Royals 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread - Page 572

duncan_idaho · 10:01 AM

Proposed 2013 Slogan: Tigers: They're what's for dinner
Actual 2013 Slogan: Come to Play
A better, more accurate, or alternative slogan: All in, no panic, we promise.

Dayton Moore has pushed all his chips in and is riding on King/Jack suited, hoping it comes together, he gets some good luck, and he hits the nuts by the river card. There's potential, oh yes, there's potential. There's also risk.

At the midway point, Dayton is left counting on the river card. The flop and turn didn't help him, and he's looking at the Tigers holding a pair of Queens and the Indians holding a pair of 9s. His 2013 plan hasn't failed - yet - but the odds are not in his favor.

Burning questions updates below.

Burning Questions for 2013:

1) Will the improve rotation be improved enough? Does James Shields pitch like a fringe No. 1 away from Tampa Bay? Does Ervin Santana pitch to his highest upside in his walk year? Can Jeremy Guthrie build on his strong performance as a Royal in 2012? Can Wade Davis bring his new mentality- and velocity - back to the rotation?

Midseason check-in: Yes, the rotation is certainly improved enough. Shields has pitched like a fringe No. 1 and Santana is having his best season. Guthrie has horrible peripherals but has continued to perform well at his home park and eat innings on the road. Davis brought neither his kick-ass mentality or improved velocity back to the rotation and is in Luke Hochevar/Hiram Davies territory.

2) When will Luke Hochevar be shown the door?
Midseason check-in: It appears, never, at this point. Hochevar has been solid in non-leverage situations, though pretty much every time he has been used with men on base in an inning, it has been a disaster.

3) Does Hosmer bounce back?
Midseason check-in: It took some time, but Hosmer's performance from June 1 on is probably the most encouraging thing about the 2013 season so far.
4) Can Moustakas hit for a whole season like he did in the first half of 2012?
Midseason check-in: Nope. Moustakas was god-awful, then great for about 3 weeks, then god-awful again. He has been better since he started working with Brett and Grafol but still has a long way to go.
5) Who regresses?
Midseason check-in: Welp, Alicides Escobar is not a surprising name here (though Yost's stubborn insistence on hitting him second is ridiculous). Billy Butler is a surprise. He isn't having a terrible year - still contributing a lot to the offense - but he's not hitting for the average or power he has displayed over the past several years.
6) Who plays 2B?
Midseason check-in: A whole bunch of people, and not that great. Gio is at least getting a shot, though he once again is not doing much with it.
7) Can Jeff Francoeur be at least replacement level, rather than epic horrible level?
Midseason check-in: Hahahahahahahahahahaha
8) Will Dayton Moore survive to see 2014?
Midseason check-in: Outlook uncertain. Probably still around, unless the team completely tanks in the second half and he does something foolish. My guess - he sacrifices Ned Yost this offseason and gets one more shot with a new manager in 2014.
9) Will Danny Duffy come back healthy? And if he does, is he the same, better or worse?
Midseason check-in: Yes. Velocity looks the same, and it looks likely he is the same guy as before.
10) And the big one: Has KC added enough to run down the big-money Detroit Tigers?
Midseason check-in: Doesn't look like it, does it?

Cephalic Trauma · 08-01-2013, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

Anytime you feel like an anti-freeze cocktail, you just let me know and I will gladly make you one

I'm failing to see how any of this makes you less of a whiny bitch...

**petegz28** · 08-01-2013, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

I'm failing to see how any of this makes you less of a whiny bitch...

Says the guy who never hesitates to take the opportunity to bitch about someone bitching.

**RockChalk** · 08-01-2013, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

He's right though

We just traded for a .250 hitter so we could pull a relatively young, productive .300 hitter out of the lineup.

On a team that struggles on offense.

Brilliant!!

I don't really mind them playing Maxwell today, but I'm sure their reasoning is they don't like the lefty-lefty matchup with Lough, though his splits (limited sample) show he hits lefties just as well as righties.

WhawhaWhat · 08-01-2013, 10:56 AM

The Royals have 3 days off from July 19th through September 19th. Every player is going to have a day off or two in that time span.

Mr. Laz · 08-01-2013, 10:56 AM

I'm sure if Maxwell gets even a single today all the baseball 'experts' will stand up an yell 'see,see ... that's how baseball works!'

not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist

WhawhaWhat · 08-01-2013, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

I'm sure if Maxwell gets even a single today all the baseball 'experts' will stand up an yell 'see,see ... that's how baseball works!'

not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist

This post was funny.

**RockChalk** · 08-01-2013, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist

Yost

WhawhaWhat · 08-01-2013, 11:02 AM

Indians up 3-0 already.

duncan_idaho · 08-01-2013, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

He's right though

We just traded for a .250 hitter so we could pull a relatively young, productive .300 hitter out of the lineup.

On a team that struggles on offense.

Brilliant!!

Maxwell has a career .370 OBP vs. LHP. Lough's is .316. Lough's career MiLB OBP vs. LHP is .339.

Maxwell is, according to the stats, going to get on base MORE often against LHP at the major league level.

Don't be too old school in looking at this. Average is nice, but OBP is important, too. Especially for a guy hitting down in the lineup.

**ChiTown** · 08-01-2013, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Indians up 3-0 already.

Jesus, amazing what the top 3 in the Central have been doing the last 2 weeks.

**gblowfish** · 08-01-2013, 11:09 AM

Go Maxwell...swing that silver hammer down upon the Twinkies head!

Fansy the Famous Bard · 08-01-2013, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Jesus, amazing what the top 3 in the Central have been doing the last 2 weeks.

hah! It's amazing that the Royals have won 8 in a row, yet have lost a game in the standings to Detroit in the last 10.

