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?

[Demonpenz]

Moose's swing looks simple not the loopy shit Hosmer has.

[KChiefs1]

The game on Thursday isn't televised?????

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

The game on Thursday isn't televised?????

shit

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo 4m

The Kansas City Royals drafted both John Elway & Dan Marino in the 1979 MLB Draft. #ElwaytoMarino

something something "even the Royals know you need to draft a first round QB" joke something something

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

something something "even the Royals know you need to draft a first round QB" joke something something

Looks like teh Royals r better at draftin QBs than th chefs!

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

I'm not sure I like this. At some point you have to give Mendoza some work.

I'd imagine he's probably gonna get some work in this series at some point as a reliever. But you're right, his confidence can't be good that Ned is avoiding the shit out of him every chance he gets.

[Chiefspants]

Ned has never struck me as a fan of Mendoza.

[mr. tegu]

They gave Mendoza the starting job. No reason to have his confidence shaken. And he won't pitch vs Cleveland either as that would require someone else being skipped in the rotation.

Edit - my favorite thing about Mendoza has been his ability to adjust really quickly to the different roles he has been asked to be in during the past two seasons. He doesn't strike me at all as a me first guy.

[Jayhawker]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

The game on Thursday isn't televised?????

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report 3h
Fox Sports Kansas City is adding Thursday afternoon's game to its schedule. Starts at 12:05 p.m. Central and features Shields vs. Verlander.

Not only having yesterday's game cancelled, but then now having Shields Vs. Verlander pitching how could they not have the game on TV? But it was originally not going to be televised.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

Ned has never struck me as a fan of Mendoza.

Luis is not a good 'ole boy.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Take it with a grain of salt, but the Royals think they know what is wrong with Moose. He's drifting forward too early and too much when he steps into his swing, which results in weak popups.

He took extensive batting practice today to learn how to stay back.

Right link: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/23...-priority.html

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

Looks like teh Royals r better at draftin QBs than th chefs!

Dee Brown agrees

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

Dee Brown agrees

So does Bubba Starling

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Jayhawker

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report 3h
Fox Sports Kansas City is adding Thursday afternoon's game to its schedule. Starts at 12:05 p.m. Central and features Shields vs. Verlander.

Not only having yesterday's game cancelled, but then now having Shields Vs. Verlander pitching how could they not have the game on TV? But it was originally not going to be televised.

This sucks. I wanted to watch Shields v Verlander and it is being sloughed off to an afternoon game?

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

This sucks. I wanted to watch Shields v Verlander and it is being sloughed off to an afternoon game?

It was always a noon game and was never supposed to be a Shields vs Verlander game. We are lucky it is going to be on at all.