2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[duncan_idaho]

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?

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

To me, the trade seems to be a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This team has a swagger. They fight for 27 outs. The starters grind when they don't have it, and they dominate when they do. The middle relievers shorten the games. The closer(s) slam the door. Even the long relievers keep us in games.

Our hitters are spoiling tough two strike pitches, shooting outside pitches the other way, and generally go to the plate with a plan every time.

Maybe I'm giving Shields too much credit, and he isn't solely responsible for all of it, but the trade signifies a change in attitude/expectations, and Shields seems to have the perfect mentality for this team.

Shields is a major reason our opening day starter last year, Hoch, is now in the bullpen where he belongs and not starting games for us.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by AussieChiefsFan

Detroit's 4 game series with Houston is finally over. Time to retake 1st place.

Unfortunately, Detroit plays those useless F'ing Astros 3 more times this week. After that, it'll be over, and we'll have all our Houston games ahead of us.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

not Royals related but baseball. Prince Fielder argues a strike out call TWICE in the same game, and gets nothing more than the stink eye from the home plate ump. Yet, in a different game, Bryce Harper strikes out on a check swing called strike three, argues the call and then gets tossed by the third base ump.

weird stuff
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

I wonder if Harper has any kind of track record with the ump at 3rd. Seems like he didn't really do much to show him up. Fielder on the other hand did everything he could to get tossed and the ump just takes it. Odd indeed.

[Archie F. Swin]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

I wonder if Harper has any kind of track record with the ump at 3rd. Seems like he didn't really do much to show him up. Fielder on the other hand did everything he could to get tossed and the ump just takes it. Odd indeed.

apparently, Harper tossed his hat and helmet.

[Sannyasi]

Its time to start aiming for the wild card. Detroit's pitching is absolutely monstrous this year.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Its time to start aiming for the wild card. Detroit's pitching is absolutely monstrous this year.

**** that. If we can stay neck and neck with them, all we need to do is win our games against them and let the chips fall where they may. We have the team to knock them off.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Shields is a major reason our opening day starter last year, Hoch, is now in the bullpen where he belongs and not starting fires for us.

FYP

[Sannyasi]

Originally Posted by Strongside

**** that. If we can stay neck and neck with them, all we need to do is win our games against them and let the chips fall where they may. We have the team to knock them off.

Detroit has a +52 run differential. Scherzer, Sanchez, and Verlander are in the top 4 in FIP in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. While we're having our plucky come from behind wins Detroit is rolling over teams.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Detroit has a +52 run differential. Scherzer, Sanchez, and Verlander are in the top 4 in FIP in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. While we're having our plucky come from behind wins Detroit is rolling over shitty teams like Houston and Minnesota.

FYP

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Detroit has a +52 run differential. Scherzer, Sanchez, and Verlander are in the top 4 in FIP in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. While we're having our plucky come from behind wins Detroit is rolling over teams.

Fortunately their bullpen is a dumpster fire. Hopefully they don't get that fixed.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Detroit has a +52 run differential. Scherzer, Sanchez, and Verlander are in the top 4 in FIP in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. While we're having our plucky come from behind wins Detroit is rolling over teams.

Well, in all fairness, the last 3 games against the Astros have really played into that FIP and run differential.

Not sure the 'Stros really qualify as a "team" . . . .

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Detroit has a +52 run differential. Scherzer, Sanchez, and Verlander are in the top 4 in FIP in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. While we're having our plucky come from behind wins Detroit is rolling over teams.

If Paulino and Duffy come back and are about where they were before the injuries I think we can be right there with them. We just need to pick up a bat or two at the deadline. We'll be throwing 5 guys that are either 2 or 3's.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

WS ring would be worth at least a five-year high.

Make it over the Cardinals again and I could take another 20 years or so.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Well, in all fairness, the last 3 games against the Astros have really played into that FIP and run differential.

Not sure the 'Stros really qualify as a "team" . . . .

I wish the Royals could get Altuve from the Astros. I know it would cost a lot, but he would fit in perfectly at 2b.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Make it over the Cardinals again and I could take another 20 years or so.

Someone asked this question a while back (don't remember who it was?):

Would you rather a team like the Royals be consistently competitive over a number of years, competing (and making) the playoffs, for a time?

Or have one magical season (say, this year) like the Rockies had a few years back that resulted in a Championship? (Yes, I realize the Rockies lost the World Series that year)

What say the masses of Royals fans???