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?

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Saturday's game is going to be tough. Felix Doubront has only given up 16 ER's in his last 10 Games. That's VERY good. He's a big strong lefty that is hard to hit. His biggest weakness is his control - and it's not a glaring problem at all. We'll need to get to him early to have a good chance in that game. That said, Guthrie has been very good in his last 3 starts. His last game was masterful. Let's hope his mojo continues.

Sunday's match-up with Lester going against Shields.......If we were talking 3 weeks ago, I would have loved our chances. Now? Let's just say that I am hoping for an off day for Lackey. Lackey has owned in day games, where James has definitely struggled more in Day v Night Games.

Yeah, with Saturday's matchup against the big power lefty at the top of his game and our left handed heavy offense . . . . needless to say, don't like that matchup at all.

And Sunday, just depends on which Shields shows up. Lackey will do his thing (I don't see us getting more than a couple against him), but if we can run up his pitch count and get to their bullpen by the 6th or 7th, I like our chances.

Interesting Side Note: I read somewhere that Shields has 2.35 ERA when he is being caught by Salvy and close to 4 when other guys (Kottreras, Hayes) are behind the plate. Don't know if pitch selection and set up played into Tuesday's debacle at all, but thought it was interesting. Hopefully Salvy will be back and ready to go by Sunday!

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

I thought they'd finish last in the East when the year began and that Toronto had a chance to win it. Ortiz has been mashing, and the rest of the lineup is solid pretty much all the way through. Their starting pitching has been serviceable and the relief guys have been pretty good.

Their team ops is 787, Hosmer has our highest ops for our regulars at 785.

Yep, they lead MLB in OPS, OBP, RBI, Runs, 2B's and BB's ; 2nd in BA and SLG%, 3B's and Hits - they also can run the base-path's very well. I'd say, offensively, they can kick serious ass.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Texas and Oakland are now tied. Oakland is losing fuel fast. If we are chasing the A's, I like our chances, regardless of the fact that they have a couple series left with the Astros. I think we will be chasing Baltimore and Oakland for the last Wildcard spot. JMHO

I think we have to be concerned with Cleveland as well for a number of reasons.

1. They were as hot as us prior to them playing Detroit
2. They routinely get beat by Detroit, so these last three losses are not a true sign they are cooling off.
3. They have a relatively easy schedule going forward.
4. We struggle against them.

JMHO though.

[gblowfish]

Did you guys see Ibanez' throw from left in last night's Toronto-Mariners game?

[gblowfish]

Maybe this chick is related to Ibanez?

[CaliforniaChief]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Did you guys see Ibanez' throw from left in last night's Toronto-Mariners game?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Did you guys see Ibanez' throw from left in last night's Toronto-Mariners game?

I saw Lonnie Smith do that once with the Phillies. Threw the ball straight down on to the hard Astroturf and it bounced about 15 feet in the air.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Gordo's struggling. Trade him for Ibanez, straight up now.

Do it!

[CaliforniaChief]

So do you guys think the Royals will try to make a post-waiver move with someone?

I actually am fine with what we have at RF/2B, unless we had the chance to get Hunter Pence, who would be a game changer, IMO.

I'd look at SP, but wouldn't overpay for anyone and would gladly walk away if someone wanted to gut our farm system for a rental.

[DeezNutz]

I actually do not think that Pence would be much of a change at all. He's a 2.7 WAR player, and Lough is 2.4 WAR.

What Pence brings offensively, he lacks defensively. And there's no need to pay exponentially more for what we essentially already have.

[Great Expectations]

What we need is moar power from the right side. Billy slugging 404 is ridiculous. I expect him to pick it up and slug over 500 for the remainder of the year.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I actually do not think that Pence would be much of a change at all. He's a 2.7 WAR player, and Lough is 2.4 WAR.

What Pence brings offensively, he lacks defensively. And there's no need to pay exponentially more for what we essentially already have.

I love what Lough has meant to our team, but I'm pretty sure he's Mike Aviles.

[DeezNutz]

Probably right. But his coach hasn't turned into a pumpkin yet, and I don't think it will this year. And Pence is a FA in '14.

I'm great with upgrading RF in the off-season, but I don't see a viable option available in '13.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Probably right. But his coach hasn't turned into a pumpkin yet, and I don't think it will this year. And Pence is a FA in '14.

I'm great with upgrading RF in the off-season, but I don't see a viable option available in '13.

This. End of discussion.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I love what Lough has meant to our team, but I'm pretty sure he's Mike Aviles.

Great! Aviles has averaged 2.1 WAR/162 games in his career. And he's cheap. Alcides by comparison only gets 1.4 WAR/162 games and he cost us our best pitcher in 20 years.


So to recap: Aviles for free, Alcides for a lot. When Aviles is the better player. Awful. Small markets depend on guys like Lough delivering above avg WAR so you don't have to trade for it or pay for it.