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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Posnanski: Depressing Royals story of the Day

I just thought this tidbit was too funny/amazing to not share:

Here’s the thing: Last year, there were seven players in baseball who qualified for the batting title with OPS+ of 80 or less. You got that number in mind? Seven.

– Two of those players — Yuniesky Betancourt and Jason Kendall — have been locked up by the Royals.

– Jose Guillen had an OPS+ of 80, but did not get enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title — he and his $13 million contract will be in the everyday lineup as either a DH or (gasp) a right fielder.

– Chris Getz, who had an OPS+ of 74 in 415 plate appearances (not enough to qualify) was acquired by the Royals and figures to be in the everyday lineup at second base.

– And now, Brian N. Anderson, with his career 69 OPS+ is the leading candidate to be the Opening Day centerfielder.

If you click through, make sure to check out Joe’s article on NeL Strat-o-matic, which was linked earlier by Repoz.

Morally Excellent Posted: December 24, 2009 at 08:28 AM | 22 comment(s) | Bookmark
Related News: Kansas City

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1. RMc's grumbling has gone far enough Posted: December 24, 2009 at 01:03 PM (#3421522)

Depressing Royals story of the Day

Just one? Things are lookin' up!

2. adenzeno Posted: December 24, 2009 at 01:15 PM (#3421524)

This means you pick whomever is pitching against KC thta day in Fantasy Baseball

3. ekogan Posted: December 24, 2009 at 01:44 PM (#3421528)

Players who can't hit are the new market inefficiency.

4. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 02:03 PM (#3421534)

Maybe this means the A's make another run at Callaspo to play 3rd base? Ryan Sweeney for Callaspo or something? As little as I think of Dayton Moore, I can't believe he'll go with Brian Anderson as the starting CFer.

5. SugarBear Blanks

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 02:33 PM (#3421548)

Yuniesky Betancourt is the worst defensive SS in the major leagues by customary measure, and the Royals were first in the AL in Manufactured Runs Allowed and last in the AL in Manufactured Runs Scored.

So at least they're doing the little things right, which is nice.

6. Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo)

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 02:59 PM (#3421564)

Seeing a Chad Krueter mention in another thread (being sued by CHoPark), reminded me that Krueter was on the Royals in 1999 while I lived out there. CK put up a solid 60 OPS+ as the mostly full time catcher. The sad thing is that lineup black holes have been regular occurrance in KC for the last 15 years. It does seem like there something approaching a singularity for 2010 though.

7. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: December 24, 2009 at 03:13 PM (#3421579)

Just one? Things are lookin' up!

It's still early.

8. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: December 24, 2009 at 05:56 PM (#3421753)

The sad thing is that lineup black holes have been regular occurrance in KC for the last 15 years. It does seem like there something approaching a singularity for 2010 though.

I attended a game in 2002 against Roger Clemens and the Yankees. The Royals lineup included Chuck Knoblauch, Neifi Perez, Luis Ordaz, Brent Mayne and Aaron Guiel. I didn't even pay for the tickets and I felt ripped off.

9. Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo)

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:07 PM (#3421767)

At least Neifi was in his prime!

10. JPWF13

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:24 PM (#3421782)

At least Neifi was in his prime!

I have Neifi's 2002 season as the least valuable year (offensively) of the whole decade
in fact you have to go back to George Wright in 1985 and Ted Simmons in 1984 to find worse ones, so yes, the Neifinator was in his "prime"

(Wright hit a stunning .190/.241/.242 in 393 PAs for an OPS+ of 33- as an outfielder)
(Simmons .221/.269/.300 in 500+ PAs as a 1B/DH)

Of course the least valuable offensive season ever was by the immortal Bill Bergen, who hit .139/.156/.156 in 1909, yes it was the deadball era, and yes he was a catcher, but that was 372 PAS and an OPS+ of 1
The median Starting pitcher hit .138/.242/.149 that year

11. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:27 PM (#3421788)

My favorite one of these is Bob Buhl, he of the 0-for-1962 notoriety.

12. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:28 PM (#3421789)

I attended a game in 2002 against Roger Clemens and the Yankees. The Royals lineup included Chuck Knoblauch, Neifi Perez, Luis Ordaz, Brent Mayne and Aaron Guiel. I didn't even pay for the tickets and I felt ripped off.

That lineup scored five runs and had 15 baserunners in five innings against Clemens.

13. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:29 PM (#3421791)

Of course the least valuable offensive season ever was by the immortal Bill Bergen, who hit .139/.156/.156 in 1909, yes it was the deadball era, and yes he was a catcher, but that was 372 PAS and an OPS+ of 1 The median Starting pitcher hit .138/.242/.149 that year

The best thing about Bergen's season is that it's not an outlier.

1910 161/180/177 OPS+ 6, 1911 132/183/154 OPS+ -4

Career line 170/194/201 OPS+ 21 in 3328(!) PAs

His manager(s) must have been real morons.

14. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:40 PM (#3421803)

Josh Fields going to get any PAs?
Last year:
268PAs OPS+=68

15. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:42 PM (#3421805)

That lineup scored five runs and had 15 baserunners in five innings against Clemens.

That's very true. The core of that lineup wasn't bad: Beltran, Sweeney, Ibanez, Randa. Beltran was 0-fer that night, but you can do worse than that foursome in 2002.

Still, you can't tell me that if you go to a game and see Knoblauch-Neifi 1-2 that you don't die a little inside.

16. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: December 24, 2009 at 06:44 PM (#3421807)

cheer up joe

after all it COULD be worse. you could be an astros fan....

17. SugarBear Blanks

Posted: December 24, 2009 at 07:01 PM (#3421820)

Josh Fields going to get any PAs?
Last year:
268PAs OPS+=68

And even though he's averaged only 250PAs a year from 07-09, he's managed to be the third-worst 3B in MLB in defensive plus-minus and runs saved.

Now that's a ballplayer.

18. jwb Posted: December 24, 2009 at 08:47 PM (#3421879)

Josh Fields? No, he really doesn't.

19. The elusive Robert Denby Posted: December 25, 2009 at 04:19 AM (#3422009)

Still, you can't tell me that if you go to a game and see Knoblauch-Neifi 1-2 that you don't die a little inside.

I sat a row in front of Bill James at this game. Very nice guy. He was amused that the Royals were carrying both Denny Hocking and Joe McEwing.

I still remember the sense of despair I felt at the sight of Hocking and McEwing making up the right side of the infield, even if for only two innings. Oh, and Terrence Long was on that team, too. I guess some things don't change that much.

20. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: December 25, 2009 at 04:29 AM (#3422011)

Josh Fields going to get any PAs?
Last year:
268PAs OPS+=68

And sadly, Josh Fields is the hitter I'm probably most optimistic about.

21. Morally Excellent Posted: December 25, 2009 at 05:59 AM (#3422031)

I guess some things don't change that much.

...

Tigers Rondell White left the game due
to an injured neck/shoulder, hurt diving for IPHR

Nope...

22. The elusive Robert Denby Posted: December 25, 2009 at 10:43 AM (#3422042)

Tigers Rondell White left the game due
to an injured neck/shoulder, hurt diving for IPHR

Nope...

That was one of the worst looking "dives" I've seen. It wasn't a matter of whether he would get up. It was more a matter of whether they would have to bring a separate cart out on the field to pick up his arm.

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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Posnanski: Depressing Royals story of the Day

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