Rany Jazayerli goes postal on the Royals
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 11, 2009 5:27 PM PDT
66 comments
I don't think I've seen anyone this furious over a baseball deal since Bavasi shipped half our farm system off for Bedard; the subhead on his blog now reads, "July 10th, 2009. The day the music died." Rany writes,
Look, I could count all the stars in the sky and all the fish in the sea, and I still don’t think I will have calmed down. Sorry, mom. I actually finished writing this last night at midnight, but decided to sleep on it and read through it again in the morning. I’m afraid the sleep didn’t do me any good.
Eight years ago this July, the day the Royals traded Jermaine Dye for Neifi Perez, I came on Kevin Kietzman’s show and the first words out of my mouth were, “I have never been more embarrassed to be a Royals fan than I am right now.”
I wouldn’t say I feel as embarrassed at this very moment as I did that day. But in every other way, this moment is perhaps the lowest point I have ever reached as a Royals fan. I have never been more disheartened than I am right now. I have never been more disillusioned as than I am right now. I have never been more angry than I am right now. . . .
The Betancourt trade reaches the level of signature significance in my eyes, but in reverse. It’s just one trade, and if Cortes doesn’t pan out it’s possible that the only thing this trade will cost the Royals is some money and some opportunity. But this trade is so utterly indefensible, and the thought process that led to this trade is so utterly diseased, that I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this one trade is prima facie evidence that Dayton Moore can not be a successful GM.
The reasons for his reaction, of course, we know; as Mariner fans, we know them all too intimately, in fact . . . I feel for him, but I have to admit, it's a relief to no longer be on his end of these kinds of deals.
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I wonder if anyone in Atlanta or Baltimore ever felt guilty about the trades
cause right now, I feel sort of like we collectively just took advantage of a special needs kid.
by TheEmrys on Jul 11, 2009 6:26 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
We gave them their comeuppance though.
by Mariner John on Jul 12, 2009 12:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly. Remember what they got for Perez/Broussard?
by HARRYP09 on Jul 12, 2009 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I blocked that second one out
Interestingly I just saw this:
The Reds traded Broussard to the Cleveland Indians on June 7, 2002, for Russell Branyan.
Weird.
by Ezzra on Jul 12, 2009 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah you have to feel for them alittle.
This really does remind me of the Vidro-Snelling debacle. In the bigger picture of all baseball trades it’s not the end of the world. While we got stuck with Vidro for much too long, nothing we sent away bit us. But as a Mariner fan this trade is the one that broke our backs. After years of dissapointing moves that we prayed would manage to work out, this one was just indefensible. It just showed a complete and utter lack of understanding of what resources you have, how to best leverage those resources, and how to evaluate talent. In the end we just got stuck with Vidro, but it really was the day the music died for the Bavasi regime. It sounds like yesterday was that sort of symbolic day for KC and Moore. And finally, Yuni’s gone . . . woooo.
by DCMariner on Jul 11, 2009 6:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
After the Royals apparently went postal on HIM a week or so ago,
I sort of felt like they went out and made the one trade that would break Rany’s spirit.
by marc w on Jul 11, 2009 10:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Jeez, it's not THAT bad.
If one were to rank this move along side all of Bavasi’s blunders, it might not even make the top five.
But I understand this is just the last straw for this guy.
by discovolante on Jul 11, 2009 10:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Far worse than the move is the insight the move offers into the KC front office
by Jeff Sullivan on Jul 11, 2009 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly. It's the move that proves that exactly nothing has changed.
by marc w on Jul 11, 2009 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly.
And exactly one more fucking time.
by marc w on Jul 11, 2009 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have this exact same problem sometimes
by OlSalty on Jul 11, 2009 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But it's exactly because of other exacting GMs, (exactly like GMZ) who exacted the exact same havok on our farm,
that GMZ’s exacting execution of exactly these kinds of exacting trades is exactly like exacting my revenge on exactly the sort of inexact buffoons (exactly like Bavasi) that mired us in the exact same situation so many times in the past.
by Vatinius on Jul 11, 2009 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 8 recs
Am I the only one for whom those two run together?
