So let's talk AL Central...

[cmh6476]

sounds like we're going to be competitive this year:

Glass promises Royals will be competitive

By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
January 19, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The owner of the most woeful major league team this century made a bold promise Friday to long-suffering fans.

The Kansas City Royals will not just be better in 2007, David Glass said at the team's annual forecast luncheon -- they'll be contenders in the AL Central.

"I think all of us can look forward to a competitive team this year," Glass said. "We've not had good teams in recent years, but the fans have hung in there. All we want is to have a competitive team, where every time we go out to the park we feel we have a chance to win. And I think that's what we've got this year."

Glass, who allowed his team to make moves in the free-agent market, said his peers seemed miffed when he saw them at Thursday's owners' meeting in Phoenix.

"We listened to the commissioner berate all of us for the escalating salaries and what we're doing to the economics of baseball," he said. "But all of them were all on my case complaining about the things that we're doing, we're overly aggressive, that we've got all these things going on. The more they complain, the better I like it, because they'll pay the price later on in the season."

Kansas City has lost 100 or more games in four of its last five seasons, including a 62-100 finish last year. The Royals then gave a $55 million, five-year contract to 28-year-old right-hander Gil Meche, a $5 million, one-year deal to reliever Octavio Dotel and a $2.25 million, one-year contract to reliever David Riske.

Prospect Alex Gordon seems poised to take over at third base, and hard-throwing right-hander Luke Hochevar is climbing through the system after being taken as the overall No. 1 pick in last year's amateur draft.

"I may need a scorecard to figure out who all the new players are," Glass said. "This is perhaps the most exciting team Kansas City has fielded in a long time."

New general manager Dayton Moore also has added 13 front office positions in the baseball department.

"The thing I'm most excited about is the leadership team we've put in place," said Moore, who was hired last June to replace the fired Allard Baird.

"I've told a lot of people throughout the process we did have some success in making some trades that we're excited about, acquiring free agents," Moore added. "But the leadership team we've put in place and the processes we have gone through ... that's been the most gratifying for me."

Meche is 55-44 with a 4.65 ERA in six seasons, all with the Seattle Mariners. He missed the 2001 season with a rotator cuff injury and spent 2002 in the minors.

He was 11-8 with a career-best 4.48 ERA last year and probably will start Kansas City's opener.

"Once we get to a point where we have two to three players every year come through our farm system who can compete for a spot on our 40-man roster, we'll have the potential to sustain some consistency at the major league level, without a doubt," Moore said.

"The economics of the game are what they are," he said. "It is very competitive. Certainly it's great for the players. But at the same time for us to be able to manage our payroll effectively, we have to have a great farm system. It takes four, five years to develop your farm system and get that steady flow. But there's no doubt that we'll be able to do that."

roto times does a decent job at projecting starting rotations and lineups...



1. Royals
2. Tigers
3. Chi Sox
4. Twinkies
5. Indians





it kinda sucks and its kinda cool our teams plays in the most competitive divisions in their respective sports

[007]

i don't trust anything Glass says.

[Rausch]

Right after I drive a rusty nail up my nostril and into my frontal lobe...

[cmh6476]

this isn't that bad of a lineup, fellas:

CF DeJesus
2B Grudzielanek
OF Teahen
DH Sweeney
OF Brown
3B Gordon
1B Shealy
SS Berroa
C Larue/ Buck


we need Meche to start 32 games like he did last year, win us 12 games and silence some of those critics.

Duckworth had a nice k/bb ratio, to be competitive we would really need him to double his production froma year ago (course of the season, 12-14 wins), and then a couple other guys step up as well.

It's all going to boil down to pitching, and with all the new guys on the block we just have to hope our new player and personnell know what the hell they are doing

[HMc]

hey Carl is positive about next year aswell!!


KC 2007/8 WS/SB champions!!!!!11

[007]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

this isn't that bad of a lineup, fellas:

CF DeJesus
2B Grudzielanek
OF Teahen
DH Sweeney
OF Brown
3B Gordon
1B Shealy
SS Berroa
C Larue/ Buck


we need Meche to start 32 games like he did last year, win us 12 games and silence some of those critics.

Duckworth had a nice k/bb ratio, to be competitive we would really need him to double his production froma year ago (course of the season, 12-14 wins), and then a couple other guys step up as well.

It's all going to boil down to pitching, and with all the new guys on the block we just have to hope our new player and personnell know what the hell they are doing

I won't invest my fandom with them again unless they are in the hunt after the all-star break. That ownership has done nothing to make me want to watch them at this point.

[Nzoner]

I got to tell you Chad,you're the eternal optimist when it comes to KC sports,maybe you should see if Carl is hiring.

[Sure-Oz]

I think the Dayton Moore hiring and letting him make all the moves without intereference has given me a shot atleast giving glass a chance. I understand in the past, but I think this team has real promise in the near future. The offense should be pretty damn good with the young hitters coming up. Hopefully the pitching can hold up and we can continue to stockpile good young pitchers.

[cmh6476]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I think the Dayton Moore hiring and letting him make all the moves without intereference has given me a shot atleast giving glass a chance. I understand in the past, but I think this team has real promise in the near future. The offense should be pretty damn good with the young hitters coming up. Hopefully the pitching can hold up and we can continue to stockpile good young pitchers.

they say hochevar is very very close.

It'd be nice if Hochevar and Lummsden both pan out, and Dayton's staff can work a miracle with greinke. Then it would only be a couple years before others might start paying attention...

[Archie Bunker]

Moore has me excited again. I think it's going to be a fun year.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I love the Royals regardless. Hopefully, they finish close to .500 this year. However, my biggest wish is that Sanders and Sweeney get dealt.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

However, my biggest wish is that Sanders and Sweeney get dealt.

Mine is two chicks at once, dude...two chicks at one time...

[L.A. Chieffan]

"George Brett is NOT walking thru those doors Royals fans"

[Anyong Bluth]

whats sad is we have an owner that was a top guy for the 5th largest economy(something like that) in the world (Walmart) and we can't get a payroll. I guess since the Royals are Walmart employees we should only expect they be paid like chit like the rest are! I just can't wait till our uniforms feature a happy face on the back and we have smocks instead of jerseys!

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

"George Brett is NOT walking thru those doors Royals fans"

Jesus tits that guy looks like the effects dummy from scanners!