*** Official 2015 Royals Repository ***

[duncan_idaho]

In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions.

Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins
Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer

I can't wait for this season to start. The AL Central should be a very entertaining race. I'll give brief thoughts on each team the Royals must contend with to make it back to the postseason - strengths and weaknesses.

Detroit Tigers:
Strength: The offense is still full of powerful hitters, and Miguel Cabrera may be healthier.
Weakness: Rotation is questionable after Price and Sanchez, bullpen continues to be horrible.

Cleveland Indians:
Strength: Great manager and a deep, versatile lineup.
Weakness: The rotation is a question mark past Corey Kluber, and even he has a few questions about him.

Chicago White Sox:
Strength: 1-2-3 combo of Sale, Quintana and Samardzija is pretty formidable. Offense is anchored by Jose Abreu, too.
Weakness: Defense still has major questions, and this team has 20 games to improve by if it really wants to make the playoffs.

The Royals will be a division winner IF ...
1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work
2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts
3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland
4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy
5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form

Let's get this started!

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by alnorth

If you don't have one, then don't drink before the game, you'll be fine. If you must be drunk to sit through the first inning of a baseball game, then its not your sport, go fishing or something.

Take a walk around the parking lot the next time you're tailgating and just count how many people are very unlikely to be sober by game end. It's probably 10k or so on a big sellout.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Question to duncan, alnorth and anyone else who deems themselves knowledgeable about the great game of baseball:


Is there an attainable player or specific positional role that you think could be acquired within 96 hours that immediately improves the team?

Prob not this early in the season when teams are seeing what they have. A few guys like Cole Hamels, joe Mauer and Tulowitzki are but they're huge salaries and their GMs want too much

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Has anyone, ever actually had a DD at a baseball game? Really? I have my doubts. I mean 3+ hours of your buddy's getting hammered during a long, slow baseball game. What could be more fun?

I'm not a heavy drinker, so I do it regularly. I'll have a few before the game and one inside usually. Not a huge deal to not be hammered.

[alnorth]

I stand by my criticism of calling up Finnegan. That was freaking stupid, he needs to be starting every 5th day in NW Arkansas

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I stand by my criticism of calling up Finnegan. That was freaking stupid, he needs to be starting every 5th day in NW Arkansas

It might be an indictment of his abilities as a starter. Of course his struggles in spring training and early this year are too small of a sample size to give up on him as a starter.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I stand by my criticism of calling up Finnegan. That was freaking stupid, he needs to be starting every 5th day in NW Arkansas

Yea, they isn't really a need for him right now anyway. No sense calling him back, especially once Hochevar is here sometime in May.

[BigCatDaddy]

Got to meet DM tonight and kept it light hearted asking how bad it would have been for Billy Butler had him and Rusty tangled last year after the blow up at first base. He said Rusty would have crushed him jokingly but then added that 24 guys would have had Rustys back. That pretty much said to me how bad the rift was in the dugout with BB and the other guys.

Also said when Ned approached him about batting Moose 2nd he thought he was crazy. Him and Ned are the perfect blend of nice guy/asshole combo.

[Prison Bitch]

Finnegan looks like he's put on 20lbs

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Got to meet DM tonight and kept it light hearted asking how bad it would have been for Billy Butler had him and Rusty tangled last year after the blow up at first base. He said Rusty would have crushed him jokingly but then added that 24 guys would have had Rustys back. That pretty much said to me how bad the rift was in the dugout with BB and the other guys.

Also said when Ned approached him about batting Moose 2nd he thought he was crazy. Him and Ned are the perfect blend of nice guy/asshole combo.

rift between Butler and the other guys? What?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I stand by my criticism of calling up Finnegan. That was freaking stupid, he needs to be starting every 5th day in NW Arkansas

I'm with you... unless they send him back down after dealing with the suspension issues. The move makes sense to me if he's a temporary long man out of the pen.

If he heads back down after that, and it's just a short-term deal, I've got no issue with this.

[Hootie]

I just re-watched the Gordon bomb and compared it side by side to a Will Clark tribute video ...

God Hud was right on. Alex Gordon looks exactly like Will Clark when he hits a home run.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I'm with you... unless they send him back down after dealing with the suspension issues. The move makes sense to me if he's a temporary long man out of the pen.

If he heads back down after that, and it's just a short-term deal, I've got no issue with this.

He could be throwing simulated games to Kratz and Dyson for all we know too.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by kcfanXIII

I'm not a heavy drinker, so I do it regularly. I'll have a few before the game and one inside usually. Not a huge deal to not be hammered.

im a pretty heavy drinker when i drink but i never drink during any game. i pay good money for tickets and want to actually enjoy it.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

I just re-watched the Gordon bomb and compared it side by side to a Will Clark tribute video ...

God Hud was right on. Alex Gordon looks exactly like Will Clark when he hits a home run.

That's funny, because Baseball Tonight compared it to a Griffey Jr type swing.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

He could be throwing simulated games to Kratz and Dyson for all we know too.

Thats fine for keeping a guy active when he can't get in the game for a while, but its not a replacement for live batters and real game situations for someone trying to learn to pitch.