I kept expecting Elrond to whip out the dark shades and say, “Come here, Mr. Bilbo . . .”
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 12, 2009 9:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought the Hugo Weaving reference
was from “V for Vendetta” and the “V” speech.
by Ezzra on Jul 12, 2009 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think so
The above was just a side comment, since Decatur mentioned those other roles.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 12, 2009 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
All hail King Zduriencik.
LONG live the King!
~I'm on the DA~
by section331 on Jul 11, 2009 11:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Rob and all Royals fans should look to the Mariners as a symbol of hope that not all is lost for them.
It wasn’t too long ago that we were all reacting the same way. It wasn’t too long ago that we all thought it would never got better. It wasn’t too long ago that most of us were fed up and wanted to give up.
But look at us now. Look at this organization now. The franchise has started to completely turn it’s self around and in less than a year’s time.
It can happen Royals fans.
The Rise of a Superstar:Justin Upton-.425 wOBA, 21 years old.
by Goose on Jul 12, 2009 1:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think they should look at the Mariners to see what players they'll have in a year or two...
by SethGrandpa on Jul 12, 2009 2:19 AM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
Glass could afford a ridiculous payroll, too
and KC fans would support a winning team; they aren’t going to be Boston/NYY/NYM/LAD/LAA, but they could easily support a payroll big enough to win if their FO made good use of it.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 12, 2009 5:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
KC isn't in a big-money division either.
They don’t have Boston or either of the NY or LA teams in their division. The Indians have a smart front office, but are not rich as far as I know. I dunno about the White Sox or Tigers in that regard.
by urchman on Jul 12, 2009 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Detroit spends quite a bit if I recall correctly
Without actually taking the time to look up any real facts
by Ezzra on Jul 12, 2009 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You are right.
I believe their payroll is either in line or higher than the Mariners.
2009 Safeco Field Record: 5-0 ; Overall Safeco Field Record: 9-4
by Fin on Jul 12, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yikes
$67.2 mil in ’07, $58.2 in ’08, $70.5 in ’09. They have ~$4 mil still on the books for HoRam, Gload, Gobble, Esteban German, and Joel Peralta. Ouch, I remember counting down the days until the Cirillo contract was off the books.
by Kermit. on Jul 12, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, its like they are the Mariners were during the Bavasi Regime.
Subtract Ichiro and you don’t get a dumb-luck 2007 season like the M’s did.
2009 Safeco Field Record: 5-0 ; Overall Safeco Field Record: 9-4
by Fin on Jul 12, 2009 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
There was a point where the M's had maybe 3 big (er) contracts on the books
Players that had been released. Cirillo was one and I can’t remember the other 2.
by Kermit. on Jul 12, 2009 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Player A and Rich Aurilla?
2009 Safeco Field Record: 5-0 ; Overall Safeco Field Record: 9-4
by Fin on Jul 12, 2009 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes! I think so, I can't find it via the interwebs.
Thanks
by Kermit. on Jul 12, 2009 8:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And now we're stuck with Silva
there’s a small part of me that thinks I’d throw in Gregory Halman to get rid of Silva and his contract
by seattlebruin on Jul 13, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
2 things
1.) As someone already mentioned, the payroll. Glass wont go further than 70 MM in the near future.
2.) Dayton Moore is not even on the hotseat. Baird got 6 years, and he lost 100 games like 4 times. Dayton’s overall track record looks good (it isn’t) cause the Royals win-loss record has slowly climbed up until this year. The organization will no doubt blame injuries to Aviles, Gordon, Soria as the reason for the crappy start. Also, they’ve spent way more on amateur talent than they did when Baird was GM, so Glass will probably give DM plenty of time to see if that pays off. DM has been on the job for over 3 years, I’d say he has at least 3-4 more years until he gets canned
by gilmeche55 on Jul 12, 2009 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Dayton’s overall track record looks good (it isn’t) cause the Royals win-loss record has slowly climbed up until this year."
This is my worry, too. (For Royals fans.)
