WS roster. I would love for Ned to come out and say that right now.

He's definitely going to get another start.  And he should.  That said, yesterday was really really bad.

I think it was more about him giving up a run and that guy was near him. Like get away from me. Not a malicious knee to rhe face intent. More like a shove after you get dunked on or a after you just gave up a td. It just looks worse and if he had actually kneed him in the face I'd support a suspension.

[DQ12]

And he should.

explain your rationale for stating that he should.  it is quite evident to me that he should not.  i'd like to hear any reason for giving him another start that's more sophisticated than: "that's what we got him for".

My rationale is that his first start was fine.  Not good.  Not bad. 

Second start was absolutely lights out.

Third start was a disaster.

He's neutral for me right now.  Not so bad that we shouldn't take another shot with him.  He's as Jekyll and Hyde-y a postseason starter as there's ever been, probably.  That said, unless we want to roll with a 3 man rotation the rest of the way, I'd take Cueto over Duf (but Cuetos leash should be very short disirregardlessly with Duff waiting in the wings).

Edit: Not duff (forgot about the roster) but someone should be warm at the first sign of trouble.

[Emo EMAW]

Cueto at home is fine.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I just think Medlen is better than Cueto. We don't need to put Cueto out there and cross our fingers like we did for Guthrie during the season. We should pitch our best pitchers.

[AppleJack]

I'm interested to see who signs Cueto and for what this winter. He's lost tens of millions.

[DQ12]

I just think Medlen is better than Cueto. We don't need to put Cueto out there and cross our fingers like we did for Guthrie during the season. We should pitch our best pitchers.

That's a good point.  Medlen may be the better option.  Cueto coming out of the bullpen might be interesting.

[lopakman]

I'm interested to see who signs Cueto and for what this winter. He's lost tens of millions.

Interesting read, and yes a lot has changed since this article came out.  Still some team desperate for pitching will overpay for him. 

http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/02/26/predicting-johnny-cuetos-next-contract/

[sys]

My rationale is that his first start was fine.  Not good.  Not bad. 

Second start was absolutely lights out.

Third start was a disaster.

He's neutral for me right now.  Not so bad that we shouldn't take another shot with him.  He's as Jekyll and Hyde-y a postseason starter as there's ever been, probably.  That said, unless we want to roll with a 3 man rotation the rest of the way, I'd take Cueto over Duf (but Cuetos leash should be very short disirregardlessly with Duff waiting in the wings).

Edit: Not duff (forgot about the roster) but someone should be warm at the first sign of trouble.

for this series, medlen would be the replacement for cueto in game 7.  in a world series, it would be medlen or young (one would be the 4th starter slated for 1 start, one would be the 3rd starter, slated for 2 starts).

duffy in on the roster, i'm not sure what you are driving at there.


i don't distinguish between postseason and regular season starts.  it's the same game.  he has been worse than mediocre for the past 100 innings.  he has had a few adequate starts and a few good starts scattered through those innings.  that is variance around a mean.  both the mean result and the magnitude of the variation around that mean have been worse than what medlen has done.  in a game 7, the royals can't afford to take the chance of the higher variance pitcher pitching especially poorly, and given that medlen also offers a better mean performance, there is no reason to assume that risk.

[Cartierfor3]

The best start I have seen by a Royals player since Zack Greinke was on the bump, was 7 days ago by Johnny Cueto, in a do or die winner take all game 5. He got behind in the game, and then didn't allow a baserunner. He was terrible yesterday, but to not gamble that he's capable of another one like ALDS 5 is stupid. Have a short leash, whatever, but to suggest he be left off the playoff roster (for who? Guthrie? Gomes? GMAFB) is idiotic.

[Gooch]

I'm interested to see who signs Cueto and for what this winter. He's lost tens of millions.

Interesting read, and yes a lot has changed since this article came out.  Still some team desperate for pitching will overpay for him. 

http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/02/26/predicting-johnny-cuetos-next-contract/

I'll take Yankees for a 100 mil Alex.

