This outfield (1 for 10, base running errors, defensive “not technically errors, but, well, errors”) is gonna be an issue until fixed. I know they tried.
Clase might have been excellent in the regular season, but he was horrendously bad in the postseason. Just a thought that he might not be the king any more.
Anyway, if the Royals' "formula" is good pitching + winning on the margins (smart base running, outstanding defense), then they failed the first test.
Relievers are notoriously fickle. At least relievers not named Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman.
If you’re dedicated to winning on the margins, those margins are sure to be thin. So in a game where they fail to execute, it’s going to be difficult to overcome.
I was attending the game, and my family, as well as the guys behind us, absolutely lost their minds when we saw Kyle Isbel doing whatever the heck he was doing in the 8th inning
I don’t get the Zerpa hate. He’s not a back end of the bullpen kind of guy, but someone who generally does ok. That was a rough, rough way to start the season.
The Royals are a good baserunning team that makes bad baserunning decisions. This is going back to last season, too, and Isbel was one of the main culprits then (along with Hampson, who is no longer here.)
The Royals have good team speed and should be aggressive on the basepaths, but they also need to be smart and know the difference between aggressive and reckless. Though, more than a year into mostly the same hitters, I don't expect that change to occur anymore.
I think that’s a good way to put it. Isbel is one of the main culprits because he’s generally just not smart in that situation. I have never been impressed with that facet of his game.
Weird, ive held the impression isbel was good on the bases. Maybe he just did well at end of season and recency bias, or maybe i am wishing into existence
He did seem to double down on decision in anne rogers article, which is concerning for a guy whose less than stellar at the plate
You’re right. He made just one out on the bases all of last year. (Although he needed just 1 game to match that!)
I was talking more about just general good decision making in a baseball sense. He’s been good on the bases, but I feel like he’s doing some questionable things from time to time.
Gotta wonder about the brainpower of both Blanco (on the bases) and Isbel (at the plate). I can recall at least two stupid and costly moves by Blanco and Isbel never seems to anticipate a pitch,
just flail away.
Has BWJ ever fanned 3 times in a game before.
Sure hope the gaffes and the K's aren't omens; i.e. Breaking Bad(ly).
I was at the game yesterday! It was my first Opening Day game I've ever been to. So had a blast. I had a friend with me who is an Orioles fan. So he wore his Cal Ripken jersey. Everyone was nice to him. The K staff were extremely friendly, polite and helpful yesterday. My friend was quite impressed. The ballpark looked great and it was a wonderful day for baseball.
There is one thing that surprised me. On the Royals Hall of Fame there is now a Commerce Bank sign (left side of the building). All of the division flags are gone. Only the 2015 & 1985 World Champion Flags and the 2014 AL Champion flags remain. If you're gonna keep the 2014 AL flag up, where is 1980? Honestly, the configuration with the flags on the building has not the best. It would be neat to see a grouping of all of the flags together again somewhere in the park. Maybe set up on the roof of the HOF in a group instead of on the sides of the building. It just seemed weird. But it's probably not going to matter sadly since there's only 6 more years left at Royals/Kauffman Stadium...
It was great to see Vinney knock one out and get another hit.! It was good to see the contributions of Salvy, & Bobby. I agree with you Craig that India did not look comfortable at 3rd. He also didn't look like a hitter that will get on base for us. Opening jitters? New home? I do realize it's only one game out of 162. Massey played well. I love seeing him play 2nd base. It was the first time to see Biggio play and he handled 1st base well. It will be interesting to see what he does this year.
The outfield is going to kill out chances this year. Melendez hasn't been able to hit. New swing? Please... He has no plate discipline. Isbel? He drives me nuts (don't even get me started on base running). The best way I can describe him is that he's a box of chocolates. You don't know what you're gonna get. Seems like more bad than good. BUT the one that should have the alarm bells going off is Hunter Renfroe. He did not have any urgency in right field getting to the balls. He played right field for K.C. last year and he couldn't handle TWO balls in the corner yesterday. He should know the field by now. The balls he threw back in had no mustard. It doesn't look like he cares or has any urgency. We were up in section 438 and we were all losing our minds with how Renfroe was playing. If you've played a position on your home field, you should be able to take off better, get a good route to the ball and get it back in to keep the opponent from cruising into third.
I realize it's just one game. Hopefully Q will get things fixed, but if we want the Royals to win this year, the outfield needs to be addressed sooner than later.
Glad you had a good time at the yard. Opening Day is always outstanding and the Royals know how to put on a show.
Good question on the flags and I don’t know where the ‘80 flag is. It’s the sort of thing I’m terrible about because it’s just kind of background to me eventually. But it is weird they wouldn’t have the ‘80 flag with the one from ‘14.
