Word is spreading that the Kansas City Royals have just made what will certainly be one of the most anticipated call ups of the 2011 season. Top prospect Eric Hosmer, who dazzled with his power and contact skills during spring training will finally get his first chance to show the world precisely why he's been so highly regarded around the game.
After watching him hit - and no, these aren't typos - .439/.525/.582 over 118 AAA plate appearances in Omaha this spring the Royals decided to make the call up. Whether they did so due to Kila Ka'aihue's early struggles (though he's posted a .792 OPS over his last 8 games) or simply because Hosmer clearly wasn't being challenged matters little, the King of Omaha is on his way.
Showing posts with label Kila Ka'aihue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kila Ka'aihue. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Alex Gordon Is On Fire
It's absurdly early in the season obviously, but one player who's making his presence felt is Alex Gordon of the Royals. The first round pick who became a can't-miss prospect that would save the franchise - and then missed horribly - has become a sort of punch line for Royals fans and detractors alike about the sorry state of the franchise. Hailed as the next George Brett, he has instead been consistently derailed by injuries throughout his career, while staggering his way to a .733 career OPS mark and being shuttled between the infirmary and the Minors.
After sitting out much of 2010, and then being demoted to AAA to learn a new position (left field), Gordon seems more comfortable and at peace with himself than ever before. More importantly than any of that however, he might be truly healthy for the first time in a long time. Any pressure that there may have been on him is gone. The Royals no longer need Gordon to do anything. Whether he hits or not, the team already has a couple solid bats in Billy Butler and Kila Ka'aihue, and there are plenty more big sticks set to arrive soon.
After sitting out much of 2010, and then being demoted to AAA to learn a new position (left field), Gordon seems more comfortable and at peace with himself than ever before. More importantly than any of that however, he might be truly healthy for the first time in a long time. Any pressure that there may have been on him is gone. The Royals no longer need Gordon to do anything. Whether he hits or not, the team already has a couple solid bats in Billy Butler and Kila Ka'aihue, and there are plenty more big sticks set to arrive soon.
Royals Running Relentlessly
The season is barely a week old as I sit down to pen this post, yet clearly the Royals emphasis on running the bases aggressively - both in terms of the stolen base and in taking the extra base - that they spoke of and demonstrated in spring training is for real. That's notable because so often we hear teams talk about their desire to run more. About how they're going to let their players loose. Then either nothing happens, or the change is so modest that it's hardly noticeable.
Not for the Royals.
Not for the Royals.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Rick Ankiel Hurt, Royals Call Up Kila Ka'aihue
Royals center fielder Rick Ankiel left their contest back on May 2nd with a strained quadriceps muscle and is now headed for the disabled list. The move will be retroactive to May 2nd, which means Ankiel could return as early as the 17th of this month. In the meantime, Mitch Maier should get most of the playing time.
This actually makes me, and probably a lot of Royals fans, pretty happy. While Ankiel has hit predictably poorly, with an OPS of .695 while striking out in an unfathomable 35% of his at-bats, Maier has rotted on the bench. The same Maier who has spent three seasons as a quality player at AAA Omaha, and who has done little to show he is any worse with the bat than Ankiel.
Indeed Maier has actually performed quite a bit better than Ankiel in his 45 at-bats, posting a .752 OPS. Of course, the small sample size is worth noting. While Maier is probably better suited defensively to a corner outfield position, he Royals have been playing him in center, here he is probably a bit of a downgrade from Ankiel.
Worst case scenario, this should be a net-neutral move for the Royals, and has the potential to be a solid positive as Maier should be the better hitter. To say nothing of being younger, and controllable (RE: Cheaper) than Ankiel. With any luck at all Maier can put together a strong stretch of baseball in Ankiel's absence and at least force Manager Trey Hillman to consider keeping him as a regular.
Ankiel's place on the roster is being taken by first base prospect Kila Ka'aihue. Like Maier, Ka'aihue is another player who has proven himself for a couple years at AAA but hasn't been given a chance at the Major League level. With Billy Butler at first base and Jose Guillen, at least for now, at designated hitter, it doesn't appear likely that Ka'aihue will get many at-bats, or even a chance to play. All of which begs the question, why call him up in the first place?
Ka'aihue is not necessarily your prototypical first base slugger - he doesn't hit a ton of homeruns (just 28 in 694 AAA at-bats), but he draws a TON of walks, having taken more free passes than strikeouts each of the past two years. He's also shown the ability to hit over .300 the past few seasons and if he can combine the ability to hit for solid average with his ability to draw walks, he could cut out a Nick Johnson-like career.
This actually makes me, and probably a lot of Royals fans, pretty happy. While Ankiel has hit predictably poorly, with an OPS of .695 while striking out in an unfathomable 35% of his at-bats, Maier has rotted on the bench. The same Maier who has spent three seasons as a quality player at AAA Omaha, and who has done little to show he is any worse with the bat than Ankiel.
Indeed Maier has actually performed quite a bit better than Ankiel in his 45 at-bats, posting a .752 OPS. Of course, the small sample size is worth noting. While Maier is probably better suited defensively to a corner outfield position, he Royals have been playing him in center, here he is probably a bit of a downgrade from Ankiel.
