Tuesday Tidbits: Do Not Criticize George Brett's Royals
If you haven't already heard, George Brett has grown tired of the criticisms of the 2009 club, and particularly, the decisions made my Manager Trey Hillman. Jump ahead for more details.
Now, I'm at work right now, and my wonderful employers have disabled sound from the speakers of all of our work computers, so I can't play this bit for my co-workers, but you, splendid readers that you are, may partake immediately.
From what I heard this morning on the TalkRadios, Brett commented to the media that he's tired of the criticisms. He then, however, appeared on air this morning and said that, at one point, skipper Whitey Herzog said that a good manager will win you five extra games in any given season, a bad one will lose you five, the difference, he iterated, being a 10-game swing. He admitted that that statement is something that has always stuck with him.
A number of Royals fans (Editor's Note: In a surprising twist this morning, TLR jumped on this bandwagon.), have claimed that Hillman has already, one quarter of the season through, cost Kansas City two contests via his allegedly unsavvy bullpen decision-making. These decisions, of course, largely involve Kyle Farnsworth, and blown-save opportunities you could hang on the corners of his pointy-framed spectacles.
My take, oft-dismissed as it seems to be, is that General Manager Dayton Moore went out and got this guy. The Glass family is paying him, and so you have to find ways to use him; he's on your active roster, like it or not. Now, because the guy hangs meatballs in the air that many Little Leaguers could jack out of the K, doesn't, in my opinion, mean that Hillman cost us the game. It would appear that, more generally speaking, George Brett agrees.
Personally, as much as I don't like the "performances" Farnsworth turned in on those outings, or the recent six-game slide, I'd rather focus on taking, at minimum, two out of three against the Tribe, who's in town tonight. Add to that that an allegedly back-in-form Cliff Lee takes the hill for Cleveland, while Brian Bannister and his recently ailing shoulder get the nod for KC. Last month in this same matchup, Banny logged the victory, while Lee, I believe, got a no-decision, which, in the course of things 2009 Royals, is improvement, when you consider that Lee had a previous career record of 5-0 with an under-three E.R.A. What's more, is that the Royals will face two other division opponents before the month is out.
Still cautiously optimistic, I'm not all that bent out of shape by a 20-18 record, one game out of first in the Central.
9 comments:
If we as Royals fans, are trying to assign blame for successes/failures at this point in the season...we's gonna have a long year.
The Royals season is 23% done, 77% to go. Thats a shit-ton of substitutions, strikes, balls, mound-visits, ball-scratches and spit sunflower seeds.
Its just like the reigning King of KC said: "We haven't won in so long, we don't know how to do it anymore."
So let's act like its 1980 and the KC Royals are teh awesome!
I hearby declare, on this glorious day in May, that Kyle Farnsworth shall be refered to as "Meatball."
For now and forever more.
DKC
Banky,
Sounds like George is on the defensive. That usually means something is not going well.
It seems Whitey and I think alike ... kinda.
It's not that he selected Farnsworth, man. It's the decision to take out a right-handed pitcher (who was pitching VERY WELL) who's about to face a lefty in turn for Mahay. The particular lefty had not hit worth a shit versus our right-handed pitching for the ENTIRE series.
In making that call, Trey handcuffed himself. He then brought Farnsworth in to face the next righty. The game was over two pitches later. He did this knowing that Kyle had been having some problems.
As I said, he put his team in a position to lose, rahter than win.
This was a downright poor decision making and I was yelling as soon as he pulled the first pitcher. I think most fairly knowledgeable fans were.
The world is full of statistics. It's actually how I make my living. In this case, Trey applied a broad-sweeping model to a very specific situation. I will rarely agree with that, whether it be baseball or quantitative genetics. Assess the particular situation at hand, and apply the most appropriate model.
Worst of all, I think he really hurt Farnsworth's confidence ... perhaps irrepairably. That just isn't good management in any profession.
As I said, I've still got patience to give Trey and acknowledge that he's learning. Still, you'd be foolish not to question or criticize that move.
All in all, I'm thrilled with the season and I want Trey to be ultra-successful. I wanna believe, man. That does NOT take away my right to criticize an egregious error ... nearly as eggregious as the Angels scorekeeper scoring that inside-the-parker. The League later changed that, of course.
If only Trey cuolda changed his decision.
It'll be a tight race in the end, and one game will make a differene. Sir, I ain't on no bandwagon like your Ovie love train. This bandwagon is following me.
I don't read your silly newspapers and websites. I don't have Baseball Tonight, I have TSN. I watch games and call 'em like I see 'em.
Tonight our Royals face the Indians, and the Mrs. and I are gonna battle.
The pro,
TLR
I thought TLR didn't like baseball.
