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?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

http://www.foxsportskansascity.com/m...5&feedID=11359

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Near the top of the frustration list for Kansas City Royals fans is the complete lack of power from the team's lineup over the last two years.

The Royals finished tied for last in 2012 in home runs with just 131, and perhaps not coincidentally, they were 12th in runs scored.

So, manager Ned Yost decided a switch in hitting philosophy was in order. Out went hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. In came hitting coaches Jack Maloof and Andre Davis.

And Yost suggested one reason behind the change was the need to get the most power out of the Royals' young hitters. Yost also proclaimed that Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Sal Perez, and Lorenzo Cain all seemed capable of hitting 20 or more homers.

So far, however, the Royals, in terms of power, appear to be going in reverse. Hosmer, Perez and Cain each are stuck on one home run, and it's almost June. Moustakas has four homers, but is hitting in the .170s.

The Royals are dead last in home runs in the American League with just 28, and are 13th in runs scored. They have hit just two homers since May 14 – both by 39-year-old backup infielder Miguel Tejada.

The Royals also are 14th in the league in walks.

According to Maloof, however, don't expect the power numbers to change, a declaration that likely won't sit well with frustrated Royals fans.

Maloof has conceded, like many Royals hitting coaches before him, that hitting in Kauffman Stadium simply isn't conducive to home runs, at least not for the home team.

"There is just no reward here (for us) to try and hit home runs," Maloof said. "We try to stay down on the ball, be more line-drive oriented, and do more situational hitting at least through the first two or three rounds (at home) here. That's why I'm not overly concerned because I think we'll lead the league in fewest home runs again this year. We don't have a 40-homer guy in the middle of the lineup.

"We've got kids. Billy Butler is a doubles machine. No one has told me he is a home run hitting guy. If we try to do it too much, we'll get ourselves in trouble. Same thing with Alex (Gordon). They'll hit home runs on the road, and yes, they'll hit some here. They have. But the risk for them to go out and hit a home run in one of 80 at-bats, the reward isn't great enough.

"Baltimore? Better reward. I'm not using it as an excuse. But it is a mindset."

Of course, the counter argument is obvious: Other teams seem to come into spacious Kauffman Stadium and have no trouble hitting home runs. Yost mentioned as much after letting Seitzer go last fall.

In fact, opponents have hit nearly three times as many home runs (32-11) this season at Kauffman Stadium as the Royals.

Maloof has an explanation for that.

"Here's the thing: Other teams come in here from Anaheim or wherever and they have their swing already down," Maloof said. "This park doesn't even enter into their minds when they hit here. They have their swings, the same swings, because it pays dividends for them at home.

"What we need to do with our players, like we were in April, is be better at situational hitting. We were over 60 percent then in getting guys in from third. We're under 50 percent now. We just need to execute better. In this ballpark, go ahead and hit the ball in play (with guys on third and less than two outs). You're not going to hit a home run anyway, for the most part.

"I'm not making excuses. We play half of our games here. I'm just talking about the ability for a ball to carry out here the way it would in Anaheim or Philadelphia or in Baltimore, where we have hit home runs."

The absence of power, Maloof said, has more to do with youth than ability.

"I understand what Kansas City fans and baseball fans have been through here," he said. "They want winning. In spring training and in April, expectations were high. I get that. But again, we're looking at players whether it's Sal Perez or Lorenzo Cain or Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas – they don't have much service time. Not an excuse, but it's a fact.

"We've got Billy and Alex who have some RBIs (and homers), but we need more contributions."

Ultimately, though, Maloof knows fans are looking for scapegoats. And when an offense is riding a season-long slump, it's easy to find one – the hitting coach.

"I understand what fans' frustrations are," he said. "But we're doing the best we can. If I get too caught up with what fans are saying, I wouldn't sleep at night. I know the history of this team losing 90 games. But we have to keep the players from getting down and pressing. Don't get caught up in all that.

"We have to stay positive, and there's a lot of baseball left."

You can follow Jeffrey Flanagan on Twitter at @jflanagankc or email him at jeffreyflanagan6@gmail.com.


