The Royals

[Killah Sith]

I don't know what to think of Greinke right now. Sounds like he is close to coming back, but as far as I know it's never been told exactly what was wrong with him. It sounds like more of a depression issue than a spoiled brat issue that it was originally speculated, but I don't know for sure.

It'll be June before he is back in KC. He'll go to Arizona for an extended spring training and then somewhere in the minors for some starts then it'll be determined whether he's back in KC. Hopefully he does make it back with his head on straight and does pitch well, he's important to this team's future.


Another pitcher is Runelvys Hernandez and he got bombed again in AAA, I think yesterday.


As for the front office, I have little faith in them now. I don't see them doing anything other than giving some young guys an opportunity. I'm ok with Earlton and Redmond right now, but Joe Mayes needs to go.


I heard the other day that when David Glass purchased the team he cut the scouting department in half. That there is a major problem with the Royals.

[RockSports17]

Wow. That is a huge problem. Scouting is obviously a major part of the team. Actually I just heard today on Cold Pizza that the Royals GM Baird may be on his way out? Good or bad move?

[Killah Sith]

It's been talked about in the media and I'm undecided on that. Baird has a good reputation and many believe he can be a very good GM. Sure he has made some mistakes, but they are magnified more because of the situation he is in. How much is him and how much is the difficult situation?

Plus consider who will go to the Royals to take the GM job? If it's some young GM considered to be the next big thing, he isn't going to want to go to KC. He'll just wait until a better situation comes along. So I'm not really convinced they will be able to get anyone better than Baird at this point.


It's my opinion that the whole organization needs to look at itself. Yes the small market situation is a major factor, but the philosophy of the organization is off somewhere. If it's true about the scouting department, that's the first place they need to look at and improve. Why are all of our young pitchers flaming out? Why are players seemingly horrible in KC yet good elsewhere? This isn't the same attitude the Royals had when I was a kid. I like Buddy Bell and believe he can turn some things around, but it starts up top in my opinion.


Despite the disasterous start I still have some hope. Like I've stated before, this year I want to see guys like Dejesus continue to improve and Mark Teahan and John Buck start to step up. Then next year Billy Butler and Justen Huber, and possibly Alex Gordon, will be in KC and the young necleus will be in place. But even more important are the pitchers. Grienke, Hernandez, Sisco, Burgeos, Nunez, and Mike Wood need to improve and start to fulfill their potential. But somewhere along the way, these guys need to learn how to win, and not be satisfied with the losing status quo.

[RockSports17]

Great post. Seriously. My problems with the Royals have always been the ownership, it seriously seems like they've cared more about the money than to win. Which is a problem in baseball, IMHO. Teams need to start caring about putting a winning team out on that field, why? Because it'd only be best for baseball if they did. I really don't care if they are a small market team. You're still going to see Royal fans come by the dozen if KC would start winning. You know, for some odd reason, I always liked Baird. It was like the old D-Rays GM, Chuck Lamar, they can only work with what they're given, which isn't much. Because their bosses were cheap bastards who wanted to spend only a small amount of money on the team. Not every GM can be Beane, yah know? Who would want to go to the Royals to be their next GM? Probably not many people.

They need to get the scouting system back up and going. It's a vital part to any ML team. They also need to stop screwing up their pitchers, Grienke had a breakdown (). It's truly not funny though. Grienke should've been given some respect and put up in that rotation. Everybody knows he probably could've been one of their best pitchers this season.

It's great when you can worry about developing your younger players, but it's going to mean nothing when they are shipped off when they want big money, or they go into a clubhouse that expects to lose every season. I like Bell also, shit, I liked Pena. But these managers mean nothing when they don't have support from upstairs.

Just my rant.

[RockSports17]

Well I gotta say this was nice to see from the Royals owner.

Link

Disgusted by the Royals’ 2-12 start to the 2006 season? Insisting that something be done? The club’s No. 1 fan is right there with you.

And owner David Glass, often criticized in the past for his patience, is promising swift action if his Royals continue to bungle their way toward another cheerless summer.

“It has to change quickly,” Glass said. “We are not willing to wait to see if it gets better. We have to make it get better. As a fan, you lose games and it just sticks with you. You dwell on it. Each loss makes it worse.”

Glass’ comments come as the Royals prepare to open a nine-game home stand tonight after concluding an 0-9 trip through New York, Tampa Bay and Chicago. The Royals have lost 10 straight overall.

“If it doesn’t turn around,” Glass promised, “we’ll have to change things. We can’t wait too long. I’m not willing to go through a season like we did last year. None of us are.”

Glass declined to specify a timetable or what changes he has in mind, but any major shake-up seems likely to start with general manager Allard Baird, whose rebuilding plan is entering its sixth full season without measurable progress.

