Community Discussion: How Should the Royals Replace Joakim Soria? (Real life)

by John Sickels on Mar 20, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

In real life, not theoretically, how should the Royals replace Soria for 2012? Just looking at internal options...who should get the job?

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I think they should go Dutch.

by None Taken on Mar 20, 2026 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

Excellent K/BB ratios in the Majors, good FIP numbers in Triple-A the past two years. I think everybody is thinking Broxton, but considering Broxton’s injury risk and inconsistency the past two seasons, I think Holland would be the better (though less attractive) option.

Optioned to Fresno
A San Francisco Giants Minor League Blog

by objesguy on Mar 20, 2026 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

Interesting read on Holland

I’ll admit, I didn’t pay much attention to this guy until today. Impressed with what I’m seeing though. Really cool visual chart of where he locates his sliders. Nasty! Took a stab at him in my 16 man keeper…

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/21807/greg-holland-has-pitches-to-be-kcs-closer

I expect they do the natural thing and start with Broxton, but Holland will hopefully force his way into the job…

by purppride1 on Mar 20, 2026 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Holland is a much better pitcher when it comes to missing bats too

Holland’s contact rate was under 70 percent last year and swinging strike percentage of 16.6 percent. Compare that to Broxton who’s contact had gone up to 77 percent (from under 70 percent in 2009) in 2010 and over 80 percent in 2011, and who’s swinging strike percentage went from 14.5 percent to 11.1 percent to 8.6 percent the past three years. Add in the fact that Broxton will be facing much better hitters in the AL after pitching in the NL (and NL west to boot), and everything points to Broxton continuing to trend downward. Holland may regress a little with more innings, but he is on the opposite end of the spectrum in comparison to Broxton IMO

Optioned to Fresno
A San Francisco Giants Minor League Blog

by objesguy on Mar 21, 2026 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

by noelman31 on Mar 21, 2026 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

If Broxton has his Velo back I would pump and dump him

with Holland taking over when he leaves

If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base. ~Dave Barry

by TomCat009 on Mar 20, 2026 2:18 PM EDT reply actions

+1

by cookiedabookie on Mar 20, 2026 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Split between Brox/Holland

The idea of having a ‘9th inning’ guy seems silly to me, even though I am both a stathead and a fantasy owner. Give them both a few chances in high-leverage situations (be it the 7th, 8th or 9th innings) and see how they perform. If one of them is clearly outperforming the other by mid-May, anoint them as a closer if you want - I’d prefer the better of the two be a stopper, though, not a closer.

Chances can always be given to Coleman, Crow, and Teaford as well, but I think their lack of experience lends them to less-relevant roles to start the season. Bring up Herrera as well and see what he can contribute - hell, by July, he might be the best candidate to be KC’s stopper.

by dbreer23 on Mar 20, 2026 2:30 PM EDT reply actions

Holland for sure

Holland was amazing last year- limited walks, great swing and miss stuff against both lefties and righties thanks to a good splitter and an outstanding slider. I really don’t see any reason other than name recognition to go with someone else.

My worry is that they’ll go with Crow simply because of pedigree. Crow’s numbers were superficially similar to Holland’s, but the K/BB was unremarkable. Herrera is certainly interesting, but there’s no need to rush him into a high pressure situation before they have a chance to see what he can do in the majors.

by acmcdowell on Mar 20, 2026 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

Crow's 'pedigree' is 0-7 in save ops

Also, when he was given the closer job temporarily last year, he never actually got a save opportunity in that role.

The opportunities he did get (sporadically through out the season to give Soria a break), he was absolutely terrible….He was basically terrible in all roles after the first 2 months of last year.

Crow is not a good option ever.

by Bronzillo on Mar 20, 2026 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

....and he went to MU

so fuck him for that also.

by Bronzillo on Mar 20, 2026 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

any pitcher who isnt a closer is going to have horrible save ratios...

they only have the opportunity to blow saves, not get them

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Mar 20, 2026 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions

he was a setupman for most of the season

you can’t use his saves vs save opportunities since they weren’t really opportunities. If you want to look at a middle relievers save ratio, then use add his holds to his save total

by mikekim21 on Mar 21, 2026 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions

two months?

