Royals Sign Bloomquist: 2 YR 3 Million

[KowboyKoop]

You've claimed that this "Everybody hates the Royals" thing doesn't include me, but I'm the one making these "complaints", but one thing you have to understand that it has absolutely nothing to do with the Royals for me. I rip bad deals regardless of the team. Go back shortly and see how I "ripped" the Phillies for the Raul Ibanez signing. Last year I "ripped" the Tigers for extending Dontrelle Willis's contract. Those are just two off the top of my head. On the contrary, I was fine with the Coco Crisp deal, and I can't find any threads on here about it, but I wasn't adamantly against the Gil Meche signing, either, agreeing mostly with Keith Law on that signing.

I won't make threads for minor moves, but I'll comment on anything that I have a thought on that somebody posts. If I don't like a signing, I'll say so, regardless of team.


This particular "ripping", by RedSoxRockies, was made by a 14 year old kid overreacting.

Well, all I know is pretty much transaction the Royals have made this year has had thorougly discussed here (and pretty much everywhere) and made out to be the end of the world. Now you're discussing the meanings of some quotes that the manager gave to a reporter in January, when the reporter was writing an article about Willie Bloomquist.

Seriously, what is he supposed to say "No, Bloomy has no chance to start, he sucks, we are giving Callaspo the job no matter what, so I don't really care if they show up to ST in shape and ready to compete or not...we've already decided what is going to happen." OF course they are going to say something along the lines of "it creates competition in ST" just like everyone says in January..but when the Royals say it..boom, criticism. Unnecessary and ridiculous.

[HoustonGM]

How often do utility players that can't hit get full articles on MLB.com about their chances to start, and how often do reporters ask the manager about such a player's chances to start? Not very often, as far as I can tell. But, it doesn't matter. We'll see how he's handled.

I'd also say that you aren't looking very deep if you think the Royals are the only team whose moves are discussed and criticized in the "blogosphere." Most MLB moves are "thoroughly discussed", regardless of team, somewhere on the Internet. Baseball Think Factory, which I linked above with the Transaction Oracle entries, discusses basically everything baseball-related. I also think you're going over the top with your reactions to the criticisms. Nobody's discussing the moves as "end of the world", or even remotely close to that exaggeration. People think it's a bad move. That's it.

[KowboyKoop]

Hey, at least Bloomquist's Transaction Oracle entry is more forgiving than the one for Farnsworth and Ramirez. And the one for Mike Jacobs has no snark at all.

Where's the part where they, or anybody, discusses how the Royals are projected to get better for the 4th year in a row, while at the same time putting more money into every single aspect of the organization and improving the farm system dramatically from what it was even three seasons ago? When do we get to that part...oh wait a second, that's pretty much been written by....well nobody.

(Of course I know that there is probably some person, some blog out there that may have mentioned this....I have not looked at literally every page of the internet...but compared to the criticism we have gotten for the past three seasons......it's non-existent.)

[HoustonGM]

Those entries discuss the moves purely in and of themselves, as they do with every other move. They're not meant to be evaluations of a team's overall outlook.

[KowboyKoop]

Well, in about ten seconds I was able to find this article about Aaron Boone, and in it you can possibly gather that they are considering going with him as their starting 3B..or at least seeing significant playing time at the position. A 36 year old with a 77 OPS+ last year. Tough to find that article. I'm sure there are plenty of articles written about these players, probably every time they are signed something gets written about them.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=hou




Nowhere have I said we are the only team that gets criticized. I said we get criticized for pretty much every single move we ever make, literally. Of course there is a little exaggeration in there, but it's got a pretty solid foundation too.

