I stand by my argument in the other Pickering thread- he's not a special player, never has been. He's a big guy who can hit for some streaky power but can't play any position. KC is not a deep enough team to support a one-dimensional (DH only) player, and neither was Baltimore when he came up in their system. Just over half a season at 120 OPS+ is great if: it's all in the same season and you're on the right side of 27. Not US-27, the age of 27. Granted, he will likely go down to AAA and beat the crap out the ball. Vive la difference!!

It's time for the Matt Diaz Game!

a) Where will Tony Pena put Matt Diaz for his at-bats?
b) Who will get playing time in the corners instead of Matt Diaz?
c) When will Diaz get demoted in order to bring back Ken Harvey?

My guesses

a) 9th (almost anybody who comes up from AAA goes to the "Death Valley" of the Royals lineup)
b) Eli Marrero and Emil Brown (Veteran skills!}
c) June 9th

You'd think Cal would be safe, hidden amongst the rest of the sub .300 OBP's on the Royals.

I stand by my argument in the other Pickering thread- he's not a special player, never has been. He's a big guy who can hit for some streaky power but can't play any position. KC is not a deep enough team to support a one-dimensional (DH only) player, and neither was Baltimore when he came up in their system. Just over half a season at 120 OPS+ is great if: it's all in the same season and you're on the right side of 27. Not US-27, the age of 27. Granted, he will likely go down to AAA and beat the crap out the ball. Vive la difference!!

I agree. All the Pickering craziness in the offseason was baffling. His PECOTA was ridiculous.

He can still be a adequate offensive player, but I don't think he'll ever hit much more than 0.250 and it's tough to be special when you're hitting 0.250 as a DH. Frank Thomas he is not.

His PECOTA was ridiculous, but other than that, who was really raving about Pickering. The posts I noticed on this site were "if your other option is Ken Harvey ..." Even if he ends up 250/350/450, that's still a step ahead of Harvey.

KC is not a deep enough team to support a one-dimensional (DH only) player, and neither was Baltimore when he came up in their system.

I have absolutely no idea what this means. DHs are supposed to be one-dimensional. If the Royals aren't a "deep" team, then there's no need to find playing time for a prospect at DH because you've got no other way to get him in the lineup. A team like the Royals, a team finding playing time for the no-dimensional Emil Brown, the guaranteed sub-mediocrity of Terrence Long and Eli Marrerro, and the super-suckitude of Joe McEwing, is the perfect team to put somebody like Pickering in as platoon DH and hope he does something. You could also say the same thing about Diaz and Harvey.

God what an awful team. They better have a lot of talent on the way.

A team like the Royals, a team finding playing time for the no-dimensional Emil Brown, the guaranteed sub-mediocrity of Terrence Long and Eli Marrerro, and the super-suckitude of Joe McEwing, is the perfect team to put somebody like Pickering in as platoon DH and hope he does something.

I agree with everything else, but I'm obliged to point out that, despite his awful start, Eli Marrero is a lot better than "sub-mediocre." The guy had a 129 OPS+ last year, and was a very good bench player in 2002 as well. (2003 he sucked, but he was hurt most of the year.)

His PECOTA was ridiculous, but other than that, who was really raving about Pickering. The posts I noticed on this site were "if your other option is Ken Harvey ..." Even if he ends up 250/350/450, that's still a step ahead of Harvey.


That's true, but it looks like Stairs is taking his ABs, not Harvey. So, in this case, I have no issues with the demotion.

File this under "taking away Pena's favorites"

Nate Field goes to Omaha
Ambrioix Burgos goes from Wichita to KC