Games » Minnesota Twins
Sep28Postseason extra
Lee Judge
The Kansas City Star
“My (stuff) doesn’t work in the playoffs.”
Two things about that quote: 1.) It was from Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A’s and subject of the movie “Moneyball” and 2.) He didn’t say “stuff”.
OK, so why doesn’t Beane’s “stuff” work in the playoffs? (The movie kinda skipped over the fact that the A’s were not successful in the postseason.) Well, if your offense relies on walks and home runs, what happens when you face a very good pitcher who isn’t giving up either?
Try last Friday’s St. Louis Cardinals-Philadelphia Phillies playoff game that matched Chris Carpenter against Roy Halladay: There were no home runs and only one walk (an intentional base on balls issued to Albert Pujols).
The top of the first was the only inning in which either pitcher gave up more than one hit. So if you’re not being walked or hitting home runs and can’t string together any hits, how do you score? As much as people in the sabermetrics crowd hate it, the answer is “small ball.” You’ve got to be able to move runners around the bases with productive outs, stolen bases and runners in motion.
Take a look at the bottom of the fourth inning of the same Carpenter-Halladay game: The most likely time to utilize the sacrifice bunt is with nobody out (you might do it with one out if the pitcher is at the plate, but that’s about it). So to sacrifice bunt, you have to get your leadoff batter on base. That happened to the Phillies only once, when Chase Utley got hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth.
Next, the Phillies had Hunter Pence swing away, and he grounded into a fielder’s choice. Utley was out at second, Pence was safe at first. Ryan Howard lined out softly to second baseman Nick Punto for the second out. Then Shane Victorino singled on a grounder to right fielder Lance Berkman, and Pence went first to third. Raul Ibanez ended the inning by hitting a fly ball to Berkman.
So what if Pence had used a sacrifice bunt to move Utley to second back at the start of the inning? Assuming everything stays the same (and that’s a big assumption that you should feel free to question), Utley is at second with one down, Howard lines out to make it two down, and Utley then scores on Victorino’s base hit for at least three reasons:
1.) There were two outs, so Utley would be going right away and get a good jump.
2.) It was a ground-ball single, which means it took longer to get to Berkman than a one-hop line drive.
3.) The hit was to right field, which means the catcher has to receive the ball on the first-base side of the plate and then turn back to the runner sliding in from the third-base side of the plate and make the tag. This takes longer than if the throw came from left field.
4.) (Hey! A bonus reason!) Berkman’s left-handed, so the throw would tail even farther to the first-base side than if it were delivered by a right-handed outfielder. (Lefties tend to have movement on the throws that carries the ball to their arm side.)
So for all of those reasons, if the Phillies had laid down a sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning after Utley got hit by that pitch, they might have tied the game up and not lost 1-0. So am I saying that Phillies manager Charlie Manuel made a mistake by not calling for a sacrifice in that situation?
Nah.
I’m not sure that I would’ve called for a sac bunt from my No. 3 hitter in the fourth inning either, but what I am saying is that sooner or later, if you go deep enough into the playoffs, you’re going to face an ace who’s dealing … and you better be ready to play some small ball.
Just ask Billy Beane.
One last great start
OK, y’know how some pitchers like to go through the order the first time throwing nothing but their fastball? Here’s what Bruce Chen threw the first time through the Twins order (hang on, this might take a while):
Sinker, slider, sinker, slider, sinker, sinker, sinker, slider, slider, sinker, slider, changeup, sinker, slider, changeup, 4-seam fastball, 4-seam fastball, sinker, curveball, 4-seam fastball, slider, 4-seam fastball, slider, sinker, sinker, slider, slider, sinker, slider, sinker, sinker, slider, sinker, curveball (hold on, let me catch my breath), changeup, slider, slider, sinker, changeup, sinker, slider…and he may have chucked the rosin bag at the batter a time or two also.
Throw in three arm angles, add a bit of velocity or take a bit off and you get some idea of how Bruce Chen put up a 3.77 ERA and led the Royals in wins this season. That’s a lot of different stuff for a hitter to deal with. I once asked Bruce if he could’ve pitched this way when he was younger and he said no way. Young guys struggle to control thee pitches, you’ve got to be around a while to juggle all these variations.
I don’t know if we just saw Bruce Chen’s last start in a Royals uniform, but it was a great one.
Game notes
• Jarrod Dyson showed what he can do when he keeps the ball on the ground: two hits and just missed a third on a night Carl Pavano had pretty much everybody else stumped.
