(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?

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by Bowser

If we just wouldn't have shit our shorts in May. If we could have played like .475 ball that month.

If if if

Ifs and buts...

[Archie F. Swin]

we need to summon the powers of the things that got us to this point

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

The one thing I'll say for Yost is this:

This team has consistently bounced back from seemingly soul-crushing losses, even if Yost was largely responsible for them. He definitely gets them back and ready to play.

Other than that? Yeah, not a big fan.

From everything the media has said, the players love playing for him. However I agree that his baseball mind is outdated and he should be gone as well.

I wonder what happens if a new manager comes in and the players hate him though, what does that do to performance next season?

Is what we know in Yost better than the unknown of a new manager? What if GMDM hires the next Trey Hillman instead of someone like what Terry Francona brought to the Indians?

[cookster50]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

we need to summon the powers of the things that got us to this point

You forgot one.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

we need to summon the powers of the things that got us to this point

That may be the best summation of our season that I have seen, awesome stuff.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by alnorth

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

Yep, I missed that typo .....

We have to win and hope for others to lose, it's sad that the last 2 games we lost ( Thanks Ned ) should have been wins, being 1/2 game out would make it much easier.

[Prison Bitch]

Shields (4.2) + Wade (1.6) have a 5.8 WAR. Which is higher than David Price (3.7) + Matt Moore (2.0) = 5.7. Not sure Tampa saw that coming when they made the deal.

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.asp...ter=&players=0

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

That may be the best summation of our season that I have seen, awesome stuff.

I agree, that kicked ass!

[Canofbier]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

we need to summon the powers of the things that got us to this point

Royals CP post of the year!

[Tytanium]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

My biggest issues with Yost:

1) Consistently giving away outs with sac bunts in uncalled-for situations (things that actually SUPPRESS offense)
2) Refusal to ride hot hand in bullpen (unwillingness to use Louis Coleman, over-reliance on Collins and Crow and Herrera, even when struggling)
3) Inconsistent decision making/constant contradiction of himself in regards to pretty much all types of decisions.

He's had two pretty glaringly bad games just in the past week (Guthrie v. Detroit, Tuesday night). It's just under the microscope right now. I think long run, Yost is about a -2 manager over the course of the year. That could be BIG -2, though, this year.

I don't understand his hardon for Crow and Herrera. Neither has been particularly good this year, and Crow's slider just isn't working. Herrera hits batters way too much and looks like a nervous wreck on the mound. Collins hasn't been much either, maybe slightly better than Crow or Herrera. Coleman and Smith NEED to be out there.

[lewdog]

Ventura and Perez in Olathe this Saturday for autographs. Ventura was just added this week thanks to his start.

I have a Salvy ball but a Ventura one would be pretty sweet. Might have to get in on this.

Anyone going?

September 21, 2013
11 AM -12 PM

Hampton INN

119th Street & Strang Line RD (Exit 220)

Olathe, KS

September 21, 2013

**SALVADOR PEREZ**

&

**YORDANO VENTURA**

(Courtesy of Player-Direct.com)

(small fee per autograph)

Dealer/Customer Inquiries 816-679-9874
Mail Order Inquiries 480-409-4295

http://player-direct.com/upcoming-si...ventura-92113/

[Demonpenz]

the chick in the background that moves over while eating a bunch of food cracks me up

[AussieChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Our elimination number is 9.

Every time we lose or the 2nd-place wild card team wins, subtract 1. (if the 1st and 2nd wild card teams are tied, and only one of them wins, then do not subtract a number) If it goes to zero, we're out. If it goes to 1, the best we can do is force a tie.

And I assume if we both lose and the 2nd place team wins, then subtract 2?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by AussieChiefsFan

And I assume if we both lose and the 2nd place team wins, then subtract 2?

yeah. We're now at 8, btw.

Today will be a bit different for the elimination number. Since TB, Cleveland, and Texas all have 83 wins, 2 out of those 3 have to win for our elimination number to go down due to wins from the leaders.

If we win today and if at least 2 of those 3 teams lose, we'll stay at 8. (So for example, if we lose to Texas, but TB and Cleveland both lose, we'll only go down to 7)

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by alnorth

yeah. We're now at 8, btw.

Today will be a bit different for the elimination number. Since TB, Cleveland, and Texas all have 83 wins, 2 out of those 3 have to win for our elimination number to go down due to wins from the leaders.

If we win today and if at least 2 of those 3 teams lose, we'll stay at 8. (So for example, if we lose to Texas, but TB and Cleveland both lose, we'll only go down to 7)

I've run the numbers several ways, and honestly, the only likely scenario for us to reasonably have a chance for a WC spot is to sweep the Rangers. Every game must be played likes it's a one game playoff - win or go home. I know Managers hate doing that, but honestly, that's what we are faced with.