Monday, January 31, 2011

The White Era Fades To Black

I’m not going to make a really big deal out of this.  For one, I don’t really know all the details, and it might not all be over yet.  But also because, selfishly, it doesn’t really affect me all that much.  But it is noteworthy that the Royals have parted ways with Frank White.  Frank is no longer on the team’s payroll.  The official reason is that he couldn’t come to terms with the Royals, after they asked him to take a pay cut.

The GREAT news (which was also part of the problem, apparently) is that Frank will continue to call Royals’ games on TV as a part of the Fox Sports broadcast team.  It’s actually his commitment to Fox that made the Royals back away from Frank—they complained that his responsibility to the network caused him to miss too many of the public appearances he’s required to make as a part of his contract.

Bulldog Bob on 610 sports in Kansas City was pretty fired up about all of this on his morning show today.  His take is that there’s NO WAY the Royals can afford to part ways with either of their two historic “Faces of the Ball Club,” which are Frank White and George Brett.

Here’s where the selfish side of me comes in.  From my perspective, am I really going to see Frank White representing the Royals any less than he was as their employee?  I mean, I haven’t yet attended Fantasy Camp or the “Fats with Bats” day (or whatever they call it when they let old guys take BP inside The K), or any of the other opportunities one would have to get up close and personal with Frank in his “I work for the Royals” duties (although I did attend a Wranglers game when he was managing, and he was extremely cool in shooting the breeze with fans on the 3rd base side).

No, when I’ve seen Frank for the last couple of years, it’s been in my nightly DVRing of the Royals’ broadcast.  He does about 2/3 of the games or so, give or take.  He’s done a lot more in the past couple of years than he’s expected, do to the vocal tragedies experienced by Paul Splittorff.  He has been and will continue to be one of the faces of the Royals to me, and to the DOZENS of pathetic fans like myself who refuse to miss a televised game (I kid.  I’m sure there are HUNDREDS watching, not dozens).
In a way, I think this was part of the Royals’ plan.  They know we’re all going to watch Frank’s work and continue to see him as a Royal for life.  From their perspective, what more do they get out of the deal by paying him in excess of whatever Fox is sending his way?

It’s still a little tough to swallow that Frank isn’t on the Royals’ payroll for the first time in 40 years or so.  I remember Frank telling stories of how he actually worked on the construction crew when The K was being built—he actually helped mold concrete forms and poor supports.  He LITERALLY built the Royals’ franchise with his own two hands.  You can’t THINK Royals without thinking of Frank White—I even made it a point to be at the then-Royals Stadium for Frank’s last home game.  This does represent a little bit of a “moving on.”

But as a pathetic fan, I am all-in for our future, and whatever the Royals’ reasons were for letting Frank walk, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.  That is, as long as this latest rebuilding process doesn’t land us flat on our faces, as the rest have these past 25+ years.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Don't count out K-State on Saturday

Is there anyone in the world more disappointed by Kansas State’s shocking basketball face-plant than ESPN?  I mean, when they put their heads together every year to decide where the Game Day crew is going, Allen Field House always comes up as a possibility.  But you take a serious risk with a location in the Midwest with so few guaranteed eyeballs glued to the set.  Much safer to stick to the Big East or the ACC.  But with the WILDCATS being the team expected to compete for all the conference and national hardware this year, putting them on against their biggest rival in one of the game’s greatest venues seemed like a no-brainer for some compelling television.  Right now, the game looks like a turd.

I’m not looking at it like that at all.  This game is by no means a gimme for the Jayhawks.

Rivalries are kind of funny things.  Historically, the Sunflower Showdown hasn’t been competitive.  Look no further than the history of the Big 12.  In the first 14 years of the conference, the Jayhawks hold a staggering 33-2 record over Kansas State.  It defies logic.  In terms of wins, it’s the biggest margin that ANY Big 12 school has over another in the Big 12 era.  In terms of percentages, it’s the second-most lopsided series in the Big 12 era, trailing only KU’s 97% winning percentage over Colorado.