• Eric Hosmer got in a hurry on a tag or Salvador Perez would’ve picked off another base runner. Your brain is telling you to speed up and the game requires you to slow down: catch the ball, then make the tag. This is way easier said than done.
• Mike Moustakas generally does not steal bases, but he stole one in this game…and then almost immediately got picked off.
• Moose also hit a triple. Michael Cuddyer got too close to the right field wall and the ball hit the concrete above the padding and came off harder than Cuddyer thought it would. Ball park designers build all these cute quirks into their parks, but the players generally hate them. Look at all the different surfaces the ball can hit in Minnesota’s right field and you’ll see that a game can be changed not by a player’s skill, but by architecture.
• Twins center fielder Ben Revere struck out looking in the 5th inning. At the time, Twins left fielder Joe Benson was on second. What was interesting about this strikeout was the last second move Salvador Perez made. He was set up on the inside corner and at the last moment shifted to the outside corner. That might mean Perez was concerned that Revere was peeking back or Benson was signaling location from second. I’d ask Sal next time I see him, but that might be next March.
• Earlier this season Mike Moustakas cut in front of Alcides Escobar to field a grounder, didn’t get there and when Esky caught the ball, Mike stopped right in front of him. Alcides had to eat the ball or bounce it off Mike’s head and wisely chose holding on to the ball. The same thing happened in this game, but Mike ducked and gave Esky a clear throwing lane. What’s noteworthy about this is a mistake being corrected. Players are going to mess up, it’s inevitable and coaches and fans shouldn’t expect perfection. But they should expect improvement: don’t keep making the same mistake…and Mike didn’t.
• Fans are probably disappointed that the Royals weren’t able to score the run after Mike’s triple with nobody out. We’ve seen bad situational hitting here for a long time, but I don’t think that was the case here. Lorenzo Cain smoked the ball up the middle and Carl Pavano got a glove on it. Mitch Maier hit a couple of line drives foul and then was forced to swing at a 2-strike splitter and Alcides Escobar hit another hard grounder, but right at the third baseman. I went back and watched the at-bats a second time and I couldn’t say that anybody swung at pitch they should’ve laid off.
Strengths & limitations, 2011 edition
- I decided not to attempt a summary of every player who wore a Royals uniform this summer. I’m running out of time and energy (it’s been a long season). So I stuck to the main position players and the starting pitchers.*
MELKY CABRERA: Strengths: Probably had the most consistent year of any Royal. Melky never went more than two games in a row without a hit. He had 201 hits, drove in over 87, stole 20 bases and ran the bases as well as anyone. Oh yeah, and he threw people out. One-third of the best outfield the Royals have had in years. Limitations: Does not have true centerfield speed (someone told me that, I’m not smart enough to know), but can make up for some of that with improved positioning and jumps.
ALEX GORDON: Presents pitchers with a problem: power in the leadoff spot. Pitchers do not want to start a game with a leadoff walk, so instead they started it with a leadoff home run five times when they pitched to Alex. Appears to have figured things out offensively and has an approach that’s keeping him consistent. (He tries not to think about hitting home runs.) Has made himself an outstanding outfielder. Led the team in assists, partially because he charges the ball well and has a quick release, traits that may come from his days as an infielder. Limitations: Strikeouts, particularly strikeouts looking.
ERIC HOSMER: Everybody knows about his offense and he seems to adjust quickly which keeps him out of prolonged slumps. Does not get cheated on his swings. Outstanding defensively, saved the infield dozens of errors with his ability to pick short hops. Limitations: Can get a little “big” both offensively and defensively. On offense that can mean over-swinging, on defense his swipe at a short hop can get a little overdramatic…but it looks really cool.
JEFF FRANCOEUR: Strengths: Speed, good glove, terrific arm. Can go the other way when he wants to, but doesn’t always want to. When he turns on the fan, he really turns it on. Pitchers spent all season trying to get in on his hands and if they got it there, he had trouble. If they missed down and in, Frenchy smoked it. Incredibly enthusiastic. Limitations: Incredibly enthusiastic. That can lead him to take low-percentage chances at the plate, in the field or on the base paths, but he often makes those gambles pay off.
ALCIDES ESCOBAR: Strengths: Defense, defense and defense. Eric Hosmer estimates that when Esky lets one go, he throws about 97 miles an hour. Led the team in sacrifice bunts, stolen bases, outstanding defensive plays and double play assists. Esky keeps a lot of opposition base runners off the bases. Limitations: Needs to stick with the game plan of hitting the appropriate pitch to the opposite field, Alcides can’t change horses in the middle of the stream and expect to stay dry.
