(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?

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Here is Nori Aoki's contact heat map. If you are the opposing pitcher, where the hell do you throw?

Those Japanese contact hitters, man. They may not hit many out, but you can't strike 'em out.

You throw it in the dirt evidently.

[Demonpenz]

nice helmet great kazoo

[ChiefsCountry]

Zimmer

We at least have seen Ventura and Duffy pitch at the MLB level.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

You throw it in the dirt evidently.

kinda interesting that out of all pitches that were down and in, Aoki has not swung at ANY of them, all season (thus the blank in that spot)

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Here is Nori Aoki's contact heat map. If you are the opposing pitcher, where the hell do you throw?

Those Japanese contact hitters, man. They may not hit many out, but you can't strike 'em out.

Throw it in the areas of the plate where you are more likely to induce weak contact and get him out 70% of the time.

[Demonpenz]

so even at his weak spots he is a hof hitter.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Here is Nori Aoki's contact heat map. If you are the opposing pitcher, where the hell do you throw?

Those Japanese contact hitters, man. They may not hit many out, but you can't strike 'em out.

You sure that's right? Where do you find those for players?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

so even at his weak spots he is a hof hitter.

well, lets not get carried away, this is a contact map, not a hit map. Still though, the vast red areas should clearly show that this dude is a leadoff hitter. He may ground out, but he won't K to start the game.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Shogun

also, what happens to dyson this year?

and Maxwell?

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

well, lets not get carried away, this is a contact map, not a hit map. Still though, the vast red areas should clearly show that this dude is a leadoff hitter. He may ground out, but he won't K to start the game.

Plus, way less likely to hit into the double play!

[Deberg_1990]

Aoki sounds like a poor mans Ichiro. I'll take it.

[tk13]

I'm a big fan of the trade. Adds some depth whether Beltran signs in KC or not.

This offense isn't good enough to worry about people losing spots or playing time. I'm impressed DM actually made this kind of move. Add depth, find good hitters and let things sort themselves out. I think the traditional KC move would be to stick with Lough or Maxwell and hope they don't regress.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Sounds like Aoki is a poor mans Ichiro. I'll take it.

Sort of how every white slot WR is a poor man's Wes Welker.

[Bambi]

Sign Beltran. Make three way trade by sending Billy to Seattle and bringing Kendrick to KC.

Make it happen GMDM!

[duncan_idaho]

I've been banging the Kendrick drum for a while now, but if Zimmer, Ventura or Duffy is what they want, they can kick rocks.

Would happily send them Hochevar + Miguel Almonte + Marks or Chris Dwyer, but not one of those three pitchers.

If they like Bubba Starling, that works as well ... but they can't really afford to trade any of those top 3 guys for a short-term control player. Keeping the process rolling relies on developing your own pitching talent for when Shields leaves/Guthrie/etc.