WhawhaWhat · 08-01-2013, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Jesus, amazing what the top 3 in the Central have been doing the last 2 weeks.

Last 10 games:
Det 9-1
CLE 8-2
KCR 8-2

Remember when the Royals got blown out by the O's in the first game of that series and the season was over?

DJ's left nut · 08-01-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

I'm sure if Maxwell gets even a single today all the baseball 'experts' will stand up an yell 'see,see ... that's how baseball works!'

not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist

Jesus.

Are you ever right?

Maxwell hitting against a soft-tosser in Diamond is the right move. A baseball 'traditionalist' would ignore the platoon splits and play the hot hand; this is a 'new school' approach to it.

Maxwell gets on base better against lefties than Lough and hits with more authority against lefties than Lough. When a LHP is on the mound, Maxwell is a better option at the plate.

Could you have moved Lough over to CF? Sure - he'd have likely done a credible job and Lough isn't a complete liability against LH pitching (though a .320 OBP is pretty bad). But to argue that Maxwell's in the lineup merely to justify a trade is just stupid.

Maxwell's a legitimately dangerous hitter against lefties and a plus fielder. The Royals lineup is much better for having him in it against Diamond.

But please, go back to bitching about nothing.

WhawhaWhat · 08-01-2013, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

I'm sure if Maxwell gets even a single today all the baseball 'experts' will stand up an yell 'see,see ... that's how baseball works!'

not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist

Maxwell got an RBI Single. See,see ... that's how baseball works!

12-11-2012, 09:59 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1899692	2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread Proposed 2013 Slogan: Tigers: They're what's for dinner Actual 2013 Slogan: Come to Play A better, more accurate, or alternative slogan: All in, no panic, we promise. Dayton Moore has pushed all his chips in and is riding on King/Jack suited, hoping it comes together, he gets some good luck, and he hits the nuts by the river card. There's potential, oh yes, there's potential. There's also risk. At the midway point, Dayton is left counting on the river card. The flop and turn didn't help him, and he's looking at the Tigers holding a pair of Queens and the Indians holding a pair of 9s. His 2013 plan hasn't failed - yet - but the odds are not in his favor. Burning questions updates below. Burning Questions for 2013: 1) Will the improve rotation be improved enough? Does James Shields pitch like a fringe No. 1 away from Tampa Bay? Does Ervin Santana pitch to his highest upside in his walk year? Can Jeremy Guthrie build on his strong performance as a Royal in 2012? Can Wade Davis bring his new mentality- and velocity - back to the rotation? Midseason check-in: Yes, the rotation is certainly improved enough. Shields has pitched like a fringe No. 1 and Santana is having his best season. Guthrie has horrible peripherals but has continued to perform well at his home park and eat innings on the road. Davis brought neither his kick-ass mentality or improved velocity back to the rotation and is in Luke Hochevar/Hiram Davies territory. 2) When will Luke Hochevar be shown the door? Midseason check-in: It appears, never, at this point. Hochevar has been solid in non-leverage situations, though pretty much every time he has been used with men on base in an inning, it has been a disaster. 3) Does Hosmer bounce back? Midseason check-in: It took some time, but Hosmer's performance from June 1 on is probably the most encouraging thing about the 2013 season so far. 4) Can Moustakas hit for a whole season like he did in the first half of 2012? Midseason check-in: Nope. Moustakas was god-awful, then great for about 3 weeks, then god-awful again. He has been better since he started working with Brett and Grafol but still has a long way to go. 5) Who regresses? Midseason check-in: Welp, Alicides Escobar is not a surprising name here (though Yost's stubborn insistence on hitting him second is ridiculous). Billy Butler is a surprise. He isn't having a terrible year - still contributing a lot to the offense - but he's not hitting for the average or power he has displayed over the past several years. 6) Who plays 2B? Midseason check-in: A whole bunch of people, and not that great. Gio is at least getting a shot, though he once again is not doing much with it. 7) Can Jeff Francoeur be at least replacement level, rather than epic horrible level? Midseason check-in: Hahahahahahahahahahaha 8) Will Dayton Moore survive to see 2014? Midseason check-in: Outlook uncertain. Probably still around, unless the team completely tanks in the second half and he does something foolish. My guess - he sacrifices Ned Yost this offseason and gets one more shot with a new manager in 2014. 9) Will Danny Duffy come back healthy? And if he does, is he the same, better or worse? Midseason check-in: Yes. Velocity looks the same, and it looks likely he is the same guy as before. 10) And the big one: Has KC added enough to run down the big-money Detroit Tigers? Midseason check-in: Doesn't look like it, does it? Last edited by duncan_idaho; 07-15-2013 at 10:01 AM..
Posts: 22,323

08-01-2013, 10:56 AM	#8569
WhawhaWhat MVP Join Date: Feb 2013 Casino cash: $-678884	The Royals have 3 days off from July 19th through September 19th. Every player is going to have a day off or two in that time span.
Posts: 18,321

08-01-2013, 10:56 AM	#8570
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	I'm sure if Maxwell gets even a single today all the baseball 'experts' will stand up an yell 'see,see ... that's how baseball works!' not many things more pompous in the world than a baseball traditionalist __________________
Posts: 95,626

08-01-2013, 11:02 AM	#8573
WhawhaWhat MVP Join Date: Feb 2013 Casino cash: $-678884	Indians up 3-0 already.
Posts: 18,321

08-01-2013, 11:09 AM	#8576
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $16896178 VARSITY	Go Maxwell...swing that silver hammer down upon the Twinkies head!
Posts: 41,011