2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[duncan_idaho]

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?

[Demonpenz]

True Blue Fans Rejoice.

[Demonpenz]

I can't wait to Brett takes Moose and Hosmer to Chi-Chi's on Metcalf to hit on some Waitresses to get out of this slump.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by tk13

MOAR HITTING COACHES.
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm surprised they didn't hire three.

ANYONE GOT HAL MCRAE'S PHONE NUMBER?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I can't wait to Brett takes Moose and Hosmer to Chi-Chi's on Metcalf to hit on some Waitresses to get out of this slump.

Brett and Quirk hired as "hitting on" coaches.

[Strongside]

Don't curr what you guys say...I'd love to see George as a manager. This just makes the transition from Ned to Brett that much easier. These guys will respond with him in the dugout every night...watch.

[Toadkiller]

#Royals announce George Brett and Pedro Grifol will now serve as hitting coaches.



Who the hell is Pedro?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Strongside

Don't curr what you guys say...I'd love to see George as a manager. This just makes the transition from Ned to Brett that much easier. These guys will respond with him in the dugout every night...watch.

That can be a positive factor. Wonder how much Yost will defer to Brett. This undermines him in there, I think. If Brett says something contrary to what Yost does, who are the players going to listen to (easy call there).

If there's anybody in the org who can talk to a young player about struggling early, then making adjustments to fix it, it's Brett. My understanding of Lau's work with Brett has always been that he got him to calm down, simplify things, and stop overthinking everything.

That might be just what Mouse (SIC) and Hosmer need.

[tk13]

DePodesta strikes me as a baseball version of Pioli. Maybe that's not how it was but his phone doesn't seem to be ringing off the hook despite helping revolutionize baseball.
Posted via Mobile Device

[WhawhaWhat]

Guess it's fixed now.

[Demonpenz]

Pedro Zamora like hitting.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Toadkiller

#Royals announce George Brett and Pedro Grifol will now serve as hitting coaches.



Who the hell is Pedro?

They must have voted for Pedro.

[KCUnited]

Brett absolutely loves Francoeur.

[KCUnited]

Trying to renew my ticket package, THE LINE IS BUSY!

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

You mean like Robb Heineman, Neal Patterson and Cliff Illig?

It's worse that the answer is staring everybody in the face, and Glass just sits there. Sucking.

But it's not our decision. I don't think there is a competent soul in KC that wouldn't love to see that group buy the R's. But Glass ain't selling. He's making a killing.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

If there's anybody in the org who can talk to a young player about struggling early, then making adjustments to fix it, it's Brett. My understanding of Lau's work with Brett has always been that he got him to calm down, simplify things, and stop overthinking everything.

He did, but IIRC he also tore down and rebuilt his swing. When Brett came up he was pretty much a straight up and down, bat held high, Carl Yaz kind of hitter. Lau got him to put the bat in the more horizontal launching position and shift his weight.