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Olivo Keeps Baltimore Up Late - Guillen Sends Them Home Unhappy
It certainly did not feel like a game the Royals were going to win on Monday night. To begin with, the boys were in Baltimore, a city and a team that has stood out as having the Royals’ number. To stand out in that respect against a team that has lost 90+ games for four straight years gives you some indication of how seldom the Royals have managed to beat the Orioles.
To make matters worse, Kansas City’s budding ace, Zack Greinke, had been lit up for five runs in five innings. David DeJesus, arguably the Royals’ best hitter, was out with an injury and the team’s other best hitter, Jose Guillen, was in a one for twenty skid. The Royals had been plaqued by not one, but two, bad calls on plays at first base. A game tying monster home run by Mike Aviles was ruled foul (I think maybe that was the correct call, but MY GOD he hit that ball hard) and the next ball that rightfielder Mark Teahen read correctly off the bat in Camden Yard was going to be the first. Nope, this was going to be another loss and bad start to tough string of games leading up to the All-Star Break.
Then, with two outs and two strikes in the ninth, a guy criticized for complaining about not having a shot at the starting catching job ripped a game typing home run off Orioles’ closer George Sherrill. Miguel Olivo does not hit breaking balls very well, but he apparently can detonate a rolling curve if you toss him one.
Then, in the top of the eleventh, foul-mouthed, inappropriate tirade spewing, root of all evil Jose Guillen singled in Mike Aviles to put the Royals ahead. Yeah, hate having that guy on my team.
Around those heroics was the performance of the bullpen firm of Ramirez, Ramriez, Mahay and Soria who spun six shutout innings to give their team a chance to fight their way back into the game and eventually win it. Suddenly, the Royals had a win in a place where they never win and a good start to their road trip. Does one game make a difference in a 162 contest grind? I don’t know, but if one game does make a difference, it is a game like Monday night.
Couple of random notes….
- Anyone else notice that Greinke threw almost nothing on the inner half of the plate last night? Now, Camden Yard is small park, so you don’t want to routinely challenge guys in there…except if you have Zack Greinke stuff. I really cannot explain what happened in that four run fifth other than the Orioles were looking outer half of the plate and getting it. Zack’s velocity was up (routinely 95-96 mph during that inning), he was using all four pitches and frankly didn’t seem to be grooving too many down the middle. Still, he was getting hit hard that inning and going to the pen for the sixth was a sound move by Trey Hillman.
- We, and many others, have criticized Hilllman’s use or non-use of pinch hitters this season, but using Olivo in the ninth in place of Teahen was a bold move. Not a lot of managers are going to pinch hit for their number five hitter (although not many number five hitters are hitting .257).
- This is old news, but did you see the stat on Fox Sports prior to Saturday’s game with St. Louis? At the time, the Cardinals were 15-1 this season when facing a starting pitcher for the second time. With their two weekend wins, the Cards are now 17-1. Something tells me that is not just good fortune.
- Finally, you can have an intelligent debate over whether Jose Guillen is a team guy and if his public remarks impact the club positively or negatively, but can we all stop calling into sports radio and whining about Guillen’s use of foul language? Good lord, if your kids are old enough to be aware of player interviews, they have heard way worse. Listen, I know your kids are nearly as perfect as mine, but if they are over ten, my guess is they have even used foul language themselves. Does that excuse Jose for getting in front of microphones and routinely dropping F-bombs? No, but stop acting like he is corrupting the youth of the Midwest: that’s Jamie Lynn Spears’ job.
- And one additional ‘finally’. Check this blurb out from the Rocky Mountain News (thanks to MLBTradeRumors.com for the always helpful heads up). The Royals, yes THE ROYALS, are mentioned as having an interest in Rockies’ outfielder Matt Holliday. Probably just a rumor, but it is nice to be on that side of the rumor mill for a change.
