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The margin for error just got a whole lot slimmer.
02.14.05 (5:55 pm)   [edit]
I've preached to the Royals faithful about being patient and waiting for the fruits of the last 3 drafts to hit the majors. I believed that the makings of a contender would be in place by 2007. The formula for contending in 2007 and 2008 just got a little more complicated.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news" title="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news" target="_blank"http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/n...;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9 TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0aA-- ?slug=ap-twins-santana&pr ov=ap&type=lgns

Yeah, the Twins resigned Santana for 4 years and 40 million dollars in a move that can only be construed as brilliant and fiscally responsible. The Royals have to up the ante now. The steps Allard Baird has taken to improve the team must be accelerated. This move by Minnesota represents throwing down the Gauntlet to the rest of the Central. The royals must step up their efforts. Moving Mike Sweeney, playing Cal Pickering, and dumping Ken Harvey. The team needs to get moving and it needs to begin positioning itself to compete in the future.
 
Someone finally said it..
02.14.05 (9:18 am)   [edit]
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/kc/news/kc _news.jsp?ymd=20050211&content_ id=942162&vkey=news_kc&fe xt=.jsp

This is the first time I've seen Baird quoted as saying its between Pickering & Harvey. If they use any modern baseball metric then Pickering should be our regular DH whenever Sweeney can play 1B. Harvey batting cleanup? Puke. The best thing that could happen to the royals is for Harvey to run into that tarp roll again and break a leg. Sorry, that's not nice.

In unrelated news, I picked up MVP Baseball 2004 yesterday for 17 bucks. I wanted to play the franchise mode. Unfortunately it was far from challenging. I traded for Austin Kearns and signed Il Duce for peanuts. The royals won 100 games my first season. This was the part of the game I wanted to be difficult. The part of the game I wanted to be easy, hitting, sucks and I hate the pure-swing system. Anyways I figure at some point I should go buy Diamond Mind Baseball if I want a realistic simulator.

Random Note: Why hasn't Ryan Church been given an OF job in the majors?

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profiles/CH/tbc4897.asp" title="http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profiles/CH/tbc4897.asp" target="_blank"http://www.thebaseballcube.co...

Explain to me how a guy can post an .892 OPS in AAA in his first year in the minors and still be out of a major league job at age 26? He has been resigned by the Nationals but I'd trade for this guy in a heartbeat. He goes on the list.

[b]The List[/b]

Players who should be Royals under the possession of other teams that could be acquired for nothing.
1. OF Jonny Gomes - Devil Rays
2. OF Ryan Church - Nationals
3. OF Termel Sledge - Nationals
4. OF Ben Grieve - Pirates
5. OF Chin Feng Chen - Dodgers
6. OF Michael Restovich - Twins
7. 3B Brandon Larson - Devil Rays
8. C Ramon Castro - Mets
9. RP Colter Bean - Yankees
10. SP Brandon Claussen - Reds
11. SP Aaron Heilman - Mets
12. RP Kelly Wunsch - Dodgers

Most of these guys passed us on waivers and the rest are signed to minor league contracts/AAA players.

New lineup..
LF- Jonny Gomes
CF- Dejesus
RF- Ryan Church
4th OF- Eli Marrero
3B- Larson
SS- Berroa
2B- Graffanino
1B- Sweeney
DH- Pickering
Utility- Clapinski
C - Buck
Backup - Castro
Bench- Terrence Long, Matt Stairs

Bean & Wunsch could post sub 3.00 ERA's in the pen while Claussen & Heilman would give us some available arms at AAA
 
Players to watch in 05'
02.07.05 (11:26 am)   [edit]

Every season I make a few insane projections about certain players in the organization and abroad.  Last season I took some flak for declaring that Loaiza would turn back into a pumpkin.  Low and behold I was more than correct.


Minor leaguers to watch for the Royals


1. Shane Costa- I haven't been on high as Costa as I probably should have been but after posting a better than it looks season at Wilmington he should go through the Gotay rebirth at Wichita this season.


2. Mike Aviles- Watch out for the Texas League player of the year.  You heard it here first.  He's gonna post a .900 OPS while manning SS for the Wranglers this season.


3. J.P. Howell- Expect him to be in Wichita by mid-season.


4. Ambriorix Burgos- My biggest gamble considering the ballpark switch at Hi-A from pitcher friendly Wilmington to High Desert. Regardless, expect him to post another 11+ K/9 season with a decreased ERA and dropping hit rate.


5. Chris Lubanski- He won't break out but he'll have a much nicer season away from Burlington.  Expect 15 homeruns from the kid at High Desert.


6. Donald Murphy- Another Wilmington refugee, he'll be the best player at Omaha(if Pickering is gone) by the end of the season.


Pumpkins:(Players who will implode this season)


1. Jaret Wright: No Mazzone.. Esteban Loaiza II, welcome to N.Y.


2. Barry Zito: Not so much an implosion I just don't see it anymore.  The league just lays off his curve and waits for his fastball. His failure will be covered up by the breakout of the 10 other young promising arms flooding the Oakland rotation.


3. The free agent signings of the San Francisco Giants.. All of them.. I hate them all.


4. Kris Benson: More because I hope he implodes than that he actually will, Shea will help him out.


5. Jeromy Burnitz: Coors Field to Wrigley Field.. yep


6. Nomar Garciaparra: Not due to actual performance.  He'll spend more games than necessary on the bench so that monster Dusty Baker can play Neifi Perez.