BILLY BUTLER: Strengths: A terrific hitter who has a chance to be an Edgar Martinez-type DH. Billy responded to suggestions that he give up some average for more pop and drove in 95 runs. Limitations: Pretty much everything else besides hitting.
CHRIS GETZ: Strengths: Does a whole lot of things well. A solid defender, a good base runner, handy with the bat and a very smart player. Limitations: Doesn’t do any one thing great and gets overlooked by people who focus on any one stat. It’s all the little stuff together that makes Chris a good ballplayer. No power.
BRAYAN PENA: Strengths: Attitude. Bench players can cause team turmoil when they’re not satisfied being bench players. I’m sure all of the players who aren’t starting would like to play more, but it seems Pena, Getz and Maier have bought into whatever role they’re asked to play. Brayan also improved his blocking and throwing this season. Limitations: At times there were concerns about Brayan’s pitch calling, which was why he was originally matched with veterans Bruce Chen and Jeff Francis. Brayan also had some problems with positioning on plays at the plate, but made changes to correct the situation.
MIKE MOUSTAKAS: Strengths: Moose went through a well-publicized slump, but now seems to have come out the other side and is showing why he’s here. Mike can hit. He’s got a strong arm and has made some nice plays at third, a definite upgrade defensively over Wilson Betemit. Limitations: Has had some problems on the transfer (ball going from glove to hand), but I imagine that will be worked on. He can also be erratic with that strong arm and puts a lot of pressure on his buddy, Eric Hosmer.
SALVADOR PEREZ: Strengths; Big, quick and a great throwing arm. I had a couple people question whether he was ready offensively, but Salvador’s hitting. (I guess nobody told him he wasn’t ready.) And hitting a ball 400+ feet the other way is big-time hitting. Limitations: Big catchers offer a great target, but can be slow to get in the correct blocking and throwing position. Sal doesn’t seem to have that problem. His size might put strain on his knees over time.
JOHNNY GIAVOTELLA: Strengths: Has power Chris Getz does not possess. A short, quick stroke that allows him to hit the ball from line to line. Limitations: His hands can be a little stiff on defense and once in a while a routine toss gets away from him.
MITCH MAIER: Strengths: Fundamentally sound in just about every phase of the game. Great attitude. Limitations: Much like Chris Getz, nothing jumps out at you as being outstanding. He’s just good at a lot of things.
THE PITCHERS
JEFF FRANCIS: Strengths: Led the team in quality starts. Threw strikes. Limitations: The first inning, that’s where he’d often struggle.
LUKE HOCHEVAR: Led the staff in strikeouts, tied for most innings without a walk with Jeff Francis, second in quality starts and led the staff in innings with fewer than 12 pitches thrown. Limitations: His evil twin who led the staff in appearances in which he gave up 4 or more earned runs and walking the leadoff batter. Luke can be slow to the plate which doesn’t give Salvador Perez much of a chance. Also is currently sporting one of the worst moustaches in the history of facial hair.
BRUCE CHEN: Strengths: 6 pitches from 3 different arm angles, which is (let’s see, 3 times 6, carry the one) 18 different pitches. A bewildering variety of looks for a hitter. Limitations: No velocity, but if he slows your bat down enough with his other stuff, he can throw a fastball in the 80s past you.
FELIPE PAULINO: Strengths: Strength. Matt Treanor said he was a “beast.” (Baseball compliment.) Fastball in the upper 90s and good slider. Second on the staff in strikeouts despite having considerably fewer innings than Hochevar, Francis or Chen. Limitations: Too many walks. Tied for second on the team in walks that scored.
DANNY DUFFY: Strengths: Stuff. Limitations: Being young. Needs to learn how to use that stuff. Too many walks, nibbled too much at times. Tied with Felipe Paulino for second most walks that scored.
Thank you
Y’know those awards shows where people get up and thank everyone they ever knew until the orchestra starts playing to let them know they’ve gone on way too long? Well, we don’t have an orchestra.
So, thanks to the people at the Kansas City Star that once again made this website possible: Editor Mike Fannin, Sports Editor Jeff Rosen, the Web editors who take all the profanity out late at night after I send in my copy, the IT guys who keep slapping duct tape and chewing gum on the website and especially Nicole Poell.
