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?

[alnorth]

If Hoch does that all spring, we might be able to cut him and win the inevitable greivance against the union.

In order to save money and cut him, Hoch cant just be bad the next few weeks, he's got to be unbelievably terrible.

[Shogun]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

I really don't know how the Royals offseason was that absurd. James Shields trade after sitting down and thinking about it, makes alot of sense even with giving up Myers. Hoch is what it is. We got some solid pitching out of the offseason.

This. Royals had a good offseason IMO

[58kcfan89]

So I had planned on getting a Geno Smith authentic jersey with part of my tax return money. Then today happened.

I want to buy a Sal Perez jersey, but am not entirely convinced he won't be playing for the A's in three years (I know he's got a long-term contract here, but I've had bad luck with baseball jerseys). Anyone want to push me over the ledge to buy one? If it's a bad idea, I'm just going to save it. Might be a better option anyway lol

Oh, and **** Hochevar.

[Nightfyre]

I already bought my Perez jersey and he doesn't seem to have been cursed yet by it. I am hoping he is immune to jersey curses.

[AndChiefs]

5-0-1

[alnorth]

interesting article on the days before the big james shields trade. It almost didn't happen, Tampa Bay was working on a 3-team trade with Arizona and Texas that fell through right before we came in.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by alnorth

interesting article on the days before the big james shields trade. It almost didn't happen, Tampa Bay was working on a 3-team trade with Arizona and Texas that fell through right before we came in.

Rosenthal was talking about it on MLB Network today.

[lewdog]

Zack Greinke, reflecting on his signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason, didn't mince words recently when addressing the motivating factor for his decision.

Greinke, who signed a $147 million, six-year deal with Dodgers, says one thing held sway first and foremost: money.

More From ESPNLosAngeles.com

For more news, notes and analysis of the Dodgers, check out ESPN LA's Dodgers Report. Blog

"I could play for the worst team if they paid the most," Greinke said in an interview with CBSSports.com. "If the last-place team offers $200 million and the first-place team offers $10, I'm going to go for the $200 million no matter what team it was."

Greinke's deal, completed in December, was the second-most lucrative in history for a pitcher, trailing only the $161 million deal CC Sabathia signed with the New York Yankees in 2009.

During his introductory news conference, Greinke had hinted at the reasons for a change in heart from signing with the Rangers, who he said had at one time been the favorite to gain his services.

"But that changed there at the end," said Greinke, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner with the Royals, before adding that money was "what it gets to at the end."

Greinke, in his interview with CBSSports.com, said he didn't regret holding out despite previous offers by such teams as the Nationals as he bided his time waiting for free agency.

"I wanted to see it," Greinke said. "If it was going to be only one year for $1 million, I wanted to see for myself."

Well at least he is honest?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Rosenthal was talking about it on MLB Network today.

I like this trade more & more...

[alnorth]

Shields just finished pitching, he's going only 1 inning today, by his request.

#1: ground out to first unassisted (1 pitch)
#2: fly out to right (7 pitches)
#3: called strikeout (5 pitches)

[B14ckmon]

Glad to see Morneau is having a great spring for my Twins. Just in time for his contract year when he leaves to the Yankees.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

I really don't know how the Royals offseason was that absurd. James Shields trade after sitting down and thinking about it, makes alot of sense even with giving up Myers. Hoch is what it is. We got some solid pitching out of the offseason.

It was a solid offseason. But not sure yet if its good enough to get us a winning record or playoff appearance. Contrary to popular belief, the Royals problems are not all pitching. We don’t know if Hosmer and Moose will develop into stars. Will Francour continue to cockblock our offense? We don’t hit with RISP. We don’t walk enough…….Yost is still our manager…..Lots of question marks.

[gblowfish]

Hoch makes me feel all nostalgic about Kyle Davies.

Kill me now.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Hoch makes me feel all nostalgic about Kyle Davies.

Kill me now.

What method of death do you prefer? I prefer a slow agonizing death brought on by being a royals fan.

[POND_OF_RED]

Headline for tomorrow's paper: Big Game James gets shut down in the midst of a no-no. Suck it haters!