Ray King (2018 update: Not dead, but retired from MLB)

[brewers255]

Would u like it if the Brewers signed LHP Ray King? He wont be back with COL, and we desperatley need LH RP. It shouldnt cost that much.

[berniebrewer4life]

Bring back the Burger King? If the price is right, i would give him a shot.

[mothershipconnection]

We already have Shouse, but King is still acceptable - moreso than your Mabeus and Winklesas types. It would allow us to use him more as a LOOGY and use Shouse for longer outings (an inning).

[aracko]

Ray King and Shouse would allow us to use one of them to acquire a piece at the deadline. There are no teams that have 2 excellent lefty BP arms. If its possible this is something that should be done, no question.

 

I just think that there is no reason NOT to acquire Ray King if the opportunity presents itsself. The BP needs good arms and Ray is one

[tigerbrew]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having Ray King back next season. He would be a better option than some of the relievers we have this season.

[Katuluu]

I'd rather see what Stetter, or someone under 65, could do.

[dadofandrew]

Stetter had a 4.50 ERA in AAA, pitching an inning at a time. He's proven he's not ready, just like Krynzel has.

[Katuluu]

Yeah, I doubt Krynzel would make a good LOOGY either. But then, no one's arguing that but you Al.

[pogokat]

Believe it or not, but Rfay King is only 32

[DHonks]

I'd love to have King back. He's long been one of the best left-handed relievers in the game, throws hard, and has that devastating slider. He's also very durable for a big guy.

 

For some reason he never got much love on message boards. I always liked that he got both lefties and righties out, although for some reason people repeatedly referred to him as a lefty specialist.

[jwaltz]

I would love to see us bring back Ray King. He liked playing in Milwaukee and would probably be interested in coming back.

[thefutureishere2006]

sign me up....two leftys in the pen? sounds nice doesn't it?

 

cordero

turnbow

wise

cappellan

king

shouse

jackson/helling..someone to do the long man dirty work..

[hawing]

For some reason he never got much love on message boards.

 

Or elsewhere. A former employee of mine sent me the text of an obituary for an avid Cardinals fan who died the day after STL traded Ray King. The obit indicated that "she was glad to see Ray King traded."

 

That said, I'm open to the majority of bullpen proposals that don't include Dan Kolb. I don't get a strong "fool me twice, shame on me" vibe when I ponder the possibility of Ray King wearing a Brewers uniform again. Plus I've always been entertained by watching Ray sprint out of the bullpen toward the mound (wherever he's played).

[And That]

Stetter will get invited to camp, but will be a pretty big longshot. He's not someone I would rely on over Ray King. That said....

 

Stetter had a 4.50 ERA in AAA, pitching an inning at a time.

 

Does not compute. Does not compute. Games: 51. Innings pitched: 38.1. Average outing: .75 innings. Does not compute.

 

And f you care to look at the stats, Stetter pitced very well against LHP. 21 IP, 17 H, 7 BB, 26 K. He allowed 10 earned runs, but the peripherals point to something better down the road.

 

Yeah, I doubt Krynzel would make a good LOOGY either.

 

Have you seen the arm on that kid?

[TheEndless7]

Yeah, I doubt Krynzel would make a good LOOGY either.

 

Have you seen the arm on that kid?

 

lol.

 

Let's send him down to A ball and have him pitch and bring Rogers up to AAA and have him play CF ala Rick Ankiel!

[thumperden]

I don't think Ray King has much upside left. 23/20 K to BB last year. He used to be counted on for a 2/1 ratio but has been on the decrease, I think because of an increasing waistline and he's been in the top 10 in appearances for the last five years or so. True, he doesn't pitch much, but he finds ways to have rather high pitch counts when he's on the mound, and is used every other day. Throw in a $2.5 million dollar contract last year and wonder if money wouldn't be better spent elsewhere.

 

I'd like to have him back in Milwaukee but at 30 pounds ago and a million less like he was back in the day. I think he's got to prove himself in 2007 and an incentive laden contract with a weight clause is what would be necessary if you were to invest in him the large sum he'd command.

 

Bet he signs with a big payroll club for next year, even after I said all that because after all, he's a LOOGY with a pedigree. "He's bonafide." (from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?)

[colbyjack]

I always liked that he got both lefties and righties out, although for some reason people repeatedly referred to him as a lefty specialist.

 

No offense, but that's because he is. In the three years prior to this past season (which was an awful year, and looking at his peripheral numbers it's amazing his ERA was 4.43), left-handers hit .222/.294/.331 vs. King in 275 collective ABs while right-handed hitters hit .310/.389/.446 in 271 ABs. With those kind of numbers vs. right-handed hitters, it's amazing he ever faced that many.

 

I like the idea of adding King, but it would strictly be as a left-specialist.

 

I'd like to have him back in Milwaukee but at 30 pounds ago and a million less like he was back in the day.

 

I remember King being as hefty as he is now even back in the day. I agree with the million less part.

[dadofandrew]

Does not compute. Does not compute. Games: 51. Innings pitched: 38.1. Average outing: .75 innings. Does not compute.

 

What a waste of typing. Stetter likely never faced the same batter twice in a game all year, and still had a mediocre, to be kind, 4.50 ERA.

 

I don't know how you can look at horrible performance like that (or Krynzel's) and even pretend they deserve a shot in the bigs. Maybe someday, but not now.

 

Braun has a hitch in his swing, but Stetter didn't do that badly?

 

Please.

[molitor fan]

Based upon his raw baserunner stats last year, King's ERA should have been more like 6 ish. To paraphrase David Letterman on Terry Forster (who's dead, right?) - King is a useless fat tub of goo. I would rather have Joe Winklesas.

[brettac1]

King is a useless fat tub of goo.

 

Yeah, pretty much. They should be able to find a LOOGY on the scrap heap that costs much less.

[sbrylski]

Lefty specialist indeed. Looking only at his LHB stats, he had a bit of an off year, but was good the year before.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/693_P_season__lr_full_0_20061001.png

 

ERA last year was also under 4 away from home.

[dadofandrew]

A 3 ERA in an off-year looks appealing to me.

 

Doug will add a reliever or two this offseason, and if King is inexpensive, he would be a choice that wouldn't bother me.

 

I'd even go 2 years for $3-4M total. He is far from a Howry/Eyre $3M per guy, but he's not bad.

[molitor fan]

Doug will add a reliever or two this offseason, and if King is inexpensive, he would be a choice that wouldn't bother me.

 

I'd even go 2 years for $3-4M total.

 

Oh my goodness.

 

Lefties batted .303 off him last year, righties .347 with 13 walks vs. 9 k's. He was awful in the beginning, middle and end of the season, as batters hit .361 in April off of him, .387 in July, and .382 in September.

 

He was one of the worst players in the majors last year. And he is a miserably out of shape guy that will be 33. But sign Al up for a couple million a year. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

[hawing]

I would rather have Joe Winklesas.

 

Ooh, ouch.

[Katuluu]

Evidently Al can look at a miserable performance like that and pretend all he likes.

 

I mean, batters teeing off to a tune of a .901 OPS against King is worth $3-4 million easy. I guess being old, overpaid, overweight, and ineffective are reason enough to want him back. My bad.