KCRag Forum

TPJ has no business on our roster. His batting is deplorable and his defense is overrated. Good arm - nice range. Too many mistakes on easy plays. Too many mental errors. He could have easily had two errors instead of one last night (in the same inning). The one he received an error for - he should have never thrown. It was just dumb.

Even if his defense is deemed avg/above average - his bat is too much of a liability. The only other position the Royals should consider him for is reliever.

WSPanic wrote: TPJ has no business on our roster. His batting is deplorable and his defense is overrated. Good arm - nice range. Too many mistakes on easy plays. Too many mental errors. He could have easily had two errors instead of one last night (in the same inning). The one he received an error for - he should have never thrown. It was just dumb.

Even if his defense is deemed avg/above average - his bat is too much of a liability. The only other position the Royals should consider him for is reliever.

Especially if the idea is to use him as a defensive replacement - it seems that Tony needs to play consistently in order to stay sharp defensively.  When I have seen him inserted late in a game is usually when he looks all thumbs.  I don't think he has the ability to turn the mental focus on like a light switch - he has to warm up to it.  You can live with that for a starter, but not for a defensive replacement. 

WSPanic wrote: TPJ has no business on our roster. His batting is deplorable and his defense is overrated. Good arm - nice range. Too many mistakes on easy plays. Too many mental errors. He could have easily had two errors instead of one last night (in the same inning). The one he received an error for - he should have never thrown. It was just dumb.

Even if his defense is deemed avg/above average - his bat is too much of a liability. The only other position the Royals should consider him for is reliever.

Agreed. He makes sensational plays now and then. But he is average on routine plays, and has surprisingly mediocre to below average range on balls just to the left and right of him. He's average defensively, which is not good enough to justify his awful bat.

I seriously think he should stay in extended spring training and work on becoming a reliever.

Anyone have any opinion on Sidney Ponson being signed to a minor league contract?

We got rid of Gobble finally,....but Ponson.....yeeesh...

Ez Street wrote: Anyone have any opinion on Sidney Ponson being signed to a minor league contract?

We got rid of Gobble finally,....but Ponson.....yeeesh...

I don't think we are paying Ponson the millions we were paying Gobble.  Might as well give it a shot and see what is left in the ol'arm for next to zero risk.  Hell, if he could manage to be his old self in our 5th starter spot for just for a couple months midseason sometime, that would be worth the investment. 

LenexatoKCMO wrote: I don't think we are paying Ponson the millions we were paying Gobble.  Might as well give it a shot and see what is left in the ol'arm for next to zero risk.  Hell, if he could manage to be his old self in our 5th starter spot for just for a couple months midseason sometime, that would be worth the investment. 

He and Callaspo should have fun together. The team should just chip in and get those two a driver to share.

Could definitely eat some innings in a spot start moving forward. Could help us avoid the "Eduardo Villacis" situation a few years back. If we can settle on four starters to begin with, we won't even need a 5th until maybe the Detroit series starting 4/24.

Yeah, I doubt they just signed him sight unseen.  Surely some scout(s) saw him work off the mound somewhere and saw some signs of life and zip.  If he was as fat as ever and heaving up seventy five mph fastballs I doubt they would have bothered to take a shot.  I have no problem with it - if this were a couple of years ago and the front office made this kind of move I would have been more cynical and figured they were acting like a desperate gambler, hoping for a washed up has been to emerge into some miracle savior - but given where the team is at, this gamble seems much more like they are just looking for potential gravy. 

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Surely some scout(s) saw him work off the mound somewhere and saw some signs of life and zip.

He pitched for the Netherlands in the WBC, where they upset the DR twice.  Not sure if he pitched those games.

He pitched in the first DR game.

I agree, it seems like a small risk to take for an unknown amount of upside.  Moore has made pitching a staple for the royals, I wouldn't bet on that changing anytime soon...he must see something there.

Bloomquist played 2nd base tonight and looked great. He made 4 plays that neither Teahen or Callaspo would have made.

Mike Jacobs also had 2 deep shots. One going for a double, the other missing a HR by 2 feet, that was caught. He is looking really good.

Aviles was at SS tonight and looked great.

Hochevar allowed 3 runs in 4 innings. He looked just like he did last season. He was almost always behind in the count and then had to put pitches over the plate to try to get people out. I wasn't impressed at all.

In spring training the Royals are 2nd in runs scored, 1 behind the leader. And tied for 1st in HR's. I know it doesn't mean much but they are doing a lot better then they normally do. Hopefully it can carry on into the season.

Don't the Royals normally do well in Spring Training?  Seems like we're almost always near the top of the AL teams in Spring Training.

Not a great year to look at spring training with all the best players in the WBC for USA and the Dominican. But being second in those stats is still a good thing.

AllThingsKC wrote: Don't the Royals normally do well in Spring Training?  Seems like we're almost always near the top of the AL teams in Spring Training.

They hover around .500 every spring.

I am just hoping with the new leadership in the locker room and us scoring some runs in spring that we can hopefully avoid our April slump we always seem to have. If we could eliminate that we can contend for the division.

Jimmy Gobble has signed with the Rangers.

KansasCityCraka wrote: Jimmy Gobble has signed with the Rangers.

He's their problem now.

Ez Street wrote: He's their problem now.

Pitchers with 8+ ERAs don't stand out much in Texas. He'll blend in just fine.

Seriously, if they're looking for a guy who can get leftys out - and they use him appropriately - he'll be a nice addition to the pen. He wasn't a problem last year until Hillman decided he should face a bunch right-handed batters.

Gil Meche has officially been named the Opening Day starter against the White Sox, with Zack Greinke as No. 2.

Shocker right?

Apparently Pedro Martinez talked to the Royals about coming to play here before we signed Ponson, but he was still asking for 5 million a year...

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/03/r ... ohman.html