The Pirates and Royals

[DOUGHBOYS]

The Pirates offered Gregory Polanco a seven year contract with three club options.
Three club options?
Can you say GUN SHY after the failings of Jose Tabata?
The Pirates are a strange ownership. At the end of last year, it seemed that they and AJ Burnett had a wink-wink deal wherein if Burnett did not retire, Burnett would re-sign.
Burnett decided not to retire, but the Pirates would not offer him even the minimum that Burnett required.
Now, Burnett is gone, Liriano is struggling, Cole has not been lights out, and the Pirates best pitcher one week was a cat named Brandon Cumpton.

The Pirates signed Edison Volquez for partial money of Burnett.....And, they are getting what they paid for.
The Pirates were an exciting team last year. It was up to Management to fill in missing pieces.
They've failed miserably.
Instead of shelling out money for a 1b like Kendrys Morales, they 'settle' for Ike Davis.
Instead of Burnett, there is Volquez.
Tabata and Travis Snider are in their outfield.
They have failed their fans.
When coming close to a brass ring like the Pirates did last year, it is Management's job to tweak a few weaknesses and improve the team.
Not only did they fail to fix weaknesses, they made strengths, merely adequate.
Stupid Pirates!

Now they offer a piddly 25 million to Polanco over seven years WITH THREE CLUB OPTIONS.
Even I would have told the Pirates to stick that offer up their ass!
In a sense, they were blackmailing Polanco. If accepting the offer, Polanco would have been in a Pirates uniform the next day.
Now, in a sense, not only have the Pirates further pissed off Polanco with the token offer, but they are blackmailing themselves by playing contract mistake in Tabata while Poloanco rakes at AAA.
Polanco does not win, the Pirates do not win, the fans do not win.
The only 'winner' is Tabata and Snider who hold down the fort till Polanco is deemed major league ready.
Coincidentally, that'll be a day after not having to worry about Polanco's super two status.
Stupid Pirates.

I love talking with NFBC'er Kelly Uganski. Kelly knows his shit when it comes to minor league players and young prospects.
Sometimes, he over estimates the clout of young talent.
He's a believer that a minor league system will produce Championships.
He still believes that the playoffs and World Series are in the cards for the Royals. I staunchly disagree.
Kansas City Management of kids once going through Omaha is abysmal. Especially pitchers.
The last pitcher that threw well over a long period of time from the Kansas City system was Zack Greinke.
So far, Ace Ventura has escaped to the Major Leagues and thrived, but I have little hope it'll last. I'm going with track record.

Kelly points towards the young Marlins of 2003 who won a pennant and World Series.
I countered that it happens seldom. And the major difference between that Marlins team and this Royals team is leadership. The Marlins went out and got Pudge Rodriguez.
Who is the Royals leader?
James Shields, obtained just a year ago? Butler, Gordon, Hosmer?
None are leaders, something the Royals sorely need.
They may need something even larger. A bat to fear.
Gordon, Butler, Hosmer, Perez...they're all nice hitters, but there is not one hitter in the KC lineup to be feared.

Ned Yost is a developmental Manager. He has the worst winning percentage in baseball history of managers born in 1900.
Is that who you want managing a team that has supposedly come of age?
I don't think so.
The Pirates and Royals have a lot of nice moving parts on the field.
Both have ownerships that tell fans that they have their best interests at heart.
The Pirates are flat out lieing. The bottom line is clearly more important than the product on the field.
The Royals do not know how to close a deal. It was only through pressure that they made the deal to get Shields. An ace.
They should be getting an ace or power hitter in wanting to chase a Championship and please fans. Not the pressure of possibly losing a job.
The Pirates and Royals, quite simply, get in their own way of success.
Pirates and Royals organizations can blame umpires, circumstances, lack of money, anything.
But those at the top of these organizations should acquire a mirror for the blame game.

[NorCalAtlFan]

you're slipping. i think you used the pirates as your folly to blister the royals, yet again.
you've even covered your ass a bit. if the royals go out and acquire a player that helps put them over the top, you get to point out that they couldn't even win with their own players. tsk tsk

time to find new fodder. i see you've been tip toeing in the mess that is the braves. have at it!

