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?

[Chief_For_Life58]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Um...does the flood of 1951 and 1993 ring any bells????

itd be a pretty sweet location until a flood wiped it out though amirite?

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Bowser

The problem is that everyone around the metro proper has adjusted their lives to being able to drive to whereever they want whenever they want. The sprawl knocks down on traffic here (I've never been stuck in traffic at 2 am like I have been in Chicago).

I guess I just disagree on what light rail could do for the town. I live up by Worlds of Fun, and would happily get on the EL if it took me to Sprint, the airport, or the Stadiums.

Yeah. And I'd happily take light rail to Paris. It's just not economically feasible to put the infrastructure in place. Hell, the studies have shown that the income couldn't pay for even a fraction of the upkeep. We literally couldn't afford this if it were free to build.

Major metro areas have millions of people in an area of a few miles. We have hundreds of thousands of people in tens of miles. We have one percent of the population density of the cities with light rail, and those cities are losing money hand over fist on the project. It is the biggest boondoggle ever. Clay Chastain is the guy who is always pimping this thing. Guess where he's from...actually, guess where he's NOT from

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah, Baez and Fernandez look especially painful. I think Fernandez is going to become an 'every start watch' for me this year. It's uncommon to find a guy with that kind of easy velocity that can sustain it for 90 pitches, command it and pair it with a knee-buckling breaking ball. Felix Hernandez seems like a lazy comp, but I'll be damned if I can't avoid making it.

That said, Starling still has Mike Trout level tools. It's hard to really bang on the Royals for taking him; he's a generational athlete that is going to take more work than most thought to pull it together.

You do hate to see scouting reports bombing his pitch recognition, though. That takes a looooooong time to click and is the area that's least likely to come together. Apart from "often finds himself tits deep in mounds of cocaine arranged haphazardly on random exotic dancers", there's not a much more cringe inducing line to read for a young player.

I could at least respect him for a problem like this.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Zeke

duncan, it's also a bit scary that 2 of those pitchers are still on our current staff.

Chen did his job the other night.

[Hootie]

speaking of Jose Fernandez...

so uh he's pretty much worth owning in all fantasy leagues, right?

[cumshotguru]

Do we have a legit chance at trading for Stanton? I've seen it discussed, but I must admit I don't know much about what we have left in the minors that is worth anything.

[Hootie]

[58-4ever]

This team has been so much fun to watch, I wish there was a game tonight.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If Hochevar would commit to being a legitimate sinkerballer, he'd prolong his career and maybe develop himself into a decent back of the rotation starter.

. You haven't watched enough Hochevar.

It's not about being too diverse with his pitch selection; it's all about being a mental pussy at the slightest hint of trouble, even if he's otherwise dominating with his stuff.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by cumshotguru

Do we have a legit chance at trading for Stanton? I've seen it discussed, but I must admit I don't know much about what we have left in the minors that is worth anything.

Depends on Miami...if they decide to trade him its going to take at least 3-4 top prospects to get him.

[Consistent1]

Originally Posted by cumshotguru

Do we have a legit chance at trading for Stanton? I've seen it discussed, but I must admit I don't know much about what we have left in the minors that is worth anything.

Great username and first post buddy. Welcome to the Planet....

[KevB]

Anybody see the brawl between Dodgers and Pads? Apparently, somebody threw over Kemp's head early the game. A bit later, Greinke plunked Carlos Quentin in the arm. Quentin hesitated, then charged Greinke. ZG stood his ground and took him head up like a MLB stepping into the hole. I was damned impressed. Unfortunately, now they're saying ZG broke his left collarbone in the hit and will miss a while.

Quentin better wear some extra protection against the Dodgers going forward, they're going to be out to get him.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by cumshotguru

Do we have a legit chance at trading for Stanton? I've seen it discussed, but I must admit I don't know much about what we have left in the minors that is worth anything.

Not a chance IMO.....

[Ebolapox]

greinke breaks his collarbone in a brawl. for some reason that really amuses me.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by KevB

Anybody see the brawl between Dodgers and Pads? Apparently, somebody threw over Kemp's head early the game. A bit later, Greinke plunked Carlos Quentin in the arm. Quentin hesitated, then charged Greinke. ZG stood his ground and took him head up like a MLB stepping into the hole. I was damned impressed. Unfortunately, now they're saying ZG broke his left collarbone in the hit and will miss a while.

Quentin better wear some extra protection against the Dodgers going forward, they're going to be out to get him.

Quentin is a ninja level douchebag. He doesn't even attempt to get out of the way of inside pitches. He leans in to them and then complains that he gets hit too much. I hope someone beans that asshat in the head next game.