The Royals are 370-551 since Baird became general manager on June 17, 2000, and have lost 100 or more games in three of the last four seasons.

This year’s disappointing start comes after Glass authorized a payroll increase to $50 million or more, which allowed Baird to spend nearly $25 million on veteran players to supplement a youthful roster that, too often, found itself overwhelmed a year ago.

“We all know we’re a better club than we’ve shown,” Baird said. “Offensively, guys are pressing. It doesn’t help that we’ve faced a lot of good pitching. But, that said, you have to figure out a way.

“Our pitching, we’ve got some guys out (with injuries). That’s not an excuse. It’s something you deal with. But the bottom line is we need better results.”

Baird acknowledges that pressure is mounting because of the club’s poor play, but he continues to insist that the organization’s top prospects — Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Justin Huber and others — won’t be summoned to the big leagues to appease the public.

“We can’t go against the plan and start rushing guys up here,” Baird said. “We’re just not going to do that. That said, none of us are content and in a pause mode to see what happens.”

A switch in general managers usually triggers sweeping changes within an organization, which is why in-season moves are rare unless it involves an in-house promotion — such as when Baird replaced Herk Robinson.

But Glass nearly fired Baird after last season and admits his frustration is growing.

“You don’t want to do things too quickly,” Glass said. “We spent all winter and all spring putting this thing together, and we thought we were on the right track. But we need to see results.

“You want me to give you a date? I can’t do that. You have to evaluate it on a day-to-day basis. If I say it has to be better by the All-Star break, that might be too late.

“If we see improvement in some areas, we do something different than if we don’t see any improvement at all.”

One possible factor in whether Glass sticks with Baird is the Royals have the No. 1 pick this June in the amateur draft for the first time in franchise history. That player, whom the general manager selects after evaluating staff reports, seems certain to command a signing bonus in excess of $4 million.

The poor start is killing attendance. The Royals expect crowds of just 15,500, 16,000 and 11,000 for the three games this weekend against Cleveland at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals seem certain to exit April without a winning record for the 16th time in 17 years. They are already 7½ games out of first place and, barring a major turnaround, will be 10 games back or more by Memorial Day for the 10th time in that span.

The club’s baseball operations staff, which Baird oversees, is increasingly on edge in anticipation of possible changes. Several members said Baird is telling them the same thing he tells players: Don’t worry about what you can’t control.

Players are also starting to brace for changes — in the clubhouse, as happens with any struggling team, if not in the front office.

“It’s bad right now,” said outfielder Reggie Sanders, one of Baird’s new free-agent acquisitions. “It’s a big hole, and it’s kind of baffling — because there are times when you see the actual potential of what we have.

“I just don’t know what it is, but it’s like a virus.”

Manager Buddy Bell, whom Baird hired last May 31, continues to insist the Royals have the personnel to pull out of their spin.

“You’ve got to give guys a chance,” he said. “I believe if you stay positive enough and patient enough and keep it in perspective, everything works its way through.

“In time, you might have to make changes to find a combination that works. But you’ve got to give guys a chance.”

What the Royals need most is a couple of victories this weekend over the Indians and a winning home stand.

“It has really been awful,” Glass said. “I know I’m wearing people out talking about it. Disbelief is the first stage. You just can’t believe this is happening.

“But then the reality sets in. It is happening. So what do we do to stop the hemorrhaging?”

Thoughts?

[realmofotalk]

It was like the old D-Rays GM, Chuck Lamar, they can only work with what they're given, which isn't much. Because their bosses were cheap bastards who wanted to spend only a small amount of money on the team. Not every GM can be Beane, yah know?

I'd agree that Baird is restricted by budget constraints but after watching the highlights of Friday's game in which Elmer Dessens was lit up, if I were a Royals fan I'd be screaming, "Why in blue hell did Baird bring Elmer Dessens to the team?! Hell, trading for Ryan Vogelsong would've been a better move."

[HuskerFan2002]

After watching yesterday's game, I'd have to say there was a pretty good crowd at the "K".

I know Buddy Bell said that he's not concerned with his hitters, but with pitching. Kansas City doesn't have that "big-name" pitcher like most other teams have. They need to acquire someone that's willing to be part of a HUGE rebuilding stage.

[Killah Sith]

Actually Dressens has pitched very well for the most part.

As for Glass, what is he going to do other than bring in someone else and give them the same restraints? Glass will ultimately be judged by the success of the renovations and whether it gives the team new money to spend. If not, there are going to be a lot of folks who wanted downtown baseball pissed off.

[RockSports17]

Well, I hope he doesn't find Baird. I know KC has been playing some good baseball as of lately, and atleast the KC owner seems like he cares. It's a lot more than what some owners do.

[Killah Sith]

I think it was more frustration than anything. While nobody expected a World Series or anything, having that long losing streak right at the beginning of the season really put a damper on things early.