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?

[Prison Bitch]

Scored 10 ER off Gio Gonzalez. With Cabrera getting the day off. Any doubt they're the best team in the AL?

[mr. tegu]

Something to remember.

We have played three less games than Cleveland. Four less than Baltimore. Three less than New York. Four less than Texas.

We may be five games back of the lead but we also more games to play to make up the difference.

[duncan_idaho]

Man, sometimes I hate thinking about Kevin Towers and Dayton Moore and other guys like that and how they do their jobs.

When I moved to KC and left sports journalism, I had a few friends and colleagues who strongly suggested I get into scouting as my next career. I did some initial work for it but decided I didn't want to live that lifestyle.

Then I look at guys like Towers and Moore and start fantasizing about actually trying to make trades with them, and it makes me wish I had stuck with scouting/front office track.

[ChiefsCountry]

We have 31 games in August. 10 of them are against the Red Sox, Tigers, and Rays. The rest are against teams under .500. We have a fairly manageable schedule to make up some ground.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Scored 10 ER off Gio Gonzalez. With Cabrera getting the day off. Any doubt they're the best team in the AL?

Doubt? Yes I think there is doubt. I don't agree that they are without a doubt better than TB or BOS. Gio had been scorching though.

[Messier]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Something to remember.

We have played three less games than Cleveland. Four less than Baltimore. Three less than New York. Four less than Texas.

We may be five games back of the lead but we also more games to play to make up the difference.

Or fall further back.

[RockChalk]

Justin Maxwell?

[RockChalk]

Sources: #Royals acquire OF Justin Maxwell from #Astros.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2013

[ChiefsCountry]

If the Royals keep their average month winning percentage expect for May, which is around .580. By Labor Day, the Royals should be about 70 wins and 65 loses, with at the end of that week - 12 straight against the Tigers and Indians.

[silver5liter]

Of course.... of ****ing course... royals...

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Justin Maxwell?

OF from Astros. Speed/power, Ks a ton.

[DJJasonp]

Just a backup

[Cephalic Trauma]

"hit lefties at a .253/.370/.455 clip throughout his career"

Per mlbtr

[Ceej]

What did we give up?

[penbrook]

He was just a waiver claim. Could mean Cain is going on the DL