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?

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

expiring contract; cubs will eat most of his salary; would be *sadly* our best power hitter

wouldn't cost much at all

although Gordon would have to play RF which I can't imagine would be that tough of a transition for a GOLD GLOVE stud OF like Gordon

You want to trade for a known clubhouse poison who's hitting a notch above .250 with an OPS below .700?

Okay, hootie.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

I think I already changed my mind about Soriano

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

I think I already changed my mind about Soriano

I wonder what it would take to land Starlin Castro. He's having a down year, but he is inked through 2019 with a 2020 club option... He could play 2B and our middle infield would be set for a huge window.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I wonder what it would take to land Starlin Castro. He's having a down year, but he is inked through 2019 with a 2020 club option... He could play 2B and our middle infield would be set for a huge window.

more than we have to offer

and we need power...Castro makes no sense.

[Sure-Oz]

The Royals need serious power, it may cost us Ventura but they have to do the best they can to bring a power hitter here, maybe 2 new hitters

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

more than we have to offer

and we need power...Castro makes no sense.

Castro makes a ton of sense long-term. Moose/Hos/Perez start hitting for power and we are going to be looking for a #2 hitter.

Gordon
Castro
Hos
Butler
Moose
Salvy
Cain
Dyson
Escobar


If we are selling out to contend now, Utley still makes the most sense. The Phillies are 8 GB and Utley is in the last year of his deal.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Castro makes a ton of sense long-term. Moose/Hos/Perez start hitting for power and we are going to be looking for a #2 hitter.

Gordon
Castro
Hos
Butler
Moose
Salvy
Cain
Dyson
Escobar


If we are selling out to contend now, Utley still makes the most sense. The Phillies are 8 GB and Utley is in the last year of his deal.

I am unsure if Dyson is part of the long-term picture (as a starter, anyways) a RF with power would make more sense, IMHO.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I am unsure if Dyson is part of the long-term picture (as a starter, anyways) a RF with power would make more sense, IMHO.

I really think Dyson makes a ton of sense in CF long-term. He has the bat speed to stick, imo. He may lack pop, but in terms of getting on base and getting extra bases, he has been great this year. His defense is also a plus.

[Chiefspants]

Remember when a lot of people thought John Buck was going to win the homerun title this April?

.217/.274/.406

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I really think Dyson makes a ton of sense in CF long-term. He has the bat speed to stick, imo. He may lack pop, but in terms of getting on base and getting extra bases, he has been great this year. His defense is also a plus.

I think this line-up needs a true power hitter. At this time, the jury is very much out on Moose's productivity long term.

[Prison Bitch]

We have to wait another month to see where we are. We just had a 4-19 stretch once. There's no point trading for guys until we have a good idea where we are. We have to be within 5 of Detroit or the wild card to do anything

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I think this line-up needs a true power hitter. At this time, the jury is very much out on Moose's productivity long term.

If moose doesn't pan out long-term then you look to fill your 3B slot with a true power hitter. If you're in win now mode you go after Utley.

[Nightfyre]

If you get Utley, I think you can look at sending moose down to AAA and platooning Tejada and Johnson at 3B.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

If moose doesn't pan out long-term then you look to fill your 3B slot with a true power hitter. If you're in win now mode you go after Utley.

Moose may be helpful if they actually let him get his confidence back in AAA and get some success. he's currently being benched here and there and just playing awful offensively.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Moose may be helpful if they actually let him get his confidence back in AAA and get some success. he's currently being benched here and there and just playing awful offensively.

Ah my post was just a minute slow. I agree, fwiw. Though he is starting to hit with better contact again (as is Hosmer.)