Thanks to the people in the Royals front office who still allow me in the building: Mike Swanson, David Holtzman, Colby Curry and Dina Blevins.
Thanks to all the players and coaches. Each and every one of them gave me time and insight at some point during the season. But I’d especially like to thank a few people who gave me way more time than I deserved: Doug Sisson, Chris Getz, Matt Treanor, Jason Kendall, Brayan Pena, Mitch Maier, Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Kevin Seitzer (see you out at the batting cages), Mike Aviles, Kanekoa Texeira, Kila Ka’aihue, Kelly Heath, Bob McClure, Eddie Rodriguez, Ned Yost, Jeff Francoeur (I will get even with you for all the stuff you did to me) and especially Wilson Betemit for not kicking my butt when I said you should’ve gotten hit by that pitch.
And finally, thanks to the readers. I wasn’t sure if there were people out there who were interested in what I wanted to do. It’s nice to find out there are. I also want to thank you for being civil and intelligent. Being able to disagree without being disagreeable is a commodity in short supply.
We will be back in 2012. We’ll meet during the winter and discuss changes and improvements to the website for next season. If you have suggestions (and many of you already contributed) leave them in the comments section of the last game or send them directly to me at ljudge@kcstar.com.
That’s it for a while, keep watching the Star for any developments (looks like I may be going to spring training), but for now, I’m joining the Shutdown Club.
Talk to you soon.
Chen
Dyson
Moustakas
162 games, 162 great posts. Thanks for all the hard work, as a college student it really gave me something to look forward to at 1am in the mornings... now I'm just looking forward to next season!
This website is a revelation. I'm a bit concerned that, like an interesting TV show with a loyal (but small) audience, it won't last. Enjoy your time with the Shutdown Club. I was glad you addressed the batters after Moose's triple today - I thought that was key to the outcome of the game. 2012 can't get here fast enough!
Thanks for the baseball education and entertainment. Due to this website I almost feel like I'm friends with each of the players. The bookmark will stay on this computer's toolbar for 2012. When is opening day?
Great posts everyday, win or lose. I and my 13 year old catcher enjoyed reading them - and the video instruction was a blast; we learned so much - in the AM together and discussing the games. 2012 is looking like a fun year - can't wait to read your posts again.
EVERYBODY: I'm shortly going to have to leave to go out to Ned Yost's last press conference, but not only will I keep checking the comments left on this last game's post later today, I'll keep coming back throughout the off-season to see if anyone has left messages.
So if you want to get in touch, come here and leave a comment or email me at ljudge@kcstar.com.
Thanks.
Derek: Shouldn't you be studying at 1AM? On the other hand, if you're going to blow off studying, baseball is a pretty harmless alternative.
Thanks for being a regular participant and I look forward to having you back next season.
Mark: Thank you, I hope to become the 'Seinfeld' of baseball websites: something so odd it takes a while to catch on.
The key, as always, are the players and coaches. As long as they share their insights I'll have something worthwhile to write about.
Lee, thanks so much for all you've done. It took me a while to catch on to what you were doing, but once I did you were always the third thing in my morning.
I'm going to miss Royals baseball over the winter for the first time since the late 80's, and I'm really going to miss reading your work.
You deserve the credit for the success of Judging the Royals not only for the depth of your baseball knowledge, but for the skills you've shown in forming productive relationships with people that are generally skeptical of the press.
Kudos, Lee, and I'll look forward to Spring Training like never before.
Tim: Thanks. I not only wanted to bring the players' knowledge to the website, but some of their humor and personality.
Baseball players are generally pretty funny people. In a 162-game marathon, a sense of humor is something of a necessity (did I spell that right?). Anyway, glad you enjoyed it and we'll see you back here next season.
Phil: I was a bit skeptical when they asked me to do videos (great, I'm not doing enough?), but the players dove right in.
These guys like to show their skills. When you see them catch a windblown pop fly in the sun they'd like you to know how hard that is and they're willing to show you how to do it yourself.
Glad your 13-year old catcher enjoyed it also. See you back here next spring.
Lee...this team has me so excited. I've been a KC fan for all of my life. George Brett's heroics strengthened the bond between my father and me when I was (much) younger. Your blog has done the same thing. We talk about the Royals in ways we never have due to your insight. Thank you. The golf invitation is still available if you're in Surprise next Spring.
Z
Fred: Thank you, it took me a while to catch on to what I was doing also. They gave me a press pass and shoved me out the door and it took a while to figure out what I wanted to do.