SIDEBAR—In terms of percentages, Kansas actually has the 5 most lop-sided series in the conference since the league formed in 1996 (could be more than the top 5, I didn’t research further):

Over Colorado: 97%
Over Kansas State:  94%
Over A&M:  94%
Over Nebraska:  91%
Over Baylor:  88%

ALL OF THIS SAID……This game is a bear every time it’s played.  Kansas State wants to WIN this game worse than any other, and on the other side, KU fears LOSING this game worse than any other.  For the Wildcats to lose it is no big deal—it’s what everyone’s come to expect.  Same with KU winning it.  But there’s a heckuva lot of pressure for KU to maintain the status quo, and for the Wildcats to break it.

Oddly enough, the Wildcats generally make a better game of it in Allen Field House, for some reason.  In the 22 seasons that have been played since the construction of the “Octagon of Doom,” Kansas State has actually performed BETTER (margin-wise) in Lawrence than in Manhattan in 13 of those seasons.  That includes three wins in Allen, versus only one in the Bram. 

The Cats have even more on the line than ever this season.  I know that ESPN’S Bracketology doesn’t reflect this right now (mainly because they expect Martin to right the ship at some point), but if the season were to end TODAY, there is no question in my mind that Kansas State would be on the outside of the Big Dance looking in.  At 2-4 in the conference, how can they be anything but out?  I still expect them to get in, but at what point do they get so buried that the wheels start to fall off the wagon?  This isn’t exactly the most “mentally stable” consortium of human beings in college athletics (from the coach, to the senior “leaders,” all the way down to the McDonald’s All-American forward, often found on campus talking to the squirrels—and expressing disappointment when they don’t respond).

FOR KANSAS…Every game at this point is basically a “must win,” at least until Texas shows that they’re capable of losing to someone in this league.  They may not be.  KU’s in no danger of missing “The Show,” but their steak of Big 12 titles is already in jeopardy.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS….(I mean that figuratively.  Just because I like KU and all doesn’t mean I endorse….ah, never mind).  It’s always a strange feeling having to root for Missouri to win ANYTHING.  But that’s exactly what Jayhawk Nation is doing tomorrow, as the Tigers stroll into Austin for a battle of Top 15 teams.  As I look at Texas’ schedule, trying to find games that they MIGHT lose, I see Saturday’s game with Mizzou, then Monday in College Station, and then…..well, nothing at all, really.  Anything else would take a monumental upset for them to lose.

Kansas State has a knack for pulling wins over Texas out of their hind parts with some frequency.  And Texas has been full of NBA talent the past two years, and found a way to fold to 9-7 conference records both times.  So anything is possible.  I’m not calling for a 16-0 record for the Horns in the league quite yet.  But if they get through the weekend and Monday unscathed, it starts to look REALLY possible.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Wil Myers shouldn't be the only Royals prospect switching positions...

The Royals’ farm system has been getting a lot of deserved run lately.  It’s no shocker for those of us who have been following it, but it’s fun to see the big dogs like Baseball Prospectus, ESPN and MLB.com finally come out and say we’ve got the best crop of prospects in all of baseball.  WE know we have reason to hope in the future.  Now, the word is out and everyone has to sit up and take notice.

It’s somewhat ironic that (with the exception of left-handed starting pitching), the place we’re most healthy in the minors is also the one place where we don’t appear to need any short or long-term help in at the MLB level—first base.  The one-and-only elite bat in Kansas City belongs to Billy Butler, whom the Royals just signed to a team-friendly four-year deal with a team option for a 5th year (which, I predict, will look like we took Billy to the cleaners by the time his career is over).

Eric Hosmer is pegged as the first baseman of the future, but he likely isn’t more than a year away from forcing himself onto the big league team.  But to do what?  Billy has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be a full-time DH.  Yet Hosmer is looked at as possibly the Royals’ best minor league defender at any position as a first baseman.  This is a dilemma—a good one, but a dilemma all the same.

