A.L. Central Discussion 2016

[Fountain City Blues]

Dillon Gee lives...

 

[Good_Code]

I'm liking this Gee and Duffy shake up in the rotation. Not only are they both capable 4-5 starters but this team needed more shake up than they got in the offseason IMO. Trying to keep the World Champion just as it was sounds good but obviously wasn't working. Dyson and Orlando are trying to outdo each other in right. The have brought up some capable infielders to avoid complacency. Young and Medlen just had too many question marks. I'm not sure what they intend to do with Young and Medlen later when they get healthy. I say they send them to AAA and bring them up from time to time for spot duty. Its tough competing for a spot in the bigs. Also I have heard some people talk trash on Gee for past seasons but he looks good to me. Also call up Scott Alexander is a good addition. I am beaming with confidence all of the sudden. Partly because the timely hitting is coming back and the Bullpen is becoming a key part of their game again.

 

[Nosferatu]

Not sure I can compete with the monty python shit fest but I was walking home at like 3am from a party back in like 1994, had white shorts on and I thought I could hold the shit until I got home, I was wrong, shit all over myself in the middle of the street, stood there took my shorts and boxers off, wiped my ass as best as I could with the boxers and threw them in the woods and walked home the rest of the way with shit all over my legs, might not have been so bad had it been a solid turd but of course it was like thick chocolate milk, drove back the next morning with a bag to get the boxers, too many people knew what kinda boxers I wore, couldn't chance someone stumbling upon them. At least I got to wear my new white shorts once...

 

[Good_Code]

I was swimming at Miami beach and I went pretty deep and let go of a log, thinking nobody will ever know. Then friends saw something and got curious and swam out to see what was floating. Thinking it was a stick, one of them picked it up and screamed "Its Poop!". I was so proud.

 

[Iffster]

If Doug says JV is HOF....who are we to doubt him. It's not like he is a biased homer or anything.

 

[Good_Code]

The story of Justin Verlander is yet to be told. He spent enough years at HOF quality, he should get it, unless the rest of his career is just dismal.

 

[bksballer89]

So it's been confirmed that the Sox were a fluke. Losers in 8 of their last 10. Only 2 games they won were Sale starts. Seems like just the other day the Royals were 7 out. Now they're 2.5 back

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Cleveland, this 9-0 beatdown withstanding, looks pretty solid, just saying...

Still think Cleveland wins this division. The Royals need to consider calling up a couple of their more legitimate prospects in Dozier and Bonifacio (yes, not top 100 guys now but they're not exactly org filler either) if RF and DH continue to be disasters in the next few weeks, today withstanding. The playoffs are still very much a possibility, but they better be willing to move dead weight or else. If Duffy holds this velocity as he gets stretched out more, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Good_Code]

The WS scored a whole 2 runs in 2 games at home against KC. I'm feeling a big shift coming on in this division. KC is back to timely hitting and let that winning bullpen take over games. Right at the moment they look just like the last couple of years. I feel a division victory coming on, and I think the Royals will be the first to beat Sale next week. If we don't win the Divsion, a WC is definitely in the cards.

 

[Good_Code]

Cleveland, this 9-0 beatdown withstanding, looks pretty solid, just saying...

Still think Cleveland wins this division. The Royals need to consider calling up a couple of their more legitimate prospects in Dozier and Bonifacio (yes, not top 100 guys now but they're not exactly org filler either) if RF and DH continue to be disasters in the next few weeks, today withstanding. The playoffs are still very much a possibility, but they better be willing to move dead weight or else. If Duffy holds this velocity as he gets stretched out more, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Right field has been very effective. Palo Orlando is batting .357 and Dyson just got 2 hits today and he's made some phenomenal defensive plays. Now if the Royals don't win this division, I feel comfortable predicting that Detroit will definitely not be the ones to do it. Granted they score a lot of runs but they are the anti-Royals, they are not a sharp team, not good on the basepaths or defense of bullpen. Just every other game they score 6 runs. I am much more concerned about Cleveland and Chicago.

 

[Good_Code]

Right field has been very effective. Palo Orlando is batting .357 and Dyson just got 3 hits today and he's made some phenomenal defensive plays. Now if the Royals don't win this division, I feel comfortable predicting that Detroit will definitely not be the ones to do it. Granted they score a lot of runs but they are the anti-Royals, they are not a sharp team, not good on the basepaths or defense of bullpen. Just every other game they score 6 runs. I am much more concerned about Cleveland and Chicago.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Right field has been very effective. Palo Orlando is batting .357 and Dyson just got 2 hits today and he's made some phenomenal defensive plays.

Well, with the recent surge from RF, it definitely wasn't nearly as bad as it was and RF is actually average in fWAR now. However, Orlando has a .476 BA on balls in play (his brief career mark is 326) which is problematic going forward. On the flip side, I suppose you can say Dyson won't be as bad as he has been prior to today either. At the same time. I can probably concede that RF is probably acceptable when factoring in defense and baserunning.

However, the DH (57 wRC+) and 2B (59 wRC+) situation are increasingly looking like albatrosses again. Cuthbert likely gets some time at 2nd. Maybe Dozier too for that matter in Omaha. The Royals can't carry 2-3 guys hitting like Tony Peńa Jr every night in an AL lineup and expect to win. Something needs to give or the team is in trouble.

