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NastyBoy
05-05-2006, 12:46 AM
The KC Royals are really really bad.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/14485698.htm

KronoRed
05-05-2006, 01:16 AM
I offer a dime, and I want change :D

NastyBoy
05-05-2006, 01:22 AM
What thought was the funniest thing about the whole story is that the winner of the auction picks his new favorite team. A group of this guys friends got together had the winning bid. New team will be decided by a texas holdem game later this summer.

harangatang
05-05-2006, 02:55 AM
I thought the Reds were supposed to be as bad if not worse than the Royals this year. Well we have until the first day of October...

oneupper
05-05-2006, 09:18 AM
Heck, If things get desperate this sure beats auctioning off a kidney.

Johnny Footstool
05-05-2006, 10:02 AM
This article sums up the current state of KC baseball.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/14504364.htm


At the end of their ropes
Even the eternally hopeful have a breaking point
JOE POSNANSKI
The Kansas City Star

You never know what will make you snap. After all these years of horrendous Royals baseball, I never expected a nice Australian kid named Justin Huber to break me. But so it goes. Consider me broken. This is me snapping. The Royals are an embarrassment. A mess. A disaster. It’s time to blow up the whole thing and start new.

Of course, Huber is just the final straw. It is 10 full years of ghastly baseball that leads to this rant. Ten years, we’ve watched the Royals try out softball pitchers, get hit in the back with relay throws, fall off bases on pickoff attempts, jog toward dugouts while fly balls drop behind them, slash payroll, send out incorrect lineup cards, injure themselves in home-plate celebrations and sacrifice innocent young pitchers at Yankee Stadium.

All of that will get to you after a while.

Through it all, I’ve tried to hold out hope. Hey, it’s baseball. Ya gotta hope. Look at the Cincinnati Reds this year. Look at Detroit. In baseball, there should always be hope.

Then this Royals team came along. And you know what? There is no hope. They broke me. I am finishing a book these days, and so my mornings and afternoons have been spent in a writing fog. My evenings, though, have been reserved for the Royals. I have, for the first time as an adult, been able to watch baseball entirely as a fan, and usually with my oldest daughter on my lap. Elizabeth is 4 now, and she does not care at all about baseball, but she likes eating popsicles where she can make the biggest mess. To humor me, she will occasionally look at the Royals game, notice something similar to baseball happening, and ask, “Daddy, when will the commercials come back on?”

I appreciate the question. This Royals season has been awful. Every game has been torture. The commercial that shows termites attacking wood has been more inspiring.

Sure, it’s true the Royals have been awful almost every minute since the strike of 1994. But this team is a different kind of awful. This is the dreariest collection I can remember for any team in my lifetime. It isn’t just that the Royals can’t hit or field or slug or pitch or run or walk or throw or stay healthy — and that covers just about everything.

No, there’s something else. It is that as you look around the field, you see nothing but despair, nothing but castoffs who signed here for a chance or a few extra bucks, nothing but young players who go out and stubbornly prove every day they are not major league.

How did it get this bad? There’s plenty of blame to go around, from an owner who won’t spend money to a management group that never figured out how to win games to talent evaluators who recommended Eli Marrero and Albie Lopez, to aging veterans just cashing paychecks, to amateur scouts who championed Colt Griffin and Roscoe Crosby, to strength and conditioning people who can’t keep anybody healthy, to coaches who have not developed a single high-quality major-league starter or everyday player.

This team has been a crushing and colossal failure.

And we’ve hit the low point now. The Royals aren’t just bad, they’re old. Hitters two through six average 35 years of age. That’s pure hopelessness.

The Royals aren’t just bad, they’re funny. Last week, Esteban German — for reasons readily apparent to no one — was playing center field. He either forgot his sunglasses in the dugout or purposely left them there. Whatever, a fly ball smacked him in the face. I’m told German did wear his designer shades on the plane out of town that night.

The Royals aren’t just bad, they’re infuriating. John Buck — a key element in the Carlos Beltran trade — actually had a passed ball on a pitchout the other day. First time I’ve seen that one. And it reminds you that the Beltran trade, looking back, was the death knell for this organization. The Royals had one great player to trade, one of the best players in the game, and in exchange they got Buck, Mark Teahen and Mike Wood. A baseball executive e-mailed me that day to say the trade was a fiasco, a breathtakingly dumb move by general manager Allard Baird. I held out hope that the executive was wrong.

He wasn’t wrong. To this point, Buck and Teahen — the two key elements to the deal — are hitting a combined .190 with three times more errors than home runs.