[420seriouscat69]

The best start I have seen by a Royals player since Zack Greinke was on the bump, was 7 days ago by Johnny Cueto, in a do or die winner take all game 5. He got behind in the game, and then didn't allow a baserunner. He was terrible yesterday, but to not gamble that he's capable of another one like ALDS 5 is stupid. Have a short leash, whatever, but to suggest he be left off the playoff roster (for who? Guthrie? Gomes? GMAFB) is idiotic.

Yup!

[Rage Against the McKee]

The best start I have seen by a Royals player since Zack Greinke was on the bump, was 7 days ago by Johnny Cueto, in a do or die winner take all game 5. He got behind in the game, and then didn't allow a baserunner. He was terrible yesterday, but to not gamble that he's capable of another one like ALDS 5 is stupid. Have a short leash, whatever, but to suggest he be left off the playoff roster (for who? Guthrie? Gomes? GMAFB) is idiotic.

If you have a short leash, you pull Cueto in the second inning of game 5. It's stupid to have him on the mound in the first place. We have better pitchers.

[Skipper44]

My rationale is that his first start was fine.  Not good.  Not bad. 

Second start was absolutely lights out.

Third start was a disaster.

He's neutral for me right now.  Not so bad that we shouldn't take another shot with him.  He's as Jekyll and Hyde-y a postseason starter as there's ever been, probably.  That said, unless we want to roll with a 3 man rotation the rest of the way, I'd take Cueto over Duf (but Cuetos leash should be very short disirregardlessly with Duff waiting in the wings).

Edit: Not duff (forgot about the roster) but someone should be warm at the first sign of trouble.

for this series, medlen would be the replacement for cueto in game 7.  in a world series, it would be medlen or young (one would be the 4th starter slated for 1 start, one would be the 3rd starter, slated for 2 starts).

duffy in on the roster, i'm not sure what you are driving at there.


i don't distinguish between postseason and regular season starts.  it's the same game.  he has been worse than mediocre for the past 100 innings.  he has had a few adequate starts and a few good starts scattered through those innings.  that is variance around a mean.  both the mean result and the magnitude of the variation around that mean have been worse than what medlen has done.  in a game 7, the royals can't afford to take the chance of the higher variance pitcher pitching especially poorly, and given that medlen also offers a better mean performance, there is no reason to assume that risk.

really?

[slobber]

Every year, some average pitcher throws a no-hitter. Awesome pitchers don't need to throw no-hitters, but they need to have consistency above the mean and be able to have a few lights out performances. Cueto is not even close to it. He has had one really good game and one great game since he has been a Royal. Duffy is better. J-Guts is probably more consistent.

[kso_FAN]

The best start I have seen by a Royals player since Zack Greinke was on the bump, was 7 days ago by Johnny Cueto, in a do or die winner take all game 5. He got behind in the game, and then didn't allow a baserunner. He was terrible yesterday, but to not gamble that he's capable of another one like ALDS 5 is stupid. Have a short leash, whatever, but to suggest he be left off the playoff roster (for who? Guthrie? Gomes? GMAFB) is idiotic.

Yeah, he was fantastic last Wednesday. You still throw him in game 7 because you can always yank him and use your other options in a do or die game. I have no doubt that Ned would have last week and will this time if necessary, yesterday's situation simply didn't have the urgency to do so, though I would've liked to see him pulled once Toronto had 6 on the board. In a game 7 if he gives up 2-3 runs and a baserunner he'll be done.

[420seriouscat69]

The best start I have seen by a Royals player since Zack Greinke was on the bump, was 7 days ago by Johnny Cueto, in a do or die winner take all game 5. He got behind in the game, and then didn't allow a baserunner. He was terrible yesterday, but to not gamble that he's capable of another one like ALDS 5 is stupid. Have a short leash, whatever, but to suggest he be left off the playoff roster (for who? Guthrie? Gomes? GMAFB) is idiotic.

If you have a short leash, you pull Cueto in the second inning of game 5. It's stupid to have him on the mound in the first place. We have better pitchers.

History/stats prove otherwise. He's had the lowest ERA in the past 5 years vs. like the rest of the league. Yes, I understand his recent trend, but you can't ignore last Wednesdays performance, because of yesterday.