So now that Kaaihue and Shealy are here, how should they be used?

So here comes Kila Kaaihue, or, as he could be known, "Royals Cyberspace's New Justin Huber."

Guy has a remarkable story, from 15th-round draft pick, stuck for parts of three consecutive seasons at Class AA, a career .252 hitter who just had a Roy Hobbs kind of breakout minor league season.

You're reading this online, which means you might have these numbers memorized by now, but between 91 games at Class AA Northwest Arkansas and 33 at Class AAA Omaha, Kaaihue hit .314/.456/.628 with 37 homers, 100 RBIs, and, this is the part that always turns heads, 104 walks with 67 strikeouts.

And because of the times we live in, you should also know that Kaaihue has passed at least two, and maybe three, drug tests this season.

Royals decision makers had been hesitant to call up Kaaihue, seeing an already clogged-up situation at 1B with Ryan Shealy coming up.

The conventional wisdom is that you don't just call guys up for them to take up space in the clubhouse and batting cage.

So either the Royals think they have a way to get Kaaihue some at bats, or they decided that they'd have to add him to the 40-man roster this winter anyway, so why not reward the guy for having one of the best minor league seasons in baseball this year?

There's a theory that when it comes time to signing minor league free agents, it helps if you have a track record of promoting guys.

Anyway, whatever the thinking was to get Kaaihue in Kansas City, he's here now so the question becomes what to do with him.

I get why a big league manager working with the Royals' roster would give a lot of plate appearances to Gload. He's steady, he's good defensively (but not Mark Grace like I think some people think he is), and won't make stupid mistakes.

He is limited only by talent, not by his mind. You know what you're getting from Gload.

If you're managing this roster, there's something to be said for all those things.

He's also 32, and well past his previous career highs in games played and plate appearances.

And because you know exactly what you're getting with him, there's no need to continue not learning anything the rest of this lost season.

The Royals have 26 games left this season. Figure four plate appearances a game, and that's 104 times up for your 1B and 104 times up for your DH.

Might as well start now in seeing what you have with Ryan Shealy, who was good (.283/.376/.503 with 22 homers and 65 RBIs) if not spectacular this season in Omaha.

The scouts say his bat is slow, and they've always said that, but give the guy a shot. Dayton Moore once traded two big league pitchers for Shealy, who is now 29 years old, so there's an investment here to make sure what you've got.

Kaaihue is 24, and a different situation, at least from my eyes. You know he'll be around next year, no doubt about it.

There might be some value in babying him along a little, to feed him mostly right-handed pitchers (his splits were drastically slanted towards right-handed pitching in Arkansas, but then actually hit lefties a little better in Omaha) and keep his confidence up.

If you've got 208 plate appearances between 1B and DH, maybe you give 75-85 to Butler, 45-55 to Shealy, 35-45 to Kaaihue, and split the rest between Gload and if Jose Guillen or another position player needs a day at DH.

However this breaks down, there will be some Royals fans unhappy. Trey Hillman's had some difficult calls to make this first year as big league manager, and here's another one.

Because no matter how you want these plate appearances divided up, Hillman's also got to think about wins and losses.

The Royals are building toward the future, but you never want to totally sacrifice wins and losses in the present to the point that you might as well turn the scoreboard off.

Royals are playing .419 ball right now, which translates to a 68-win season. That would be a one-game drop from last year, but even that projection might be a bit optimistic since the Royals are coming off their worst month (7-20 in August) in years.

If the team looks like a threat to lose 95 or 97 or certainly 100 games, the development plan gets scrapped and it becomes about avoiding shame.

The Chiefs will likely be terrible, but the last month of this baseball season, with the Royals playing in a sectioned-off construction zone, will test those of you who say you're baseball-first even during college and NFL football seasons.

Submitted by Sam Mellinger on September 2, 2008 - 7:49am.
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Avoiding Shame? It's too late

Submitted by Isaac on September 7, 2008 - 9:29pm.

How can you think about avoiding shame over the development of this team? This team is past the point where avoiding shame is relevant. Does it matter to you or anyone else that reads your blog that we win 95 instead of 98 or 100? Last place and bad is the way it is regardless of how many games we end up losing. Why is that so hard to understand? Why would you think about a couple more wins at this point over the development of the team?

Gload Must Go

Submitted by Daytons Helper on September 2, 2008 - 10:25pm.