Once the Royals failed to cash in on Beltran, the dominoes tumbled. They hired Buddy Bell, who had one of the worst managerial records in baseball history. They lost Zack Greinke, their best pitching prospect in a decade, to a personal issue that nobody, not even Greinke himself, seems to understand. They acquired a bunch of old pitchers. Before the Beltran trade, they signed Angel Berroa to a long-term deal, a move that at the time seemed like a decent gamble and now seems to have them stuck with a shortstop who has a knack for making disastrous errors and an addiction to pitches in the dirt.

It’s so dark now, you can’t even see bright spots.

That brings us back to Justin Huber. If you don’t know, Huber is a pretty solid Royals prospect. He should be the team’s first baseman of the future. He led the Texas League in hitting last season, he was hitting quite well in Omaha this season. The Royals wisely intended to keep him in Class AAA most of the season, maybe all season, so he could get experience playing first base and develop his power.

This week, the Royals called up Huber. Why? They concede he will not play first base — he’s not ready, and the Royals paid quite a bit of money to Doug Mientkiewicz to play there, and if you can believe it, Mientkiewicz leads the starters with a .322 on-base percentage (league average on-base percentage: .335).

The Royals also concede he will not be the regular designated hitter, not with 38-year-old Matt Stairs on the team.

So, they brought up Justin Huber, their first baseman of the future, to (drum roll, please) sit on the bench. I assume they could not think of any other way to slow his development. Maybe next week they will start whacking his toes with baseball bats.

I realize, of course, that we are talking about the Royals. This is the team that traded Jermaine Dye for Neifi Perez. This is the team that canceled the team banquet because it was too expensive. This is the team that has decided to give out T-shirts of its best players every Tuesday and has already run out of players, so next Tuesday they’re giving out T-shirts with condiments on them. This is the team that on Thursday tried to get out of its hitting doldrums by skipping batting practice. Next, they might stop wearing batting helmets.

So in the grand scheme of Royals catastrophes, this Huber move hardly ranks up there.

But you never know what it is that will make you snap. The Royals have utterly lost their way. There’s panic in the streets. They’re messing up prospects now. They’re skipping batting practice. It’s only a matter of time before they rush prize prospects Alex Gordon and Billy Butler, along with any other Royals hitter who gets two hits in a row. They’re going goofy.

And it’s clear that everything has to change. Everything. The leadership. The mind-set. The core players. Everything. The worst thing David Glass can do is let this thing linger, make Allard Baird a lame duck, let this organization drift for a minute longer. It’s bad for the club, and, frankly, it’s unfair to Baird, too. You can’t run a team like this. If you’re going to fire him — and you are — do it quick and do it now.

It’s time right now to find a GM who has been around winning. It’s time to pour money into scouting and development and the draft. It’s time to focus entirely on 2007 — this season is flat over. The only thing that matters now is getting some value for those veterans, making the right pick at No. 1 in the amateur draft, giving promising pitchers such as Jeremy Affeldt and Denny Bautista their innings and not squandering those good young hitters Baird and company were able to find.

The Royals finally won on the road Thursday, which was nice. But the Royals need to start on the long road back today.

BuckWoody
05-05-2006, 10:20 AM
This article sums up the current state of KC baseball.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/14504364.htm
As a lifelong Bengals fan, I can empathize with every single word.

Johnny Footstool
05-05-2006, 10:35 AM
As a lifelong Bengals fan, I can empathize with every single word.

Ki-Jana Carter and David Klingler are washing my car as we speak.

registerthis
05-05-2006, 10:58 AM
I thought the Reds were supposed to be as bad if not worse than the Royals this year.

If you thought that, you were in the minority. No one expected the Reds to play very well, but there's bad, and there's KC Royals bad. The Reds were never projected to be at that level, not even close.

smith288
05-05-2006, 11:02 AM
What a depressing thought to be a KC fan... ZERO hope. I dont even know why people bother buying a ticket to basically get hit in the head with disappointment

registerthis
05-05-2006, 11:08 AM
What a depressing thought to be a KC fan... ZERO hope. I dont even know why people bother buying a ticket to basically get hit in the head with disappointment

You go simply because you enjoy watching the game of baseball. It's why I maintain that KC has some of the best baseball fans in the league--they're knowledgeable, and they just flat-out enjoy watching the game. I can't imagine how exceedingly hard it would be to enter each and every season knowing full well that your team will be out of it come July. At least with teams like The Reds and Brewers, there's hope. The Royals can't even pretend to have that. It's such a sad situation.

