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?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by CHENZ A!

Damnit.. Must not get excited... Think about baseball.. ****!

i hear ya- i went to Wild wings to watch us stomp on Zach last night- Loved it even if it didn't count.

LA and their 200 million payroll got their asses handed to them-lol

[58kcfan89]

What do James Shields, Clayton Kershaw, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, David Price and Stephen Strasburg have in common? They're all on an SI cover this week. (Apologies if repost. And I don't think the curse applies to regional covers, does it? Either way, it's nice to get some attention. And it's not like we haven't been cursed for about 27 years or so.)

[Nightfyre]

Of course ESPN would do that to us. The first viable starter we've had since Greinke and they curse him.

[lewdog]

I am pissed about the SI cover. **** that curse!!!!

I was at the game last night against Greinke. I left feeling more positive than I ever have felt about the Royals. Something just feels right. This coming from someone who is pretty negative on KC sports. Obligatory, "**** the Chiefs!"

[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Of course ESPN would do that to us. The first viable starter we've had since Greinke and they curse him.

I'm assuming you meant SI, but think of it this way: At least the Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers are going to be cursed, too. And it's nothing new to us.

[Demonpenz]

This team needs a red ass. MATT STAIRS COME BE A COACH>

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I am pissed about the SI cover. **** that curse!!!!

I was at the game last night against Greinke. I left feeling more positive than I ever have felt about the Royals. Something just feels right. This coming from someone who is pretty negative on KC sports. Obligatory, "**** the Chiefs!"

Don't worry, the curse does not apply, because its a regional cover. If it was a national cover, we'd be screwed. Yeah, there's only 6 regional covers so we might get a lot of coverage, but if it ain't national, it doesn't count.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Don't worry, the curse does not apply, because its a regional cover. If it was a national cover, we'd be screwed. Yeah, there's only 6 regional covers so we might get a lot of coverage, but if it ain't national, it doesn't count.

We can't even get cursed right!

[Paniero]

I tugged one out in celebration of the Cactus League Champs.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

We can't even get cursed right!

DM dropped the ball again.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Paniero

I tugged one out in celebration of the Cactus League Champs.

I believe this belongs in the dating thread.

[Paniero]

Originally Posted by tk13

I believe this belongs in the dating thread.

Nope. I skeet in whatever thread tickles me fancy.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

We can't even get cursed right!

The Royals have been cursed for 27 years!

[CoMoChief]

Any chance the Royals ever play a home game on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball ?

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Pitching a defense look much improved.

Kind of curious what you are seeing here to say the defense has improved. Cause it's the same exact team as last year, minus Yuni... oh.. that explains it.