(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?

[O.city]

Saw an article on this on ESPN, thought it would make for an interesting convo.


Would you, right now, give Mike Trout 12 years 400 million?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

He wrote one last year too about their downfall coming in 2013. Sure they didn't make the playoffs but they were right there down the stretch.

If you read the article though, he pretty convincingly explains that the Yankees in 2013 were very, very lucky. They played like a losing team, but had an Orioles-like flukey performance in 1-run games. They are now even worse on paper than last year.

[tyton75]

When do pitchers and catchers report!? I'm ready to get this season going already!

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by O.city

Saw an article on this on ESPN, thought it would make for an interesting convo.


Would you, right now, give Mike Trout 12 years 400 million?

Unless the owner has a net worth in the mid or high 11-figures and money literally meant nothing, no. I don't care how good the player is, even for a non-pitcher the injury risk is too high.

[O.city]

Trout is on track to be the best player EVER at this point though.

[alnorth]

Before signing Beltran, the Yankees offered Choo 7/140MM, and Scott Boras said no. It'll be interesting to see if he's able to get 140MM from anyone else, or if Boras screwed this one up.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Before signing Beltran, the Yankees offered Choo 7/140MM, and Scott Boras said no. It'll be interesting to see if he's able to get 140MM from anyone else, or if Boras screwed this one up.

Or maybe that Boras is aware that the Yankees might actually be a very bad baseball team in 2014.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Coach

Or maybe that Boras is aware that the Yankees might actually be a very bad baseball team in 2014.

They didn't turn them down flat, Boras countered asking for more money and the Yankees responded with signing Beltran.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by alnorth

They didn't turn them down flat, Boras countered asking for more money and the Yankees responded with signing Beltran.

Perhaps, but it also have to take into consideration if the player really wanted to play for the Yankees or potentially a bad baseball team.

Either way, Boras is a moron, one way or another, that I won't dispute.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Coach

Perhaps, but it also have to take into consideration if the player really wanted to play for the Yankees or potentially a bad baseball team.

Either way, Boras is a moron, one way or another, that I won't dispute.

A very rich and successful moron, i guess.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by O.city

Saw an article on this on ESPN, thought it would make for an interesting convo.


Would you, right now, give Mike Trout 12 years 400 million?

No, but hell no.

That's just asking for trouble.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Zeke

A very rich and successful moron, i guess.

But still a moron.

[Archie F. Swin]

The Orioles have acquired OF David Lough from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for INF Danny Valencia

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) December 18, 2013

[siberian khatru]

MOOSE INSURANCE

[Codered]

That seems like a solid move.