Brewers Get:
Zack Greinke (5.2 WAR)
Yuniesky Betancourt (0.6 WAR)
Royals Get:
Lorenzo Cain (1.5 WAR)
Alcides Escobar (0.6 WAR)
Jeremy Jeffress (0.1 WAR)
Jake Odorizzi (A-)
Much more after the break.
Showing posts with label Yuniesky Betancourt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yuniesky Betancourt. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Mike Aviles Gets Last Two Starts For Royals
Much to my chagrin, last month the Royals demoted shortstop Mike Aviles to AAA. Aviles of course was working his way back from shoulder surgery and the team said it wasn't ready to go. Apparently two weeks was enough to do the job as he was recalled when the team demoted Alex Gordon to learn left field and first base.
Since returning on the 2nd, Aviles has been given a pair of starts, including each of the past two games. He's responded by going 5-9 with a home run. Welcome back indeed...
Aviles of course was the Royals regular shortstop until going under the knife in early 2009. To replace him, the Royals traded for Yuniesky Betancourt of the Mariners. Betancourt performed miserably throughout 2009, posting an OPS of just .625, and has performed almost as bad this year, posting an OPS of just .664. That sort of offensive performance would be acceptable if it came with strong defense, but instead, Betancourt consistently ranks very poorly in both UZR and Dewan's +/- system.
If Aviles' shoulder is indeed healthy, he should be a MAJOR upgrade at shortstop, providing both a superior bat along with significantly better defense. Of course, much of that depends on the state of Aviles' shoulder.
Should he prove to be healthy enough however, the Royals need to be playing him. He certainly has the talent to be the best shortstop in the Central, and one of the better shortstops in all of baseball if he can repeat his 2008 performance.
Since returning on the 2nd, Aviles has been given a pair of starts, including each of the past two games. He's responded by going 5-9 with a home run. Welcome back indeed...
Aviles of course was the Royals regular shortstop until going under the knife in early 2009. To replace him, the Royals traded for Yuniesky Betancourt of the Mariners. Betancourt performed miserably throughout 2009, posting an OPS of just .625, and has performed almost as bad this year, posting an OPS of just .664. That sort of offensive performance would be acceptable if it came with strong defense, but instead, Betancourt consistently ranks very poorly in both UZR and Dewan's +/- system.
If Aviles' shoulder is indeed healthy, he should be a MAJOR upgrade at shortstop, providing both a superior bat along with significantly better defense. Of course, much of that depends on the state of Aviles' shoulder.
Should he prove to be healthy enough however, the Royals need to be playing him. He certainly has the talent to be the best shortstop in the Central, and one of the better shortstops in all of baseball if he can repeat his 2008 performance.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mike Aviles Optioned to AAA
Coming back from reconstructive elbow surgery, the Royals have been hesitant to use Mike Aviles at shortstop in an effort to avoid putting too much stress on his arm, and on Saturday optioned him to AAA Omaha to get regular playing time.
Aviles was a late bloomer as he didn't show much potential at the plate until posting a 1.001 OPS at AAA as a 27 year old repeating his third season at the level in 2008. That performance earned him a mid-season call up and he continued to hit well, posting a .833 OPS in 441 Major League at-bats. Aviles also flashed well above average with the glove during his Major League stint according to UZR.
He got off to a rough start in 2009, finally admitting to the Royals staff that he had a "sore forearm," that later required the reconstructive surgery. So he gets a pass for the poor performance at that level. But it also means that he hasn't performed at the Major League levl in over a year and it's apparent that he wont be ready to do so at his primary position, shortstop, for some time.
Currently, the Royals are going with Yuniesky Betancourt as their everyday shortstop. Betancourt was acquired from the Mariners last season in the wake of the Aviles injury. He has performed precisely as he did in his time with Seattle - as a mediocre to below average defender with one of the worst every day bats in baseball. In 2009, Betancourt posted a -2.2 WAR, putting him firmly in the race for the coveted title of, "worst every day player in baseball." Thus far, 2010 has been more of the same, with Betancourt post an OPS of just .644.
When healthy, Aviles has shown the ability to be well above average on both sides of the diamond. The Royals desperately need for Aviles to be able to return to being the player he was back in 2008. His bat would greatly upgrade their production at a position of need. His glove would also help prevent dozens of hits from getting through, helping the entire rotation.
Aviles was a late bloomer as he didn't show much potential at the plate until posting a 1.001 OPS at AAA as a 27 year old repeating his third season at the level in 2008. That performance earned him a mid-season call up and he continued to hit well, posting a .833 OPS in 441 Major League at-bats. Aviles also flashed well above average with the glove during his Major League stint according to UZR.
He got off to a rough start in 2009, finally admitting to the Royals staff that he had a "sore forearm," that later required the reconstructive surgery. So he gets a pass for the poor performance at that level. But it also means that he hasn't performed at the Major League levl in over a year and it's apparent that he wont be ready to do so at his primary position, shortstop, for some time.
Currently, the Royals are going with Yuniesky Betancourt as their everyday shortstop. Betancourt was acquired from the Mariners last season in the wake of the Aviles injury. He has performed precisely as he did in his time with Seattle - as a mediocre to below average defender with one of the worst every day bats in baseball. In 2009, Betancourt posted a -2.2 WAR, putting him firmly in the race for the coveted title of, "worst every day player in baseball." Thus far, 2010 has been more of the same, with Betancourt post an OPS of just .644.
When healthy, Aviles has shown the ability to be well above average on both sides of the diamond. The Royals desperately need for Aviles to be able to return to being the player he was back in 2008. His bat would greatly upgrade their production at a position of need. His glove would also help prevent dozens of hits from getting through, helping the entire rotation.
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