****ing bullshit. **** you Maloof, you idiot.

What a steaming pile of horseshit. They act like this is the goddamn Astrodome, and that Moose and Hos and Sal etc. are rookies. Plus, it's not like Moose and Hos are hitting balls to the warning track that would go out of other stadiums.

JFC, this franchise.

[KevB]

That interview with Maloof is mind-numbingly stupid, and what little hope I had left just went down the toilet. Rany is having a field day with this on Twitter.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by KevB

That interview with Maloof is mind-numbingly stupid, and what little hope I had left just went down the toilet. Rany is having a field day with this on Twitter.

He is crushing them.

[siberian khatru]

Oh, and there's that "situational hitting" bullshit again. Just as JoPo predicted a week ago: Here come "the little things."

**** this ****ing franchise. "Oh, we can't compete because we're small market." "Oh, we can't hit home runs because our park is too big." "Oh, we pride ourselves in doing the little things, like make productive outs." Great, here's your participation ribbon from Joe Torre.

What a loser mentality.

[gblowfish]

Ned Singing "Whip It" from 610 Sports:

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Oh, and there's that "situational hitting" bullshit again. Just as JoPo predicted a week ago: Here come "the little things."

**** this ****ing franchise. "Oh, we can't compete because we're small market." "Oh, we can't hit home runs because our park is too big." "Oh, we pride ourselves in doing the little things, like make productive outs." Great, here's your participation ribbon from Joe Torre.

What a loser mentality.

This is the biggest load of shit from this Maloof guy. Every other ****ing team crushes the ball at the K.

[gblowfish]

Royals are being out-homered 3 to 1 at the K so far this year. Probably worse than that on the road.

[Deberg_1990]

Heh, JoPo Royals power update


http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/201...date.html#more


And this gets to the heart of something else. The Royals have not exactly been facing the 1965 Dodgers pitching staff in this absurd stretch. A look at the starting pitchers the Royals have faced during this streak makes the thing even more impossible:

5/28: Tyler Lyons (rookie making his second big-league start)

5/27: Adam Wainwright

5/26: Jerome Williams

5/25: Billy Buckner (former Royal, making his first big league start in three years)

5/24: Jason Vargas (30-year-old who was second in homers allowed last year, giving up 35)

5/23: Joe Blanton (who came into game 0-7, 6.62 ERA, with league slugging .562 against him)

5/22: Jordan Lyles (22-year-old who came into game with 6.63 ERA with league slugging .524 against him)

5/21: Bud Norris

5/20: Dallas Keuchel (who came in having given up 19 homers in 113 career innings)

5/19: A.J. Griffin (who had allowed eight homers in 51 innings, he gave up three more in his next start)

5/18: Tommy Malone (31 homers in his previous 241 innings)

5/17: Jarrod Parker (nine homers in 40 innings coming -- also a 6.64 ERA)

5/15: Barry Enright (second start in more than two years)

You know who is not on that list? Justin Verlander. And CC Sabathia. And Felix Hernandez. And really any of the, say, 40 best pitchers in the American League. Other than Wainwright, you would have thought the Royals would hit home runs BY ACCDIDENT.

[siberian khatru]

Rob Neyer: Boy, if home runs were bullshit, the Royals would be the '61 Yankees.

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/5...e-royals-power

(I THINK he means "if bullshit were home runs," doesn't he?)

[BlackHelicopters]

Remind me again why we are Royals and Chief fans?

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

http://www.foxsportskansascity.com/m...5&feedID=11359

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Near the top of the frustration list for Kansas City Royals fans is the complete lack of power from the team's lineup over the last two years.

The Royals finished tied for last in 2012 in home runs with just 131, and perhaps not coincidentally, they were 12th in runs scored.

So, manager Ned Yost decided a switch in hitting philosophy was in order. Out went hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. In came hitting coaches Jack Maloof and Andre Davis.

And Yost suggested one reason behind the change was the need to get the most power out of the Royals' young hitters. Yost also proclaimed that Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Sal Perez, and Lorenzo Cain all seemed capable of hitting 20 or more homers.

