(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?

[Tytanium]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Youkilis has played an average of 102 games/year over the past 5 seasons, since turning 30. He also has NEVER walked 100 times in a season. Mostly because he has never played more than 147 games in a season.

I wouldn't bitch about bringing him, but I wouldn't think it was a slam-dunk success, either.

Still, Gordon/Youk/Hosmer/Butler would be an interesting grouping at the top of the lineup. Lot of OBP ability in that foursome.

His OPS+ is still higher than a lot of players on the roster, ESPECIALLY Moose. If he had last year (69 walks in 80 GS, .349 OBP), he'd almost make up for Escobar's terrible offense and the black hole at second base we had for most of the year.

Jesus, just looking at our middle infield this year, how did we even get as many wins as we have? Escobar +53 OPS .259 OBP on the year. TERRIBLE. I'd take an defensively average shortstop who can walk over a slightly above average defensive SS who can't do shit when he's in the batter's box.

[SPchief]

Even though I hate the Yankees, watching Rivera pitching and then leaving his last game in the Bronx was really ****ing cool.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Tytanium

His OPS+ is still higher than a lot of players on the roster, ESPECIALLY Moose. If he had last year (69 walks in 80 GS, .349 OBP), he'd almost make up for Escobar's terrible offense and the black hole at second base we had for most of the year.

Jesus, just looking at our middle infield this year, how did we even get as many wins as we have? Escobar +53 OPS .259 OBP on the year. TERRIBLE. I'd take an defensively average shortstop who can walk over a slightly above average defensive SS who can't do shit when he's in the batter's box.

I'm not anti-Youk. Just not in love with the idea. If he was more durable, I probably would be.

It would be pretty bold for them to sign Youkilis, and I'd expect either Moose or Butler to be traded if they did.

[Prison Bitch]

Anyone who wants Carlos "Old legs" Beltran out in RF should've seen the catch Lough made last night with 2 runners on. Sliced and deep to the wall, and he was able to sprint back on it, twist, and barely grab it at the warning track.


Forget his 2-run homer. Those are rare for our RF this year. But defensively, they're incredible. And if Alshittys Escobar can be justified as a starter based solely on defense, why not David Lough, who can actually hit a bit?

[Discuss Thrower]

**** Ned Yost

[siberian khatru]

Royals jumping all over Chris Sale in the first inning

[siberian khatru]

Royals scored more runs in the first inning vs. Sale tonight (3) than in three previous starts against him this year combined (2).

I'm not even going to get into why Jamey Carroll is playing and not, say, Gio.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Royals scored more runs in the first inning vs. Sale tonight (3) than in three previous starts against him this year combined (2).

I'm not even going to get into why Jamey Carroll is playing and not, say, Gio.

I wonder too why Go Johnny Go Go never gets to play. Ned seems to be the same way with Coleman.

[Prison Bitch]

Gios defensive metrics are abysmal

[tk13]

This is almost completely unrelated but I can't believe how bad the Twins are. Their lineup on paper just looks terrible. The Indians are whipping them tonight.

[tk13]

Jamey Carroll got his 1000th career hit. I'm guessing that's why he was in the lineup.

[siberian khatru]

Jamey Carroll reads ChiefsPlanet between innings -- he just doubled and scored.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by tk13

Jamey Carroll got his 1000th career hit. I'm guessing that's why he was in the lineup.

Ah.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by tk13

Jamey Carroll got his 1000th career hit. I'm guessing that's why he was in the lineup.

When did he get 999? When he was with the Twins?

[tk13]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

When did he get 999? When he was with the Twins?

I'll have you know funny guy that he only had 996 hits when he came to KC. He's had three whole hits as a Royal coming into tonight, in only 33 ABs. That's a blistering .091 average.