tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post305973231213678710..comments2008-03-23T21:02:07.870-05:00Ranyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09713226276377020284noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-43004568582456122862008-03-23T21:02:00.000-05:002008-03-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

Another fantastic post. Appier was dominant in his day. I still remember Peter Gamons saying that Jack Mcdowell should get the CY young over Kevin and I remember thinking, "Pete- you gotta be kidding me, look at the numbers!!".

Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06168062025262955121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-39283484436263323162008-03-17T06:21:00.000-05:002008-03-17T06:21:00.000-05:00

Allard Baird wasn't given much opportunity to make a real free agent splash. Not fair to hold that against him.

Antoniohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740155942210835984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-84277526149298748792008-03-16T22:35:00.000-05:002008-03-16T22:35:00.000-05:00

baird did not sign the guy either. dayton moore did.

kcdcchefhttp://kcdcchef.livejournal.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-79445512064299254382008-03-13T17:46:00.000-05:002008-03-13T17:46:00.000-05:00

What about David Cone? Pretty good pitcher ...

Edge - PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789801073877791129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-3296702713585352562008-03-13T15:51:00.000-05:002008-03-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

No one has answered williewilson's question about the "unofficial stories" for why Appier busted his shoulder. I too am REALLY curious. Anyone?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-55787708391781802512008-03-13T10:47:00.000-05:002008-03-13T10:47:00.000-05:00

As an Indians fan, I advocated signing Meche after 2006 because he had a good K rate and our defense was absurd. People told me that his 2006 rate of 7.52 was a career gork and was unsustainable, and heck, maybe it is, but his 2004 rate was 6.98, and 2005 looked more like the outlier to me. (When I heard the contract terms, I suffered an attack of Not Surprise that Cleveland didn't top the

Steve Buffumhttp://www.theclevelandfan.com/authors.php?artId=17noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-21302769294806435522008-03-12T21:02:00.000-05:002008-03-12T21:02:00.000-05:00

Hate to throw cold water on all the enthusiasm for Meche. I hope he's turned a corner, I really do. But it isn't reasonable to count on it. When a 28 year old turns in the best season of his career, you just don't expect him to get better over the next four seasons.Signing Meche looks much better today than it did a year ago, and teams have certainly been known to pay more for above average

Nathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12578105396313454754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-36509796201487157502008-03-12T14:15:00.000-05:002008-03-12T14:15:00.000-05:00

Great entry in a great blog. Thanks, again, for starting it. You, Rob, Joe Posnanski, Bill James... why aren't there any bright, talented writers covering my Phillies? Doesn't seem fair.Anyway, I wish I'd given you a better answer than pre tags for formatting tabular data. I thought they'd work for you, but it's clear you need something better suited to the data you're sharing.MLA Wire posted a

Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18271748539982103978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-19108582102236722422008-03-12T10:45:00.000-05:002008-03-12T10:45:00.000-05:00

My hope is that sometime during this epic that Gil becomes our second or even third best pitcher. I would love to see Grienke becomes the ace he has the stuff to be and if any of our young guys could become a number two that would be great. I love the Meche signing but I hope our young guys become better than him in the long run.

mouthchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06446867384306989284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-34702600178898598942008-03-12T10:23:00.000-05:002008-03-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

Rany--I've got to go with Sabes over Ape, and you make my point for me:"Peak value means something – a team is more likely to win a pennant with a pitcher who’s brilliant for a short period of time than with a pitcher who’s simply good for a longer period of time"Sabes was better in his top 4 seasons . His EXCELLENT years in '89 and '85 put Sabes at the top of the list. ....and the WORLD

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12582506273930661903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-78508463248431237082008-03-12T08:55:00.000-05:002008-03-12T08:55:00.000-05:00

This is where I have a little difficulty with the reasons because the epic becomes more an evaluation of the past, even a past where the team was not that successful (Appyears). I am convinced that we lost out on some division titles then to the Bashroid Brothers in Oakland.Nostalgia is too much a part of being a Royals fan.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-9390775234647755182008-03-12T02:31:00.000-05:002008-03-12T02:31:00.000-05:00

I really hope Meche pulls the Carpenschmidt evolutionary step this year and doesn't follow it up with the slew of injuries that followed.