smith288
05-05-2006, 11:14 AM
The joy of baseball is sucked away when only the opponent plays it well. Its like watching your own son get beat up and just idly standing by.

vaticanplum
05-05-2006, 11:14 AM
I've said this ad nauseum I think, but Royals fans, along with, incongruously, Orioles fans, are some of the best fans I know. From my limited experience, teams like that seem to attract a certain type of fanbase: hopeful that things will get better, but realistic and not wallowing when they don't. I agree, they are thoroughly enjoyable people with whom to watch baseball games. I hope KC gets some sense knocked into them and gets their front office cleaned up within the next ten years.

Johnny Footstool
05-05-2006, 11:43 AM
You go simply because you enjoy watching the game of baseball.

In the past few years, that's why I have gone to Royals games. Unfortunately, this year's team makes even free tickets and a parking pass seem like a rip-off. I'd rather spend my free time clipping my nails or vacuuming the floor than sit through a Royals game this season.

2001MUgrad
05-05-2006, 11:51 AM
I feel the man's pain especially after the last 5 years and suffering through the Lindner years.

BuckWoody
05-05-2006, 01:37 PM
Ki-Jana Carter and David Klingler are washing my car as we speak.
:laugh:

I wouldn't let those two within a mile of my car...you better go check on them and make sure they're not scraping it with a shovel or something.

Johnny Footstool
05-05-2006, 03:01 PM
:laugh:

I wouldn't let those two within a mile of my car...you better go check on them and make sure they're not scraping it with a shovel or something.

I was at a stoplight at the time. They just wandered up with a spray bottle and some paper towels. I gave them each a quarter.

Reds/Flyers Fan
05-05-2006, 03:25 PM
Yet thanks to Bud Selig's masterful vision, the Cardinals get to play the Royals 6 times this season and every season, while other NL Central teams don't get those freebies. :angry:

BRM
05-05-2006, 03:33 PM
‘Out of patience,’ Glass hints at imminent changes

By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

MINNEAPOLIS — Royals owner David Glass sounds like a man reaching for the trigger as his club continues to pile losses one upon another.

“I’m out of patience,” he said Thursday. “I have never been this frustrated. I’ve got to do something. This can’t continue.”

Glass declined, in a brief phone conversation, to specify the nature of what changes are under consideration but strongly indicated some action is imminent.

Changes within the clubhouse seem certain, but Glass’ comments are sure to fuel speculation that general manager Allard Baird is about to be fired as the first move of what figures to be a front-office overhaul.

Baird acknowledged widespread frustration throughout the organization but said he is unaware of any planned changes after speaking Thursday with Glass and club president Dan Glass.

“I talk with them on a frequent basis,” Baird said. “I’m sure that will continue.”

Baird is in his sixth full season of overseeing a rebuilding effort that has yet to show measurable progress. Further, the club is on pace to become the first team in history to lose 100-plus games in three straight years while posting a worse record in succeeding seasons.

The Royals carry a 6-20 record, the worst among baseball’s 30 teams. Glass’ latest comments come roughly two weeks after he promised major changes within the organization if the club’s disappointing performance didn’t “change quickly.”

Those earlier comments led to a meeting among Glass, Dan Glass, Baird and manager Buddy Bell.

The result was a pledge from David Glass of increased financial support for scouting and player development.

The Royals eased the pressure immediately after that meeting and broke their 11-game losing streak by winning three of four games. But six straight losses followed in which they were outscored 38-16.

The club reassigned hitting coach Andre David earlier this week, and Bell admitted his own tolerance is waning as the losses accumulate.

“I’m very patient,” he said, “but at the same time, I pretty much understand what it takes to play here. I think we’re obviously better than we’re playing, but we’ve got a ways to go yet.

“It doesn’t happen overnight, but gosh dang it, when you look at this team, there are reasons why we’re losing the way we are.

“We don’t want to be impatient, but we can’t get into a position where we’re too patient. That just doesn’t work. I’ve been through this before — and I know it doesn’t work.”

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

The anticipated mix has been derailed by injuries.

Three of the club’s expected starting pitchers — Mark Redman, Denny Bautista and Zack Greinke — have spent time on the disabled list. Greinke and closer Mike MacDougal have been out all season.

Another starter, Runelvys Hernandez, required three-plus weeks of additional conditioning time in the minors before joining the club.