I don't know Ross Gload personally but I can tell you statistically he's terrible. This team needs guys that will draw walks. On-Base percentage is the number one indicator of runs scored and we NEVER walk. Why didn't we get Adam Dunn? Plug him in at RF or 1b and watch him draw walks, hit homers and strikeout. At least his power presence would mean Butler or Gordon might see some fastballs in front of him. The biggest problem with our team is we dont have a single guy in the lineup that scares anyone. We need a Pujols-type hitter..one that the pitcher starts to sense when he's still "in the hole" and suddenly he's throwing fastballs for fear of walking the guys in front of him. This is what makes the Ludwicks of the world look like studs. This isn't a knock on Ludwick but if he were in KC he'd be hitting about .270 .340 .440 because he wouldnt see a fastball in three plate appearances.

Anyway we need to just deisgnate Gload for assignment and play the trio of younger 1b/dh we have. Like someone before me said what's 97 losses at this point?

I know what VORP, WARP, PERA mean. If you don't pick up a Baseball Prospectus.

Sam - since I quoted you...

Submitted by Racewriter on September 2, 2008 - 2:11pm.

Sam - I just started my own Royals blog, and since I used one of your articles for source material, I thought it appropriate that I let you know about it. http://unknownroyalsfan.wordpress.com/
Oh, as far as Hawaiian Punch? Stick him in the lineup, play him every day, and see what we have. If possible, trade Shealy in the off-season, since some teams might have a bit of hope regarding his performance. Release Gload.

Submitted by crawford on September 2, 2008 - 11:51am.

Butler has been in the majors for nearly 1.5 years and as far as i know his defense is still a big question mark. Why is that? Can he play 1st base or not, and why the heck don't we know by now? And Interesting enough, Mellinger also points out that KK's splits as a rh hitter, also would make him hard to platoon with Butler.

I'm really confused why anybody could fault Hillman if he plays his young players and loses. If he plays Gload and what not though....well I don't know why he does. I just wish for once the organization showed dedication to the youth movement in all phases : do one thing right, the one thing you have control over, you know?

youth movement

Submitted by dsmith84 on September 2, 2008 - 12:29pm.

Play the young guys, even if they lose. They need the experience, and we need to know if they have as much upside as we might hope. Even if we lose a bunch of games, at this point what does that matter? You're just making your draft picks next season even better by faltering a bit. If you can't finish within even 10 games of winning your division, you might as well be worst in the majors so you can continue to re-stock the farm system with the best available talent. I agree other than KK, and Lowery (both already called up) and Daniel Cortes, none of our AA or AAA guys who haven't been up before seem ready within the next year or two.

Remember, this is a team that dropped a guy who hit 30+ homers in the minors because we had a "logjam of talent" at 1B/DH... hopefully one of the two who were chosen over Brazell can actually get the job done.

Play the young guys. Let them fail, let them find success, let us see what they have. If the guys we have are going to lose 93 games, why not let the guys who MIGHT be the future lose 97 games.
It worked for the Tigers (from worst team in AL history to world series in what, 3 or 4 years?)

Shealy will not be here next year

Submitted by AxDxMx on September 2, 2008 - 11:32am.

Shealy had an OPS of .879 in Omaha this year. That's ok, but not great. Compare that to Aviles at AAA, who has been successful in his callup to the bigs. Aviles had an OPS of 1.001. That's a sizeable difference. Kaaihue had an OPS even higher at Omaha with 1.079. Kila had one more HR than Aviles in 18 less games at Omaha. Shealy had 11 more HRs than Kila in 286 more ABs.

Kila - 114 ABs = 11 HR --------> HR every 10.36 ABs
Shealy - 400 ABs = 22 HR ------> HR every 18.18

Kila's BB:K ratio was about 1:1 at AAA.
Shealy was about 1:1.69 at AAA.

If Shealy were 24 like Kila, I would be excited about him too. But I think it is probably time to cut bait on him and see what we can get if anything.

Kila is the future.

Some of you people are delusional too. If you think we can trade Ross Gload for anything you are crazy.

why does he have to be traded?

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 11:34am.

waiver wire is a useful tool.

addition by subtraction.

Shealy and Kaaihue should take turns....

Submitted by jayhawkowensjunior on September 2, 2008 - 8:40am.

One can hit Gload repeatedly in the knees with a large stick so that Trey won't be tempted to play him.

The other can hit Trey repeatedly in the knees with a large stick on general principle.

disheartening

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 8:31am.