I’m glad you touched on it (I was running long…shocker!) but the throws from Renfroe were completely underwhelming. That’s a huge reason he’s there. The range is poor and the routes are questionable, but the arm has always been a factor. If he can’t get enough on those throws, then he’s really in trouble out there.
It would be a real shame if they took down the division flags (and 1980) for good. Obviously I'm biased but that part of franchise history is important too, even if it's "ancient history." And anyone looking at the 1976-80 flags can figure out the overview of those years (and how they make the 1985 one all the more satisfying) even if they don't know the details. Sigh.
1 question and 1 comment, if I may please. I have always thought when there is a rundown between 3rd base and home, the runners job is to get in a rundown so the trailing runner can get to 3rd base with one out. If said runner is getting to 3rd base he has to be anticipating that yor base running specialist can outrun the 3rd baseman to draw a throw or two so Isbel can get to 3rd base. Blanco failed in staying in rundown to make everything work. In addition to Renfro botching fly ball and turning Manzardo's double into a triple, he made 2 very poor throws to home on the two sacrifice flies.
Ideally, yes. But the timing on that play wasn’t working and I’ll put that down to really good execution from the Cleveland defense. Naylor did perfectly, running Blanco back almost all the way to the bag before throwing the ball to Ramírez. That gave Ramírez the opportunity to catch Blanco quickly, which, as we saw, hung Isbel out in no-man’s land.
I agree with you on the throws. That’s supposed to be why Renfroe is out there. If that tool has gone missing, then the outfield is really in trouble.
Had my beer and snacks ready to go on the east coast, pleasantly surprised that the mlb app advertised that the pregame would be shown. Not only was there no pregame show, but wasn't able to get the game until the 3RD INNING! Fortunately got the audio working by Vinnie's dinger and video soon followed, but even gameday play by play was glitchy prior to that. Apparently this was the case for many out of market fans of many teams parked in front of their tvs.
Opening day scheduled alongside start of NCAA tourney here in ACC country was head scratching. I have joked before that Manfred was part of a conspiracy to kill the MLB. While I am still dismissive of the moon landing being staged, I am firing the flare gun if I see Manfred anywhere near a grassy knoll.
This outfield (1 for 10, base running errors, defensive “not technically errors, but, well, errors”) is gonna be an issue until fixed. I know they tried.
It’s amazing how weaknesses get exposed almost immediately.
The baseball gods will not be mocked.
Clase might have been excellent in the regular season, but he was horrendously bad in the postseason. Just a thought that he might not be the king any more.
Anyway, if the Royals' "formula" is good pitching + winning on the margins (smart base running, outstanding defense), then they failed the first test.
Relievers are notoriously fickle. At least relievers not named Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman.
If you’re dedicated to winning on the margins, those margins are sure to be thin. So in a game where they fail to execute, it’s going to be difficult to overcome.
I was attending the game, and my family, as well as the guys behind us, absolutely lost their minds when we saw Kyle Isbel doing whatever the heck he was doing in the 8th inning
I think the entire stadium lost their collective mind at that moment.
I felt the worst for Zerpa though, no one even applauded when they took him out.
I don’t get the Zerpa hate. He’s not a back end of the bullpen kind of guy, but someone who generally does ok. That was a rough, rough way to start the season.
The Royals are a good baserunning team that makes bad baserunning decisions. This is going back to last season, too, and Isbel was one of the main culprits then (along with Hampson, who is no longer here.)
The Royals have good team speed and should be aggressive on the basepaths, but they also need to be smart and know the difference between aggressive and reckless. Though, more than a year into mostly the same hitters, I don't expect that change to occur anymore.
I think that’s a good way to put it. Isbel is one of the main culprits because he’s generally just not smart in that situation. I have never been impressed with that facet of his game.
Weird, ive held the impression isbel was good on the bases. Maybe he just did well at end of season and recency bias, or maybe i am wishing into existence
He did seem to double down on decision in anne rogers article, which is concerning for a guy whose less than stellar at the plate
You’re right. He made just one out on the bases all of last year. (Although he needed just 1 game to match that!)
I was talking more about just general good decision making in a baseball sense. He’s been good on the bases, but I feel like he’s doing some questionable things from time to time.
Gotta wonder about the brainpower of both Blanco (on the bases) and Isbel (at the plate). I can recall at least two stupid and costly moves by Blanco and Isbel never seems to anticipate a pitch,
just flail away.
Has BWJ ever fanned 3 times in a game before.
Sure hope the gaffes and the K's aren't omens; i.e. Breaking Bad(ly).
Witt has struck out three times in a game now 18 times in his career. He only did it twice last season.
https://stathead.com/tiny/d3BUo
I was at the game yesterday! It was my first Opening Day game I've ever been to. So had a blast. I had a friend with me who is an Orioles fan. So he wore his Cal Ripken jersey. Everyone was nice to him. The K staff were extremely friendly, polite and helpful yesterday. My friend was quite impressed. The ballpark looked great and it was a wonderful day for baseball.