But three of four years? I just can’t see it lasting that long. I give him another year or two to put together a team that can break .500 — and he’s not doing himself any favors in that regard. Glass has to look around and see all these franchises hiring forward-thinking GMs and finding success. He can’t be 100% ignorant of that. At least I hope not. I’d love to see the Royals turn it around.
by Teej on Jul 12, 2009 7:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That guy is really hurting, I hope his post allowed him some type of cathartic relief
His piece brought me back to how I felt last year about his time, I was advocating game boycotts, fantasizing over plots to have Bavasi removed from the team. Brutal, I feel for the guy.
by Kermit. on Jul 12, 2009 11:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
This is a fantastic thread.
I echo what others have said about finally being on the other side of a boneheaded trade. It’s about time our FO stops fucking the team over. Every day that passes is one more day removed from Bavasi, and that can only be considered good. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m fairly certain Bavasi was still on the LAA payroll while at the helm of the Ms, and if he wasn’t they owe him some sort of prorated compensation.
Illegible
by kevin_ess on Jul 12, 2009 12:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
There is still a chance that Yuni can play up to his god-given ability.
It was not going to happen here, but we all know how much potential that guy has.
by d0nkey on Jul 12, 2009 2:48 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
"we all know how much potential that guy has."
Some. He had the potential to be “solid.” I don’t think he was expected to be great, just good and consistent.
...and now I'm here
by CapSea on Jul 12, 2009 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Potential is not static.
It does not exist freeze dried while the player ages, gets fat, loses work ethic, etc.
by Matthew on Jul 12, 2009 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions 9 recs
This comment should be saved in the LL HOF.
2009 Safeco Field Record: 5-0 ; Overall Safeco Field Record: 9-4
by Fin on Jul 12, 2009 6:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And yet
Andruw Jones bRAA: 5.5, wOBA+: 110, + 2.2 UZR.
He’s not what he was, but it’s sort of amazing how much a player can recover from a few years of feasting/not giving a shit/injuries/etc.
by marc w on Jul 12, 2009 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jones wasn't really potential.
It was an established track record of awesomeness, something Yuni never had.
by Teej on Jul 12, 2009 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not anywhere near the same thing.
And for what it is worth, his wOBA+ since May 1st is approx. 90-95.
by Matthew on Jul 13, 2009 12:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What do you think Betancourt's ceiling going forward might be?
I’d certainly think his 90% wOBA+ projection would be a hell of a lot higher than Jones’ was coming into this year.
How ‘broken’ do you think Yuni is?
by marc w on Jul 13, 2009 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Extremely broken
and also, I just meant that Jones does not equal Betancourt in terms of comparable situations, not in terms of projected WAR
by Matthew on Jul 13, 2009 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How different do you think Jones' situation was?
I mean, he was older, got a LOT fatter, his production dropped to sub-Rob Johnson levels, etc. Sure, he had a lot more success earlier in his career, but he had two years of poor hitting, and his fielding had finally crapped out (apparently). I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to make the Rangers.
Yuni’s not at that level yet, though the trend line is obviously worse. Still, much stranger things have happened.
by marc w on Jul 13, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I consider it different based on his prior levels of success.
And no, his fielding hadn’t finally crapped out, unless you count 50 games worth of data to be worth more than the prior 463 games in the previous 3 years that showed him as remarkable +20 CF. He got hurt and fatter, yes, but he was just a year removed from being a 3.6 win player even with a terrible, .242-depressed BABIP, hitting season.
by Matthew on Jul 13, 2009 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't even feel bad if this happened
I think the only hope for the Royals is that Yuni reads the stream of stories calling him ‘the worst starting SS in baseball’ or even ‘the worst starting player in baseball.’ Before he was hurt he did appear to be showing signs of some sort of trying. He was hustling a tiny bit in the field and not swinging at so many picthes (even though he didn’t get better at judging the strike zone, at least he was trying to not swing).
Maybe all the bad press about this trade will continue Yuni’s awakening and he starts practicing more and works harder.
But then I realize that he has millions and millions garaunteed. Hell, I’m not sure I’d want to show up to work early and stay late everyday if I was a millionaire…
by Snuffleupagus on Jul 13, 2009 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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