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Like the star of "Little Big League," Tim Collins looks up at most of his co-workers.
Folk hero alert!
Satisfying fans who were sick of watching the Royals be bad and old, G.M. Dayton Moore moved a bunch of veterans for prospects at the trading deadline. The players coming in return for the graybeards include Tim Collins, a pitcher dubbed "micro-hurler" on account of small stature. Collins is listed at 5-feet-7-inches tall, which is short for a fantasy-league baseball player.
Still only 20, Collins has struck out 87 batters in just 51 innings pitching at single- and double-A. He does not profile into someone who is going to save the franchise. But it's fun to think about the Royals being able to deploy a strikeout machine who looks more like the kids fielding ground balls in foul territory than a prototypical, thick-necked reliever. Potential for Freddie Patek type fan favoritism very strong in this one.
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Moore received generally good reviews for his work at the trading deadline. His
ability to flip sullen outfielder
Rick Ankiel and erratic reliever
Kyle Farnsworth for a package that included Collins was his neatest trick. Collins may prove to be no more than an oddity. In the meantime, at least, Royals fans will be spared from having to watch the weirdly veteran (yet still loserish) team that broke camp.
Neddyball: In keeping with the transacting spirit of the trade deadline, Moore
took the "interim" tag off manager
Ned Yost. Yost is now signed through the 2012 season, when the Royals figure to take a step forward -- or settle into another period of demoralizing incompetence.
The Ned Yost: Miracle Worker storyline had faded by the time he and Moore worked out a contract extension. The Royals were playing their
worst baseball of the season before taking three out of four from Baltimore over the weekend. The series with the O's featured a number of nice moments, including former prospect
Alex Gordon's
game-winning walk-off home run on Friday.
Gordon has not done a lot to ingratiate himself with the fan base. In addition to failing to live up to his
draft status, he's kind of got that
J.D. Drew faraway look in his eyes. Still, it was easy to feel his joy when he rounded third, tossed his helmet in the air and got
slapped silly by his teammates at home plate. Maybe there's some prospect in him left.
Next up: @ Oakland, @ Seattle.
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