Is Trey Hillman going to get canned?
Unless this is just some sloppy writing, I’d say yes:
Owner David Glass says planned to meet with other team officials to discuss why the Kansas City Royals are in last place in the AL Central . . . Manager Trey Hillman has come under fire from fans and the media. But Glass said Friday he has complete confidence in his general manager.
And as we all know, Hillman is not the general manager.
Now, let me state this right off the bat: I am not a Trey Hillman fan. But when you give a guy crap to work with and you get crap out of it, you can’t blame the guy you gave the crap to. Garbage in, garbage out. Yes, there has been some underachieving involved as well, and the injuries haven’t helped, but in general Hillman is getting what Moore paid for.
I hope that’s the dreaded “kiss of death” version of the vote of confidence David Glass gave to Dayton Moore.
STOP TEASING ME!!!!!!!!!!
Hillman is a terrible manager. Sure, he’s got crap to work with. But that doesn’t stop him from making out a line-up a little league coach could get more production out of, it doesn’t keep him from handling a pitching staff, it doesn’t mean he has to bat Bloomquist 2nd and Gordon 8th, and it doesn’t explain the terrible decsisons he has made.
Moore might be a bigger problem, but Hillman is part of it. He needs to go.
I think David Glass should look at the boardroom first as he evaluates the Royals’ success or lack thereof.
Here is the board:
Chairman/Owner David Glass
President Dan Glass
Board member Ruth Glass
Board member Don Glass
Board member Dayna Martz
Board member Julia Irene Kauffman
Board member Herk Robinson
Board member Dale Rohr
Pure nepptism – ( and Dayna Martz is secretary/treasurer of the Glass Family Foundation -) controls 5 of the 8 votes on how the Royals should approach their business model. And since these people are Wal-Mart folks, you can understand why putting a blue light special team on the field does not faze them.
As a former Royal I am saddened.
I’m generally inclined to agree with Bob, excelt that the board of directors (or whatever) for the Yankees is also rife with nepotism:
George M. Steinbrenner III Principal Owner / Chairperson
Harold Z. Steinbrenner Managing General Partner / Co-Chairperson
Henry G. Steinbrenner General Partner / Co-Chairperson
Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal General Partner / Vice Chairperson
Jessica Steinbrenner Lopez General Partner / Vice Chairperson
Joan Steinbrenner (George’s wife) Vice Chairperson
Felix M. Lopez Senior Vice President
And before his DUI last year, The Boss’s son in law, Steve Swindal, was in line to take over the team someday. And they’re doing OK. Mostly because Brian Cashman
A) knows what he’s doing and
2) is allowed to do his job. Usually.
Also 3/C) Has a ~$200 MM payroll (but A helps too)
Bob—I’ve noticed you commenting here before and have meant to say something, but I greatly appreciate having a former Major Leaguer reading ShysterBall. I’ve said it a couple of times before, but it bears repeating again: the 1970s-80s Royals were, in my mind, the class of baseball in those days, and as a young Tigers fan, I often dreaded seeing you guys show up in Detroit (that’s a compliment).
Agreed on all points with the Royals. Glass views them as a bauble, and the very fact that he has to have a bunch of meetings to figure out why the team sucks is telling indeed. You don’t need to be Steinbrenner, but any owner who isn’t around the team and engaged in its processes isn’t worth a hill of beans.
Bob,
I thought I recognized the name, but didn’t put it together with you being the former Royals pitcher. I’ve been a Royals fan since before they moved to Kaufmann. I remeber watching you pitch.
No point, really, just nice to know that’s who you are. The ‘82 team was one of the best the Royals ever had.
You’ll be able to ‘date’ this story by the response….
Prior to my move to Missouri, I lived on the East Coast.
My son, an avid baseball player and fan, attended Wichita State and brought his girlfriend home to visit. She had no knowledge of baseball and my son was “teaching” her. I asked what she had learned.
Her response: “Nolan Ryan is the pitching god; Frank Thomas is the hitting god; Never bet on the Royals.”
The Royals issues certainly predate Hillman. There’s a problem in every part of the organization including the coaching, scouting, and medical staff, but it all emanates from the top and nobody can fire the owner.
I (gulp) put the Royals in the same class as the Milwaukee pre-Selig’s departure. I find the Brwers rapid improvement post-Bud and Wendy to be no coincidence, as the current ownership used economic and baseball metrics to improve the organization from top to bottom.
Glass was selected as owner more for his alliance with Selig as a hardliner on labor issues as opposed to his ability to run a baseball franchise. Royals fans were screwed in the process.
Clubs can have their precious children and hangers-on work for the team, but unless they are qualified and there are demands for performance they are worse than dead weight. Steinbrenner would fire his kids if they didn’t folow the plan – would Glass do so, and frankly, what is the KC plan?