I'm beginning to think Dayton Moore may have lost the fax number to the waiver wire.

It should come as no surprise that the Royals month of August was the worst in a long time. I believe on this blog alone, there were countless predictions it could/would happen.

So lets just get this straight today. All who say a 68 win season is improvement, please state your case. I can't wait to hear it.

Sacrificing wins and losses was a decision that should have been made at the end of July. The front office sat on their hands during the trade deadline and it bit them in the rear. They are making September call-ups look like a complete joke.

"If the team looks like a threat to lose 95 or 97 or certainly 100 games, the development plan gets scrapped and it becomes about avoiding shame."

AGAIN? FREAKING AGAIN???!!! That is carbon copy from every year!!!! I'm really pissed at the way this season has ended. If there isn't a complete flush job done at the K this winter, Sam, you can put that paragraph in ink for September 2nd next year.

It IS an improvement...

Submitted by PRL on September 2, 2008 - 9:05am.

but not on the field. It's in the front office. It's apparent (from Dutton's article this morning) that Dayton now fully knows what he's got...and that he's going to have to absolutely blow it up in the offseason. THAT recognition (and saying it publicly) is a drastic improvement over the previous eras when the Royals kept thinking that a few marginal free-agent pickups and calling up some marginal prospects would miraculously combine to create anything near .500 baseball.

The sense of frustration from the front office has been pretty palpable this year. I can't imagine what it's like to try to get winning baseball from a small-market team where the cupboards are absolutely and completely bare in the farm system. I'll venture to say that these have probably been the two most frustrating years of Moore's career (and may end up being the most frustrating in his entire life). I think Dayton THOUGHT he knew what he was getting into, but only this year did he completely realize how bereft of any real talent that the Royals' farm system was. He's been trying to replenish that system as much as he can, but it just takes time. There are only so many times you can sign a decent FA middle-reliever, get some good innings out of him, and then flip him for a prospect or get supplemental picks out of the deal.

A big part of this process is not looking at it from a perspective of "did they improve this year?", but instead looking at what they've got and truly appreciating how horribly, incredibly, nightmarishly BAD this organization had become from top-to-bottom since the Glass family took over.

On the Kila subject...is there ANY possibility that he can play a corner OF position? I've never actually SEEN the guy play, so I have no idea about his athletic/defensive abilities. If they can sit Teahen or Guillen (or DH him), try Kila in RF or LF, put Shealy and/or Butler at 1B, then they can maximize PA's for everyone...and maybe even solve the gaping hole in the corner OF spot for next year. Maybe that's just a pipe dream. I'll settle for Kila just coming up, batting anywhere near .300/.350/.400 in his limited time, and playing decent defense at 1B. Hey, I'd even be happy if he could just come up, sit in the dugout, and teach the rest of the team how you actually can take what's called a "walk" or a "base on balls" and be allowed to go stand on first base...all without actually hitting the ball into play. It's crazy.

Question for measurement

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 11:32am.

PRL - I know I'm being negative on this whole deal, but I'm trying to get a gauge on why anyone in KC is apologizing for this team, this manager, this GM. So based on this:

"A big part of this process is not looking at it from a perspective of "did they improve this year?", but instead looking at what they've got and truly appreciating how horribly, incredibly, nightmarishly BAD this organization had become from top-to-bottom since the Glass family took over."

What is your measuring stick for this? How do you measure improvement when the numbers speak for themselves AND when the minor league system is very depleated for major league ready/close players? I'm trying to figure out how to measure all of this as improvement and not just hot air for the newspaper.

Just curious. I like your ideas, although, its somewhat alarming that the we even have to think about moving players around once they get to the big league team.

I'm not apologizing for anyone...

Submitted by PRL on September 2, 2008 - 1:11pm.

just trying to get everyone to really look at how atrociously terrible the Royals organization was at the time that Dayton Moore took over. If you're asking for a tangible means by which to gauge any improvement (wins/losses, team average, team ERA, etc.), I guess what I'm saying is that there certainly hasn't been any at the major league level yet. But, if you look at the Royals' farm system and the approach from ownership/management, good lord has there been a top-to-bottom improvement. In terms of numbers of quality prospects, the level of quality, and ultimately, in the willingness to spend a realistic amount of money on free agents and scouting, signing, and developing prospects.