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20 Responses to “Olivo Keeps Baltimore Up Late - Guillen Sends Them Home Unhappy”
July 1st, 2008 at 6:50 am
I would be all for trading Holliday. You would have to give up Rosa and one or two more top starting pitching prospects, but his bat would be worth it. The only downside is that I believe he is a Boras client and is due for FA at the end of ‘09. There would have to be some sort of negotiating window for that deal to make any sense.
If the Royals can’t get it done now, they will wait until after the ‘09 season and make a strong push for him when he is a FA. Remember, the ‘10 season is the one that they are really targeting for post season contention.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:51 am
You took the words out of my mouth - because I shouted “These are NOT games we’re supposed to win” when Guillen knocked in Aviles.
I think I was more impressed on how the Royals manufactured that run:
An infield single (with a great line from Lefebvre about how if Aviles was out, the Royals would riot)
A sacrifice bunt
A clutch hit
Sounds simple - but with a team that struggles to get the timely hit, it was beautiful to watch.
Great job by the bullpen, too - Jack Soria is the best reliever in the game today. There wasn’t one second where I thought we were going to lose once he entered in the 11th.
Go Royals!
RB
www.mvn.com/nfl-chiefs
July 1st, 2008 at 6:58 am
1. I’m not sure how many in the Royals Authority audience are actually calling those watered down Sports Talk shows, Clark. I think the majority of all of us here recognize that the Guillen comments are really, really stupid, but they have nothing to do with winning (or losing) baseball. And that’s why we’re here.
2. Excellent game last night. I wish MLB weren’t such d-bags and let us post stuff on youtube. I would post the Guillen camera kiss (subtle, but with a wink) from the top of the 7th. I would send it in to said radio show.
3. Games like last night have me believing. And we’re on track to hit 73-75 wins, 4 or 5 above Vegas and 6 or 7 above Pecota.
4. I’d love to have Holliday on our team, but it’s going to take more than Rosa to get him.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:08 am
Good comment about the recent reaction to Guillen’s comments. The comments by Keitzman and those who agreed with him were over the top. It was amazing to listen to words such as “classless” and other hyperbolic descriptions. If people truly do not want to have him as a Royal, then let’s go back to the “milk and cookies” era.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:23 am
I’m not sure what it takes to get Holliday, either, and Jon that’s a good point about negotiating a longer term deal.
I’d like to think Rosa, Teahen, one of the good young arms in A ball and maybe a German or Maier gets it done. However, I think the asking price might start with Rosa AND Cortes and go up from there.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:38 am
You have to remember that Keitzman has a vested interest in turning people off the Royals. 810 doesn’t broadcast Royals games anymore - rival 610 does.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:47 am
I’m hoping we don’t give up too much for Holliday - his home/road splits tell the story:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hollidays-split-personality/
Basically, hits extremely well in high altitude, more like Guillen everywhere else. So the question is, what would you give up for another Guillen?
July 1st, 2008 at 7:57 am
Speaking of radio broadcasts, did anyone listen to Baaaab Davis last night? When we were contemplating nicknames, we should have included broadcasters.
I nominate Baaaab as “The Mangler” due to his mistake-filled broadcasts. I started listening last night about 9:00 p.m. on the way home. We had Ramon Hernandez pitching for us! Who? When did we pick him up, and why on earth is he pitching? Turns out it was Ramon Ramirez.
Later, when Ron Mahay was pitching to Brandon Fahey, it was a syllabic nightmare! Dead English teachers throughout the Royals broadcast area were spinning in their graves like rotisserie chickens.
The other thing I don’t like about the Mangler is his excitability. I may be jaded from years of dead-pan Denny Matthews, but the Mangler goes from the highest highs to the lowest lows in one breath.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:21 am
Matt,
That is interesting on his home road splits. I think Jemaine Dye is a better comparison for Holliday.
