Archive for February, 2011

Pitchers and catchers reported yesterday. I’ll pause and let you regroup as you’ve certainly fainted from pure joy. Pitchers and catchers reported and while some teams are set to show off their new faces by way of free agency or trades, the Royals still take up a lot of the narrative around the game because of the incredible farm system. Most baseball outlets, most recently AOL decided they should finally join the party, have named the Royals the possessor of the best minor leagues in all of baseball. With these accolades though, comes a lot of attention to Spring Training [...]

Who: Johnny A. Giavotella DOB: 7/10/1987, Harahan, Louisiana Position: 2B Height: 5’8″ Weight: 185 lb Bats: Right Throws: Right Acquired: 2008 Draft – 2nd round Rankings: ~ Baseball America: #12 ~ Royals Prospects: #11 ~ Royals Review #13 ~ Kevin Goldstein: #9 ~ John Sickels: #12 B- ~ Kings of Kauffman 2010 Rankings: #14

After a week of discussion among FanSided’s AL Central bloggers and a few days of voting by readers, the offensive lineup of the All-AL Central team has been decided. The participants (including myself): Southside Showdown (represented by John Parent) Deep Left Field (represented by Steve Kubitza) Motor City Bengals (represented by Zac Snyder) Puckett’s Pond (represented by Wally Fish)

Who: Timothy Collins DOB: 8/29/1989, Worcester, Massachusetts Position:  LHP Height: 5’7″ Weight: 155 lb Bats:  Left Throws:  Left Acquired: Traded with Gregor Blanco and Jesse Chavez from Braves for Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel – 7/31/2011 Rankings: ~ Baseball America: #13 ~ Royals Review #15 ~ Kevin Goldstein: #10 ~ John Sickels: #16 C+ ~ Royals Prospects: #14

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that many Royals fans are also fans of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Hopefully, if that’s the case, you already know about FanSided’s Chiefs site, Arrowhead Addict. FanSided exists because of the success Arrowhead Addict had in the early days and continues to have today. Our founders, Adam and Zach Best, launched the network on the heels of AA’s success with the addition of sites to cover the other NFL teams. Shortly thereafter they made the decision to go all in and start team sites to cover all the teams in the 4 major sports. [...]

Just a reminder the writers representing the AL Central in the FanSided network still need your help to select our All-AL Central third baseman. The poll closes at noon Monday, February 14, so make your choice quickly. Wally Fish of PuckettsPond.com and Zac Snyder of MotorCityBengals.com present a case for the two frontrunners, Danny Valencia and Brandon Inge respectively: Clipped from: kingsofkauffman.com (share this clip) Check out their arguments and make a decision. The full FanSided AL Central position player lineup will be announced shortly after the poll closes on Monday. You can stay current on all the Kings of [...]

Who: Jeremy Ross Jeffress DOB: 9/21/1987, South Boston, Virginia Position:  RHP Height: 6’0″ Weight: 195 lb Bats:  Right Throws:  Right Acquired: Traded with Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Jake Odorizzi from Brewers for Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt – 12/19/2010 Rankings: ~ Baseball America: #3 (Milwaukee) ~ Royals Review #16 ~ Kevin Goldstein: #9 ~ John Sickels: #8 B+

There’s certainly something to be said about developing a farm system that is the envy of baseball. It takes talent. It takes dedication. It takes all members of the organization to be on the same page, with almost everything they do, and to have a commitment to each other. Apparently though, it also takes time, and lots of it. With last week’s column there was a little bit a ruffled-feather with one of our loyal readers. I still have little reason to believe that the Royals’ Process needed or needs to take eight years to fully complete itself, but there [...]

Who: Harold Louis Coleman DOB: 4/4/1986, Schlater, Mississippi Position: RHP Height: 6’4″ Weight: 195 lb Bats: Right Throws: Right Acquired: 2009 Draft – 5th round Rankings: ~ Baseball America: #19 ~ Royals Prospects: #17 ~ Royals Review #22 ~ Kevin Goldstein: 17 ~ John Sickels: #13 B-

The Royals are pretty much done making moves for the moment as spring training approaches.  Still, there are a few things floating around out there that should be passed along and I wanted to share my thoughts on a few issues as well. Pitchers and catchers officially report to Surprise on Monday.

I’m looking forward to spring training. A lot of other writers have started a trend of bemoaning the celebration of pitchers and catchers reporting, but not me.  I love it.  It’s the symbolic  start of baseball season when everyone’s tied for first, everyone’s in the best shape of their life, and everything is new and fresh. That being said, there’s a lot to cover and while Gage, Kevin, Austin and myself catch a lot of it, there’s always more out there, especially once the games start.  I’m looking for more writers to help us catch everything. If you’re interested in [...]

I’ve mentioned the current project going on in the MLB wing of the FanSided offices this month as we await spring training – constructing a team filled with each respective division’s stars. With our powers combined, we have created an offensive lineup of the AL Central’s finest – with one exception.  We can’t come to a conclusion at third base. That’s where you come in, so at the bottom of this post, you’ll have an opportunity to vote to help us out. Originally, Wally Fish, lead writer at Puckett’s Pond and myself voted for Danny Valencia of the Twins.  Steve [...]