2012 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[alnorth]

2012 Slogan: Our Time

A better, more accurate 2012 Slogan: It is Finally Next Year
(from Great Expectations)

An alternative slogan if you don't like that one: Someone has to win this crappy division
(from alnorth)

With the beginning of a new year, it is time for the 2012 version of the Royals Repository Thread. We've got Hosmer, we've got a 2011-dominating Gordon, we've got Moose, we've got hopefully a killer bullpen, we've got a stereotypical slow slugging DH, we've got easily one of the best defensive shortstops in the AL, we've got a promising catcher in Salvador Perez. Hell, we've got offense and promising prospects galore.

We do not have starting pitching.

Oh yeah, we've also got this:



Get ready for, (as of January 2012 anyway), one of the most confusing puzzles of a baseball season in recent Royals history. Will they suck? Maybe, I don't know. Will we be given a year of 0.500 baseball? Possibly, I don't know. Will they win the division and go to the playoffs for the first time in 27 years? For the first time in a long time, it could happen, I don't know. 92 losses, 92 wins, or anything in between would not surprise a lot of us.

Everything goes here except Gameday threads and really big news. If a giant story breaks, the Royals achieve some awesome milestone, or we sign/lose a highly significant player/coach/mascot/whatever, then it might also deserve its own thread. This being Chiefs Planet, please do not clutter the board with new threads about trivial Royals news or you will only annoy those who come here for just Chiefs football. If you aren't sure and its not a Gameday thread, it goes here.

What sort of stuff often goes here? SPchief explained it well, so I'll just copy that:

If you locate something of interest.. ANYTHING.. deals on apparel, best ways in/out of the stadium, giveaways, great stories from this season or from seasons gone by, rumors, trades, anything.... feel free to post it here.

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Another gem from the most intelligent fan base in America:


To:All Nov-10 52822.5Reply to 52822.4

socal60s
Posts:232
Why not a 'block buster' deal to set off the new season:

Jake Arrieta (don't need him)
Brian Matusz (could be replaced by Koji Uehara)
Tommy Hunter (Sanders will fill that role)
Robert Andino (KC has several 2B and Andino would be a head over them all)
Wilson Betemit (switch hitter to replace missing bats)
Chris Davis (pitchers are on to him, will hit 35 homers and 'K' 200+)

for

Billy Butler (at firstbase, needs to keep weight at 230)
Alex Gordon (solid healthy left fielder)
Sal Perez (backup Wieters, firstbase, DH probably the best hitter of both the Royals/Orioles)
2 Minor Leaguers (best infielder they have 3 years away and one pitcher)

forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&webtag=ml-orioles&tid=52822

this might the the dumbest thing on the intrawebznets.
we are all now dumber for listening to it. i pray to god, that HE has mercy on ALL our souls.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If Johnson can take the bump, he's a very good pitcher, but it's hard to say what you're going to get in him.

If he gets back to being 2009-2011 Josh Johnson, it should be fun to watch. I'd take a repeat of what he did last year, though.

I fully expect Buehrle to literally die on the mound at the Rogers centre (that is how they spell it up there, yes?). He's a bad fit for that division and a worse fit for that ballpark. Buehrle is an NL pitcher; he needs that chance to face the pitcher, regroup and continue to 'bend but don't break' as he goes back through the order. The waves of hitters he'll face in the AL will really hurt him, IMO.

I'm not so sure myself. To call him a NL pitcher ignores the fact that he spent pretty much the entirety of his career succeeding in the AL (and doing it in an even tougher offensive ballpark than the Rogers Centre at U.S. Cellular). I'm obviously wary about the superior lineups and offensive ballparks, but I could see him posting a low 4 ERA with his usual 200 innings. He's also pitched well in that dome before (granted, he's only pitched like 40 innings there). Getting even a league average year would be a big upgrade over the shit all they got out of his spot in the rotation last year.

The only thing that will fix the pitcher shittiness issue from last season is 200+ innings from Morrow, Ricky Romero discovering the strike zone and maybe Dustin McGowan getting a shoulder transplant. They'll need to get more of a boost internally than they'll get from Johnson/Buehrle if they hope to move forward.

I think how good the rotation is will likely come down to Ricky Romero. I don't know what his problem was last season that led to his control issues (an injury perhaps or lost confidence), but he was not the same guy. If he can get back to what he was before last season, the Jays will have three above average starters (Johnson, Morrow, Romero), a league average innings eater (Buerhle), and a decent enough #5 (Happ and whatever they get out of guys like Hutchison and Drabek; Dustin McGowan just doesn't exist in my mind anymore). That combined with the lineup could lead the Jays to the best team they've had in quite some time.

[KC_Connection]

I will also say that if RA Dickey is actually available (I'm not so sure, I think this is all posturing by the Mets so they can re-sign him), the Jays should look to trade prospects to do it. They could still use another starter for sure.

[DJ's left nut]

Yeah, I know...McGowan's probably a non-entity.

