You know, I don't really want to make the following statement: Now I'm really going to start posting on this thing. Time just always seems to get in the way. I make promises public as a method to force me to keep them but, as my grandmother used to say, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip. Anway, I was thinking about the column I did for my ESPN fantasy correspondence about a year ago and patting myself on the back for my prescience. So I thought I'd post it here and pledge to put my Royal rantings on this thing more consistently. Yeah, right. Anyway, here's me, circa 2003:
In Defense of Allard Baird
You're a Royals fan. The last day of January is here, the last echoes of Super Bowl XXXVII just now fading away. In thirteen days, KC's Boys in Blue report for their inaugural spring in the Cactus League. There is no hope, you think. You are filled with a sense of dread. Your team lost 100 games last year. What have they done to repair the situation? They watched the two winningest pitchers from last year's squad sign with National League teams. They brought in such bargain-bin 'talent' as Desi Relaford, Albie Lopez, James Baldwin, Sean Lowe and Mike DiFelice. How many more games can a team lose? Hey, you're asking the wrong person. For the first time since he assumed the throne at Kauffman Stadium, it appears to me that Allard Baird is doing things the right way.
Pay Attention: <$ does not equal Besides the paucity of impact acquistions, the primary cause for Royal rooter despair is the much-publicized decree by owner David Glass to slash the payroll down to around $37 million. In addition, Glass stated publicly that he still expects the team to challenge the .500 level. You know what? He should have that expectation. When Glass allowed the payroll to be increased last season, I think think he still harbored the notion that there was some sort of linear relationship between dollars and victories. But a 100 loss season in the same league where low-payroll teams in Minnesota and Oakland are earning playoff berths will do much to change your perspective.
For the most part, the organization appears to have seen the light, building around organizationally developed players who are given ample opportunity to prove themselves at the Major League level. All of the veterans signed have been low-risk deals with minimal financial commitment. Moreover, they have all been made to fill specific organizational gaps. None of this crop of vets will likely take away from a younger player in need of playing time. Even Relaford, who is at present probably superior to both Carlos Febles and Angel Berroa, was only signed as a utility player and an insurance policy. Finally the time has come to see which of the Royals top young players can play. While they'll be tough to project, the Royals are more interesting than they have been since 2000.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
My In-Box activity has quickened as we prepare to flip the calendar to February. Already, the search for saves seems to be underway. With one of the more uncertain late-inning bullpen constructions, the Royals will continue to be under the microscope for those with closer-deprived roto rosters. Unfortunately, the closer situation in KC is likely to be unclear well into the season - perhaps the entire season. Right now, both Allard Baird and Tony Pena are saying that they will open the year with a bullpen-by-committee approach. This means that there will not be anyone in the Royals' camp that will be draftable on the basis of saves. Mike MacDougal, Jeremy Hill, Ryan Bukvich and, possibly, Jason Grimsley will all be in line for late-inning action.
Projected Rotation
1) Albie Lopez
2) Darrell May*
3) Runelvys Hernandez
4) Chris George*
5) Jeremy Affeldt*
* denotes a left-handed starter
My gut feeling is that MacDougal will be the guy eventually. However, keep in mind that my gut also suggested that Paul Byrd would be out of the rotation by June last year. The more I think about that, I'm surprised that they gave me this gig again. Another question that I received several times, much to my surprise, is whether the Royals will be trying Raul Ibanez at catcher this season. I'm not sure how this rumor resurfaced. Way back in August, Tony Pena was quoted in the KC Star as saying that he was thinking about trying Ibanez at third or catcher in the spring. But that idea seemed to lose its steam. I haven't heard it repeated since. Plus, DiFelice was signed to compete with Rule V draftee Ronny Paulino to caddie for Brent Mayne.
In Defense of Allard Baird
You're a Royals fan. The last day of January is here, the last echoes of Super Bowl XXXVII just now fading away. In thirteen days, KC's Boys in Blue report for their inaugural spring in the Cactus League. There is no hope, you think. You are filled with a sense of dread. Your team lost 100 games last year. What have they done to repair the situation? They watched the two winningest pitchers from last year's squad sign with National League teams. They brought in such bargain-bin 'talent' as Desi Relaford, Albie Lopez, James Baldwin, Sean Lowe and Mike DiFelice. How many more games can a team lose? Hey, you're asking the wrong person. For the first time since he assumed the throne at Kauffman Stadium, it appears to me that Allard Baird is doing things the right way.
Pay Attention: <$ does not equal Besides the paucity of impact acquistions, the primary cause for Royal rooter despair is the much-publicized decree by owner David Glass to slash the payroll down to around $37 million. In addition, Glass stated publicly that he still expects the team to challenge the .500 level. You know what? He should have that expectation. When Glass allowed the payroll to be increased last season, I think think he still harbored the notion that there was some sort of linear relationship between dollars and victories. But a 100 loss season in the same league where low-payroll teams in Minnesota and Oakland are earning playoff berths will do much to change your perspective.
For the most part, the organization appears to have seen the light, building around organizationally developed players who are given ample opportunity to prove themselves at the Major League level. All of the veterans signed have been low-risk deals with minimal financial commitment. Moreover, they have all been made to fill specific organizational gaps. None of this crop of vets will likely take away from a younger player in need of playing time. Even Relaford, who is at present probably superior to both Carlos Febles and Angel Berroa, was only signed as a utility player and an insurance policy. Finally the time has come to see which of the Royals top young players can play. While they'll be tough to project, the Royals are more interesting than they have been since 2000.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
My In-Box activity has quickened as we prepare to flip the calendar to February. Already, the search for saves seems to be underway. With one of the more uncertain late-inning bullpen constructions, the Royals will continue to be under the microscope for those with closer-deprived roto rosters. Unfortunately, the closer situation in KC is likely to be unclear well into the season - perhaps the entire season. Right now, both Allard Baird and Tony Pena are saying that they will open the year with a bullpen-by-committee approach. This means that there will not be anyone in the Royals' camp that will be draftable on the basis of saves. Mike MacDougal, Jeremy Hill, Ryan Bukvich and, possibly, Jason Grimsley will all be in line for late-inning action.
Projected Rotation
1) Albie Lopez
2) Darrell May*
3) Runelvys Hernandez
4) Chris George*
5) Jeremy Affeldt*
* denotes a left-handed starter
My gut feeling is that MacDougal will be the guy eventually. However, keep in mind that my gut also suggested that Paul Byrd would be out of the rotation by June last year. The more I think about that, I'm surprised that they gave me this gig again. Another question that I received several times, much to my surprise, is whether the Royals will be trying Raul Ibanez at catcher this season. I'm not sure how this rumor resurfaced. Way back in August, Tony Pena was quoted in the KC Star as saying that he was thinking about trying Ibanez at third or catcher in the spring. But that idea seemed to lose its steam. I haven't heard it repeated since. Plus, DiFelice was signed to compete with Rule V draftee Ronny Paulino to caddie for Brent Mayne.