There is one thing that surprised me. On the Royals Hall of Fame there is now a Commerce Bank sign (left side of the building). All of the division flags are gone. Only the 2015 & 1985 World Champion Flags and the 2014 AL Champion flags remain. If you're gonna keep the 2014 AL flag up, where is 1980? Honestly, the configuration with the flags on the building has not the best. It would be neat to see a grouping of all of the flags together again somewhere in the park. Maybe set up on the roof of the HOF in a group instead of on the sides of the building. It just seemed weird. But it's probably not going to matter sadly since there's only 6 more years left at Royals/Kauffman Stadium...
It was great to see Vinney knock one out and get another hit.! It was good to see the contributions of Salvy, & Bobby. I agree with you Craig that India did not look comfortable at 3rd. He also didn't look like a hitter that will get on base for us. Opening jitters? New home? I do realize it's only one game out of 162. Massey played well. I love seeing him play 2nd base. It was the first time to see Biggio play and he handled 1st base well. It will be interesting to see what he does this year.
The outfield is going to kill out chances this year. Melendez hasn't been able to hit. New swing? Please... He has no plate discipline. Isbel? He drives me nuts (don't even get me started on base running). The best way I can describe him is that he's a box of chocolates. You don't know what you're gonna get. Seems like more bad than good. BUT the one that should have the alarm bells going off is Hunter Renfroe. He did not have any urgency in right field getting to the balls. He played right field for K.C. last year and he couldn't handle TWO balls in the corner yesterday. He should know the field by now. The balls he threw back in had no mustard. It doesn't look like he cares or has any urgency. We were up in section 438 and we were all losing our minds with how Renfroe was playing. If you've played a position on your home field, you should be able to take off better, get a good route to the ball and get it back in to keep the opponent from cruising into third.
I realize it's just one game. Hopefully Q will get things fixed, but if we want the Royals to win this year, the outfield needs to be addressed sooner than later.
Glad you had a good time at the yard. Opening Day is always outstanding and the Royals know how to put on a show.
Good question on the flags and I don’t know where the ‘80 flag is. It’s the sort of thing I’m terrible about because it’s just kind of background to me eventually. But it is weird they wouldn’t have the ‘80 flag with the one from ‘14.
I’m glad you touched on it (I was running long…shocker!) but the throws from Renfroe were completely underwhelming. That’s a huge reason he’s there. The range is poor and the routes are questionable, but the arm has always been a factor. If he can’t get enough on those throws, then he’s really in trouble out there.
It would be a real shame if they took down the division flags (and 1980) for good. Obviously I'm biased but that part of franchise history is important too, even if it's "ancient history." And anyone looking at the 1976-80 flags can figure out the overview of those years (and how they make the 1985 one all the more satisfying) even if they don't know the details. Sigh.
Now I’m going to go out there to focus on the flags. All of them need to be visible. All of them.
1 question and 1 comment, if I may please. I have always thought when there is a rundown between 3rd base and home, the runners job is to get in a rundown so the trailing runner can get to 3rd base with one out. If said runner is getting to 3rd base he has to be anticipating that yor base running specialist can outrun the 3rd baseman to draw a throw or two so Isbel can get to 3rd base. Blanco failed in staying in rundown to make everything work. In addition to Renfro botching fly ball and turning Manzardo's double into a triple, he made 2 very poor throws to home on the two sacrifice flies.
Ideally, yes. But the timing on that play wasn’t working and I’ll put that down to really good execution from the Cleveland defense. Naylor did perfectly, running Blanco back almost all the way to the bag before throwing the ball to Ramírez. That gave Ramírez the opportunity to catch Blanco quickly, which, as we saw, hung Isbel out in no-man’s land.
I agree with you on the throws. That’s supposed to be why Renfroe is out there. If that tool has gone missing, then the outfield is really in trouble.
Had my beer and snacks ready to go on the east coast, pleasantly surprised that the mlb app advertised that the pregame would be shown. Not only was there no pregame show, but wasn't able to get the game until the 3RD INNING! Fortunately got the audio working by Vinnie's dinger and video soon followed, but even gameday play by play was glitchy prior to that. Apparently this was the case for many out of market fans of many teams parked in front of their tvs.
Opening day scheduled alongside start of NCAA tourney here in ACC country was head scratching. I have joked before that Manfred was part of a conspiracy to kill the MLB. While I am still dismissive of the moon landing being staged, I am firing the flare gun if I see Manfred anywhere near a grassy knoll.
The mlb.tv outage was… not ideal. But I got it back in time for Vinnie too. Just wish the servers would have gone back down after that.