Bubba Starling

[it'sHuskers4me]

I was at the StormChasers game Friday, my first time at Warner Park. The wife and I spoiled the grandkids and watched the fireworks. A walk-off homer won the game for the home team. I was mad that I didn't get to see Bubba play his first AAA game. BTW, they have some good food at the game and it was slightly pricey, but then again food was pricey at the Blatt - we used to go to many games there as I knew the Omaha Royals business manager back in the day and got free tickets. They have a good thing going on out there at Warner Park as there were so many young families out there. Bodes well for the future.

 

[it'sHuskers4me]

Did the Chasers have an injury and needed him or was their guy struggling? You don't usually call up a sub-200 AA hitter and insert them into your AAA lineup. If there was no injury, I only got two reasons why he'd get the call right now. 1. After 5 years, the brass are getting tired of waiting for him so they push him up here to see if he sinks or swims. 2. Ticket sales are down and they could use boost from the publicity. But after reading @tometom's reaction, I could believe that aspect about just trying to get him some work against better comp. However, the logistics of bogging down the Chasers with a guy who hasn't earned that start at AAA is going to be a double negative to them (clubhouse and production). I'm happy to see he has enjoyed a bit of success right away and hope he sustains it.

I figured he is at the point in the system that they want to see him produce at a higher level or a trade may be in his near future.

 

[tometom]

Bubba Starling promoted to Triple-A Omaha

So, why promote a .185 hitter?

According to Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo, the hope is that a change of scenery will help lessen the stress and unlock the potential in Starling, who has scuffled at the plate for most of 2016.

“It may look a little unconventional with his numbers,” Picollo told Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star newspaper. “We feel like he’s playing better than his average. But it’s sometimes hard to convince a player of that.”

as i said, the dude strikes out a lot, that needs to be fixed if he's going to make it anywhere. I don't think too many pros strikeout at the rate he has the last couple of years.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

He got promoted so he could sort of live up to the hype that surrounded him 5 years ago.

 

[tometom]

alright i looked it up. Maybe I'm wrong about that. This Year Bubba is at 35% (mostly at AA), 2015 he was 29% (mostly at AA). There are pros striking out at that rate and did that in AA/AAA as well.

Just a quick look, a couple of guys with the highest K/AB ratios in 2016.
Chris Davis 38.1% and Trevor Story 35.8%. Both played quite a bit in the Minors.
Story: 2015: 27.5% ratio, 2014 was 36.4%, 2013 was 36.8%, his first year in the minors was 2011, a year before Bubba.
Davis: bounced back and forth between Minors and MLB from 2008-2011. his ratios were a little more like I expected (better in Minors). in 2011 he was 30.1% in AAA, and 31.7% in MLB. 2010 he was 26.4% / 33%, 2009 was his best AAA year 23.6% but jumped to 38.4% when in MLB.

I still think he has to see the ball better, I have never seen him play, now that he's here in Omaha, maybe I'll get out there. I usually get to a couple of games a year, but haven't had a chance yet this year.

 

[huskers1217]

Is this the year he breaks out?

 

[corn train]

Is this the year he breaks out?

Will Bubba Starling ever make it to the big league club?

 

[huskers1217]

Will Bubba Starling ever make it to the big league club?

when i hear about kyler murray I think bubba and that kyler should absolutely go to the NFL

 

[corn train]

when i hear about kyler murray I think bubba and that kyler should absolutely go to the NFL

Murray is a heck of a qb, not sure how he would hold up in the NFL. Starling has struggled with injuries the past few years but was still batting .296 during his brief times at the plate

 

[Red_Alert]

bubba

 

[BigRedMoe]

Royals don't need help in CF since they just signed Billy Hamilton. Maybe he gets called up if Billy gets dinged up... but even then I don't think it would be as an everyday guy.

 

[huskers1217]

Royals don't need help in CF since they just signed Billy Hamilton. Maybe he gets called up if Billy gets dinged up... but even then I don't think it would be as an everyday guy.

apparently bubba is tearing it up this year.

 

[BigRedMoe]

apparently bubba is tearing it up this year.

I'd love to give him a go. Soler in RF is a defensive liability. And Hamilton did bruise his knee up a few games back.

 

[CaptainStubing]

I'd love to give him a go. Soler in RF is a defensive liability. And Hamilton did bruise his knee up a few games back.

I would like to see Soler DH a lot more because he is a horrible outfielder. His bat has so much potential, though, so I definitely want him to stay on the big league club.

i wouldn't mind giving Bubba a try and get rid of Billy Hamilton. Billy is one of our many weak bats in the lineup and we need to do something to beef up our offense.

 

[BigRedMoe]

I would like to see Soler DH a lot more because he is a horrible outfielder. His bat has so much potential, though, so I definitely want him to stay on the big league club.

i wouldn't mind giving Bubba a try and get rid of Billy Hamilton. Billy is one of our many weak bats in the lineup and we need to do something to beef up our offense.

Hamilton's value comes on the base paths and defensively. But I definitely see your point with him being an everyday guy. Gore's pinch running appearances have been pissing me off. It's like his brain stops working in those situations.

 

[huskers1217]

Hamilton's value comes on the base paths and defensively. But I definitely see your point with him being an everyday guy. Gore's pinch running appearances have been pissing me off. It's like his brain stops working in those situations.

and here comes the bubba...

 

[huskers1217]

Royals calling up former first-round pick, local prospect Bubba Starling

 

[huskers1217]

I wish nothing but the best for him and hope he becomes something.

 

[tometom]

i was coming in to post this but got distracted by a ton of work. will be interesting if he's ready for big league pitching. i've seen him like 3 times this year, he was alright. i think his BA probably should be a little higher at Triple AAA to warrant a call up, but i don't honestly know that much, some guys excel under the pressure and some dont. Bubba at least in past jumps up in competition always seemed to struggle but eventually settled in (at least that's what my fuzzy memory recalls about his career, i didn't look it up).

 

[tometom]

i had to look it up.
2013: A (full): .241
2014: A (adv): .218
2015: A (adv): .386 moved to AA: .254
2016: AA: .185 they moved him to AAA: .181
2017: AAA: .248
2018: injuries only 20 total games between AAA and ROK, 11 games at AAA were .257
2019: AAA: .310

I'd wager he hits .225-.250 with regular time the rest of this year in the majors.

(I have no clue the difference between Full and Adv on the A, that's just what was on milb.com.)