Into the Afternight, Our 3rd Shift Open Thread.
6 repliesIf you’re still up and want to talk Chiefs, or just hang with fellow citizens of the Kingdom, this is the place.
So, having been in a bad frame of mind today, I addressed it in no small part via music. Skipped most of the Royals game to do some karaoke, and before that indulged in some reaction videos of the funny song sort. So, guess what I’m putting up tonight?
And since I like this guy’s enthusiasm, I’ll give him one more.
Hope that puts a smile on y’all’s faces, and I’m stopping here, lest I devolve into negativity.
With that, time’s yours.
Well, the Royals ‘pen stepped on it’s own dick again, and that is doubly downer since doing so to a dick that short takes some talent, guts and measured will, which they collectively lack in earnest most of the time.
While I won’t argue that the bullpen didn’t blow it (leave Lopez out, though, he came on to deal with another pitcher’s problem), I disagree that the ‘pen is a chronic problem. They were for a while early in the season, but they got it together, and a lot of losses over the last month or so go to the starters and/or an anemic offense.
And even then, while Sparkman had problems working from the pen, he’s shaped up into a decent young starter. Contrariwise, Lopez struggled as a starter, but he’s been decent enough out of the pen, for a young pitcher. They’ll need some development, but KC may well have a good corps of young guys for next season. I’m willing to write off this season to working through some growing pains, with the hope they can come out swingin’ next season. That’s reason enough for the young guys to keep scratching and clawing for wins.
anemic offense?
sure, the other team’s pitching wins a few, but a speedy group leading the league in triples and right there in SB’s isn’t @anemic.”
these royals have lost dozens (!) of games leading 6th or later.
If the starter drops runs that the offense can’t exceed in the entire game, then even if they manage to score enough to “tie” that amount, it’s either on the offense or the starter. Best case for that, blaming a 4-3 loss where the starter gave up 3 and the offense couldn’t score more than that is not the ‘pen’s fault, whether they gave up 1 run or 10. 10 runs on the pen may look bad, but it doesn’t materially affect the outcome.
You may not like that system of evaluation, but I don’t like the narrative that every loss where the pen doesn’t hold the opponent scoreless is their fault. The same holds true especially when it comes to a starter getting chased off the mound early, leaving them holding the bag for 5-6 innings with a deficit, to boot. And when it comes right down to it, pitchers don’t score runs, not really. “Blame it all on the bullpen” is an outdated meme, and one that obscures other problems. Sure, the ‘pen lost tonight’s game, no doubt, but they aren’t the primary problem any more. Last few games the bats have improved, but they have been a big problem at times, too.
A little something else to put a smile on your face
Yep, that’ll work, too.