(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?

[mr. tegu]

I am confused. Your optimistic outlook has us gaining no ground in the wild card?

[TLO]

So even if we sweep the Rangers... things still don't look very promising?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I am confused. Your optimistic outlook has us gaining no ground in the wild card?

I iz confuzed as well

[ChiefsCountry]

Keep winning series. Things will play out.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

So even if we sweep the Rangers... things still don't look very promising?

Actually if the Rangers lose the next four we will be one game ahead of them. I think he might have gotten a bit mixed up.

[okcchief]

Thats not very optimistic sir

[CaliforniaChief]

Yeah, the standings I have actually have us winning 2/3 from the Rangers. We sweep them, and we're 1.5 back with the other games.

[SPchief]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Keep winning series. Things will play out.

I'm in agreement, there's only 3 left though

[Thig Lyfe]

Go Royals!

[CaliforniaChief]

Sorry to confuse. Basically, if we want to guarantee progress in the standings, we have to sweep the Rangers, unless less likely outcomes (like HOU splitting 4 from CLE, the Yankees losing to the Giants, etc) happens.

We could gain more ground if that happens.

But if we just win 2/3, we likely won't gain any ground.

[Thig Lyfe]

Ken Harvey is gonna go yard I can feel it!!!

[ROYC75]

I see it unfolding like this ....... Games left,projected finish and total won\ lost. We have to go at least 8 - 2 , no worst than 7 - 3 to close out or it's over, It's going to come down to Tampa Bay, Cleveland & KC., but we have to sweep Texas!

Team ....Gms ....Pro W's-L's .......Pro. Record
Tex .......11..........5 - 6................ 87 - 75
Bal .......11 ..........6 - 5 ............... 87 - 75
NY........10 ..........7 - 3 ................ 87 - 75
TB.........11 ..........7/6 - 4/5.......... 90/89 - 72 /73
Cle........10 ..........7/6 - 3/4.......... 89/88 - 73/74
KC........10 ..........8/7 - 2/3........... 90/89 - 72/73

I could see us winning out until the Chicago series and then lay several eggs.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Keep winning series. Things will play out.

Winning series is just not going to be good enough, we don't have that kind of time.

We've got to win 9 out of the last 10 at this point.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

I see it unfolding like this ....... Games left,projected finish and total won\ lost. We have to go at least 8 - 2 , no worst than 7 - 3 to close out or it's over, It's going to come down to Tampa Bay, Cleveland & KC., but we have to sweep Texas!

Team ....Gms ....Pro W's-L's .......Pro. Record
Tex .......11..........5 - 6................ 87 - 75
Bal .......11 ..........6 - 5 ............... 87 - 75
NY........10 ..........7 - 3 ................ 87 - 75
TB.........11 ..........7/6 - 4/5.......... 90/89 - 72 /73
Cle........10 ..........7/6 - 3/4.......... 89/88 - 73/74
KC........10 ..........8/7 - 2/3........... 90/89 - 72/73

I could see us winning out until the Chicago series and then lay several eggs.

We have 80 wins. winning 7 or 8 puts us at 87 or 88, not 89 or 90.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

In other words, we either need a sweep against TEX, which would pull us to within 1.5, or would need some unexpected help from HOU/SF...and then prepare to run the table at SEA and CWS.

Hah, that would do it. "sweep texas" followed by "run the table" means winning all 10 games, which is easier said than done, even against the white sox. Remember all those years when our terrible teams ruined someone's season at the end? The White Sox could still win a game.