ChiefsPlanet - View Single Post - Royals 2012 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2012, 11:48 AM

My wife made a comment last night that I've been thinking about ... she commented that it seems like the Royals have had an awful lot of bad luck this season. Thinking about it, I was trying to tally up all the things that would count in that category, and all the "good break" things.

I'll start with "Good," as that list will be much shorter:

Good Breaks
Mike Moustakas's breakout season (both sides of ball)
Sal Perez continuing to hit
Wil Myers' bouncing back
Jon Broxton pitching well enough to be tradeable at the deadline
Billy Butler breakout as a true HR threat
Alcides Escobar's offensive evolution

Bad Breaks
Joakim Soria's elbow
Danny Duffy's elbow
Felipe Paulino's elbow
Jeff Francouer regressing to a worse state than ever before
Jon Sanchez being completely unrecovered from his issues with velocity/command
Mike Mongtomery's continued downward spiral
Eric Hosmer's early season luck and ever-since struggles
Sal Perez's knee injury
Manny Pina's knee injury
Injuries to Getz/ineffectiveness of Gio (in limited action) leading to much-increased role for Betancourt
Lorenzo Cain's hip-flexor
Collapse of Chris Dwyer

Even
Alex Gordon's performance. He's still a well-above average player, probably the best LF in the American League. He has established himself as a dangerous leadoff man, even if most of his HR have turned into 2B.

Lorenzo Cain since returning. Even at 80-90 percent, Cain's defense is as good as advertised (though his range suffers) and his bat has been a nice surprise in the 2nd half.

Luke Hochevar pitching like Luke Hochevar

Bruce Chen reverting. I believed coming into the year that there was enough evidence on Chen to suggest is new approach in KC made him a solid MOR starter. His peripherals are actually better this year than in the past... but is he being asked to do too much? The biggest damage against Chen seems to have been in the 6th/7th innings, when he is asked to stretch out to save the overtaxed bullpen. With a better rotation around him and a less taxed bullpen, does Chen look more like the guy from the past two seasons?

In sum... while the Royals have caught some bad breaks, this is more of an indictment to the way this season was approached.

07-31-2012, 11:48 AM	#6362
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1730308	My wife made a comment last night that I've been thinking about ... she commented that it seems like the Royals have had an awful lot of bad luck this season. Thinking about it, I was trying to tally up all the things that would count in that category, and all the "good break" things. I'll start with "Good," as that list will be much shorter: Good Breaks Mike Moustakas's breakout season (both sides of ball) Sal Perez continuing to hit Wil Myers' bouncing back Jon Broxton pitching well enough to be tradeable at the deadline Billy Butler breakout as a true HR threat Alcides Escobar's offensive evolution Bad Breaks Joakim Soria's elbow Danny Duffy's elbow Felipe Paulino's elbow Jeff Francouer regressing to a worse state than ever before Jon Sanchez being completely unrecovered from his issues with velocity/command Mike Mongtomery's continued downward spiral Eric Hosmer's early season luck and ever-since struggles Sal Perez's knee injury Manny Pina's knee injury Injuries to Getz/ineffectiveness of Gio (in limited action) leading to much-increased role for Betancourt Lorenzo Cain's hip-flexor Collapse of Chris Dwyer Even Alex Gordon's performance. He's still a well-above average player, probably the best LF in the American League. He has established himself as a dangerous leadoff man, even if most of his HR have turned into 2B. Lorenzo Cain since returning. Even at 80-90 percent, Cain's defense is as good as advertised (though his range suffers) and his bat has been a nice surprise in the 2nd half. Luke Hochevar pitching like Luke Hochevar Bruce Chen reverting. I believed coming into the year that there was enough evidence on Chen to suggest is new approach in KC made him a solid MOR starter. His peripherals are actually better this year than in the past... but is he being asked to do too much? The biggest damage against Chen seems to have been in the 6th/7th innings, when he is asked to stretch out to save the overtaxed bullpen. With a better rotation around him and a less taxed bullpen, does Chen look more like the guy from the past two seasons? In sum... while the Royals have caught some bad breaks, this is more of an indictment to the way this season was approached. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra Last edited by duncan_idaho; 07-31-2012 at 11:55 AM..
Posts: 21,097