Royals 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread - Page 552

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?

Archie F. Swin · 07-31-2013, 11:39 AM

Thank God its almost over. I can stop mainlining twitter.

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Petro suggested that we have the personnel (coaches) to make weeks better.

Because he likes Ned Yost? I don't know that Ned can make him magically lose 15-20 pounds.

Back to Kennedy...

Young, cheap, buy-low opportunity. He'd be a nice piece to move to LA if you really want Kendrick, but I think it also makes sense to buy him low with the intention of slotting him in the No. 2 or 3 spot in your rotation next year and the year after.

Dbacks don't want much for him. Joe Thatcher is a solid veteran LH reliever, and he's supposedly the key piece in their deal. He's tough on lefties but not dominant and gets rocked by righties. Gregerson is a good reliever, but not exactly Kimbrel or Rivera, either.

I'm confident KC COULD beat any package the Padres offer for Kennedy, but WILL it?

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

MLB Network is saying right now that the Padres are closing in on Kennedy.

Booo. Booo.

Pick up the phone, Dayton!

siberian khatru · 07-31-2013, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Because he likes Ned Yost? I don't know that Ned can make him magically lose 15-20 pounds.

Back to Kennedy...

Young, cheap, buy-low opportunity. He'd be a nice piece to move to LA if you really want Kendrick, but I think it also makes sense to buy him low with the intention of slotting him in the No. 2 or 3 spot in your rotation next year and the year after.

Dbacks don't want much for him. Joe Thatcher is a solid veteran LH reliever, and he's supposedly the key piece in their deal. He's tough on lefties but not dominant and gets rocked by righties. Gregerson is a good reliever, but not exactly Kimbrel or Rivera, either.

I'm confident KC COULD beat any package the Padres offer for Kennedy, but WILL it?

Would you go Crow? Coleman? Herrera?

tk13 · 07-31-2013, 11:50 AM

I guess we'll see what the next couple hours bring. Sure seems like the second wild card has taken some of the steam out of the trade deadline in general. Too many teams still in it, and some of the teams that aren't don't want to give away too much.
Posted via Mobile Device

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2013, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Would you go Crow? Coleman? Herrera?

Any of them.

WhawhaWhat · 07-31-2013, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Would you go Crow? Coleman? Herrera?

Hochevar and Wade Davis to their 'pen for Ian Kennedy!

siberian khatru · 07-31-2013, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Any of them.

Thought you would.

Our friends at RR are saying Holland for Kennedy straight up. I pass on that.

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2013, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Thought you would.

Our friends at RR are saying Holland for Kennedy straight up. I pass on that.

I would pass on that, too, because it's underselling Holland.

Plus, you're overselling the market. Gregerson and Thatcher are good, but not THAT good. That's the compensation you're competing against.

No need to offer that much. Would be like bidding for something in an auction and going 25 percent over your budget for the item... when the current bidding was at 50 percent of your budget.

WhawhaWhat · 07-31-2013, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Dbacks don't want much for him. Joe Thatcher is a solid veteran LH reliever, and he's supposedly the key piece in their deal. He's tough on lefties but not dominant and gets rocked by righties. Gregerson is a good reliever, but not exactly Kimbrel or Rivera, either.

I'm confident KC COULD beat any package the Padres offer for Kennedy, but WILL it?

Double-A pitcher Matt Stites is in the Padres' offer for Kennedy, tweets Darren Smith of XX1090.

Stites is from Mizzou btw.

duncan_idaho · 07-31-2013, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Double-A pitcher Matt Stites is in the Padres' offer for Kennedy, tweets Darren Smith of XX1090.

Stites is from Mizzou btw.

Stites is a small reliever.

Royals could counter that by offering someone like Kyle Smith, Jason Adam, etc. Even Will Smith.

siberian khatru · 07-31-2013, 12:01 PM

Looking to beef up a late-innings relief corps that is tied for second in the majors with 19 blown saves, the Diamondbacks are close to sending starter Ian Kennedy to the Padres for lefty set-up man Joe Thatcher, according to CBSSports.com sources.

The Diamondbacks also would receive other players – likely two minor-leaguers – in the deal with Thatcher.

The Angels and another unidentified team or two also have been engaging the Diamondbacks in trade discussions for Kennedy, 28, who is in the midst of a rough season.

A 21-game winner in 2011, Kennedy is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts for the Diamondbacks this season. He also has a 1.419 WHIP, the worst of his career for a full season.

Among the reasons he is attractive to the Padres is that he is controllable through 2015.

Thatcher, 31, is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 50 games for the Padres this summer and has been a dependable bullpen piece for them since 2009.

Only the Cubs, with 22 blown saves, have coughed up more save opportunities than the Diamondbacks, who now stand 3 ½ games behind the scorching-hot Dodgers in the NL West.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/sc...in-trade-talks

Mr. Laz · 07-31-2013, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Petro suggested that we have the personnel (coaches) to make weeks better.

if we were good at making players better we wouldn't need to trade for anyone

**alnorth** · 07-31-2013, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Thought you would.

Our friends at RR are saying Holland for Kennedy straight up. I pass on that.

hey, I'm all on board the "closers are overrated" theory, but one of the exceptions is when you are chasing down 4 teams from 5 games back with 2 months to go and you are staring down the barrel of needing to win a bunch of 1-run games because of our light offense. If its 2015 and our window has closed and we can't win then sure, sell off the closer.

siberian khatru · 07-31-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alnorth

hey, I'm all on board the "closers are overrated" theory, but one of the exceptions is when you are chasing down 4 teams from 5 games back with 2 months to go and you are staring down the barrel of needing to win a bunch of 1-run games because of our light offense. If its 2015 and our window has closed and we can't win then sure, sell off the closer.

Agreed. I was fully in favor of trading Soria because we weren't going anywhere soon. But if you have a two-year window to compete, I think you hang on to Holland.

12-11-2012, 09:59 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1760308	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: 21,085

07-31-2013, 11:39 AM	#8266
Archie F. Swin This is the way Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Casino cash: $9975673	Thank God its almost over. I can stop mainlining twitter. __________________ "No Two People Will Do It The Same, You got It Down...When You Appear to Be In Pain!"
Posts: 11,800

07-31-2013, 11:50 AM	#8270
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1992500	I guess we'll see what the next couple hours bring. Sure seems like the second wild card has taken some of the steam out of the trade deadline in general. Too many teams still in it, and some of the teams that aren't don't want to give away too much. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 54,944

07-31-2013, 12:01 PM	#8277
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $2554950	Looking to beef up a late-innings relief corps that is tied for second in the majors with 19 blown saves, the Diamondbacks are close to sending starter Ian Kennedy to the Padres for lefty set-up man Joe Thatcher, according to CBSSports.com sources. The Diamondbacks also would receive other players – likely two minor-leaguers – in the deal with Thatcher. The Angels and another unidentified team or two also have been engaging the Diamondbacks in trade discussions for Kennedy, 28, who is in the midst of a rough season. A 21-game winner in 2011, Kennedy is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts for the Diamondbacks this season. He also has a 1.419 WHIP, the worst of his career for a full season. Among the reasons he is attractive to the Padres is that he is controllable through 2015. Thatcher, 31, is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 50 games for the Padres this summer and has been a dependable bullpen piece for them since 2009. Only the Cubs, with 22 blown saves, have coughed up more save opportunities than the Diamondbacks, who now stand 3 ½ games behind the scorching-hot Dodgers in the NL West. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/sc...in-trade-talks
Posts: 69,173