I think getting him in FA is a much better route since you will likely only be giving up a draft pick. An outfield of Dejesus, Guillen, Holliday would pretty formitable. Check out this projected lineup with that signing for 2010:
1. Dejesus - CF (L) - 18 (HR’s)
2. Aviles - SS (R) - 20
3. Gordon - 3B (L) - 25
4. Holliday - LF (R) - 30
5. Guillen - RF (R) - 25
6. Butler - DH (R) - 18
7. Kila Kaaihue - 1B (L) - 22
8. Callaspo - 2B (S) - 4
9. Buck - C - 15
Here is the projected starting 5:
1. Greinke
2. Hochevar
3. Rosa
4. Meche
5. Cortes/Bannister
CL - Mexicutioner
That is a legitimate contending paper line-up! And most of all, that is assuming the Royals only sign 1 free agent and given GMDM’s track record, we will likely see a better line-up than what I am showing! You know you are a Royals fan when you are looking forward to two years from now!
Am I the only one who really wants to see Kila Kaaihue with the Royals ASAP? I think he is a Jack Cust with much fewer k’s and a 1:1 k:bb ratio.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:41 am
Matt:
Home/Road splits aside, Matt Holliday’s OPS+ is 141, which would be the highest on the Royals. OPS+ is park adjusted, so the fact that he plays in Colorado should be accounted for in that number.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:15 am
But we ARE winning these kinds of games now. Two GIANT comebacks in just over a week, and a lot of smaller ones in betwee. The boys are acting like grown up ball players these days and getting the big hits when they need them (mostly.)
Credit to Hillman for making all the right moves, too. I know he’s doing well when he takes all of the suggestions I scream at the television. “Get Mahay out there, for the love of God!” “Don’t let Teahan bat! Pinch hit Miguel!” “Send me tickets to the next homestand as well as accomodations at a five star hotel!”
For instance.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:21 am
mexicutioner made me LOL.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:24 am
Jon,
Love the optimism on the Hawaii bomber! (That nickname’s not gonna work, is it?)
Adam,
I like the OPS+. I’m still fairly new to all the new statistics, and I didn’t know OPS+ was park adjusted. That’s a bit more intriguing.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:26 am
An inning with Soria is like watching a craftsman at work. His curveball to Mora was downright filthy.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:34 am
I’m ready to see Kaahuie in Omaha, but not quite ready to see him in KC. He’s having a great year, yes, but keep in mind this is his third year of exposure to AA. He was flat out awful in 2006, barely average in a half season in 2007.
If he goes to Omaha and has another month of power and walks, THEN I’m ready to see him KC.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:51 am
I knew Jose would drive in Aviles as soon as they walked Gordon. You do NOT want to motivate that guy. Great win, I missed most of the game including Olivo’s game tying home run, but I saw the extra innings.
That’s two extra innings losses in a row now for the Orioles. Edge to the Royals for the rest of the series, in morale and bullpen availability. Run those pitch counts and get to their bullpen boys!
July 1st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I see Ladnier is chatting with fans now on the team site, but I can’t seem to log in. I’d love to hear what he has to say about the potential depth in the starting rotation for the next few years with Greinke, Meche, Soria, Hochevar, Bannister, Rosa, and Davies all looking very much like real MLB-quality starters. Do the Royals look at having 7 quality starters as depth in case of injury/underperformance or do they look at it as a strength from which to deal to fill other holes? And if they were to trade from this pool of players, what sort of value might they hope to receive in return?
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:34 am
Great post!! The Jose Guillen part is pretty funny. I actually just read a whole blog post about his comments on the Pitch website which was quite good. Here is a link if you would like to check it out…www.pitch.com.
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I’m a Royals diehard but lets stop daydreaming. One day its Texiera and now its Holiday!? Seriously, wake up, were not getting either. Holiday would cost DeJesus, Rosa, and probably Buck. Why is everyone in la-la-land?
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:13 am
Gene - because it’s July and we’re losing to Baltimore.
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