KC Royals: About That New Pitcher Mr. Moore

The KC Royals have the 6th worst starting pitching ERA in baseball through the first half of the season and 5.05. In the last 30 days, the Royals starters have an even worse ERA at 5.54. The Royals still have a good enough team to contend this year, but something is going to have to change between now and the August 1 non-waiver trade deadline.

As of right now, the KC Royals have one great pitcher in Danny Duffy, one good pitcher in Ian Kennedy, one decent pitcher in Edison Volquez, one Jeckle/Hyde pitcher in Ventura, and several awful options in the 5th spot. One of those options is Chris Young who has an ERA of 7.39, a HR/9 of 4.18, and a 1-8 record on the season.

Normally, we do not put too much stock in a pitchers win/loss record since run support, defense, and bullpen performance is a big part of a pitcher winning and losing a game. But Young’s 7.39 ERA and huge number of homers allowed is the reason he is losing. In most of Young’s starts, the KC Royals really aren’t given much of a chance to win.

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In fact, it appears that there is no silver lining to Young’s performances as a starter. Whether it’s the first, second, or third time through the order, Young’s ERA is near 7 or higher. Young’s home ERA is 4.45 so it he has been a bit better at Kauffman Stadium. But 4.45 is hardly good enough, so unless he is only spot started at Kauffman, he has to leave the rotation.

In the end, it really isn’t fair to the team, or to Chris Young to continue allowing him to get pounded every 5th day.

One thing of note however on Young, in two bullpen appearances totaling 4.0 IP he has a 0.0 ERA. It simply appears that if teams have a chance to prepare for Young he is ineffective. It seems his role is to come in out of the pen following someone like Kennedy who has a much lower release point and different movement. In the end, it really isn’t fair to the team, or to Chris Young to continue allowing him to get pounded every fifth day.

Since Ventura is young with plenty of upside if he can find some consistency, the KC Royals aren’t going to give up on him for now. But given Ventura’s ups and downs, Yourdano should be occupying the fifth rotation spot where he will have no pressure and an opportunity to continue working out his issues.

This means Kansas City will need one more pitcher. Ideally, the Royals would pick up a solid #3 or even a #2 starter. (Bye the way, where would the Royals be without the emergence of Duffy?) I say a #2 or #3 so as to not empty the farm on an arm during a season where they may simply not have enough to get to the post season.

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Ideally, the Royals rotation would be 1: Duffy, 2: Kennedy, 3: (New Guy), 4: Volquez, 5: Ventura. Though it would be nice, the new pitcher needn’t be under team control in 2017 since it is likely Jason Vargas will return from his surgery and rehab and hopefully Ventura will slot into the rotation by then. That would just leave a 5th starter spot to be filled in 2017, maybe by one of the AAA arms ready to go.

Whatever Moore and KC decide to do this month, it is clear that this rotation isn’t good enough to make it to October.