Yankees over Red Sox? I would argue, but given the success of Boston the last 20 years or so…yeah, I can see that. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
If, at the end of the season the Royals lose the last wild card spot to Boston due to the head to head tiebreaker everyone will be looking back to the play at the plate as the pivotal play of the season.
I wonder if Singer, Lugo, and Ragans are running out of gas. Haven't all three exceeded their innings from previous seasons? Maybe go to a six-man rotation for a while? Sure, if they did it for the rest of the month, they'd probably lose the 2-3 games that Lynch starts, but maybe they'd be stronger for the 6-9 games that Singer, Lugo, and Ragans start? Or maybe set a limit that none of the guys goes past 80 pitches / six innings per start? Sure, that relies on a terrible bullpen, but what they're currently doing isn't working. Or maybe there is no good answer, and (as the cliche goes) it is what it is?
Singer is about 30 innings under his career high. Lugo is 10 over and Ragans is about 40 over. This was always going to be an issue for this team—the relative light experience from their rotation. Particularly Ragans with his injury history and Lugo with those years spent in the bullpen. A six-man rotation has always made sense for this team on some level, or figuring out a way (ahem) to give starters a rest where they skip a start or two. Never mind October. I worry about September.
Ive seen quite a few level headed fans suggest MJ get traded in the offseason, but i am willing to bet he improves his hitting the same way he improved his defense in the offseason. Hope they keep him
I like MJ’s approach at the plate better of late but we’re talking two different skillsets here. And I know he was smoking hot in the second half last year, so there’s evidence he CAN do it. It’s just that he hasn’t been able to avoid some just dreadful stretches. He was close to league average as a hitter in his first year and close (but a little further away) in his second. He’s better than he’s shown this year, but I’m just not feeling the idea that he’s going to improve. But if he can get closer to league average offensively, the improved defense helps his value. If they don’t deal him, still worth having on the club.
Renfroe's failure to move the runner to third was the real killer. He only had one strike when he swun
at a pitch that nearly hit him in the knee. A shame; the guy had been a relative on-base machine but
really needed to give himself up. Costly. And Massey's rare misplay . . .
I have nothing against any of the Boston players but I despise their obnoxious fans, so losing in this fashion really increases the pain for me.
If the Royals fail to make the postseason I hope it's to any other team, even the Yankees.
Yankees over Red Sox? I would argue, but given the success of Boston the last 20 years or so…yeah, I can see that. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
If, at the end of the season the Royals lose the last wild card spot to Boston due to the head to head tiebreaker everyone will be looking back to the play at the plate as the pivotal play of the season.
That would be insane. But you may be right. Uhhhhhhhhgggggh.
I wonder if Singer, Lugo, and Ragans are running out of gas. Haven't all three exceeded their innings from previous seasons? Maybe go to a six-man rotation for a while? Sure, if they did it for the rest of the month, they'd probably lose the 2-3 games that Lynch starts, but maybe they'd be stronger for the 6-9 games that Singer, Lugo, and Ragans start? Or maybe set a limit that none of the guys goes past 80 pitches / six innings per start? Sure, that relies on a terrible bullpen, but what they're currently doing isn't working. Or maybe there is no good answer, and (as the cliche goes) it is what it is?
Singer is about 30 innings under his career high. Lugo is 10 over and Ragans is about 40 over. This was always going to be an issue for this team—the relative light experience from their rotation. Particularly Ragans with his injury history and Lugo with those years spent in the bullpen. A six-man rotation has always made sense for this team on some level, or figuring out a way (ahem) to give starters a rest where they skip a start or two. Never mind October. I worry about September.
Ive seen quite a few level headed fans suggest MJ get traded in the offseason, but i am willing to bet he improves his hitting the same way he improved his defense in the offseason. Hope they keep him
I like MJ’s approach at the plate better of late but we’re talking two different skillsets here. And I know he was smoking hot in the second half last year, so there’s evidence he CAN do it. It’s just that he hasn’t been able to avoid some just dreadful stretches. He was close to league average as a hitter in his first year and close (but a little further away) in his second. He’s better than he’s shown this year, but I’m just not feeling the idea that he’s going to improve. But if he can get closer to league average offensively, the improved defense helps his value. If they don’t deal him, still worth having on the club.
true on skillset, and yes i am thinking about last year. Maybe he can work on his head a bit ala Bobby's Zen journal