A couple weeks ago, in an interview with Nick Wright on 610 radio in Kansas City, Bill asked a question that I’ve been asking for a while, but made even more sense when he asked it in the context he did.  Billy related the fact that the Royals had tried him at a couple of different positions before ultimately settling on using him at first base.  He was drafted as a third baseman, then played a lot of outfield, and didn’t actually touch a first baseman’s mitt until after he reached Kansas City.

Billy’s point:  If the Royals were willing to give him a shot at some of the more “athletic” positions on the field before deciding he could only play first base, why wouldn’t they try that with a guy like Hosmer, as well?

BINGO!!!!!  No offense to Billy, but he’s a one-tool defensive player.  He’s got a cannon for an arm, but less range than a paper plane dipped in molten lead.  He’s 6’1” wearing Cpl. Klinger’s best pumps, and 245 if he’s an ounce.  He’s built like a linebacker and runs like an offensive guard.  And yet, the Royals gave him every opportunity to play the field before settling him in the position where you traditionally play the fat kid.

Enter Hosmer.  He’s tall, he’s long, he’s lean and he’s not an complete abortion with his legs.  He just LOOKS like an athlete.  As desperate as the Royals are for corner outfielders who can slug, why hasn’t the thought crossed their mind to give Hosmer a shot out there?  What would it hurt?  And yet, he’s played no position in the field BUT first base since coming on board.

The prevailing thought is that Billy will eventually move to DH for the better-defending Hosmer, but we know that’s not what he wants.  How long will we be able to keep Billy happy there?  Of course, his team-friendly contract makes him a powerful trade chip, but the Royals are seriously lacking in right-handed hitting—the rest of the first base options are all lefties.

Let’s play “Royals Czar For the Day” for a minute.  I’m going to show you a couple of minor league hitting lines, and then we’ll talk a little about the guys.

Player A:  1733 PAs (548 at AA or higher).  .307/.373/.537/.909.  74 dongs, 112 2Bs, 10 3Bs, 149 walks.

Player B:  1660 PAs (534 at AA or higher).  .282/.336/.504/.839.  74 dongs, 102 2Bs, 6 BBs, 113 walks.

Not bad, right?  73 more plate appearances for Player A, but overall, you’d say that he compares rather favorably to Player B so far in their minor league journeys. 

Player B is the #7 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com.  Player A isn’t in their top 50.  Why?  Because Player B is 3+ years younger than Player A, and can play the field.  Player A is 25, and projects to the life of a career DH.

Player B is Mike Moustakas.  Player A is Clint Robinson.

Here’s the thing—you’re never going to have Hosmer, Butler and Robinson on your 25-man at the same time if they’re all limited to the 1B/DH slots.  The nice thing about Robinson is that he appears to understand his limitations as a fielder, and has been nothing but positive while spending large chunks of the past season as the DH.  He was the Texas League Triple Crown winner—can’t argue with that kind of success.

Robinson isn’t going to get you a ton on the trade market.  He’s going to be 26 this year, and we talked about his projection as a DH.  Moving Hosmer to an outfield spot would allow you to project BOTH him and Robinson into the lineup with Billy as a happy every-day first baseman.  THAT’S what I do with my day as Royals Czar.  It all seems so simple. 

Why not give it a try?  You can always move him back.  Seems like a great year to try it out, when you’re staring 100 losses in the face anyway.

When did the NCAA get a heart?

Today is a good day.  Better than good…..it’s a day to be long-remembered!  It was going to be good, anyway, because tonight’s the night I do my taxes.  EASILY my favorite day that falls between my anniversary and the opening round of the NCAA Tournament every year.  I’m weird like that.  Don’t judge me.

But what makes this day TRULY special is that, for one of the very few times in my history of following such things, the NCAA has shown a SHRED of decency and humanity. 