I still have a soft-spot for him. The guy's just battled his ass off to get back and I still remember - what was it, 4 years ago? - when the kid had a 2nd half where it looked like he was going to turn the corner and become a legit ace. His stuff was right there at ace caliber and he finally became a real pitcher instead of a thrower.

Really, it was kinda like what we saw Morrow do last year - suddenly McGowan just clicked and looked like he was going to realize his potential.

Then his shoulder pretty much detached from his body.

I forgot you guys had Happ...I suppose he's a passable #5. And yeah, Buehrle did yeoman's work for a decade in Chicago, but he's not going to be a guy that declines - he's just going to hit the damn wall.

Then again, I've been saying that about him for 4 years now. He'll probably end up the as the next Glavine, throwing nothing but slop on the outer 1/3 of the plate for the next decade and end up just grinding his way to 300 wins and the HOF.

He only needs 126 more. Honestly, he's as good a bet as anyone pitching right now to actually get that mark.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah, I know...McGowan's probably a non-entity.

I still have a soft-spot for him. The guy's just battled his ass off to get back and I still remember - what was it, 4 years ago? - when the kid had a 2nd half where it looked like he was going to turn the corner and become a legit ace. His stuff was right there at ace caliber and he finally became a real pitcher instead of a thrower.

Really, it was kinda like what we saw Morrow do last year - suddenly McGowan just clicked and looked like he was going to realize his potential.

Late summer/fall of 2007. I'll never forget it, one of my favourite times being a baseball fan. I'm somebody that got to watch the great Roy Halladay every week for a decade, but McGowan's stuff then was such a rarity. Just three absolutely dominant pitches. And at his age, we were all figuring he had room to even grow.

But then the 2008 injury happened and he's only pitched 21 innings in the majors since. Sad how injuries destroy careers.

I forgot you guys had Happ...I suppose he's a passable #5. And yeah, Buehrle did yeoman's work for a decade in Chicago, but he's not going to be a guy that declines - he's just going to hit the damn wall.

Then again, I've been saying that about him for 4 years now. He'll probably end up the as the next Glavine, throwing nothing but slop on the outer 1/3 of the plate for the next decade and end up just grinding his way to 300 wins and the HOF.

He only needs 126 more. Honestly, he's as good a bet as anyone pitching right now to actually get that mark.

I've never been a big fan of Buerhle due to his stuff (I remember even telling somebody last offseason when they suggested the Jays sign him that I'd rather go after somebody with more dominant stuff or just bid on Darvish), but he just finds a way to get by. He's pitched over 200 innings a season for 12 seasons now. I do hope he'll keep finding a way.

[KC_Connection]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...h_active.shtml

It's hard to contemplate because he's never once been an elite pitcher in his entire career (outside of maybe the 2005 season), but Buerhle's 6th right now among active pitchers with nearly 50 WAR in his career right now. Staying healthy goes a long way.

[duncan_idaho]

Man, that Orioles' forum is just gold...

Several posts in there talking about trading for Sal Perez. Just brilliant. Yes, I'm sure the Royals are interested in trading the 22-year-old catcher signed for the rest of the decade to an incredibly friendly contract, with superstar offensive potential.

I still worry about his approach a little bit... but there was mild Twitter buzz tonight about his performance in his Winter League. He's currently at .409/.429/.697...

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If the years was only 3 months long, they'd be set...

Serious question here...are you seriously slighting what KU has done in hoops?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Serious question here...are you seriously slighting what KU has done in hoops?

KU has had consistently the best basketball program in the country since Self arrived. Not much need for a debate there.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Man, that Orioles' forum is just gold...

Several posts in there talking about trading for Sal Perez. Just brilliant. Yes, I'm sure the Royals are interested in trading the 22-year-old catcher signed for the rest of the decade to an incredibly friendly contract, with superstar offensive potential.

I still worry about his approach a little bit... but there was mild Twitter buzz tonight about his performance in his Winter League. He's currently at .409/.429/.697...

eah he isn't going anywhere for quite a while.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Man, that Orioles' forum is just gold...

Several posts in there talking about trading for Sal Perez. Just brilliant. Yes, I'm sure the Royals are interested in trading the 22-year-old catcher signed for the rest of the decade to an incredibly friendly contract, with superstar offensive potential.

I still worry about his approach a little bit... but there was mild Twitter buzz tonight about his performance in his Winter League. He's currently at .409/.429/.697...

obviously all orioles fans are as ignorant as the asshole we have here.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BlackHelicopters]

Orioles fans are almost as delusional as we Royals fans.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Serious question here...are you seriously slighting what KU has done in hoops?

No, that was a comment about the state of your athletic programs OUTSIDE men's basketball.

[Stanley Nickels]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

KU has had consistently the best basketball program in the country since Self arrived. Not much need for a debate there.

Since he arrived, he's won a single NCAA championship. While that's not an unimpressive stat, it's still tough to say he's consistently had the best program in the country, considering that since 2003 Florida, Connecticut, and UNC have won two championships each.

[lewdog]

Duncan-idaho could use your votes in the MVP thread. Dude knows his shit.