2010 AL: Correlation of Runs Scored To AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS/wOBA

A visual representation of how team offensive measures correlated to each team's runs scored in the 2010 American League:

10 Greatest Offensive Seasons In Royals History

This week's column for I-70 Baseball.

Royals Yearly Runs Allowed Per Game Vs AL Average

click to biggy style

Regarding 1998-2010: Whoops!

Royals Yearly Runs Per Game Vs AL Average

click to biggy

Behold, a graph revealing the mysteries of the ups and downs of American League offense since the Royals have joined the league! See how the Royals have compared to their American League brethren! Ponder the worthlessness of being third in the league in batting average!

1920 Kansas City Monarchs & St. Louis Giants

I've joined the writing team at I70Baseball.com, and my first post takes a look at the 1920 Kansas City Monarchs & St. Louis Stars. I'll have a weekly article over there examining Kansas City baseball's past and present.

Kansas City Athletics Best & Worst wOBA+ Single Seasons

In the A's 13 seasons in KC, there were 99 individual seasons by batters that had at least 2 plate appearances per team game played. Here are the best and worst of those seasons by wOBA+. The first number in parenthesis is wOBA, the second is wOBA+:

1. Elmer Valo 1955 (.419, 133)
2. Bob Cerv 1958 (.406, 131)
3. Norm Siebern 1962 (.397, 126)
4. Rocky Colavito 1964 (.376, 123)
5. Enos Slaughter 1955 (.380, 120)
6. Jim Gentile 1964 (.366, 120)
7. Norm Siebern 1961 (.375, 118)
8. Roger Maris 1959 (.359, 117)
9. Vic Power 1955 (.367, 116)
10. Norm Siebern 1960 (.363, 115)
_____________________________
90. Mike Hershberger 1965 (.271, 91)
91. Phil Roof 1966 (.268, 91)
92. Joe DeMaestri 1957 (.279, 90)
93. Dick Green 1967 (.247, 86)
94. Joe DeMaestri 1955 (.269, 85)
95. Frank House 1959 (.263, 85)
96. Ken Hamlin 1960 (.260, 82)
97. Joe DeMaestri 1956 (.264, 82)
98. Billy Hunter 1957 (.254, 82)
99. Joe DeMaestri 1958 (.236, 76)

And here are those numbers graphed (click to big-big):

Royals In Monarchs Duds: July 31, 2010

The 2010 Salute to the Negro Leagues turned out to be a whirlwind day for the Royals. Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth were traded to the Atlanta Braves for three young players hours before the game, and it was announced that manager Ned Yost had been given a two year extension to manage the Royals.

Zack Greinke became the first Royals pitcher to start in two Negro Leagues salutes at Kauffman Stadium (having pitched the 2004 game). The Royals faced the Orioles, appearing in their first Negro Leagues salute in KC. The Royals donned a style inspired by the 1949 Monarchs. Dr. Raymond Doswell of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum left a comment on this blog stating "the uniform is inspired by a road gray uniform, but made white/off white for the Royals home game." I don't think a baseball team could look much better than the Royals did this night. (Well, okay, some striped stirrups would help.) The Orioles paid tribute to the Baltimore Elite Giants and their road uniform of the early 1950s.

Greinke pitched eight strong innings with the help of four double plays turned behind him. The Royals trailed 2-3 going into the bottom of the eighth. Jason Kendall singled ahead of Billy Butler, and Butler put the  Royals ahead with a bomb to left-center. Joakim Soria nailed down the ninth to preserve the win. The Royals improved to 8-6 in home games in which they've worn Monarchs throwbacks, dating back to 1994.

Al Wilmore ca. 1946-50

Gene Baker ca. 1949