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?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

The Royals desperately need a 2B. Johnson suuuuuuucks. He is awesome against Tampa Bay and atrocious against everybody else. His OBP is only .286, and he has just 5 walks and 32 strikeouts in 107 AB. Those are Yuni Betancourt-type numbers, but with less power and more strikeouts.

Johnson is actually a pretty valuable 2B... on a team that can afford to carry a no-impact stick at 2B.

If Moustakas were hitting at his pre-All Star 2012 level and Escobar was hitting .270/.325/.400, you could live with Johnson's glove and limited offensive contributions.

They're glaring on a team with a lot of glaring weaknesses in the lineup.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

The Royals desperately need a 2B. Johnson suuuuuuucks. He is awesome against Tampa Bay and atrocious against everybody else. His OBP is only .286, and he has just 5 walks and 32 strikeouts in 107 AB. Those are Yuni Betancourt-type numbers, but with less power and more strikeouts.

I know this to be true, but I still "feel" like Johnson provides more value than his numbers suggest. He's the gamer/winner/spark plug that managers love and sabermetricians hate. I love him as a utility guy.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by tk13

We don't really have an excessive sample size but every time this team has appeared close in the last 10 years Glass spent more money and this team was more aggressive picking up guys. Even with Baird.

Valid point.

It's possible, if KC's bats wake up and the Royals are "in it" through July and August, that Glass authorizes going further next season. Would be pretty cool.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I know this to be true, but I still "feel" like Johnson provides more value than his numbers suggest. He's the gamer/winner/spark plug that managers love and sabermetricians hate. I love him as a utility guy.

His defense is quantifiable and excellent. Same with his baserunning/speed. He's a fast and efficient baserunner.

I think that's true of a lot of guys that aren't great with the bat but "Feel" more like a sparkplug than you'd expect.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Howie Kendrick

I dreamt we acquired him last night. Pls, God, can we make this happen?

Dear Baby Jesus, as a sacrifice for your giving us Howie Kendrick, we offer you Prison Bitch. He can be utilized or mutilated however you deem fit. TIA,

Everyone

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Dear Baby Jesus, as a sacrifice for your giving us Howie Kendrick, we offer you Prison Bitch. He can be utilized or mutilated however you deem fit. TIA,

Everyone

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Dear Baby Jesus, as a sacrifice for your giving us Howie Kendrick, we offer you Prison Bitch. He can be utilized or mutilated however you deem fit. TIA,

Everyone

[sedated]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Johnson is actually a pretty valuable 2B... on a team that can afford to carry a no-impact stick at 2B.

If Moustakas were hitting at his pre-All Star 2012 level and Escobar was hitting .270/.325/.400, you could live with Johnson's glove and limited offensive contributions.

They're glaring on a team with a lot of glaring weaknesses in the lineup.

So…Ross Gload syndrome?

[ChiefsCountry]

I still say go after Andre Ethier and see how much salary the Dodgers are willing to pay of it.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Howie Kendrick

I dreamt we acquired him last night. Pls, God, can we make this happen?

We discussed Kendrick a few pages back in this thread, and here are the things to consider.

Kendrick is hot now, but when he evens out, is typically a .285/.330/.430 hitter with around 10 HR's a year. Another thing to consider is that these numbers could possibly experience a notable decline when he arrives at Kauffman Stadium.

Kendrick's contract (4/35) is another point of concern for a team like the Royals. If we do trade for Kendrick, we are bound to that deal until 2015-2016, and this will likely prevent us from being able to pursue a power bat for the lineup. If he continues his current hot streak (.335/.375/.485) this contract could prove to be more than worth it and he will provide a much needed boost to the lineup. On the flip side, if he regresses to his output from last year (.287/.325/.400) this contract could be absolutely binding for a team like the Royals. Also, with Kauffman's effect on hitters, it's not out of the question to believe we would see this type of regression.

Finally, and perhaps most concerning, is Kendrick's price tag. With his current hot streak, contract, and his team's slump, the Angels are definitely going to want to sell high on their second baseman. This likely means no deal is made without (arguably) our top prospect in the minors, Yordano Ventura. Ventura, now in AAA, has been absolutely dominating at every level of the minors and is drawing absolutely glowing scouting reports (with the last one of ranking his stuff over Greinkes).

I know, a prospect is a prospect, but trading Ventura gives us no breathing room in the rotation for 2014 (We're already losing Santana, but will be in dire straits if Guthrie regresses or if we experience an injury). Also, it's also worth noting that we have very little long term solutions at SP extending past 2014, and if we want any hope of competing past that picture, Ventura may be worth holding onto.

The best case scenario is that we can trade a package of our prospects not named Ventura and Kendrick is able to perform around .285/.340/.460 with around 10-15 HR's until 2015. This would give us a much needed power boost in the immediate future, and keep our options open for the rotation even when Santana departs next year.