[DOUGHBOYS]

you're slipping. i think you used the pirates as your folly to blister the royals, yet again.
you've even covered your ass a bit. if the royals go out and acquire a player that helps put them over the top, you get to point out that they couldn't even win with their own players. tsk tsk

time to find new fodder. i see you've been tip toeing in the mess that is the braves. have at it!

Over the off season, the Pirates easily beat the Royals in being stupid.
Their needs were outlined for them. Everybody and their Mother knew that the Pirates needed to address the first base position, the right field spot, and a Starter. They addressed none.
They did nothing at first till given Ike Davis.
They signed Volquez to replace Burnett.
They did nothing in right field.
When in a position to win, go for the throat.
Play Polanco. See if he's a difference maker. If he is, then offer him a real contract to keep him in Pittsburgh. Pirates Management have made the word' management' a misnomer.

No covering ass at all. The Royals are not bright enough to know what they need. It took a possible job loss to go get Shields.
They need a leader, a basher, a new Manager, and ultimately a new General Manager.
I don't expect any of that to happen this year till September when Yost becomes Moore's reason for losing.

Fredi's lineups have me on the brink of tears. He won't admit mistakes. Instead, deflecting by putting the pitcher in the eighth spot. I can't think of one major league lineup that would like to have Gerald Laird hitting fifth.
Sabermeticians think that leadoff players have to draw walks.
Poppycock.
Put Simmons there and give him a try. Let Chris Johnson hit second.
Freeman third and let Fredi pick the rest out of a hat (besides Heyward and Freeman, he seemingly does this every day anyway).
There is no rhyme or reason to any lineup Fredi writes.

There Bryan, a little of the Pirates, Royals, and Braves for you....

[Edwards Kings]

I am crying about the Braves. The problem was going to be starting pitching and surprise, surprise, it has been solid. I have one for you...I think they would be better off with Logan Schafer leading off, Simmons, Freeman, Upton, Heyward, Gattis, Johnson, and Pena.

Anyway, good stuff Dan. Have one on me...

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/05/ ... p=features

[DOUGHBOYS]

Ummm Doritos...Thanks Wayne.

I would like Schafer at the top too.
That would mean the Braves admitting their mistake in signing Upton.
They haven't shown signs of that.

I'm with you though. I think Schafer would be a big asset at the top of that order.

[NorCalAtlFan]

lastella
simmons
freeman
upton
heyward
gattis
other upton
johnson

hopefully that is the lineup we braves fans see by friday

[DOUGHBOYS]

LaStella would make a good lead off hitter. I wouldn't thrust him into the role right away though.
Putting Schafer first and LaStella eight would be good for awhile. Then, when LaStella hits, he moves to the top and Schafer/Upton platoon.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Holy crap!

Pastornicky hitting second today?!?
He's earned that hasn't he?
Fredi just continues his assault on batting lineup common sense.
A case where a team is not hitting, and the Manager, whose job it is to put players in the best position to succeed, does the opposite.

Note to self:
Never have Fredi Gonzalez prepare my parachute before leaping from a plane.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Jason Heyward gets a 'rest' vs. a tough lefty.
Tyler Pastornicky leads off.
Pastornicky has one more hit than starting pitcher Julio Teheran.

Fredi is making it clear that he is right in leading Heyward off.
Almost as if Heyward has the monopoly on the spot and if having to be replaced, it'll be by somebody who fans would never want to see in that spot.
If not for Atlanta's pitching, Fredi may have been one of the first Managers dismissed in September/October.

[NorCalAtlFan]

no dough, you are wrong. unfortunately

because fredi has ties to Robert Cox, the braves will ride the fredi train till it completely derails. in season/post season debacles be damned

[DOUGHBOYS]

I'm wrong a lot

I was forgetting about the politics of Major League Baseball.
You're right. Politics have a lot more to do now with a Manager being fired than won/loss record.