Your point about the lack of high minor/major-league-ready prospects is a perfect example of the depths of the Royals' abyss. If you don't have them, then about the only way to get them quickly is to trade off high quality veteran players. If you don't have any of those aforementioned veterans (I think the Royals have qualified in that regard for, ohhhh, at least the past 12 years), then you have to be willing to spend a ton of money in one or two offseasons to build a very expensive, veteran team out of thin air. And we all know how much cash the Royals (or at least the previous front offices) have had to work with.

Moore has only had two years, and he's literally had to build a major league team from (almost) scratch. Without a Yankees or Red Sox budget, either. (I actually remember reading in some article or blog that an anonymous MLB front office person said that the Royals were "at or below expansion level" at the time Dayton started.) I think that entering this season, Dayton, along with many other people, thought that the Royals were going to get a LOT more out of guys like Teahen, Gordon, Butler, Buck, etc. He wanted to give all these young guys a full year together to see what they could do. Well, they've had it, and the overall results are not very good. Bottom line, though, these weren't "his" guys, and even if he wanted to trade them, he wasn't getting much in return (even before this season). The Royals' system was so bare, and he's had so little to work with, that it's going to take another 2-3 years for Moore's efforts to come to fruition.

I guess my ultimate point is that, no, there isn't anything empirical at the major league level that you can point to as a obvious improvement. At the time Moore came on board, though, the Royals were so bad that ANYTHING that ANYONE did was going to take about 4-5 years to make an impact at the major league level. And looking at a big-picture, subjective overview of the organization, I'm confident that things are on the right track. Here are some of the specific, tangible examples:

1. Two "big" (for the Royals anyway) free agent signings in a row (Meche and Guillen) -- Even if you don't like the Guillen signing, at least we've had back-to-back examples of the purse strings being loosened. And Dayton is apparently being allowed to go out and spend significant dollars again this offseason.

2. The 2007 and 2008 drafts -- Moustakas, Hosmer, Melville, and the overall dollars spent (a complete reversal of the farm-system-killing philosophy of throwing darts at guys you think you can sign for $1000 bonuses).

3. Savvy trades and lower level FA signings -- Dayton seems to understand (and have a knack for) that signing veteran bullpen arms and flipping them is one of the quickest and easiest ways to build back the system. Only (seemingly) bad trade thus far has been Howell for Gathright. But it's not like Howell's bullpen production hasn't been replaced.

4. Starting rotation -- Only one has not been Moore's doing (Greinke), and while they aren't necessarily the second-coming of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz, at least there is stated and repeated emphasis of the importance of starting pitching. And this rotation is better (and younger) than the Royals have had since...man, I guess the mid-to-late eighties.

Look, if you're at your wits end and can't handle the frustration anymore, then I don't blame you one bit for giving up on the Royals. This year has been particularly disappointing because everyone (including, I think, Dayton) believed that all (or most) of the younger players were really going to start putting it together at the same time. I'm just trying to say that in order to put "major league level improvement" in context, you have to understand how and from where that improvement was going to come. When Moore got here, the answer to that question was: Nowhere. The improvement I see is that at least now I can understand where the improvement is going to come from. If that makes sense.

YEAH!

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 3:14pm.

I admire your optimism. Mine is gone.

Can't wait for 2010.

Agree

Submitted by Otis26 on September 2, 2008 - 9:37am.

I'm with PRL. The franchise is improving. In previous years we were duped into thinking things were going to be ok.

Now we're seeing investments that will pay off. It's like investing in your 401k...you don't put money in it for 6 months and expect to be a millionaire. If you've never invested before then you can't expect overnight riches.

In our case we're finally making deposits into our account - the minor league system. Those will mature in a few years and we'll suddenly find ourselves a lot better off.

I'm still in Seattle and wish I were back in KC so I could go to games. It looks like I'll make it back for the last home game of the season on September 21st...and I'll be ready to renew my season tickets as soon as a Lancer calls me.

We have made significant strides though it may not be readily apparent on the field - yet. I am sticking with 'Project DM' because I believe he's doing the right things. (In a few years he'll be compared to Bill Snyder - just watch.)

minor leagues

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 11:18am.

Otis - I love your enthusiasm, but I'm going to disagree with you about the minor league system. Its not at all in good shape right now. Do they have a few good draft picks sitting down in A ball and below? Yes. Do they have anyone above Moustakas or below those that were recently brought up that you can rest your hat on for next year or two? I'll say No to that one.

I hope you are right about Project DM. While I like the guy, I also know lip-service to a reporter in the paper is not improvement.