He was very good for the first four months before sucking. And I’m sure you are aware not one of those “blown saves” occurred with him entering the 9th inning. They were never truly save opportunities.

by pedrophile on Mar 21, 2026 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

no doubt

A healthy big country broxton. Yost will predictably go with the guy with the experience and who has done it at an all-star level.

by St.Steve on Mar 20, 2026 2:41 PM EDT reply actions

Tim Collins

Any chance this kid gets a look? He had ridiculous minor league numbers, but has been marginal in the bigs, and doesn’t have any size at all.

by High and Inside on Mar 20, 2026 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

He really struggles with command...

The stuff is there, but he needs to show he can keep his walk rate at a respectable level.

by dbreer23 on Mar 20, 2026 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

He's doing it in spring training this year

article about him in the kc star (kansascity.com) today.

by stlfan on Mar 20, 2026 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

No love for Aaron Crow I see...

I think he’d be a great pick personally, him or Holland. Brox has been so unpredictable the last two years that I just would not feel comfortable with him as my closer.

by kyuss94 on Mar 20, 2026 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

THIS

also oft-injured Mike Montgomery, if starting doens’t work out, and in-and-out rotation member Felipe Paulino could all do it as well. There are much worse teams out there as the Royals have many potential candidates.

by Havok1517 on Mar 20, 2026 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions

With his stuff, I bet Paulino would be an ideal fit in the bullpen. As an Astros fan, I wish they’d given him an extended look in that role before trading him.

"The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world."- Hermann Hesse, "Demian".

by Stupendous Man on Mar 20, 2026 11:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Crow is starting this year

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/photo-logan-morrison-bryan-petersen-share-tub-drink-043548597.html

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 21, 2026 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions

He's been...

moved to the pen.

by Havok1517 on Mar 21, 2026 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Holland

Because I have him in two leagues

"The Mollusk" makes me want to rail LSD crystals off my friends' sternum. Rage."

by ICEYhawtSTUNNAZ on Mar 20, 2026 6:31 PM EDT reply actions

Herrera!

Everyone else has a role, let the kid step up, he has the stuff…

by Gatormanddd on Mar 20, 2026 7:37 PM EDT reply actions

Coleman?

seems like a good option as well.

by Bowlby on Mar 20, 2026 11:36 PM EDT reply actions

Depends on how real you wanna get

How KC front office values closers -meaning best reliever pitches the 9th etc - Holland is that guy

if you want to identify using your best relievers more liberally then we have several guys
I like Broxton just to set up a trade by I also think he’s a long way from showing he’s got the skills he once showed and might be the riskiest of the lot

The pen is perfect for a committee appraoch going with matchups -very deep Crow -Coleman-Collins-Herrera all have potential to close

by ribman on Mar 20, 2026 11:36 PM EDT reply actions

please don't use the "closer by committee" IMO that is a horrible idea thought up by stats guys

with no thought to how it works in reality.

by pedrophile on Mar 21, 2026 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Except

it has worked many times in history- oh lets see all the way back to 2011 and the world champion Cardinals. In this situation it fits- deep pen-mostly young guys and an iffy former closer- start off no pressure on anyone see who emerges. An even worse idea thought up by real baseball guys is the ridiculous commandment that you waste your best relief pitcher for a very narrowly defined false situation in only the 9th inning. I do know how that works in reality and it’s a waste of talent on a team that needs to maximize their best talent for high leverage situations. The concept of maximizing leverage goes back to turn of 20th century in baseball

by ribman on Mar 21, 2026 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Royals BP

Honestly if any team could handle losing an elite closer, I’d say its the Royals with so many talented arms they have. If they were to go best RP, Holland is the easy choice. I can see why Broxton might get the nod w/ experience, but more important possibly from a FO vantage point he could increase his trade value.

Pretty much echoing ribman’s thoughts though.

by hybrid on Mar 21, 2026 4:14 AM EDT reply actions