Can’t find a Betta’ mit

The Royals have a team batting average of .266. Good for 9TH in the MLB, but some way or another, not one regular on the team is hitting above .300.

Except for Wilson Betemit. He’s hitting a sturdy .306 that’s more than enough to stand tallest. Bench worker, Mitch Maier is hitting .348 in only fifteen games.

Yes, there are a few players like Butler, Gordon, and Hosmer who are ten to fifteen percentage points from the .300 mark… but nothing more. It’s the limbo line of the Majors. You hit above and you are considered a good hitter at this level. You hit below…then well, you just missed the boat and are likely frowned upon.

So far, is it a legitimate argument that Wilson Betemit is Kansas City’s most valuable player? The most worthwhile for every penny spent? Could we say that Wilson Betemit is the Royals most consistent performer? Some numbers don’t lie.

He is sixth in hits on the team and has played in forty-three games (ten less than Gordon, Butler, and Cabrera and Francoeur). Maybe we can even figure that if we are considering Betemit the best Kansas City can offer on paper, then the Royals are in fact, thinning faster that a milk shake in a black and decker.

Tonight, newly acquired Felipe Paulino takes the mound. Why did the front office even spend the precious energy completing this trade? Paulino, the 6-2, 270 pound Dominican, compiled a blue 0-4 record with a 5.68 ERA in eighteen appearances with Colorado. Now he is all of a sudden getting the start in Los Angeles? Might as well get Davies back in there- just as awful with more experience.

Alternatively, ESPN’s Jason Grey wrote an insider article about ten pitchers with ERA’s above five that you should watch out for.

Paulino was a name included.

Bullpen shakeups, a flameless Soria, and another desperation bout in extra innings…Kansas City is incredibly frustrating again.

I, by no means, can blame or will blame Dayton Moore for the continual lack of consistency. In the end, it’s the players that have to live up to the hype. Considering the fact that he is visibly making an effort at winning THIS SEASON, I will remain silent in direct harassments. There a good percentage of young guys  who have made the major league leap that I wanted to see sooner than later. I can’t argue with the game plan. It’s what I wanted.

It’s no mystery why this team struggles. Poor play on the road-the worst road team in baseball.

Aside from all this vicious negativity, we are STILL headed in the right direction. Decisions in the lineup, for the most part, make sense!

Alex Gordon seems to fit the lead off spot a little better than most of us envisioned. Last nights lineup is proving to be one of the more productive lineups to date. Here is what is mostly RIGHT, and what is mostly WRONG with the current lineup card.

Last night against LAA:

Gordon LF– I really enjoy Alex at number one. He has the speed to be believable and the type of bat that can easily be overlooked. He’s currently hitting .288, which looks like a bugger to most opposing teams. You ALWAYS want your leadoff man to read like a nuisance on paper. He starts out your game day and pitchers will think longer and harder from pitch number one. They will likely overthink and turn wild or submit a fat one over the plate. Basically, Gordon is a legitimate threat in the leadoff slot while Chris Getz is not- smart play by Ned Yost.

Melky CF– The PERFECT number two hitter in this lineup. A lot of reports indicate Melky not finishing the season in a KC uniform, but I would be very disappointed to see him go. Batting directly behind Gordon is a lovely thing (if Alex gets on base)-speed, power, and a contact hitter. Currently hitting .274.

Hosmer 1B– He is handling the inevitable MLB slumps very well. “Bounce Back” Hosmer is the type of hitter you see going 0-4 one night, then raking in at least two hits and a couple RBI’s the next. Currently hitting .283 and that is all I need to see from him in the three spot. The power is a plus, and when Gordon and Cabrera both find the base paths, Hosmer with two men on, is undeniably dangerous.

Francoeur RF- So far, this lineup is near perfection…Until now. I wouldn’t have it anyway other way in a National League format! Billy Butler needs to be hitting right here. With Jeff Francoeur cleaning up, you can’t get as consistent as you’d like to. He has a tendency to get too choppy with the stick, either too on top or too below the ball-mainly because he tries to kill it every time. No one should expect to hit a good average in that frame of mind. But he is still at a decent .273 with the ability to crush the seams at any time. Some folks get too caught up in thinking the clean up man usually hits for all the most power and strikes out a lot. Why not have a guy like Butler bat forth? He will put the ball in play more often, plain and simple.

Butler DH– As previously mentioned, I say he needs to bat forth and make Francoeur bat fifth. Currently hitting .292.

Betemit 3B– Perfect at this spot in the order. Best “everyday” batting average on the team and puts the ball in play. If the clean up and the five slots don’t come through, you can count on Betemit to back them up. Currently hitting .306.

B. Pena C– The next two spots in the lineup is where we struggle BIG TIME. So much so that if we had above average players at catcher and second base, we would likely be in second place as opposed to forth. We need a real deal catcher. Bryan Pena has been a good teammate in the clubhouse, but if he plans on being on the roster he should be putting up some numbers don’t you think? He is okay defensively, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a bat every once in a while? Matt Treanor is an excellent veteran, but a back up veteran and nothing more. There is no way he can last an entire season and affect the team in a positive way. Bryan Pena is currently hitting .220.

Getz 2B– Gets looked great last night going three for four, but we may never see a performance like that from him again until the end of JULY. Who knows? It’s a stretch to say he is awesome at second base. I mean, come on. He is no Frank White or Robbie Alomar! Let me see some more diving tosses behind the back to turn two before I start buying into gold glove thoughts. The bat as a whole is double A caliber.  If the Getz case confuses you, here is how it is.

Chris Getz is quiet. He has no ego. He doesn’t make many mistakes. He doesn’t have much competition. He can’t hit too well and he is the coach’s pet, THEREFORE he plays. Currently hitting .257.

Escobar SS– Poor hitter that belongs in the nine slot of any lineup. He is there to take up space, but you have to play him because he is a good shortstop. Any hit is a plus, but he isn’t good enough at short to be a horrible hitter forever and get away with it. Someone will eventually step in if he continues to stink… Eventually. Currently hitting .216.

Nine games back.

Just last week we were talking about the Chicago White Sox being one of the leagues worst teams in 2011. The Royals now trail them in the central.

Time to start playing ball.