I'll be at the game tomorrow night so it's almost a guaranteed loss.

You called Omar Infante a Chris Getz doppelganger.

Also, why didn't you compare the team's offensive output through June 10 in 2013 to the offensive output through June 10 in 2014? Wouldn't that comparison be more fair?

We all know that the Royals offense improved quite a bit after June 1 last season. Looks like it might be improving again.

Can we stop talking about fantasy baseball/other teams/general baseball information in this thread? It's getting a little out of hand. Start a new "general baseball thread" or go to the Fantasy/Casino Planet forum if you want to talk about that stuff.

Here's what I look at. Can Infante drive the ball? Yes, he can, seeing as he has twice as many homers as Getz had during his whole stay here in a mere two months. Is Infante a slap-hitter? Depends on the definition. Getz got most of his hits by softly hitting the ball through holes in the infield, rather than hitting line-drives into the outfield.

I believe Infante has done all of the things Gets has done and far more and, honestly, this is one of the dumbest comparisons I've ever seen anyone make. Getz was the worst player in baseball, and Infante is average. Is Infante a great hitter? No, but he's miles ahead of Getz will ever be.

Since trades are being brought up, one I have been thinking about for a while for the Royals that could make some sense for them is with the Padres.

Chase Headley
Carlos Quentin

3rd base and right fielder. Both have been hurt this year, thus numbers are down but for the right price they could be enough to push the Royals over the hump into the playoffs.

Coincidence. Im sure Alex Gordon really cares what Dale Sveum has to say...

Headley's been almost as bad if not worse than Moustakas, and is coming into a contract year.

I grant that injuries have been a factor, but there hasn't been much from Headley for quite some time now.

I'd rather deal Greg Holland to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, but I doubt they'll do that now.

No.

Why's that? He's pretty blocked.

I wouldn't mind picking up Headley and Quentin, but I don't think it would be a surefire success.

A change of scenery might ignite either guy. Getting out of Petco might ignire either guy. Or it might not.

Long term 3B picture could be interesting...

Cuthbert and Dozier are the oft-mentioned internal candidates (and for reason... each has a nice skill set. Dozier has been hot at High A since the start of May and Cuthbert is showing good OBP skills though marginal power at AA), but I think Orlando Calixte is still a name to watch there.

He's OPSing .850 as a SS at Northwest Arkansas. Pretty solid, and has apparently improved his plate discipline quite a bit (small sample size, though). He's a good defensive shortstop, but if he keeps hitting at this level, KC could promote him to Omaha ... and if he finishes this season strongly, Calixte COULD be an option at 3B if Moustakas continues to suck.

I think Calixte's long-term future is as a 2B (with Mondesi playing SS), but he's a RH bat with pop and good defensive skills... wouldn't be a bad UTIL guy next year, if he earns it.

I loooooove reading about fantasy teams. Especially trade talk, wow the intrigue!!!! In fact I log into this site just to read about who's being offered what for Michael Wacha.

I've noticed guys like Billy and Alex laying off pithes low in the strike zone, though. Billy has been elevating the ball more. Gordon too. It's not like Sveum is totally re-vamping their approach. He's simply sharing an observation.

Andre Ehtier has three years left on a big deal (that would require them to either eat big money or give him away)

Carl Crawford has three year left on a deal that probably makes him untradeable unless someone big gets desperate (that basically leaves the Yankees, who have a younger and better version of him in Ellsbury)

Yasiel Puig is a legitimate superstar talent and young and cheap. He's a franchise cornerstone.

Matt Kemp has 5 years left on a huge deal that puts him in the same boat as Ethier.

They also have a long-term option at 1B in Adrian Gonzalez.

There's really nowhere for Pederson to go anytime soon, and they'd get a much, much bigger return for him than for any of those other guys.

If I'm the Royals, I'd be willing to talk Greg Holland or Wade Davis for him. Would give the Dodgers a lights-out guy at the end of the pen, something they really don't have right now (Jansen has been very hittable this year and really only has one pitch right now).

Re: Sveum...

Based on what I was hearing from someone who works for the team, it wouldn't surprise me if flushing Grifol DID make a difference. He was in over his head, from what I was told. "Pedro doesn't talk about approach, just about taking good swings and having a swing that feels good" is a pretty direct quote.