 

[Good_Code]

K

Well, with the recent surge from RF, it definitely wasn't nearly as bad as it was and RF is actually average in fWAR now. However, Orlando has a .476 BA on balls in play (his brief career mark is 326) which is problematic going forward. On the flip side, I suppose you can say Dyson won't be as bad as he has been prior to today either. At the same time. I can probably concede that RF is probably acceptable when factoring in defense and baserunning.

However, the DH (57 wRC+) and 2B (59 wRC+) situation are increasingly looking like albatrosses again. Cuthbert likely gets some time at 2nd. Maybe Dozier too for that matter in Omaha. The Royals can't carry 2-3 guys hitting like Tony Peńa Jr every night in an AL lineup and expect to win. Something needs to give or the team is in trouble.

KC values defense more than any other team. For one reason it makes the pitchers better and lowers their ERA. Infante doesn't cut it as a hitter and neither does Escobar some of the time, but how many teams out there are willing to concede a little offense for impeccable defense. It keeps them in games and helps the pitchers and gives them a chance every night. Even Gordon can't hit anything this year, but he's a 4 time gold glove winner. And of course Morales is just in a slump, he will come out of it.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

K

KC values defense more than any other team. For one reason it makes the pitchers better and lowers their ERA. Infante doesn't cut it as a hitter and neither does Escobar some of the time, but how many teams out there are willing to concede a little offense for impeccable defense. It keeps them in games and helps the pitchers and gives them a chance every night. Even Gordon can't hit anything this year, but he's a 4 time gold glove winner. And of course Morales is just in a slump, he will come out of it.

While you're right that defense does matter, I omit Escobar and Gordon with good reason, I don't think Infante's defense is worth all that much at this point. You may be right about Morales, but it's also possible Morales' numbers will stay, as they are now, very close to what 2014's numbers were. He's 34, so I don't think it's out of the question to say Morales' skills (at least from the left side of the plate) are or have been deteriorating. I am willing to give the guy another month, but his play has been a big reason the Royals aren't leading the division right now. It's a fair question to ask if he should be replaced and/or benched with Dozier and Bonifacio's performance in the minors up to this point. Ditto goes for Omar with his offense and mediocre defense.

 

[dougplayer]

You guys writeing novels?????? Geeezzz
Tig er s win! Kid pitcher fulmer shines! Shines I say.
Tigers flex guns and hit 3 HRs

 

[dougplayer]

Watching sharks vs blues
Sharks are so happy red wings in east now. Don't have to face them in play offs any more.

 

[dougplayer]

Hear that??????? Cough cough...
That's sharks coughing up the puck!
Sharks still have a few dirty rats on the team....we remember them in detriot.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Watching sharks vs blues
Sharks are so happy red wings in east now. Don't have to face them in play offs any more.

Yeah, the Wings are just so scary...

 

[Good_Code]

While you're right that defense does matter, I omit Escobar and Gordon with good reason, I don't think Infante's defense is worth all that much at this point. You may be right about Morales, but it's also possible Morales' numbers will stay, as they are now, very close to what 2014's numbers were. He's 34, so I don't think it's out of the question to say Morales' skills (at least from the left side of the plate) are or have been deteriorating. I am willing to give the guy another month, but his play has been a big reason the Royals aren't leading the division right now. It's a fair question to ask if he should be replaced and/or benched with Dozier and Bonifacio's performance in the minors up to this point. Ditto goes for Omar with his offense and mediocre defense.

Maybe Morales can platoon only only against lefties so he can't hit on the right side where he has all of his homers and he's batting over .300. He's like .150 from the left. It makes sense to me. But I still find it hard to give up on a guy that hit just a tick under .300 last year along with 22 HRs. How does a guy like that just drop off the face of the earth. Also Infante really is an excellent defensive player even though nobody talks about it. He almost never makes mistakes, has good range, and makes a great double play partner with Esky. I think this team just needs to continue with the timely hitting. Detroit may score more runs overall, but many of those are in blowouts. Just today, Cain's timely hitting won a close game for us. That's what its all about

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Maybe Morales can platoon only only against lefties so he can't hit on the right side where he has all of his homers and he's batting over .300. He's like .150 from the left. It makes sense to me. But I still find it hard to give up on a guy that hit just a tick under .300 last year along with 22 HRs. How does a guy like that just drop off the face of the earth. Also Infante really is an excellent defensive player even though nobody talks about it. He almost never makes mistakes, has good range, and makes a great double play partner with Esky. I think this team just needs to continue with the timely hitting. Detroit may score more runs overall, but many of those are in blowouts. Just today, Cain's timely hitting won a close game for us. That's what its all about

I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree about Omar's defense. Even if he is a great defender, it's not going to nearly be good enough to outweigh his offense, arguably the worst of any everyday 2B. We're still talking about a replacement value, or worse, player. An AAAA player in Whit Merrifield even is getting looks and can fill really any position minus catcher/pitcher. That for me raises all kinds of alarms. Ned has already said he has wanted to curtail Omar's playing time to keep him "fresh." Cuthbert being sent down to add "versatility" at 2nd base pretty much says to me Omar's time as a starter are numbered. Either Colon, Dozier, or Cuthbert or a trade will bench him relatively soon in the season.

I have to say though @da55bums was right about Omar from the get go. Have to eat crow on that contract.