By CHRIS RASMUSSEN
Big Tony shows little Tony how not to hit.
On Saturday, FSN Kansas City ran a graphic comparing his batting statistics to Frank White’s, neglecting to mention that it was a different era and that White was four years younger than Peña is today. On Sunday, FSN Kansas City's Joel Goldberg asked Ozzie Smith on the pre-game show if he struggled at the plate like Peña when he was younger (the short answer, which Ozzie was too polite to provide: at Peña’s age, no, Ozzie Smith was much better).
Almost every game, FSN Kansas City excuses or ignores Peña’s deficiencies at the plate and exaggerates his defensive skills. At this point of the season, one has to ask:
a) Does Tony Peña Jr. have pictures of the FSN Kansas City producers?
or
b) if Ryan Lefebvre used the same strained optimism to describe the Hindenburg accident, would he describe it a “spectacular pyrotechnic display”? Would he praise my first sexual experience as having an “economy of motion”?
Don't think that Lefebvre provides the same optimism regarding other Royals. During yesterday's radio broadcast, Lefebvre implied that pitchers have learned how to pitch to Peña’s weaknesses. Note to Ryan: AL pitchers learned how to pitch to Peña on opening day and haven’t stopped.
To recap: Tony Peña is a horrific batter – historically bad. His statistics this year: .155 average, .176 on base percentage, .204 slugging percentage. Pitchers in the National League thus far this year have compiled a .140 average, .181 on base percentage and a .175 slugging percentage. The worst stat of the bunch: Pitchers in the National League get on base more than Peña.
He is not comparable to Frank White – the players most comparable to Peña’s current production include the Great Clyde Klutzz. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Kluttz’s career, rest assured that Cooperstown does include players by the names Clyde Kluttzz, John Clumsy or Luke Disorienting Ear Disorder.
Defensively, Peña makes a spectacular play every week. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that he is an above average fielder. In 2008, he ranks near the bottom among starting shortstops in both range and fielding percentage.
FSN KC: Royals fans are apathetic, not stupid. We know he’s chickenshit – stop pretending he will morph into chicken salad.
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They're hyped because they opened up shop in February in KC from St. Louis. They're new and competing with Metro Sports which has been king of the heap for years and dominated Kansas City in every bar and
Applebee's from Gladstone to Belton.
How about finding out what the deal is with NBC recently snagging Madden and Michaels from Sunday Night ESPN?
Log on to NBC Sunday Night and check out their schedule. It's unbelievable and is going to set records with viewer attendance their virgin year.
I spent 14 years with MNF as a PA, and saw it all with the cameramen strike, pulling the plug on our budget to get Miller and then Madden. Talk about cow-towing to celebrity idiocy.
Anyway, I spoke my peace and I'm going to log on to ESPN 2007 schedule to see if they're even going to carry a Thursday night game or Monday Night Game.
Also, I recently called my first producer at ABC Sports and the phone was answered as "ESPN." I was so disappointed.
Actually, you got it backwards. The actual descripton of the Hindenberg accident captures your first sexual experience; and the accident could be fitfully described as an "economy of motion."
Yeah, I couldn't believe it when they intereviewed The Wiz talking about how he turned into a good hitter. Just once can we have a guy who was a really bad hitter but improved enough to get by compared to someone like Tony Pena? Why does it always have to be a hall of famer? If I'm not mistaken both White and The Wiz were much younger, and had become better hitters by the time they were Pena's age.
Here's something else to chew on. Why do the Royals seem to be the only team I ever see consistently chasing pitches below the strike zone? Seriously, there is just a fundamental problem with this teams' approach. Hillman can talk about OBP all he wants, but FTLOG man, tell them to take some damn pitches. And that baseball is not golf.
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