Injuries also sidelined two of the club’s key regulars: outfielder David DeJesus and DH Mike Sweeney. DeJesus could return next week, but Sweeney is likely to miss several weeks because of a bulging cervical disk in his neck.

“I think we have a chance to be a lot better,” Bell said. “But for the people of Kansas City and for the guys who can play around here, people have to understand these are the big leagues.

“As we move on, there are going to be some changes. I didn’t expect us to have to make a change on our coaching staff. But before we get better, we’re going to have to do some things that we’re really not comfortable with.”

LINK (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/baseball/mlb/kansas_city_royals/14503988.htm)

KronoRed
05-05-2006, 03:45 PM
Glass needs to fire himself.

Johnny Footstool
05-05-2006, 05:29 PM
Glass needs to fire himself.

I'd be satisfied if he just fired his son Dan and Allard "Jermaine Dye for Neifi Perez" Baird.

Topcat
05-05-2006, 05:38 PM
Personally he should have sued the Royals for emotionall suffering.

NastyBoy
05-08-2006, 02:38 AM
As a lifelong Bengals fan, I can empathize with every single word.

I went to EVERY home game during the 2-14 season. From the opening game where Drew Brees looked like the second coming of Joe Montana, to the last game that they actually won their only home game of the season. The only reason I went to every game is because a friend of mine had season tickets and could not find anyone else to go to the games. He asked me to go to the opening game and he wanted some money for the ticket, but I told him there was now way in hell I would pay money to see the bengals play, so I offered to bring 6 pack of his favorite beer to every game for the tailgate festivities and would buy him 1 beer every quarter the bengals were winning the game. He jumped at the offer and I ended up going to every game. Needless to say, I did not have to buy many beers.

Newman4
05-08-2006, 09:46 AM
I was at a stoplight at the time. They just wandered up with a spray bottle and some paper towels. I gave them each a quarter.

I thought I recognized those guys. Sadly, the last time I saw them they were laying flat on their backs......not from a punishing blow in a football game, but after being mugged for their hard earned quarters by Akili Smith and Big Daddy Wilkinson. :evil:

Spitball
05-08-2006, 05:20 PM
I believe Michael Volpe had the idea first back in 1997. I believe this is the same Michael Volpe I went to college with. He is the son of former Massachusetts governor John Volpe.




March 6–13, 1997

hit and run
Will You Be Our Fan?
Will You Be Our Fan?


Speaking of baseball, fans may have heard about Michael Volpe, a one-time follower of the San Francisco Giants. This winter, Volpe renounced his loyalty to the Giants and became baseball's first-ever "free agent fan." Volpe's stunt, in which he asked the other 27 major league teams to woo him, has drawn national attention in the sports world.

According to John Brazer, the Phillies' promotion manager, Volpe has announced that he will make his decision public on March 24, live on NBC's The Today Show (producers at the show could not confirm the appearance). Brazer says the Phillies are still in the running, finalists along with the Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and one wannabe team — the Virginia Baseball Club Inc. which has been trying to land an expansion team for several years. In addition, Volpe is considering the Durham Bulls, a minor league team made famous by the Kevin Costner film of the same name.

Clearly, the Mets, Orioles and Virginia have the geographic advantage because Volpe is a native Manhattanite who lives in Falls Church, VA. But Brazer says the Phillies should have the upper hand if Volpe is truthful about his reasons for ditching the Giants. See, San Francisco traded star third baseman Matt Williams over the winter to save on salary, a move which prompted Volpe's free agency. While The Phils wouldn't make any guarantees, they made it clear that the team is bent on developing future clubs through home-grown talent while seeking to retain fan favorites.

"We really do show loyalty," says Brazer, noting the club's commitment to "a more constant and recognizable team."

Recent history seems to back up the Phillies' claim. For example, the team held onto Darren Daulton and Lenny Dykstra by signing each to multi-year contracts worth more than $5 million per year even though both were clearly past their prime (as proven by the debilitating injuries each has suffered since). And the squad is trying to ink pitcher Curt Schilling, the staff ace who will earn millions and leave the Phils with zero in return should the pitcher enter the free agent market. The Phils held onto Schilling despite past injuries, though the club could have traded him for prospects.

Brazer says whatever Volpe's decision, the Phillies' organization made a strong presentation while sticking true to its beliefs.

"We sent him a letter from the heart," says Brazer. "We were very careful not to give him anything that our other fans don't receive. Maybe that means we're going to eliminate ourselves. But it was a good forum for us to show him and the public where management is taking the team."

— Scott Farmelant