(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?

[Archie F. Swin]

Dutton claiming NYY closest to Beltran at the moment.

[Deberg_1990]

Beltran in KC to talk......


I feel like we have won the World Series.

[P-90Rex]

I'm assuming letting him get out of town without a contract agreement would be a bad sign, right? Or does everyone expect him to visit NYY and then make a decision?

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Dutton claiming NYY closest to Beltran at the moment.

They've always been the lead...the fact that he visited and left may not mean much. Def has a hard decision. It's the Royals or the Yankees, no one else that i can tell.

[chiefsfan987]

Beltran is probably just using KC to get the best deal he can from NY. I'll be surprised if the Royals actually sign him.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

They've always been the lead...the fact that he visited and left may not mean much. Def has a hard decision. It's the Royals or the Yankees, no one else that i can tell.

That's a hard decision? Really? Royals or Yankees? I'm talking from a players perspective. Not a fan.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

That's a hard decision? Really? Royals or Yankees? I'm talking from a players perspective. Not a fan.

Shouldn't be esp where he is at in his career, more money and playoff chances.

Maybe using the Royals as leverage, who knows...

[BWillie]

Getz is no longer a Kansas City Royal!

[KevB]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Getz is no longer a Kansas City Royal!

Cookie Monster in the role of Bonifacio and Ernie as Christian Colon

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Shouldn't be esp where he is at in his career, more money and playoff chances.

Maybe using the Royals as leverage, who knows...

The Royals are an ascending team in an easier division who finished with a slightly better record. I am not sure it's a slam dunk of what the best career move is, in fact if anything it looks like the Royals is a better move for someone only looking at the next few years.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

sounds like you might have been wrong

I sure as hell hope so.

[penbrook]

Report is Brandon Phillips will be traded.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Butler for Nick Franklin if Beltran is signed?

And what else?

Franklin not nearly enough on his own.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

And what else?

Franklin not nearly enough on his own.

Franklin/Paxton/Walker/Hultzen

Which of these gets a deal done for Butler assuming we aren't doing a salary dump?

[SPchief]

Ellisbury to the Yankees on a 7 year deal. These last few days have been wild