(New) 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

New thread, this time with more burst.

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?

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Can someone explain to me why people wanted Hughes? He's horrible. I'm ecstatic that the Twins picked him up.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Can someone explain to me why people wanted Hughes? He's horrible. I'm ecstatic that the Twins picked him up.

He's "due" for a rebound, especially playing in a pitcher's park. And his ceiling is much higher than Vargas, although I'll admit that Vargas is much more consistent. I think it would be like taking a shot on Santana, who had a bounce back year pitching for us last year.

[BlackHelicopters]

Eiland and Hughes have some history. And hopefully Hughes would rebound.

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Can someone explain to me why people wanted Hughes? He's horrible. I'm ecstatic that the Twins picked him up.

Rany Jazayerli ‏@jazayerli 52m
Jason Vargas' career road numbers: 5.17 ERA, 1.44 HR/9, 1.78 K/BB. Phil Hughes' career road numbers: 4.10 ERA, 0.86 HR/9, 2.52 K/BB.

Me: Target Field seems to depress home runs even more than than the K. Good signing for the Twins, I think.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

Rany Jazayerli ‏@jazayerli 52m
Jason Vargas' career road numbers: 5.17 ERA, 1.44 HR/9, 1.78 K/BB. Phil Hughes' career road numbers: 4.10 ERA, 0.86 HR/9, 2.52 K/BB.

Me: Target Field seems to depress home runs even more than than the K. Good signing for the Twins, I think.

I'm in the minority I guess of the wait and see crowd. At least hoping that Vargas is someone they spotted that the staff noticed a minor change in his mechanics or something like that would be a tremendous difference maker and he will do well. At least I can hope and then see how things progress come this spring.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Can someone explain to me why people wanted Hughes? He's horrible. I'm ecstatic that the Twins picked him up.

Phil Hughes is a prime candidate for the Ervin Santana rehabilitation plan.

[alnorth]

If anyone wants to dream a little, I'm pretty sure the Yankees are signing Cano. They are squabbling right now, but there is a market of one, and if Cano doesn't come down to New York's number, he'll take a massive cut signing for team #2.

Once NYY gets Cano, they'll be close to their self-imposed salary cap and I don't think they'll want Beltran anymore. With the Yanks out, it makes it more likely for us.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by alnorth

If anyone wants to dream a little, I'm pretty sure the Yankees are signing Cano. They are squabbling right now, but there is a market of one, and if Cano doesn't come down to New York's number, he'll take a massive cut signing for team #2.

Once NYY gets Cano, they'll be close to their self-imposed salary cap and I don't think they'll want Beltran anymore. With the Yanks out, it makes it more likely for us.

Hope so....Royals shouldn't trade butler unless its a massive offer if they sign beltran

[tk13]

I'd guess the difference really is just that Vargas has been more of a workhorse. Hughes has never thrown 200 IP in a season. He's only thrown over 150 IP twice. Dayton's looking to fill innings in the rotation. Of course this technically means Hughes has less miles on his arm... he's definitely the higher ceiling play, but also more risky.

[alnorth]

Hughes has the higher ceiling, Vargas has the higher floor. You can make an argument for either. If you really believe that one of our young pitchers will step up, then you could see taking Vargas over Hughes.

[alnorth]

Some interesting comments recently from DM helps to explain why the Royals are going after Beltran so hard, aside from the obvious reasons. He pretty much flat-out said that no one is willing to trade a bat, so FA is the only option.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Hughes has the higher ceiling, Vargas has the higher floor. You can make an argument for either. If you really believe that one of our young pitchers will step up, then you could see taking Vargas over Hughes.

I know I'll be rooting for Duffy- I love that kids enthusiasm and genuineness both for his team and for being a Royal.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Hughes has the higher ceiling, Vargas has the higher floor. You can make an argument for either. If you really believe that one of our young pitchers will step up, then you could see taking Vargas over Hughes.

Well I think if this team is going to have success, the young pitchers have to step up. Even the big market teams don't win if they can't develop a starting pitcher or two. Unless you've got Dave Duncan who can turn guys like Suppan and Jeff Weaver into gold... you need to develop a Matt Cain or Jon Lester or Cole Hamels.

I was fine with signing Hughes... you can't have too many starters. But I'd guess the difference in DM's mind was that Vargas has a much better track record of eating innings, while posting similar or better ERA numbers.

[BlackHelicopters]

Our bullpen was so good because our starters ate inninings. Vargas was signed to continue this trend. We need two young pitchers to make a big leap. Duffy and Ventura. Now about that offense...

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Some interesting comments recently from DM helps to explain why the Royals are going after Beltran so hard, aside from the obvious reasons. He pretty much flat-out said that no one is willing to trade a bat, so FA is the only option.

Ya, except for his dumbass as he's looking to offload Butler. Maybe the market is dry and if that's the case you'd like to think he'd command above the normal value in return, but I have little faith he'll rape some other team for talent in exchange, plus I don't understand the zero sum gain in essentially swapping out 1 for the other when we need live bats and having both could honestly in my opinion account for 10 to 15 games more in the win column- possibly more with a lineup with that much higher of a consistency rate.