(New) 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

New thread, this time with more burst.

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?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I'm all for trading bullpen pieces, since they're often inconsistent and relatively easy to replace, but if we're all in for '14, I'm going to be incredibly hesitant to include Holland in any deal.

Now, we're planning not to make the playoffs next year? Then trade away. But I also hope that DM is fired immediately in that scenario, with the man doing the firing wearing a Myers' jersey.

I think it's more likely they move Hochevar/Crow for some everyday help than Holland.

If they keep Hochevar, it looks like they'd be paying a combined $15 million for 3 relief pitchers (Davis, Hochevar, Holland). Small-market teams can't afford to do that.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I'm all for trading bullpen pieces, since they're often inconsistent and relatively easy to replace, but if we're all in for '14, I'm going to be incredibly hesitant to include Holland in any deal.

Now, we're planning not to make the playoffs next year? Then trade away. But I also hope that DM is fired immediately in that scenario, with the man doing the firing wearing a Myers' jersey.

Yeah, I've ranted a few times about the Royals unwillingness to trade a closer off a losing team, but 2014 is one of those rare seasons when we actually need a good closer.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

So James Shields by himself was worth an extra 16 wins last year? That must be one of the best seasons of all time.

The impact of James Shields was worth 16 wins.

[alnorth]

I'm not sure how much WAR we got out of RF in 2013, probably about 1 between the 4+ guys who played it. Myers was worth 2 last year.

If we presume that Shields replacement probably would have been -1, then we probably would have been 4 wins worse last year without the trade. (or maybe just 2 wins worse if you assume we would have signed someone who was worth +1 instead of Shields) It probably would have been closer in 2014 since Myers will play a full year and Shields might regress a little bit.

Overall though, Shields instead of Myers probably makes us better in 2014, which is kinda the point of the trade, we sold the future in exchange for going for it in 2013-14. If we make the playoffs, you can argue that the trade was worth it. If we don't, then we clearly lose.

[alnorth]

I'm thinking that in 2014, the Royals will have a better chance at winning a playoff game than the Chiefs.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I'm thinking that in 2014, the Royals will have a better chance at winning a playoff game than the Chiefs.

Starting to look that way.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I'm thinking that in 2014, the Royals will have a better chance at winning a playoff game than the Chiefs.

I don't know if the Chiefs will ever win a playoff game.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I'm thinking that in 2014, the Royals will have a better chance at winning a playoff game than the Chiefs.

The way the Chiefs played today, it is doubtful whether the Chiefs are even a playoff team.

[tk13]

Haren signs with the Dodgers. 1 year/$10 million, with an option for 2015.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by tk13

Haren signs with the Dodgers. 1 year/$10 million, with an option for 2015.

I'd rather have Haren at 2/20 or 1/12 than Vargas.

[DeezNutz]

While the Vargas signing isn't thrilling, I have a feeling it will work out OK for the team. He'll eat a shit ton of innings and profit from the big yard and strong D.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

While the Vargas signing isn't thrilling, I have a feeling it will work out OK for the team. He'll eat a shit ton of innings and profit from the big yard and strong D.

This.

[duncan_idaho]

Haren offers more upside than Vargas, perhaps, but has a lower floor.

There's also the problem of him not being interested in playing in the midwest and wanting to be on the West Coast...

[alnorth]

The Royals have announced a new road alternate jersey, I'm not sure what to think of it yet. One thing thats kinda nice is the old-fashioned practice of putting team initials on the uniform (like the Yankee NY, the Detroit D, etc)

[alnorth]

Another picture. Are my eyes failing me, or is this a different shade of blue? Lighter than Royal, darker than powder?