Old Man Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11092198064040919376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-55621774737526161292008-03-12T01:39:00.000-05:002008-03-12T01:39:00.000-05:00

Oops, I should probably sneak this in, but can't edit my original post. Appier did win a World Series in 2002, just not with the Royals. So, he's been an important part of exactly as many World Series winners as Gubicza and Saberhagen.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-1807624675435401622008-03-12T01:33:00.000-05:002008-03-12T01:33:00.000-05:00

"No way Apes can be ranked ahead of Gubicza or Saberhagen in a *subjective* ranking. I was 12 in 1985, flags fly forever, and it wasn't the Ape that got us there. Alright, I'll excuse for a moment the fact that your comment sounds like it was generated by the Royals PR department in the late 80's, and ask what an objective analysis might have to say about it?But really, isn't saying that Gubicza

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-32578757736988475532008-03-11T22:33:00.000-05:002008-03-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

No way Apes can be ranked ahead of Gubicza or Saberhagen in a subjective ranking. I was 12 in 1985, flags fly forever, and it wasn't the Ape that got us there. He's a definite #3 in my rankings...

KCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-43864555559986612312008-03-11T19:56:00.000-05:002008-03-11T19:56:00.000-05:00

ONE LAST THING, I promise. Another highlight from the Bob Boone archives. Kevin Appier has a no hitter going through 6.2 innings/98 pitches and gets the hook from Boone. The logic was that it was early, and Boone didn't wanna overwork Appier for the long season ahead. Ironic isn't it, that later that July Appier gets thrust into a 4 man rotation. It truly staggers the imagination, doesn't it

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-14783241805225996162008-03-11T19:39:00.000-05:002008-03-11T19:39:00.000-05:00

One more thing, you mentioned Bob (I'm smarter than everyone and my my degree from Stanford tells me so) Boone's brilliant idea of going to the 4 man rotation, albeit briefly in 1995. I have never forgiven him for that. Kevin Appier was thoroughly dominating the AL in '95, and Bob Boone single handedly ruined his season by going to the 4 man rotation. How you ask? Well, less than a month into

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-81426029096861196902008-03-11T19:26:00.000-05:002008-03-11T19:26:00.000-05:00

I haven't even read your entire entry yet(don't worry, I definitely will) and all I can say is yes, yes, YES!!! Thank goodness there is someone else out there who truly realizes how good Appier really was. For him or even Randy Johnson to not win the Cy Young in '93 was an absolute crime, and I've held a grudge ever since. Had Appier not pitched in virtual anonymity during those mediocre

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-73281468273611963392008-03-11T18:46:00.000-05:002008-03-11T18:46:00.000-05:00

Jason f***ing Grimsley has more WARPs than Runelvys Hernandez did? Boy, I never realized his Runelvys's good time was so little.

ChaimMKellerhttp://openid.aol.com/ChaimMKellernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-18147273451227560932008-03-11T18:37:00.000-05:002008-03-11T18:37:00.000-05:00

I agree that Meche should be the opening day starter. However, the Royals open at Detroit on March 31. They have two off days and another five games before the home opener. It wouldn't be a crime to work the rotation so Meche did not start the season opener, but did start the home opener--against the Yankees.

Adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00595065202881736378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-27303459302024401282008-03-11T17:49:00.000-05:002008-03-11T17:49:00.000-05:00

Now you are talking, I love Gil Meche so much that I sponsor his baseball-reference page. I flew into rage when Hillman said it was too early to pick a starter for opening day. WHAT? It better freaking be Meche.

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02403850105548136267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-8520451104578268202008-03-11T17:29:00.000-05:002008-03-11T17:29:00.000-05:00

ohh ya one more thing, what's the scoop on Appier's injury:"Appier would hurt his shoulder the following winter; the official story was that he fell off his sister’s porch carrying her wedding presents, but there were a lot of unofficial stories out there."What were the unofficial stories? I feel ignorant here, and can't figure out a way to research it.

williewilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15942063209872148945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3129904004334636055.post-10025855889986139452008-03-11T17:24:00.000-05:002008-03-11T17:24:00.000-05:00

Nice article. I'll admit, im in early infancy stage on the Sabermetric bandwagon, but no love for Steve Busby? I know he only had two nice years, and then the shoulder, but he WAS going to be the best royals pitcher statistics aside.

williewilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15942063209872148945noreply@blogger.com