Optimists Beware! Excessive Negativity Lies Ahead!

Refuting The Excuse: Buddy Bell

I had planned on writing a serious article chastising Bell for using his new mancrush Wellemeyer on consecutive evenings, both of which were games we were either barely in the lead (on Friday) or reasonably within striking distance (on Saturday). I also pondered a dissection of Moore's now well-known trades. However, I decided to keep it short and simple.

While Buddy Bell has proven to me his (in)capabilities of handling that margin of error he had (or did not have) this season, perhaps his explanations and rationale for certain decisions are what irritate me the most. Other than lamenting the demotion of Standridge because it withdraws "experience" from the team, or forcing Ryan Shealy to ride the pine because "it wouldn't be fair to Gloady" (OK, I blatantly made that one up), perhaps it's his rationale for the Royals' 7-5 loss to the Twins on Saturday that *really* bugged me. When asked about the Royals' failure to execute offensively as well as the Twins did in Saturday's loss, Buddy Bell claimed that the Twins were simply the more experienced baseball team.

Not true. Not true at all.

The facts:

Player - Total MLB At-Bats - MLB Seasons - Age
Castilla 21 2 22
DeJesus 1389 5 27
Punto 1093 7 29
Grudzielanek6201 13 36
Mauer 1170 4 24
Teahen 889 3 25
Cuddyer 1613 7 28
Sweeney 4449 13 33
Morneau 1528 5 25
Gload 526 6 31
Hunter 3945 11 31
Brown 1518 8 32
Rodriguez 314 3 26
Kubel 316 3 24
Redmond 1691 10 35
Gordon 51 1 23
LaRue 2252 9 33
Pena 101 2 26

Total AB - Team - Total - Age - Avg Seas. - Avg Age
11691 MIN 52 5.78 27.
117376 KC 60 6.70 29.6

In the 4-21 lineup, the Royals collectively had 6000 more MLB at-bats, or 60% more AB's than the Twins. The Royals' average age in that lineup was 2.5 years older than the Twins, and averaged almost a full Major League season more than the Twins. And that doesn't even include Reggie Sanders.

Buddy Bell could have said that the Twins just drafted better than we did and made better trades. Because the Twins obviously had the better offense, and they are much younger and much more inexperienced.

So there you have it. I promise to not only post negative spins on this website. Positive ones are coming soon as well (that is, if the Royals can win a few more here in April). Here's a shameless but hearty "Cheers" to the possibility of the Royals winning their home stand! :)