Royals 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread - Page 394

duncan_idaho · 10:01 AM

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?

**DeezNutz** · 06-16-2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I really think Dyson makes a ton of sense in CF long-term. He has the bat speed to stick, imo. He may lack pop, but in terms of getting on base and getting extra bases, he has been great this year. His defense is also a plus.

Yeah, he's been an OB machine this year: .286.

He's a fourth outfielder. At. Best.

Nightfyre · 06-16-2013, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Yeah, he's been an OB machine this year: .286.

He's a fourth outfielder. At. Best.

With respect to his OBP, his career line is slightly more flattering at .317 and last year he got on at a .328 clip. Not superman but certainly serviceable and much moreso than Frenchy.

mr. tegu · 06-17-2013, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Story from Jo Poz on how much Yuni Betancourt sucks....
http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/201...his-yuni-verse.

The slow pitch softball Tigers with only 6.

BigCatDaddy · 06-17-2013, 07:22 AM

Myers called up! Let the march for ROY begin.

duncan_idaho · 06-17-2013, 01:02 PM

Ventura with another solid start at Omaha last night:

5 IP | 3 H | 1 BB | 5 K

They're still keeping him on a pitch count. Want to see him continue working on the control and pitch count issues before he gets the call. But the stuff is electric.

Chiefspants · 06-17-2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Ventura with another solid start at Omaha last night:

5 IP | 3 H | 1 BB | 5 K

They're still keeping him on a pitch count. Want to see him continue working on the control and pitch count issues before he gets the call. But the stuff is electric.

A 2014 rotation of...

Shields
Duffy
Guthrie
Davis/Paulino
Ventura

..Could make Santana's loss much easier to manage.

BigCatDaddy · 06-17-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

A 2014 rotation of...

Shields
Duffy
Guthrie
Davis/Paulino
Ventura

..Could make Santana's loss much easier to manage.

I expect more from Paulino than I do Duffy. I'd also like to see Mendoza brought back. He is looking like a proven avg starting pitcher. Ventura and Duffy are still huge question marks.

Shields
Paulino
Guthrie
Davis
Mendoza

I wonder what type of bat Duffy and or Ventura could bring back.

duncan_idaho · 06-17-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I expect more from Paulino than I do Duffy. I'd also like to see Mendoza brought back. He is looking like a proven avg starting pitcher. Ventura and Duffy are still huge question marks.

Shields
Paulino
Guthrie
Davis
Mendoza

I wonder what type of bat Duffy and or Ventura could bring back.

Duffy is a question mark, no doubt. But the strides he was making before TJ were definitely encouraging. He's guaranteed to be back in 2014. Not so sure with Paulino. I'd guess the rotation looks like this to start the year:

Shields
Guthrie
Davis
Paulino
Duffy

with Mendoza in long relief, waiting to slide in because of injury or ineffectiveness.

Rotation won't be as good at the No. 2 spot in that case. The key will be getting production from Nos. 4 and 5 to balance it out. Davis, Paulino and Duffy all have the raw ability to fill the No. 2 role, but don't have the track record.

sedated · 06-17-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

Duffy
Davis/Paulino
Ventura

..Could make Santana's loss much easier to manage.

It’s outrageously optimistic to project any of those guys to even get close to Santana’s 2.80 (ish) ERA

Chiefspants · 06-17-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I expect more from Paulino than I do Duffy. I'd also like to see Mendoza brought back. He is looking like a proven avg starting pitcher. Ventura and Duffy are still huge question marks.

Shields
Paulino
Guthrie
Davis
Mendoza

I wonder what type of bat Duffy and or Ventura could bring back.

Danny Duffy may end up being the hardest throwing lefty in the majors, discarding him so quickly (after what he was flashing last year) would be pretty unwise.

Chiefspants · 06-17-2013, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedated

It’s outrageously optimistic to project any of those guys to even get close to Santana’s 2.80 (ish) ERA

I doubt they get "close" to Santana's E.R.A. I suppose I am just much more optimistic about our complete 2014 rotation after hearing the positive reports about Duffy, Paulino, and Ventura.

duncan_idaho · 06-17-2013, 01:21 PM

Oh, I also think Ventura is the most special of the SPs they've brought through the system under this regime. Since he got "right" entering last year, he's done nothing but produce. And he has handled the difficult promotions with relative ease.

He has good trade value, but his size will diminish some of that. Duffy also has value, but is still too close to the injury to fetch top price.

duncan_idaho · 06-17-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedated

It’s outrageously optimistic to project any of those guys to even get close to Santana’s 2.80 (ish) ERA

Right. But Santana will probably finish the year around 3.25.

I'd guess they're the same at No. 1, slightly worse at No. 2, slightly worse at No. 3, better at No. 4, better at No. 5, with a slight net loss.

But that kind of depends on how Ervin Santana closes the year.

mr. tegu · 06-17-2013, 01:24 PM

So is keeping Santana just out of the question?

BigCatDaddy · 06-17-2013, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Duffy is a question mark, no doubt. But the strides he was making before TJ were definitely encouraging. He's guaranteed to be back in 2014. Not so sure with Paulino. I'd guess the rotation looks like this to start the year:

Shields
Guthrie
Davis
Paulino
Duffy

with Mendoza in long relief, waiting to slide in because of injury or ineffectiveness.

Rotation won't be as good at the No. 2 spot in that case. The key will be getting production from Nos. 4 and 5 to balance it out. Davis, Paulino and Duffy all have the raw ability to fill the No. 2 role, but don't have the track record.

I'm just a big Paulino guy. He had some back luck in 11 that brought his numbers down a bit and in 2012 he was lights out in 7 starts with a 1.7 ERA or something sick like that. Obviously he wasn't going to keep up that rate, but for a pitcher to have 7 starts like that in a row shows some real tremendous ability.

I like Duffy's upside as well. I wonder if he struggles as a starter if he wouldn't make a pretty good closer. He'll have a place on this team somewhere.

12-11-2012, 09:59 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1630308	2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread 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? Last edited by duncan_idaho; 07-15-2013 at 10:01 AM..
Posts: 21,126

06-17-2013, 07:22 AM	#5899
BigCatDaddy The Beast Inside Your Head Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $1899122	Myers called up! Let the march for ROY begin.
Posts: 25,874

06-17-2013, 01:02 PM	#5900
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1630308	Ventura with another solid start at Omaha last night: 5 IP \| 3 H \| 1 BB \| 5 K They're still keeping him on a pitch count. Want to see him continue working on the control and pitch count issues before he gets the call. But the stuff is electric. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 21,126

06-17-2013, 01:21 PM	#5907
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1630308	Oh, I also think Ventura is the most special of the SPs they've brought through the system under this regime. Since he got "right" entering last year, he's done nothing but produce. And he has handled the difficult promotions with relative ease. He has good trade value, but his size will diminish some of that. Duffy also has value, but is still too close to the injury to fetch top price. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 21,126

06-17-2013, 01:24 PM	#5909
mr. tegu Forever Royal Join Date: Mar 2012 Casino cash: $1851300	So is keeping Santana just out of the question?
Posts: 24,079