Worst case scenario, this should be a net-neutral move for the Royals, and has the potential to be a solid positive as Maier should be the better hitter. To say nothing of being younger, and controllable (RE: Cheaper) than Ankiel. With any luck at all Maier can put together a strong stretch of baseball in Ankiel's absence and at least force Manager Trey Hillman to consider keeping him as a regular.
Ankiel's place on the roster is being taken by first base prospect Kila Ka'aihue. Like Maier, Ka'aihue is another player who has proven himself for a couple years at AAA but hasn't been given a chance at the Major League level. With Billy Butler at first base and Jose Guillen, at least for now, at designated hitter, it doesn't appear likely that Ka'aihue will get many at-bats, or even a chance to play. All of which begs the question, why call him up in the first place?
Ka'aihue is not necessarily your prototypical first base slugger - he doesn't hit a ton of homeruns (just 28 in 694 AAA at-bats), but he draws a TON of walks, having taken more free passes than strikeouts each of the past two years. He's also shown the ability to hit over .300 the past few seasons and if he can combine the ability to hit for solid average with his ability to draw walks, he could cut out a Nick Johnson-like career.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Alex Gordon Demoted
If I were to tell you that the Royals personnel decisions baffle me, I'd only joining the chorus of tens of thousands of disgruntled Kansas City fans. Well, I'm joining. Officially.
Earlier this year I suggested that the Royals had a potentially solid infield once they got all their players healthy, suggesting that a lineup of Billy Butler at first, Alberto Callaspo at second, Mike Aviles at short, and Alex Gordon at third was potentially quite strong offensively.
The Royals brass obviously doesn't see it that way. While it was initially reported that Gordon would be benched once second baseman Chris Getz returned from his DL trip, there was also speculation that he could be sent to the minors outright.
That's precisely what has happened.
One one hand I suppose it's good that if Gordon isn't going to be utilized on a regular basis, he can at least get consistent at-bats. But is it the best overall decision? I certainly don't think so. With that said, lets not fool ourselves into believing that Gordon is something that he is not. He has a career .744 OPS, huge strikeout rates, and both UZR and the +/- system rank him as below average at third base.
That's a bad combination.
But what does sending him down do? He isn't going to learn anything new at AAA. He isn't going to learn to adjust to Major League breaking balls, that's for sure. What's more, it probably isn't in the Royals best interests right now, or in the future. It isn't in their best interests because it leaves one of the few players with any discernible upside in the minor leagues. It isn't in their best interest because it lowers his already marginal trade value.
Furthermore, bringing up Aviles, who they sent down less than a month ago because he didn't have the arm-strength to sit on the bench in Gordon's stead is equally baffling. Both of these players need at-bats, and while Aviles who is recovering from injury would be better suited to get those innings in the minors, he'll sit on the bench in the Majors. Gordon, who has nothing left to prove but needs to continue to adjust to Major League play, will sit in the minors.
Baffling.
*Update*
The Royals now apparently plan on switching Gordon off of third base entirely and teaching him to play left field and first base. With top prospect Mike Moustakas at third base long-term, and Butler, along with prospect Kila Ka'aihue, at first, one would presume that left field will be where he spends most of his time.
Given that they're moving him off the hot corner, and given the absences they'll have in left field and at designated hitter after Scott Podsednik and Jose Guillen depart after this season, it certain appears that this is more of a move to find a way to make Gordon fit better into their long-term plans.
Earlier this year I suggested that the Royals had a potentially solid infield once they got all their players healthy, suggesting that a lineup of Billy Butler at first, Alberto Callaspo at second, Mike Aviles at short, and Alex Gordon at third was potentially quite strong offensively.
The Royals brass obviously doesn't see it that way. While it was initially reported that Gordon would be benched once second baseman Chris Getz returned from his DL trip, there was also speculation that he could be sent to the minors outright.
That's precisely what has happened.
One one hand I suppose it's good that if Gordon isn't going to be utilized on a regular basis, he can at least get consistent at-bats. But is it the best overall decision? I certainly don't think so. With that said, lets not fool ourselves into believing that Gordon is something that he is not. He has a career .744 OPS, huge strikeout rates, and both UZR and the +/- system rank him as below average at third base.
That's a bad combination.
But what does sending him down do? He isn't going to learn anything new at AAA. He isn't going to learn to adjust to Major League breaking balls, that's for sure. What's more, it probably isn't in the Royals best interests right now, or in the future. It isn't in their best interests because it leaves one of the few players with any discernible upside in the minor leagues. It isn't in their best interest because it lowers his already marginal trade value.
Furthermore, bringing up Aviles, who they sent down less than a month ago because he didn't have the arm-strength to sit on the bench in Gordon's stead is equally baffling. Both of these players need at-bats, and while Aviles who is recovering from injury would be better suited to get those innings in the minors, he'll sit on the bench in the Majors. Gordon, who has nothing left to prove but needs to continue to adjust to Major League play, will sit in the minors.
Baffling.
*Update*
The Royals now apparently plan on switching Gordon off of third base entirely and teaching him to play left field and first base. With top prospect Mike Moustakas at third base long-term, and Butler, along with prospect Kila Ka'aihue, at first, one would presume that left field will be where he spends most of his time.
Given that they're moving him off the hot corner, and given the absences they'll have in left field and at designated hitter after Scott Podsednik and Jose Guillen depart after this season, it certain appears that this is more of a move to find a way to make Gordon fit better into their long-term plans.
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