As always, the players and coaches deserve the credit. I didn't know what their reaction would be to some of my more arcane questions, but they showed immediate interest in explaining the details of the game.
And a lot of credit goes to you readers: the people who have shown an interest in this side of baseball and keep showing up at the site are the people who keep this thing going.
No readers, no website.
Thanks, and I'm looking forward to 2012 myself.
Zack: Thank you. Baseball is doing the same thing for me and my son Paul. I'm driving to Columbia Saturday morning so we can sit on his couch, eat take-out food and watch baseball 'til we puke.
Shoot me an email adress to ljudge@kcstar.com because I might take you up on the golf offer...or at least a beer somewhere.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've read all 162 of these posts and enjoyed every one of them. Some of this season's info will even trickle down to the Dominican Republic where I get to participate in teaching clinics.
It's also fun to correct other fan's grumblings with good, real data that causes them to quit grumbling. While I now eagerly await Spring Training, I do wish you rest and relaxation while in the Shutdown Club.
Lee, thanks again for the website. It became a part of my morning routine.
Regarding next year, do you think Dayton and Ned will try to carry a more 'traditional' roster, with fewer pitchers and a deeper bench?
Like most of the other readers I have also made this a "must read" after each of the 162 games. For this Royals fan from WI who never made it to KC this year your insight brought me closer to the action and gave us all a peek at what goes on behind the scenes. Thank you for all your hard work and I look forward to an exciting 2012 season!
Lee, thanks so much for this blog and all the hard work you put into it. It was really great to have something like this to read about the Royals and learn the game better. I really loved reading this blog and am looking forward to following again next year.
Lee, great job all year long. Looking forward to 2012 and all it will bring. My only suggestion goes to the one I've already promoted - evaluating if the "hold" should be upgraded in the points awarded. Get some rest and enjoy the time away from the game.
Lee, let me add my thanks for all your work with the site. It is always an interesting read and I will miss it over the winter. I can't wait to see what next year's team does and have your analysis at my fingertips once again. It will also be interesting to see how the new coaches affect the team next year. Have a most excellent winter off!
Lee, great work my friend. Enjoyed your insights and the comedic sparring. Look forward to more of the same in years to come.
The insight you were able to pass on to us made this a really enjoyable season. Looking forward to next year!
Thx for putting in the efforts on this site. And thx for providing a place to talk about my team, the Royals. Living in NJ, it's rare that I can talk to anyone about day to day activities about my team. Along with Twitter, this site has done exactly that. It's allowed me to have a virtual presence in the KC community. Have a good offseason.
Just got back from Ned Yost's post-season press conference: pitching coach Bob McClure and bench coach John Gibbons are not returning for 2012.
Ned said the pitchers walked too many people, pitched behind in the count too often and were up in the zone too much.
Of course Mac wanted the staff to throw strikes and pitch down, but it didn't happen, so they're bringing in a 'new voice' in hopes of getting though to the pitchers.
It also seems like they're going to look in-house first to solve the pitching problems. Ned specifically mentioned Luke Hochevar, Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino as guys who had the stuff to be very successful. He also hopes they bring back Bruce Chen.
As for the bench coach: They're looking for someone to work with the catchers.
Sean: Thank you for supporting the website and have fun in the Dominican. See you next season.
Daniel: Good question that even Ned and Dayton may not know the answer to as of yet. Ned does not use his a bench a lot during games, so he hasn't really needed a lot of depth.
As they get more competitive, he may worry less about developing players and start doing more pinch hitting or running. We'll just have to wait and see.
Aaron: Thank you, it's been very gratifying to hear from Royals fans around the country. I think the website, which allows its readers a peek inside the clubhouse, makes those people far away feel a little closer.
It's nice to be part of that process. See you back here next season.
Luke: Thank you. We'll be back in 2012, I hope you will be, too.
Joel: Man, you're going to get 'holds' put in the scoring system one way or another, huh?
Actually, that's one of the changes I've got in mind for next season. That and 'balks' we've got no category for that except mental mistake.
Thanks for your participation all season. The comments here have been outstanding all year long.
John: Thank you, I'm planning the first of many winter naps this very afternoon. See you back here in 2012.
Ben: OK, NOW you can invite me over and I'll actually show up. Maybe there'll be some baseball on TV.
Steve: April 6th, 2012, Opening Day. I'll be there and I hope you will be, too.
Vinnie: You're just ahead of your time. I bet lots of people in New Jersey will be Royals fans in the next few years.
