Posts tagged JoakimSoria at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria has been fantastic so far. I mean, ridiculously good. He's 8-for-8 in save situations, and has been damn near untouchable so far. In 13 innings of work, he's struck out 15 while allowing only one walk and three hits, all of which gives him an unbelievably low WHIP of 0.31.

He's even been garnering comparisons to a young Mariano Rivera already. Still, it's also gotten a lot of people in Kansas City wondering: what if the team moved Soria to the starting rotation? From Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star.

Soria is so good, so quick - and with seemingly no strain - that teammates and Royals officials can't help but wonder about someday moving him to the rotation. His use has become one of the perpetual talking points among Royals fans.

Royals manager Trey Hillman, not one who lacks confidence in his decisions, has even second-guessed himself when he hasn't used Soria.

The only problem the Royals have had with Soria is providing him with save chances - only eight in the first 33 games.

"I don't know if we've seen what he's capable of doing," says catcher John Buck. "Personally, I think he could be a really good starter. He has a lot of good other pitches that the league hasn't even seen. I've caught him in the bullpen. There's about three other pitches that nobody's ever seen, because he doesn't need 'em."

The Kansas City Royals have gotten off to a decent start this season, going 9-10 in their first 19 games, but any success they've had on the young season should be solely credited to their pitching staff. It's guys like Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke who have been solid as starters, and Joakim Soria, Jimmy Gobble, and Leo Nunez who've yet to give up a run working out of the pen (a combined 18.1 innings between them) that's responsible for any wins the team has gotten.

It damn sure hasn't been the offense, which has managed to score a Major League worst 63 runs (they're actually tied with the Giants) this season, and hasn't managed to score more than 6 runs in a single game. So obviously, the Royals could use some help on offense, and there are a few options out there. So why not go after Frank Thomas?

Sure, Frank has some pretty enticing offers from other teams at the moment, but the Royals could be a nice fit for him as well. Since he's still going to be getting paid by the Blue Jays this season, he'd probably be willing to accept a deal in line with the $500,000 the Athletics paid him in 2006. Which would work well within the Royals limited budget. I'm not sure the same could be said if the Royals tried to go after Barry Bonds, not to mention the headache that accompanies Barry where ever he goes.

The only drawback I could see to the Royals signing Thomas would be the fact that Billy Butler would have to move to first base, but even though Billy Boy isn't exactly a defensive standout, he couldn't do that much damage at first. This would also allow Ross Gload to return to more of the utility role he's better suited for.

If I were Dayton Moore, I'd probably be giving the Big Hurt a call in the next few days.

Major League Mongering will look at players rumored to be on the move between now and the July 31st pseudo-trade-deadline.

If you thought the Braves were finished after landing Mark Teixeira from the Rangers yesterday, you were wrong. Dead wrong. Sources are saying that not only have the Braves landed the best hitter available, they're also on the verge of acquiring one of the best relievers available.

In addition to reaching a preliminary agreement for Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, the Braves are close to a deal for Royals closer Octavio Dotel, according to major-league sources.

In exchange for Dotel, the Royals would receive right-hander Kyle Davies, according to the Kansas City Star. Davies, 23, is 0-1 with a 4.50 in two starts for Class AAA Richmond after going 4-8 with a 5.76 ERA in 17 starts with the Braves.

The deal isn't official yet, but it's likely going to be soon. Apparently both teams have already agreed to it, but the Braves are waiting until they finalize the deal for Teixeira before making this one official.

If this deal does go through, I think that the Braves will have cemented their status as the biggest winner of this season's trade deadline. Not only have they added a huge bat to the lineup that also provides insurance in case Andruw Jones leaves, they've also gotten a lefty reliever they sorely needed, and now one of the best bullpen arms available.

Dotel has converted 11 of his 14 save chances with Kansas City this season, and can help the Braves shorten the game by going to him and Rafael Soriano before getting to Bob Wickman in the ninth.

They may be in third place behind the Mets and Phillies right now, but with these moves I won't be surprised if they're on top of the division come season's end.

As for the Royals, Dotel had talked recently about how he'd like to stay in Kansas City, but it just didn't make sense for the Royals. On a team where money is tight, it's counterproductive to pay veterans a couple of million when you have a younger guy just waiting to take his spot in Joakim Soria. They'll also be getting Davies and the Royals are always in need of starting pitching.

Previously at FanHouse:
Major League Mongering
Deadline Deals
Octavio Dotel Wants To Stay In Kansas Cit

Dayton Moore has probably been fielding a lot of phone calls the last few weeks from other general managers looking for some bullpen help. The player everyone keeps calling for and asking about is Octavio Dotel. Considering that just about every team still in contention is looking for some bullpen help, Dotel is probably the Royals most valuable trade chip. There's just one problem.