Wait, you're watching the game with your wife and rooting against her team? What about COMMITMENT? WHAT ABOUT THE VOWS? THE SACRED VOWS?
You just finished telling us that you ditched all of your childhood allegiances for your wife's love. Your beloved Celtics in favor of her Cavs. Your Chiefs for her Brownies. Your American citizenship for free health care. All these things were inferior to the way of life put forward by Ohio sports teams and Canadian television.
And Cecil, TLR does not like baseball when the Royals are in last, because the Yankees and Red Sox have ruined the sport. But when those same Royals are over .500 look out! We're headed to the ballyard!
TLR,
My KC comrade,
I must fill you in on the little local details in the 816/913. Things you may not see on the Genetics channel or read on statistics.edu.
King George is not on the defensive. This outburst is clearly one of an offensive nature.
In the past, GB has been happy drinkin' Coors Light, playin' free golf, listing to Rush(his good bud) and sittin' in the front row @ the K. Add, "tired of takin' shit" to this list.
He has addressed a very valid point...
We have achieved a culture of losing in Kansas City.
His shots, yesterday, were aimed at a specific trio of old fogeys/crumudgeons that sit around and tell you that the sky is falling. He apologized for nothing, other than the language, live on the radio today. He was merely trying to prevent a descent into this mentioned culture.
And he is completely right.
They(fogeys) all will most likely STFU for the meantime. Especially after tonite when the Royals Bats and the perfectly used "Meatball" propelled a Royals win over your new town's team.
Hillman's doing good. Even if he got burned by million-dollar meatball, early in the season.
As far as this good/bad, +/-5gm, 10 gm swing BS...no shit..good coaches win. Parsing this now is chicken-little shit. I gotta good stat: When Mark Teahan hits homers, we will win. Whitey has always been a Cardinals man. Howser's our man, in the Hall. If he had some big overpaid, ex-Yankee, delicate flower in his bullpen; he would've gave him a shot...in April.
Anyway, I've drank too much.
Goodnight all.
Don't let 7 talk about your wife's Brownies, either.
DKC
Honestly, I think it's great that Brett stepped up and took Trey's back. It's time for these clowns to back off and let Trey figure out the fine-tuning of being a skipper. It's pretty interesting that he's been on air for this deal three times already this week. Yesterday afternoon's tidbit, to which DKC already attested, was fascinating, too.
I know that, in the past, Seven has said that when people say "If I offended anyone by my actions, I'm sorry," it's a weak and lame copout.
Yesterday, again as DKC said, he apologized for using all of the profanity but stood by his point. He closed the bit by saying, "If I offended anyone by saying those things, that's fine."
My question then, is, is that still lame?
Ultimately, Brett is probably stoked to have this be the topic of discussion regarding him so he can take a break from answering shit-your-pants questions. Much like in '80 when he was able to replace his hemorrhoids questions with Ben Gay ones. Or Miller Lite. Whatever it was.
Brett is angry at Jack Harry..hence the "sort of" pulled punches.
Listen to the talkradios today for the old battleaxe's response...
"Back when I was lead anchor in the 80's, when you could still have a smoke at the stadium.....yadayada"
Man, reading the comment thread about this story on Yahoo is enough to extinguish whatever remaining love of humanity I once possessed.
It baffles me that people think of "The Media" as this evil, amorphous entity that needs to be destroyed. Or that George Brett has anything to do with Barack Obama or vice versa.
Man, you HOGers don't listen too well. Good thing I'm an educator at heart. Patience will get me through.
I have never said that I don't like baseball, the contrary really ... just MLB, and have often lamented the paradox that faces the small market fan. The league is a joke and it becomes more and more clear each year. Go Royals.
7, you need to review your reading comprehension skills. C'mon, man. You've just gotta read and comprehend. Try slowing down a little, or maybe reading out loud.
Ah, the wifey ... she felt bad last night. She just can't seem to understand why she finds herself pulling for the Royals over the Indians. God love her.
Brownies? Shit man, I can't go there. After watching the Bronco's offseason, I just don't have the heart to take a shot at y'all.
DKC ... fair enough. I can see the offensive perspective to George's assault. My point was just that it was a little reactionary, too. That can sometimes take away from the credibility of an an argument. I listen to 810 and certainly understand George's frustration. I'm not sure that his outburst will ultimately achieve the goal he's seeking. I expect that it will just fuel the fire.
The 810 boys are just irritated because Pioli won't grant them open access to the entire Chiefs organization.
Hey, like I've said repeatedly, I think Trey is good. I'm pumped about the Royals this year. I just think his early season bullpen moves were suspect. I don't think that's even deniable. I haven't been irritated by them recently, so maybe he's learned a little something during all the gripes.
Cheers,
TLR
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