Think about the Logistics...

Submitted by JMGesling on September 2, 2008 - 8:26am.

Consider this:

With the roster expansion, not only do you get a few guys learning ABs, but you also advertise what you got to other clubs. Like you said Sam, you know what you got in Gload. Shealy could be trade bait, so getting him ABs could up his trade value. Kila's ABs are more developmental and reward. Butler is hitting well and now it's just a matter of keeping production high.

Dutton's article on GM Moore shows a guy who is ready to be aggressive in the market. You can see he's frustrated (as if the grey hairs weren't enough). I think this move is to get Shealy advertisement, Gload rest and advertisement, and Butler/Kila a chance to continue their tear.

Plus, think of the First Baseman you have:
Gload - Older but good hands. Valuable to a playoff team.
Shealy - older and still some sock...good stop gap for another team.
Butler - Great Bat, but limited experience at 1b.
Kaaihue - Young, showing strong bat, experienced at 1B.

What would you do?

...

Submitted by lakewoodroyal on September 2, 2008 - 8:34am.

Butler is a great bat?

wow.

(sorry, just had to think about that for a second.)

...

Submitted by JMGesling on September 2, 2008 - 8:37am.

Ok. how about good bat with good potential. I know...i know...

Fans are finally getting what they asked for

Submitted by royal4life on September 2, 2008 - 8:21am.

For the better half of this season, posts have abounded regarding Shealy and giving him the opportunity to play this year. I seriously do not think that Shealy is comparable to Aviles in the fact that his success at AAA will translate to the ML. His numbers have been very good (better than anybody on our current roster), but in my heart of hearts, I don't see him having the type of bat that we have been SCREAMING about in blogs and posts. Given a full year, I don't see his numbers being any better than say Teahen's. While that would be better than Gload's, his defense wouldn't be and that is not the level of production we need from a corner IF position.
About Kaaihue, this will be interesting. We are talking about a legitimate, YOUNG prospect that has absolutely torn it up this year at AA and AAA. I would really like to see him get a few more PAs than what you suggested and give Gload more time on the bench or platoon in the outfield. He and Shealy could split time at DH/1B with Butler playing the other position. If Guillen needs a day off, let him rest not DH.
On a personal note, I watched Apocalypse Now for the first time this weekend, WEIRD, WEIRD, WEIRD. Made me actually feel normal to want to watch a Royals game again. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

Baseball first....

Submitted by jtuck123 on September 2, 2008 - 8:04am.

I would say that I'm a baseball-first kinda guy...I like the game better than football. But I'm getting kinda sick of losing. I can't really take too much more losing. I watched the Missouri-Illinois game...guess what? Missouri won. Fancy that... And as for the Chiefs, I'm not too excited for their season this year. I don't think any good will come out of this year in Missouri sports (barring a national title by the Tigers). Let's just hope next March comes quickly.
JT

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Gil Meche: The older brother of the Royals' rotation talks bowling, collecting baseball cards, and sliders

Very good first-day turnout on Twitter. Thank you. If you're on and haven't found me, I'm at "mellinger." Let's join up, we'll have fun.

You may have noticed we didn't have an MGD update after the weekend, and that's because of a bonus weekend post on SI coverboy/comedian Zack Greinke, and that Davies' start on Thursday means we won't miss a week with an MGD update.

Zack Greinke: Ball Star's most requested interview subject talks trucks, fighting, and trash

Zack Greinke, for a lot of reasons, might be the most interesting player on the Royals roster, and this is a team that includes an outfielder who owns lions and ostriches and likes to be slapped in the face, a pitcher who was knighted by his native Aruba, another who works construction in the offseason, and a reliever who body slams opposing players and prides himself on his baking.

Greinke is the most-requested interview for this blog, and if you act now, you can read a bonus interview where Kyle Davies defends himself against what he alleges is Greinke's slander. All in good fun.

Army Maj. Michael Lalor: Rooting on the Royals from Iraq

Confession time. That "contest" we ran here
was officially won by Tom Barkwell from Madagascar, and I loved both his words and the fact that he sent them from an island nation in the Indian Ocean, but I gotta tell you, it wasn't my favorite letter.

Nope, my favorite came from Army Maj. Michael Lalor, whose words came from Iraq.

I didn't mention this in the original contest because I wanted to give Michael his own post. He was kind enough to answer some questions over e-mail, which we're turning into the latest interview. His letter is below our e-mail exchange.

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