Dotel doesn't want to be traded.

Veteran closer Octavio Dotel understands the business reality that links him in trade rumors to every contender in need of bullpen help as the July 31 deadline approaches: He is eligible to become a free agent after the season.

Dotel's solution? Open talks with the Royals regarding a contract extension.

"I would love to talk to them now," he said. "I mean, right now. I like it here. It's not like I want to be somewhere else. I like the players here. I like the coaches. I like everything about Kansas City. There's nothing not to like about the city or the club."

Moore has said he's willing to discuss a contract extension with Dotel, but I don't think it's going to happen. Nor should it.

The Royals gameplan right now is to develop their young players-actually it's been that way for a while-and investing about $20 million into Dotel over the next three years just doesn't make sense. He's already shown in recent years that he has problems staying healthy, and the Royals already have a much younger and cheaper option in Joakim Soria.

So sorry, Octavio, you're just going to have to go play in a pennant race.

The original plan in Kansas City was to have Octavio Dotel close out ball games for the Royals. Well, Dotel has only pitched 1.1 innings this season since he's spent the first two months on the disabled list. It turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise, as the Royals soon became acquainted with Joakim Soria.

Soria took over Dotel's role, and didn't look back. Notching 10 saves in the first two months with a solid 3.57 ERA. Considering how few chances Soria gets, 10 saves is a pretty good total.

Unfortunately, Soria will now be replacing Dotel on the disabled list.

Rookie closer Joakim Soria was placed on the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflammation before Saturday's game against the Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. The injury is retroactive back to May 23.

"The last couple days he had been getting some soreness but nothing to get alarmed about," manager Buddy Bell said. "But today when he got up, he felt sore rather than stiff. It's stiff, but sore along with stiff."

The Royals don't think that the injury is anything serious, and that a few weeks rest should do the trick. Soria says he had the same problem last season in Mexico, and a week off healed it completely.

Taking over for Soria in the pen will be a mix of Dotel and Zack Greinke. Greinke struggled this season as a starter, but has pitched very well out of the bullpen, and even mentioned the possibility of becoming a closer last week.

Previously at The Fanhouse:
Dotel Will Be Out Even Longer
Royals Place Dotel On The DL
Seattle Proves To Be A Pain In Meche's Butt

The Royals lost 3-1 to the Angels on Monday night to finish the month of April. They ended their month with a record of 8-18, and though he's still not happy, Buddy Bell wants you to know that it's an improvement.

"I think it is important to let everybody know that this is a better team," Bell said. "But it feels the same. It cannot feel the same and it shouldn't feel the same."

Bell's right too. Last April the Royals went 5-17. I'm no wizard, but I think 8-18 is better than 5-17. In the long run it doesn't mean anything, but it's better.

If there's anything that Royals fans can enjoy about this young season is the teams starting pitching. That Gil Meche signing isn't looking anywhere near as crazy as it did a little over a month ago. He's 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA right now, and along with Jorge De La Rosa and Zack Grienke, the starting pitching as a whole has not been bad in Kansas City. The problem, excluding Joakim Soria, has been the bullpen.

Still, it's not enough for this team to compete in the AL Central. I know it's only May 1st but I feel supremely confident in saying that the Royals have been eliminated. So sure, the Royals are better, but they still aren't any good.

The Royals placed Octavio Dotel on the disabled list with a "pinch" in his left obligue muscle a week and a half ago hoping he'd be back on April 14th.

Well, as a friend once told me "Hope in one hand, [poop] in the other." Yeah, I'm not sure what it means either, but I enjoy saying it. Anyway, the Royals got themselves a handful of poop because Dotel has suffered a setback.

Octavio Dotel, 33, suffered a setback Thursday when he experienced renewed problems with his strained left oblique while throwing from a mound at the club's year-round facility in Surprise, Ariz.

"He was throwing well for the first 20 (pitches)," manager Buddy Bell said. "Then he felt something similar to what he had before. Same area. We're not sure if he's reinjured it or whether this is just part of the (recovery) process or what. We'll have to wait and see."

Dotel is returning to Kansas City today to undergo another MRI in hopes that the team can find out what exactly is causing the pain.

In Dotel's continued absence the Royals plan on keeping Joakim Noah Soria in his place. Soria has been pretty impressive so far this season, and has not allowed a run in five innings of work.

The good news, if there is any, is that this is the Royals closer job we're talking about. How often do the Royals have a lead in the ninth inning anyway? Half the city probably hasn't even noticed Dotel is gone yet.


Previously at the Fanhouse:
Royals Place Dotel On The DL