FREE CALVIN PICKERING!
Although my visitor log would say otherwise, maybe Allard Baird read my Friday entry that made a case for Calvin Pickering being the Royals’ primary designated hitter in 2005. Check out what he said about Calvin in yesterday’s edition of The Kansas City Star:
“Pick would probably be a DH only. There's only one year of (age) difference between [Pickering and Harvey]. One guy has gotten a lot of opportunities to play in the big leagues, the other guy hasn't.I still can’t believe the man who traded Jermaine Dye for Neifi Perez is the same man who made those remarks about opportunites, on-base percentage, and power. Regardless, it looks like Allard and I see eye-to-eye on this, although I find it bizarre that Harvey’s even getting a chance if Baird likes Pickering’s skills so much. While I don’t think he’s going to post the .940 OPS PECOTA has him pegged for, there’s no doubt in my mind that he could easily have a .400 OBP and a .500 slugging percentage, which is still infinitely better production than what Harvey would provide.
“He looks good. He's not another David Ortiz, but I do think he'd be a productive hitter if you gave him 500 at-bats. I think he'd have a very good on-base percentage. He'd strike out a lot, walk a lot and hit a lot of home runs.
“I'll live with the strikeouts if I have power and walks.”
However, the same article included a quote from Tony Pena that could foreshadow the biggest competition in spring training 2005. But that competition wouldn’t between players, it’d be between Pena and Baird:
“We pushed Harvey to the max. There was a time when he was very tired, but he was the only one who was swinging the bat well. If we had taken him out, given him a couple of days' rest, he would have been different. We didn't have that luxury.If Harvey’s “hit everywhere he has played,” so has Pickering, as I proved in Friday’s entry. In fact, Pickering’s out-hit Harvey at the Double-A, Triple-A, and major league levels, which is something Allard’s very aware of. My hope is that AB will eliminate any temptation Pena has of playing Harvey every day by trading him to some sucker of an organization that still value batting average above all else. Otherwise, Baird (pro-Pick) v. Pena (pro-Harv) will be the most interesting fight card during camp.
“I think Harvey is going to have a big year. He has hit everywhere he has played. I'm going to play him, and I expect big numbers from him. But … nothing is settled. There is nothing settled.”
Photoblogging ...
The night I finally brought my digital camera to Hammons Student Center, the Bears decided to play their worst game of the year. Long story short, they stunk from the get-go, and Oral Roberts whooped up on 'em in their Bracket Buster game. Let the tailspin begin.
Tony Pena: You either love him for the enthusiasm he brings to camp, or hate him for the distraction from baseball he brings to camp. No word on how Andy Sisco (pictured) feels.