Don’t get me started on the NCAA.  On the “value of creation” scale between a single-celled amoeba and the angel with the shiniest harp in the choir, I generally rank the NCAA somewhere between the slime mold and the tapeworm.  They’re greedy, selfish, hypocritical, self-righteous and answer to NO ONE for their actions.  They can do whatever they want, and they don’t have to explain why they do it.  They fear one group and one group only—a few powerful college presidents and conference heads who can take their football toys and play elsewhere if the NCAA ever tries to force them into a legitimate national championship process.

But for once, the NCAA is doing the right thing. 

If you’ve followed the Big 12 or college basketball at all the past few weeks, you’ve heard about what’s going on in the family life of Kansas sophomore, Thomas Robinson.  There has not been a dad in Thomas’ life.  There was his mom, Lisa, and her two parents, doing the best they could to raise Thomas and his 9 year-old sister, Jayla, in a tough part of Washington D.C.  In the past three weeks, ALL THREE of the parent-figures in Thomas and Jayla’s life have passed away.  Most recently, it was Lisa.  Thomas got the news in a personal phone call from little Jayla last Friday.

The outpouring of offers for support overwhelmed the Kansas Athletics office.  Officials begged fans and friends to hold off on doing anything for Thomas or his family until they got the all-clear from the NCAA—an all-clear that I, frankly, never thought would come.  But it DID come.  Through a series of one-time waivers from the NCAA office, the following are all now being done with the NCAA’s blessing:

  • Kansas is allowed to pay for Lisa Robinsons’s funeral expenses.
  • They are also allowed to fly the entire team to D.C. at university cost to attend the funeral and support Thomas.
  • Kansas will pay for Jayla to ride back to Lawrence with Thomas, where she will live with him under his guardianship until (and IF) a more-suitable arrangement can be made.
  • Kansas has been allowed to help Thomas set up a scholarship fund for Jayla’s benefit, and anyone who wishes may make non-deductible contributions to the fund.



I have to give credit where credit is due, and the NCAA absolutely made the right call in this instance.  Thomas now carries the burden of being a full-time student, full-time college athlete, and full-time daddy figure to a poor little girl who doesn’t have anyone else in the world.  It’s a heavy burden, and I’m sure they can use all of our prayers.

If you’d like to help, the way the family asks you to do so is by contributing to Jayla’s scholarship fund at the address below.  I, personally, am going to use a small portion of my tax return to make a contribution, and I hope it goes at least part of the way towards securing a little better future for someone who can use a break.

Lisa Robinson Scholarship fund,
For the Benefit of Jayla
C/O SNR Denton US LLP
1301 K Street, Suite 600, East Tower
Washington, DC, 20005-3364

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

State of Frustration


I don’t watch anything on live TV.  I got a job, a wife, and a bunch of wily animals running around the barnyard—and most of those are my own offspring.  I need TV to be on MY TIME.  Enter the DVR—easily the greatest technological advancement since the assembly line.  But even that still has its limits

Maybe a week ago, I set the DVR to record last night’s KU-Colorado basketball game.  I saw that the NBC affiliate was pre-empting “The Biggest Loser” for the game, which is fine, because people in Northeast Kansas already know what fat people struggling to do stairs look like.  Better to tease them with imagery of guys who can do TEDIOUS physical activities.  You know, like “walking back on defense,” or “rising from a squat at the scorers’ table.”  Throw in a few cheerleader shots, since the family pictures on their walls more closely resemble…well…still shots from “The Biggest Loser.”

So around 8:30 or so, I settled down to watch the game I THOUGHT I’d started recording at 7.  Only I came to find out that the affiliate had button-hooked me—they PRE-EMPTED their pre-emption (without changing the Dish Network schedule, to boot) and switched the game over to one of their alternate channels not available on Dish. 

Why?  So they can show the STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS!  You know, because there were only 87 other channels showing the exact same thing.  Gotta make sure you have all your bases covered.  There just might be someone in Harveyville or Council Grove who, if they twist the foil on the antennae just the right way, can pick up NBC and nothing else. 

Of course, if they put out the effort to set up the step ladder and twist the foil, they probably did it so they could WATCH THE KU GAME!