Thanks for participating all season.
Lee, I have been a Royals fan for as long as I can remember. This season I began following your blog, which led me to read "Men at Work" somewhere between George Will's examination of the game and your own carefully crafted insights into the Royals team, I found that not only am I a more fervent Royals fan, but I have a much greater appreciation for the game in general. Thanks for your great reporting, your consistant quest for knowledge and for sharing your opinions with all of us. Looking forward to Spring 2012
Great job with the site Lee! Always good to be informed about what's going on with the Royals since I just got back to school a month ago in the Milwaukee area. Everyone is going CRAZY up here with the Brewers in the playoffs. If Kansas City is even half as excited as everyone here, the next few seasons will be unbelievable for Royals fans. I can't wait to graduate in May and be back in KC to watch the Royals, but they got some big decisions to make going into next year.
Going into the off season, first priority to everyone should probably be signing Alex Gordon to a long term deal. A lot of people also are thinking that the Royals should go out and make a big starting pitcher splash via trade. Names like James Shields and Gio Gonzalez have been mentioned, but I'm thinking the Royals should look within the organization before we do anything drastic. To be realistic, 2013 will be the year the Royals make a strong push for the playoffs. I'm thinking the Royals should see how Duffy, Hoch, Montgomery, and Paulino improve and if they can be more than #4 starters on a good team. Not to mention possibly giving Crow, and/or Holland a look at the rotation. I feel there is still no reason to unload all your ammunition (prospects) for great pitching, when not all of your players are fully developed or ready for a playoff run. Around the All Star break would seem to be the best time to evaluate what we have, and to only then possibly pursue making a big trade.
The Brewers waited to see exactly what they had last year in guys like Rickie Weeks, John Axford, Yovani Gallardo, John Lucroy, and Casey McGhee before they made a big splash. Having Fielder in the last year of his contract also had an effect too, but only then did they unload their "ammunition" and acquire Greinke and Marcum. I'd say the waiting paid off.
What are your thoughts on how Dayton Moore should handle the off season?
Felt I needed to leave my first comment just to say thanks for all your work, love the site. Only 190 days and counting...
Ben: Thanks, the more you know, the more you enjoy the game. Thanks for being part of this.
Brad: I get the impression the Royals are going to try to solve as many of their pitching problems in-house as possible. Ned Yost specifically mentioned Hochevar, Duffy and Paulino and hopes for the return of Chen.
I thinks that's part of the reason they're making a change at pitching coach: hoping the new guy can get more out of the talent they already have.
Aces are hard to find.
Sean: You mean I've got to go back to work 190 days from now? I need to start power napping to rest up for 2012. Thanks for taking the time to comment and be part of what's going on here.
Lee: It's been great this year. I actually only started reading the blog after you decided to get hit by that pitch. Thought if you were man enough for that I should see what you had to say. Looking forward to next year and will be reading all 162. Have a great off season and don't forget to do your off season training. Finger exercises should help eliminate cramps when you have to write all those great articles after the many victories next year.
Larry: I'm not getting hit by another pitch just to keep you interested (I think I've only got one functioning kidney as it is).
But I'm glad you decided to sign on. Your contributions to the website have been outstanding.
Let's do it again next year.
Lee, Thanks for all of the work you've put into this website all year long. The insight that it provides is priceless for the average fan. Next spring can't get here soon enough. Now I have to focus my sports energy on the Chiefs. Ouch. At least they kept the margin of defeat within 40 last week though.
You mentioned that you may be going to Spring Training next year? I know it's really too soon to ask, but if you do, what do you intend on writing about? I'd imagine it would have to be a little different than what we see from you during the season. just curious.
Once more thanks again for all of thw work you've put in to this site.
Chris: If I go to Spring Training I imagine we'd create some kind of format for me to post stories and videos from Arizona.
And I'm very glad you enjoyed the website this summer.
Lee- you are amazing! This is amazing insights on a team that will be amazing in the future. I can't wait until you get to get the insights on a championship caliber team! (NEXT YEAR!) Thanks Lee!
Thanks, Jeff. I'm looking forward to 2012 as well. I appreciate all the support I've received from readers like you.
Very much looking forward to next season, not just for watching the Royals but reading Judging the Royals, too. You've done a great job; I've really enjoyed your writings.
Thanks, this site was one of the first sites I checked each morning and made the season much more enjoyable. Looking forward to 2012.