[HoustonGM]

Well, in about ten seconds I was able to find this article about Aaron Boone, and in it you can possibly gather that they are considering going with him as their starting 3B..or at least seeing significant playing time at the position. A 36 year old with a 77 OPS+ last year. Tough to find that article. I'm sure there are plenty of articles written about these players, probably every time they are signed something gets written about them.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=hou

Well, if somebody had posted an Aaron Boone thread here, I'd have criticized that as well. The move, itself, wasn't bad. 1 year, cheap, corner player. A platoon of Geoff Blum and Aaron Boone at third base is downright atrocious and ridiculous, though.

[KowboyKoop]

Well, if somebody had posted an Aaron Boone thread here, I'd have criticized that as well. The move, itself, wasn't bad. 1 year, cheap, corner player. A platoon of Geoff Blum and Aaron Boone at third base is downright atrocious and ridiculous, though.

EXACTLY MY POINT. That move doesn't get shredded (or the thought of them using him in that way). With the Royals, it gets ripped everytime. Literally. Yes, other teams get criticized some. The Royals get ripped for pretty much every single move they make. That is how it goes. I know you think I am just grossly exaggerating it, but I am not. I listened while people talked about how the Royals were ruining the pitching market by signing Gil Meche to such a big deal. I have listened to it all for years and years and years. It was deserved during the Baird era where he signed guys like Reggie Sanders and Jose Lima and Scott Elarton and Joe Mays. That's worth "sky is falling" criticism. Bloomquist as as utility infielder is not...especially considering the extremely obvious progress the organization has made in literally every single aspect possible. Literally. There can be no denying that....


..and before you post a link about some random blogger making fun of Aaron Boone..I am sure there is somebody that has criticized the move..but clearly not on the level of a Royals move being criticized.

[HoustonGM]

Well, as I said, I'll comment, on this forum, on anything that's posted that I have an opinion on. When filihok posted this thread, I don't think it was his intention to blast the Royals to shreds because he hates the signing and wants to criticize everything the Royals do, nor is he part of some huge anti-Royal conspiracy.

[filihok]

No, despite rumors, I am not a part of any conspiracy, organization, etc.

If the Dodgers had signed Bloomquist to the same deal, THEN you would have seen some blasting to shreds. As the Royals did it I simply made some question marks to see if somebody else with a different perspective could shed some light on it and make it make sense to me.

[filihok]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index...ma-the-mariner

Brewers sign Craig Counsell (1/1 mil)

When the Royals signed Willie Bloomquist for two years and three million, general manager Dayton Moore described Bloomquist as a “Craig Counsell” type. Naturally, the actual Counsell would sign for one year and for a third of the money.

[KowboyKoop]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index...ma-the-mariner

Royals bashing never goes away. I notice he doesn't want to actually talk about the players when trying to take a shot at the Royals.

Bloomquist's last three seasons: .320, .321, and .377 OBP. Counsell last three seasons: .327, .323, and .355. Looks like Bloomquist can hit just as well as Counsell, maybe better if you think Bloomquist is in his prime while Counsell is declining b/c he is almost 40. Bloomquist can play more positions.

Bloomquist is not a good player, but I'll just fine with him over Counsell. Palying him .5 million more per year...pretty nitpicky to get upset over that.

...but why try to talk actual facts. Bloomquist sucks, Greinke isn't an effective starting pitcher, whole team sucks, Dayton Moore has done nothing to improve the team since he took over, everything sucks.

[dickay]

WTF?? 5 plus pages about Willie Bloomquist going to the Royals? For starters, I didn't know Bloomquist was still in the league, and secondly...I didn't know the Royals still had a team.

[Swampdog]

WTF?? 5 plus pages about Willie Bloomquist going to the Royals? For starters, I didn't know Bloomquist was still in the league, and secondly...I didn't know the Royals still had a team.

I have to laugh and, as much as it pains me to say this...totally agree.

[filihok]

Teahen to man 2nd for the Royals this year

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index...ahens-big-move

And the Royals bash:

This is the first sign of “innovative” thinking the Royals have shown this off-season, but frankly, the chances of success aren’t too high.

[HoustonGM]

If Teahen can perform adequately at second in the field, it's a great decision.