Baseball Prospectus posted their latest Triple Play on the Royals today. Its slim Pickin's trying to think of something to write about the Royals' offseason, suffice it say (snicker).

Shrewdly, though, they touch upon one of the more contentious issues facing the team for the upcoming season - Calvin Pickering. PECOTA has high hopes for Pickering in 2005, and there's no question in my mind that Pickering deserves the shot over Harvey. But I do not have high hope that the fetishism of Ken Harvey will end anytime soon.

Let's get superficial. Pickering must realize that he will probably never get a better shot to make a name for himself in MLB than he will in 2005. And Both Pickering and Harvey do not distinguish themselves with their, er, physiques. The myth of "looking" like a ballplayer is covered at length in Moneyball, and I'll spare you the lecture on its irrationality and silliness. But Pickering has had serious problems controlling his weight in the past, and by most accounts its been a major reason his performance has been spotty over the year. It doesn't help his case.

Harvey will likely continue to resemble a famous long lost marketing creation, so I hope that Pick will arrive in spring training demonstrating a newfound commitment to fitness. If not now, when? If Pickering can finally make himself LOOK like a ballplayer, and he continues to ACT like a ballplayer, then maybe that will be enouch to finally convince the Royals to come to their senses and realize that he IS a ballplayer and end this senseless favoritism of Harvey.