I got a little lucky, though.  Way up in the 400s somewhere, Dish was showing the game on one of their extra channels (the same ones they use for Royals games) intended for subscribers in Colorado.  It was full of commercials for ski resorts and Avalanche season tickets, BUT at least I got to watch the final seven minutes of game time.

What I saw was fairly uneventful, and predictable.  Big 12 refs making ludicrous calls to try to get the game closer at the end.  Higgins and Burks driving unmolested to the tin.  A litany of fouls in the last 90 seconds, and Kansas holding on for their 3,000th consecutive win in Boulder (something like that).  Noteworthy that it was Colorado’s first home loss of the year, so we got that going for us.

I’M TOLD some pretty exciting things happened earlier in the game.  Like Josh Selby blowing up for 15 first-half points before spraining his ankle.  Brady Morningstar FINALLY breaking out of his shooting slump to hit four 3-pointers.  Danny Manning wrapping his tie around his head and grinding with the dance team during a media timeout (OK, I made that part up).  I have to take their word for it—I didn’t SEE any of it.

I had hoped to get on here today and talk about what went on during the game.  In stead, all I got for ammo is a load of “blah, blah, blah” from the Commander-in-Chief.  And if you have a TV at all, I know you saw that already.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Is Billy Butler the George Brett sequel?

I enjoy doing the Brett/Butler comparison, since they started playing at roughly the same age, and Brett’s as good of a model to look at as any, seeing as how he’s the greatest Royal ever and one of the 25 best hitters of all time.  With Butler signing on long-term, I thought it would be fun to look at.  

Billy just completed the season in which he turned 24 years old.  By the same age (almost exactly—Brett’s birthday is in May, Billy’s in April), Brett had played roughly a half-season more major league baseball than Billy had at the same age (70 more games, 368 more plate appearances, 365 more at-bats).  Keep that in mind.  Anyway, here’s how they look at the same age:

George:  .308/.356/.453/.809
Billy:  .299/.359/.457/.816

How exciting is that?  Billy is slightly outpacing the greatest Royal ever for OPS.  Billy’s hitting for a little more power (a dong every 39.7 PAs, versus one every 60.8 for Brett, and an extra base hit every 10.99 PAs, versus one every 12.11 for Brett).  Billy is also out-pacing Brett for drawing walks—one every 11.7 PAs for Billy, while George was drawing one every 14.95 PAs.

There are a couple reasons why Billy draws more walks.  For one, he plays in an era where walks are more valued.  But more importantly, Billy is likely to get less decent pitches to hit because there has been literally NO ONE in the Royals’ lineup to protect him since he’s been a major leaguer.

The one glaring place where Billy SIGNIFICANTLY lags behind Brett is in strike outs, which is undoubtedly the reason he lags in a little batting average.  Billy does not strike out an outlandish number of times—once every 7.46 PAs.  Brett, however, was a historically good contact hitter, striking out only once every 16.82 PAs through the same age.  ON THE OTHER HAND…part of the reason Billy strikes out more is because he’s looking for the walk more than Brett did.  It’s a give and take, and Billy’s still trying to balance it out.  Last year, Billy SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on strikeouts (25 fewer, despite 6 more PAs), and had his career-best in walks.  He had 69 BBs to 78 Ks, so he’s getting closer to one of his stated goals, which is to have more walks than strikeouts. 

Since baseball is a game of numbers, here are your raw numbers through the age of 24 for both guys:

Games:  Brett = 603, Billy = 533
PAs:  Brett = 2556, Billy = 2188
ABs:  Brett = 2340, Billy = 1975
Hits:   Brett = 720, Billy = 590
2B:  Brett = 124, Billy = 141
3B:  Brett = 45, Billy = 3
Dongs:  Brett = 42, Billy = 55 (Brett had more 3Bs than dongs at that point—how interesting)
RBIs:  Brett = 291, Billy = 278
BBs:  Brett = 171, Billy = 187
Ks = Brett = 152, Billy = 293