Wow Lee. Reading all these comments reminds me of reading my high school yearbook. So many great comments from so many classy, true baseball fans. Well, add me to the list of fans - fans of the Royals, but mostly of your work. Also looking forward to all the insights next year as this team begins the climb from beneath the mountain top. Though the next part of their climb will be very steep, they finally have the talent to make a solid run at the peak (unlike the faux team from 2003 that got us all excited prematurely). See ya next Spring Lee.
Charles, Sean: Thank you, you guys helped the site become what it is and I owe you a debt of gratitude.
Don: Yeah, I told someone I felt like I was writing thank you notes for graduation gifts, but it is very cool to feel like people appreciated what you did.
The readers helped this thing stay on track and I'm grateful.
Just wanted to drop a note and thank you again for all of the "hard work" you went through for all of us this year. I've read every article from you this year and I enjoyed every one. Your stories of the small stuff that mostly gets overlooked by fans has made me appreciate what my father tried to teach me, even more. The type of talk on your site, is exactly the type of talks I had with him before he passed away. For me, your articles were much more than just baseball articles. The Clint Hurdle quote "somebody taught me and now I'm teaching you" hit me like a hammer and took me back to days of my youth and my dad coaching my baseball teams. Thank You
It used to be that Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback was my favorite sports article to read. Now it's Judging the Royals. Look forward to next year!
Phil: Thank you, it's nice to know how meaningful some people found the work I've been doing. And Clint was right, pass it along.
Chuck: Thanks, see you back here in 2012.
Just wanted to say thanks for the website. It was the perfect year to get the daily analysis while all the young players were blossoming. I'll never have the time to follow the game at the level of detail your writing opens up, but reading these the day after the game makes me feel like I could if I wanted to.
Steve: Thank you, the coaches and players really opened up the game at a new level for me, also. I saw things this year that I'd failed to recognize before. Cool that it can still happen after 40 years of watching the game.
I've got to add my thanks and apprecation for the insights you shared, and how well you wrote about it all. See you here next year!
Everyone above has said it well already, but I'll add a simple thank you. A thousand times thank you. Looking forward to next year. See you then.
Jim, Antonio: Thank you very much for making this website part of your routine. See you back here in 2012.
Lee, As I've said before, this Royals team has brought me back to being a baseball fan since the last strike - so I'm a bit behind the game. But after watching the playoffs, I'm a bit less enthusiastic about the Royals opportunity to be amongst the best next year (these guys are really good!). I'm certain they are going to be better, but not so confident they are going to be good enough to be amongst the best. What do you think their chances are for next year.
Tim: Fortunately, we're in a weak division overall (although the Tigers are playing pretty well right now).
For me, if the Royals just show improvement I'd be happy. It would be nice if they made the playoffs, but I'd settle for a winning team.
Even a .500 team would be a step forward. A lot depends on the starting pitching: what they bring in in the off-season and how the starters that are going to remain can improve.
I don't know that they'll be among the best either, but would be happy to see progress.
Lee, I like the post-season bonus, gives us a chance to see how the ideas play out on the big stage and reminds us that it's not an "average game" when Carpenter is facing Halliday, so seasonal or career averages and aggregates don't carry much weight, so the little things become important. Had the 3-slot hitter above managed to at least advance the runner, something Billy Butler is very good at doing with his opposite field abilities, the run still would have scored on the succeeding plays.
One thought on your evaluations, coming from someone who has been on Billy fairly hard the first half of the year: Billy's attitude and enthusiasm have strengthened over the year and I think that has become a strong positive for the man, who has become a mature veteran at age 25 and should be included with Pena, Mitch, and Getzie as a player who has accepted his role and makes the most of it. Good on Billy, I've jumped on his Hall of Fame bandwagon:)
Jim: Nice to know someone is still looking at this. They asked if I had anything to add about the postseason and that Carpenter-Halladay game jumped out at me.
As you've pointed out several times, aggregate numbers tell you something about a situation in an overall sense, but shouldn't dictate what you do in a specific situation.
That Carpenter-Halladay game, which was terrific...man, those guys can pitch...was a great example.
And you make a good point about Butler: there was clearly a time he was unhappy with his role, but did seem to make some adjustments.
I don't know how you could watch Hosmer play first for any length of time and question having him out there, so maybe Billy made his peace with that.
And I heard from several people that they wouldn't mind seeing Billy trade a lower batting average for some more production and he seemed to do that also.
Maybe he feels the same way as a lot of other players: they can see where this team is headed and want to be a part of it.
