As I mentioned earlier the rotation was terrible, actually terrible may not adequately describe the sheer amount of suck we were witness to, but really, how many words exist that do?
| Player | Date | Opp | Rslt | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Francis | 2011-04-22 | TEX | L 6-11 | 4.0 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Kyle Davies | 2011-04-23 | TEX | L 1-3 | 6.0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Bruce Chen | 2011-04-24 | TEX | L 7-8 | 4.1 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Luke Hochevar | 2011-04-26 | CLE | L 4-9 | 6.1 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Jeff Francis | 2011-04-27 | CLE | L 2-7 | 3.0 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Davies | 2011-04-28 | CLE | L 2-8 | 3.1 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Totals | 0-6 | 27 | 50 | 35 | 32 | 7 | 15 | 12 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
To break it down even further:
I may have been too optimistic before the season when I casually dismissed the historically bad descriptions of the rotation. I opined they had the potential to be historically league average, or the very least, historically serviceable. I guess it was that optimism that ignored Luke Hochevar and Kyle Davies being two of the worst starting pitchers in major league history. I expected Davies to be Davies but I believed Hochevar was on the verge of figuring things out. I was clearly wrong.
Just looking at their numbers I guess I should've seen this coming, but for some reason, I didn't. Here are four lists of guys who've pitched at least 400 innings since 2008, Hochevar and Davies are featured prominently, as is former Royal Brian Bannister and current Omaha Storm Chaser Jeff Suppan. It's not pretty.
To break it down even further:
- 4.5 IP/per start
- 16.67 H/9
- 10.67 ERA
- 2.11 WHIP
- 4.0 HR/9
- 5.0 SO/9
I may have been too optimistic before the season when I casually dismissed the historically bad descriptions of the rotation. I opined they had the potential to be historically league average, or the very least, historically serviceable. I guess it was that optimism that ignored Luke Hochevar and Kyle Davies being two of the worst starting pitchers in major league history. I expected Davies to be Davies but I believed Hochevar was on the verge of figuring things out. I was clearly wrong.
Just looking at their numbers I guess I should've seen this coming, but for some reason, I didn't. Here are four lists of guys who've pitched at least 400 innings since 2008, Hochevar and Davies are featured prominently, as is former Royal Brian Bannister and current Omaha Storm Chaser Jeff Suppan. It's not pretty.
| Rk | Player | IP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke Hochevar | 76 | 413.0 |
| 2 | Brian Bannister | 78 | 464.1 |
| 3 | Manny Parra | 79 | 428.0 |
| 4 | Jeff Suppan | 81 | 440.2 |
| 5 | Kevin Correia | 81 | 486.2 |
| 6 | Fausto Carmona | 82 | 493.0 |
| 7 | Kyle Davies | 83 | 449.0 |
| 8 | Livan Hernandez | 85 | 614.1 |
| 9 | David Bush | 86 | 481.2 |
| 10 | Zach Duke | 87 | 557.0 |
| Rk | Player | IP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manny Parra | 1.659 | 428.0 |
| 2 | Jeff Suppan | 1.623 | 440.2 |
| 3 | Kyle Davies | 1.539 | 449.0 |
| 4 | Fausto Carmona | 1.499 | 493.0 |
| 5 | LIvan Hernandez | 1.491 | 614.1 |
| 6 | Brian Bannister | 1.490 | 464.1 |
| 7 | Kevin Millwood | 1.475 | 558.0 |
| 8 | Zach Duke | 1.472 | 557.0 |
| 9 | Gil Meche | 1.451 | 401.0 |
| 10 | Jason Marquis | 1.445 | 467.0 |
| 11 | Luke Hochevar | 1.443 | 413.0 |
| Rk | Player | brWAR | IP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manny Parra | -3.1 | 428.0 |
| 2 | Jeff Suppan | -3.0 | 440.2 |
| 3 | Luke Hochevar | -1.2 | 413.0 |
| 4 | Kevin Correia | -1.2 | 486.2 |
| 5 | David Bush | -1.1 | 481.2 |
| 6 | Fausto Carmona | -0.8 | 493.0 |
| 7 | Brian Bannister | -0.5 | 464.1 |
| 8 | Kyle Lohse | 0.3 | 448.0 |
| 9 | Scott Feldman | 0.9 | 482.1 |
| 10 | Aaron Harang | 1.7 | 488.1 |
| 11 | Kyle Davies | 1.8 | 449.0 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Fortunately they do have some depth in this areas. Now should they feel the need to make a change, I'd prefer they didn't panic and promote Michael Montgomery and Danny Duffy just yet, but Vin Mazzaro and Everett Teaford are certainly options. Suppan is there too, but you know, see above. They could also stretch Aaron Crow out to see what he can do, though I find that scenario unlikely.
The point is, they have to do something, because the status quo isn't working.
| Rk | Player | IP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manny Parra | 0.333% | 428.0 |
| 2 | Jeff Suppan | 0.368% | 440.2 |
| 3 | Brian Bannister | 0.383% | 464.1 |
| 4 | Luke Hochevar | 0.386% | 413.0 |
| 5 | Jonathan Sanchez | 0.396% | 542.2 |
| 6 | Scott Kazmir | 0.402% | 451.1 |
| 7 | Kyle Davies | 0.407% | 449.0 |
| 8 | Daisuke Matsuzaka | 0.414% | 402.2 |
| 9 | Kevin Slowey | 0.437% | 410.1 |
| 10 | Armando Galarraga | 0.444% | 487.2 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
It's even worse when you consider that Sean O'Sullivan would be placed firmly in all four lists had he enough innings to qualify (150.1 IP, 77 ERA+, 1.463 WHIP, 0.0 WAR, 34.6 QS% ). O'Sullivan, to his credit, has been solid in his 2 starts but who knows if that can continue.
So what should the Royals do with the rotation?
It's even worse when you consider that Sean O'Sullivan would be placed firmly in all four lists had he enough innings to qualify (150.1 IP, 77 ERA+, 1.463 WHIP, 0.0 WAR, 34.6 QS% ). O'Sullivan, to his credit, has been solid in his 2 starts but who knows if that can continue.
So what should the Royals do with the rotation?
Fortunately they do have some depth in this areas. Now should they feel the need to make a change, I'd prefer they didn't panic and promote Michael Montgomery and Danny Duffy just yet, but Vin Mazzaro and Everett Teaford are certainly options. Suppan is there too, but you know, see above. They could also stretch Aaron Crow out to see what he can do, though I find that scenario unlikely.
The point is, they have to do something, because the status quo isn't working.
1 comment:
Leave the youngsters out for now...
I think Monty, Lamb, and Duffy will all be great additions to the rotation at some point in the very near future, but no reason to panic and waste service time. I want to see Mazzaro the first to get the starting nod!
Hes still relatively young. Francis has to get better, Luke has to mature and Chen needs to continue being our ace for the time being!
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