So far, however, the Royals, in terms of power, appear to be going in reverse. Hosmer, Perez and Cain each are stuck on one home run, and it's almost June. Moustakas has four homers, but is hitting in the .170s.

The Royals are dead last in home runs in the American League with just 28, and are 13th in runs scored. They have hit just two homers since May 14 – both by 39-year-old backup infielder Miguel Tejada.

The Royals also are 14th in the league in walks.

According to Maloof, however, don't expect the power numbers to change, a declaration that likely won't sit well with frustrated Royals fans.

Maloof has conceded, like many Royals hitting coaches before him, that hitting in Kauffman Stadium simply isn't conducive to home runs, at least not for the home team.

"There is just no reward here (for us) to try and hit home runs," Maloof said. "We try to stay down on the ball, be more line-drive oriented, and do more situational hitting at least through the first two or three rounds (at home) here. That's why I'm not overly concerned because I think we'll lead the league in fewest home runs again this year. We don't have a 40-homer guy in the middle of the lineup.

"We've got kids. Billy Butler is a doubles machine. No one has told me he is a home run hitting guy. If we try to do it too much, we'll get ourselves in trouble. Same thing with Alex (Gordon). They'll hit home runs on the road, and yes, they'll hit some here. They have. But the risk for them to go out and hit a home run in one of 80 at-bats, the reward isn't great enough.

"Baltimore? Better reward. I'm not using it as an excuse. But it is a mindset."

Of course, the counter argument is obvious: Other teams seem to come into spacious Kauffman Stadium and have no trouble hitting home runs. Yost mentioned as much after letting Seitzer go last fall.

In fact, opponents have hit nearly three times as many home runs (32-11) this season at Kauffman Stadium as the Royals.

Maloof has an explanation for that.

"Here's the thing: Other teams come in here from Anaheim or wherever and they have their swing already down," Maloof said. "This park doesn't even enter into their minds when they hit here. They have their swings, the same swings, because it pays dividends for them at home.

"What we need to do with our players, like we were in April, is be better at situational hitting. We were over 60 percent then in getting guys in from third. We're under 50 percent now. We just need to execute better. In this ballpark, go ahead and hit the ball in play (with guys on third and less than two outs). You're not going to hit a home run anyway, for the most part.

"I'm not making excuses. We play half of our games here. I'm just talking about the ability for a ball to carry out here the way it would in Anaheim or Philadelphia or in Baltimore, where we have hit home runs."

The absence of power, Maloof said, has more to do with youth than ability.

"I understand what Kansas City fans and baseball fans have been through here," he said. "They want winning. In spring training and in April, expectations were high. I get that. But again, we're looking at players whether it's Sal Perez or Lorenzo Cain or Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas – they don't have much service time. Not an excuse, but it's a fact.

"We've got Billy and Alex who have some RBIs (and homers), but we need more contributions."

Ultimately, though, Maloof knows fans are looking for scapegoats. And when an offense is riding a season-long slump, it's easy to find one – the hitting coach.

"I understand what fans' frustrations are," he said. "But we're doing the best we can. If I get too caught up with what fans are saying, I wouldn't sleep at night. I know the history of this team losing 90 games. But we have to keep the players from getting down and pressing. Don't get caught up in all that.

"We have to stay positive, and there's a lot of baseball left."

You can follow Jeffrey Flanagan on Twitter at @jflanagankc or email him at jeffreyflanagan6@gmail.com.


****ing bullshit. **** you Maloof, you idiot.

My favorite parts in bold.

If Ned wants to atleast delay his inevitable firing, there's no way he should keep this guy as a hitting coach.

[petegz28]

So if firing Seitzer and bringing in David and Maloof isn't enough to get Ned fired then nothing will until Dayton gets fired.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Remind me again why we are Royals and Chief fans?

Atleast the Chiefs mix in a winning season here and there.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Remind me again why we are Royals and Chief fans?

Well.. I'm a Bucs fan. But I imagine it's because we ****ing enjoy the pain.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by petegz28

So if firing Seitzer and bringing in David and Maloof isn't enough to get Ned fired then nothing will until Dayton gets fired.

Dayton will eventually fire him just to save his job.