I'll keep checking the website once in a while to see if there's anything new and I can always be reached by email.
Thanks very much for your contribution this season, you've always been a voice of reason and added immeasurably to quality of comment found here on the site.
Have you talked to Treaner about this post season run? It might be interesting to hear from him.
Phil: Unfortunately, I'm not in touch with Matt at this point, but you're right, it would be interesting to hear what he has to say.
Lee, have mercy on us die-hard fans. Its been a long time since your last missive. Sure, its the off season, but please, some of us need a fix. Write about free agency (hint, hint: Bruce Chen). Write about the spring training experience, and how we might partake of it. Write about the promise of the future Royals. Write about something ...... anything.
You bring a unique perspective to the art of baseball commentary, and your fan base, at least for the time being, is all class. I am sure part of that has to do with your laid back and humble approach. I think many of us are tired of the nasty vitriol of many sports bloggers, and appreciate coming to a place where we can talk baseball without the worry of being insulted by an unidentified stranger. I thinks readers respect you too much to let that happen.
But above all, take time for your family. Baseball should always be second to them.
Bob: I check the site every few days to see if there are any new posts that I should respond to, so if it ever takes a while for me to comment, that's the reason.
First of all, thank you. I do think we've created something fairly unique here and readers like you are a big part of it.
Unfortunately, the website it set up in such a way that we have to create a new game to put on new posts. (I guess we could new posts to the top of the last game, but I'm not sure how many people would be aware that we were doing that.)
There have been things I've been tempted to write about, but at this point, those would have to be published in the paper and space there is limited and, once again, I don't know how much crossover in readership there would be.
Let me give it some thought and see if we can come up with anything. one of the problems is that I simply needed a break from days that went from 6AM to 1AM.
Even so, there are times I've had the urge to write:
1.) The Boston Globe story about chicken dinners in the clubhouse that I found off the mark. (All teams have those kind of hijinks going on, even winning teams).
2.) Nelson Cruz misplaying the wall on that triple which barely got mentioned in the postgame analysis.
3.) Jerry Dipoto, a buddy and the funniest guy I know, becoming GM of the Angels.
I'll mention your comment to the sports editor and see what he thinks.
As of right now, they're planning on sending me to spring training, so the website would have new material starting in mid-February if that plan holds up.
Thanks for the response Lee. Regarding the Cruz misplay, I couldn't agree with you more. The day after the game I goggled "Cruz Freese misplay misplayed" and received only a few hits, mostly from bloggers.
IMHO, 1) His initial reaction was not the best. 2) His route was wrong; should have been a slightly sharper angle. 3) He was a little slow in the backpeddle.
An average major league outfielder catches that ball 95 out of 100 times.
That play was outcome determinative--not simply of the game but the entire World Series--and should have been one of the major stories of the Series. Instead, it was relegated to the back page, perhaps out of deference to Cruz's otherwise remarkable post-season performance.
Bob: I haven't seen Cruz play all season, so the sample-size is small, but he appeared to run a route typical of a player who does not handle the wall well. (Maybe he makes that play most of the time, I just haven't seen him enough to know.)
When outfielders are shy of the wall, you'll see them pull up early and then make an awkward leap because they're not really sure of where they are. That's pretty much what Cruz did.
We were very lucky in KC to watch three outfielders who not only weren't afraid of the wall, but knew how to use it to get even higher to make a catch (plant your cleats in the fabric and go straight up...like Frenchy did in Seattle).
I don't want to bury Cruz because Texas wouldn't have been there without his bat and he did handle the wall much better the next night, but that play did determine the outcome of the Series.
My assumption is that the play got so little press because few reporters recognized what had happened (a columnist in the Dallas Morning News whose name escapes me at the moment got it right: Cruz needed to get to the wall first and then make the catch).
It's one of the advantages of having played (even poorly and at a low level), I can recognize a lot of things done poorly having done them poorly myself.
As for the site: we're going to talk about having me post a column once a week and provide a place for readers to comment.
Stay tuned.
"Cruz needed to get to the wall first and then make the catch."
Yes. A perfect and succinct way of putting it.
A weekly off-season column would be wonderful. Hope your editors are amenable.
An excellent way to maintain some continuity between this year and next. When Spring Training breaks, it won't be like starting over again.
A weekly column, outstanding! You'll have at least two readers - count me in.
As soon as I work things out with the editor, I'll post something on the site and I imagine we'll have something in the paper if we decide to go forward.