Comments on Rany on the Royals: Royals Today: 7/20/2008.

Wow, Pena Jr. looked pretty good on the mound.Dude...

2008-07-21T22:40:29.260-05:00

Wow, Pena Jr. looked pretty good on the mound.
Dude had some movement on his pitches.

OK so lets cut Gobble and put TPJ in the pen.

2008-07-21T22:31:39.234-05:00

OK so lets cut Gobble and put TPJ in the pen.

Any chance Olivo (or Buck) to the Yankees with Pos...

2008-07-21T17:22:41.339-05:00

Any chance Olivo (or Buck) to the Yankees with Posada out for the year?

Well, while we're on the topic of Major League 2 (...

2008-07-21T14:48:46.485-05:00

Well, while we're on the topic of Major League 2 (the naming of pitches - which didn't work out so well for Rick Vaughn, by the way), perhaps what happened with Guillen pinch hitting for Gordon was along the same lines - "Hey Guillen, didn't this guy used to pitch you inside? Go up there and lean into one!... if you want to get in the game, go do it!" Of course, for another inexplicable reason

Because of John Gibbons, Hillman will never be abl...

2008-07-21T14:29:00.446-05:00

Because of John Gibbons, Hillman will never be able to make the dumbest managerial decision of all time.

With pinch hitting Guillen, I have this weird opinion of it. It was obviously against the numbers pretty clearly. However, it isn't the same type of decision as sending a guy like Gload to third. I don't know why it doesn't bother me but it may just be because Hillman has done so

Do we actually need more reasons after yesterday's...

2008-07-21T13:37:23.389-05:00

Do we actually need more reasons after yesterday's game about why Hillmman has no clue what he is doing and needs to go.

This isn't a great team, but they do have some talent. They aren't posting a better record because Hillmnan is the manager. They're doing it because they have better players this year who are playing some good ball. Hillman is only going to cost the Royals games.

My wish list for the 2nd half: Grudz (love him, bu...

2008-07-21T11:38:11.986-05:00

My wish list for the 2nd half:

Grudz (love him, but still) needs to be traded for whatever low-level prospect(s) Dayton can get from someone. German needs to start at 2B for the rest of the year, so you can confirm that he's got the bat he seems to (and maybe actually find a position for him). Plus, the Royals would then have one of the shortest and roundest middle infields in the

Woops. Should be "normal one" in the last sentence...

2008-07-21T10:38:44.785-05:00

Woops. Should be "normal one" in the last sentence.

I can imagine Silverio (or whoever the 3rd base co...

2008-07-21T10:36:43.594-05:00

I can imagine Silverio (or whoever the 3rd base coach is) thinking as he's signing the steal to Gload, "Why the heck are we sending him with two out and a guy on third? Whatever. You 'da boss, Trey".

Seems it would help if Hillman were instructed to bounce his wacky ideas off of a seasoned bench coach.

Reminds me of The Office episode where it was revealed that Pam fakes the

I think it was Crede who hit the three-run shot of...

2008-07-21T10:28:14.259-05:00

I think it was Crede who hit the three-run shot off Banny, not Swisher.

Not to pile on about the Guillen pinch hit decisio...

2008-07-21T10:08:09.366-05:00

Not to pile on about the Guillen pinch hit decision, but Rany, did you know Guillen was 1 for 8 with 6 Ks previously against Dotel? One of the most bizzare managerial decisions I've ever seen. In fact, it was so weird when I was watching it on TV, I automatically assumed Gordon got sick or something.

Speaking of TV, Ryan Lefebvre and Splitt have become nearly unwatchable. Finally, after

Sounds like everyone had a great time. I really wo...

2008-07-21T09:47:23.570-05:00

Sounds like everyone had a great time. I really would like to have gone except A) I hate the White Sux so much I refuse on principal to go into that stadium, and B)I went to a Cubs game earlier this year and the wife would have killed me for spending more money on another baseball trip (still trying to convert her to the sport).

I don't know what to think on Hillman anymore. I think on

I'm still upset that Brian said Juan Gone the roun...

2008-07-21T09:43:54.799-05:00

I'm still upset that Brian said Juan Gone the round right before I was going to. I'm going to blame the loss on that.

Or to the fact that Desi Relaford wasn't obscure enough.

Now I have to buy a Mexicutioner T-shirt.

I wonder if there is some history between Dotel an...

2008-07-21T09:41:18.413-05:00

I wonder if there is some history between Dotel and Guillen? Maybe Trey suspected that the AB would end in HBP and that's why he pinch hit for Gordo.

Only excuse I could come up with.

Hillman pinch hitting Guillen for Gordon was one o...

2008-07-21T09:01:51.100-05:00

Hillman pinch hitting Guillen for Gordon was one of the most mind-numbingly stupid decisions I have ever seen a manager make in a baseball game, ranking just behind numero uno: John Gibbons' decision to intentionally walk Tony Pena Jr. to get to David DeJesus.

Maybe we should call the pitch the "Waterboard" - ...

2008-07-21T06:44:59.907-05:00

Maybe we should call the pitch the "Waterboard" - as its effect is to leave the hitters gasping for breath on the edge of dying -- its more of a torture device...that pitch.

OMG guillotine. Freaking awesome.

2008-07-21T05:07:51.855-05:00

OMG guillotine. Freaking awesome.

As far as Bannister goes, his main problem is his ...

2008-07-21T02:14:48.656-05:00

As far as Bannister goes, his main problem is his almost total loss of control. Without that he has nothing.

The attempted steal of Gload was interesting because I still haven't forgiven Hillman for sending him to third earlier in the year.

My main question from all of this is how many times must DeJesus be picked off of first base before they give it a second thought? It's

Those pitches this afternoon from Soria were insan...

2008-07-21T00:50:12.241-05:00

Those pitches this afternoon from Soria were insane. "Guillotine" is a great choice, perfect.

Also acceptable would be "The Bones" or "The Magic...

2008-07-20T23:58:31.915-05:00

Also acceptable would be "The Bones" or "The Magic Eightball."

First off, that ball really does drop like a guill...

2008-07-20T23:56:05.758-05:00

First off, that ball really does drop like a guillotine. Excellent word choice.

Second, I'm surprised you didn't talk much about Este. If nothing else, this game shows what letting German bat a few times will do. Three hits and a walk? That man can see the pitch before it's even thrown! He can see the future!!!

I hereby suggest The Oracle as a nickname for German.

It was also suprising that Hillman didn't pinch hi...

2008-07-20T23:44:40.173-05:00

It was also suprising that Hillman didn't pinch hit Buck for Gload in the 8th.

This is one of those rare games where horrible managerial moves worked out for the best.

In the wake of my stunning/barely deserved victory...

2008-07-20T22:29:03.977-05:00

In the wake of my stunning/barely deserved victory in the Obscure Royals Trivia contest I have decided it's a good time to leave my first comment here...well more of an award acceptance speech. I'd like to thank the Mexicutioner for being nasty, Rany for allowing everyone one mulligan, and Juan Gone for finally helping to win something for a Royals fan...better late than never.

-Brian

It's easy to say from our perspective that Gordon ...

2008-07-20T21:53:11.994-05:00

It's easy to say from our perspective that Gordon should have hit in that situation, but I think it's critical to remember that he wasn't going to be facing a faceless RHP. He was facing Octavio Dotel, who a year ago today was a teammate of Alex Gordon.

Jose Guillen hadn't been used all series, and I think Hillman's reasoning might have been as simple as he thought Guillen was his best

The Guillotine. Me likey.

2008-07-20T21:47:18.928-05:00

The Guillotine. Me likey.