The worst case scenario is that we have to deal Ventura, and Kendrick regresses to his normal output, (.285/.330/.430 with around than 10 HRs a year). Not only would this provide a ho-hum boost to our line-up, but it would also give us zero options when it came to our 2014 rotation. If anyone regressed or was injured, our prospects for 2014 and beyond begin to look rather grim.

Because a trade for Kendrick will likely have to include Ventura, I feel that our best option is to attempt to trade for another 2B at the deadline (Utley comes to mind), and pour our energy into signing a power-bat in the offseason. Without Kendrick's contract obligations, we would also have the capability to sign another starter in the 2014 season (if we need to) or we could make an offer to extend Shields as. This flexibility could be absolutely pivotal for a small market team like the Royals.


TL;DR- Kendrick has a hefty price tag and what we would have to give up for his career output could potentially be jeopardizing to our rotation/lineup in 2014 and beyond. High Risk, Mid-High Reward.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

We discussed Kendrick a few pages back in this thread, and here are the things to consider.

Kendrick is hot now, but when he evens out, is typically a .285/.330/.430 hitter with around 10 HR's a year. Another thing to consider is that these numbers could possibly experience a notable decline when he arrives at Kauffman Stadium.

Kendrick's contract (4/35) is another point of concern for a team like the Royals. If we do trade for Kendrick, we are bound to that deal until 2015-2016, and this will likely prevent us from being able to pursue a power bat for the lineup. If he continues his current hot streak (.335/.375/.485) this contract could prove to be more than worth it and he will provide a much needed boost to the lineup. On the flip side, if he regresses to his output from last year (.287/.325/.400) this contract could be absolutely binding for a team like the Royals. Also, with Kauffman's effect on hitters, it's not out of the question to believe we would see this type of regression.

Finally, and perhaps most concerning, is Kendrick's price tag. With his current hot streak, contract, and his team's slump, the Angels are definitely going to want to sell high on their second baseman. This likely means no deal is made without (arguably) our top prospect in the minors, Yordano Ventura. Ventura, now in AAA, has been absolutely dominating at every level of the minors and is drawing absolutely glowing scouting reports (with the last one of ranking his stuff over Greinkes).

I know, a prospect is a prospect, but trading Ventura gives us no breathing room in the rotation for 2014 (We're already losing Santana, but will be in dire straits if Guthrie regresses or if we experience an injury). Also, it's also worth noting that we have very little long term solutions at SP extending past 2014, and if we want any hope of competing past that picture, Ventura may be worth holding onto.

The best case scenario is that we can trade a package of our prospects not named Ventura and Kendrick is able to perform around .285/.340/.460 with around 10-15 HR's until 2015. This would give us a much needed power boost in the immediate future, and keep our options open for the rotation even when Santana departs next year.

The worst case scenario is that we have to deal Ventura, and Kendrick regresses to his normal output, (.285/.330/.430 with around than 10 HRs a year). Not only would this provide a ho-hum boost to our line-up, but it would also give us zero options when it came to our 2014 rotation. If anyone regressed or was injured, our prospects for 2014 and beyond begin to look rather grim.

Because a trade for Kendrick will likely have to include Ventura, I feel that our best option is to attempt to trade for another 2B at the deadline (Utley comes to mind), and pour our energy into signing a power-bat in the offseason. Without Kendrick's contract obligations, we would also have the capability to sign another starter in the 2014 season (if we need to) or we could make an offer to extend Shields as well. This flexibility could be absolutely crucial to a small market team like the Royals.


TL;DR- Kendrick has a hefty price tag and what we would have to give up for his career output could be jeopardizing to our rotation/lineup in 2014 and beyond.

Read it, saw the other posts, still want him.

[alnorth]

ESPN's got a brutal 10-question True/False quiz on the rules of baseball. I'm proud to say I got 7/10.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/quiz...know-mlb-rules

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

I still say go after Andre Ethier and see how much salary the Dodgers are willing to pay of it.

If they're willing to pick up 50 percent of the rest of that contract, it might be worth exploring. Only issue at that point is that he's SO overpaid, even if KC was only on the hook for 1/2 of the contract, he still might not be worth it.

You'd be paying almost $9 million/year for the age 32-36 seasons of a guy who OPSed less than .800 over the past three years. Could end up being a crippling contract.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

If they're willing to pick up 50 percent of the rest of that contract, it might be worth exploring. Only issue at that point is that he's SO overpaid, even if KC was only on the hook for 1/2 of the contract, he still might not be worth it.

You'd be paying almost $9 million/year for the age 32-36 seasons of a guy who OPSed less than .800 over the past three years. Could end up being a crippling contract.

and he's injury prone.