Royals 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread - Page 268

duncan_idaho · 10:01 AM

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?

BlackHelicopters · 05-13-2013, 08:24 AM

Something tells me Anaheim will get well against us. Just a hunch.

Great Expectations · 05-13-2013, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

What do you mean? Most intelligent managers sac bunt in the first inning against the yankees.

To be fair it looked like Escobar was trying a drag bunt. He dropped the barrel down and put the handle under is arm as opposed to squaring around.

It was a horrible bunt though.

Strongside · 05-13-2013, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Maybe this Anaheim series will give us the reboot we need.

We've got some guys playing basically home town games...so yeah, hopefully it will wake us up a bit.

The good news is that we're only 1.5 games behind after this shit-dickery that we've been trotting out for the last week.

CaliforniaChief · 05-13-2013, 08:34 AM

We have an abundance of pitching in the bullpen and 2 guys who could be starters. Both the Dodgers and Angels need starting pitching. With Duffy/Paulino coming back in June/July, we can leverage pitching for hitting.

BlackHelicopters · 05-13-2013, 08:34 AM

Gotta stay positive. Since 1985.............

duncan_idaho · 05-13-2013, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebolapox

so, they also have james shields as 0 war (replacement level). yeah, bullship

Who does?

Fangraphs has him at 1.6 and so does Baseball Reference. That projects out to 6+ WAR, BTW.

duncan_idaho · 05-13-2013, 08:49 AM

Some food for thought:

1) Remember that the goal for the month of May needs to be staying around .500 for the Royals. THis is by far KC's toughest month in the season. If they can skate through it AT .500 or slightly above, they'll pick up ground in June, July and August as the schedule softens. I said before the month started that I'd be THRILLED to still be 5 games over .500 at the end of the month. That still is true.

2) It's still too early to trade for a bat. The earliest deals really won't start happening until June, because most teams won't "give up" on the season until that point.

Chase Utley will remain a prime target and should. Alex Rios is another guy that could be an option, if the White Sox continue to lag. He's got another year plus an option year at a decently-sized price, but Rios would look awfully nice in RF for 1.5 seasons. (Would also let them continue to slow-play Jorge Bonifacio, who probably is ready in 2015).

Ethier is not really an option, IMO. Not a huge impact guy but has a huge impact contract.

3) Billy Butler is not going to slump all season. When he does, the offense is likely going to struggle because of how thin it is.

4) Francoeur and Getz are black holes offensively. They seem to have realized this with Getz. I like Johnson getting PT, because at least he provide elite 2B defense. They are starting to realize it was Francoeur (who should sit except against LHP).

CaliforniaChief · 05-13-2013, 08:56 AM

Good thoughts, Duncan. I guess getting swept at home sets off alarm bells with me that maybe take things out of proportion.

I was looking at the Cubs as being out of it, and the Angels/Dodgers in need of pitching.

But yeah, the deals probably won't happen yet. Until then, let's embrace a Dyson/Frenchy platoon and call up Giovatella to play 2B.

I hadn't thought about Rios. Yeah, that would be boss. But yeah, Utley at 2B is my top choice, even if you're only renting him for the rest of the year.

I have this hope that when I settle into my seat tonight at the big A, they announce Dyson's leading off.

Prison Bitch · 05-13-2013, 09:11 AM

Let's not eat the Rex Hudler rainbow & unicorn sandwich here. We suck right now. SUCK. 1-6 skid. Our offense has sucked balls all year. We just got humiliated by the Yankees "JV Team".

Seriously, a bunch of geezers like Vernon Wells, Ichiro and Lyle Overbay and Pettite and Rivera just swept us. Hilariously awful weekend.

PS: If I hear Rex say "Billy bomb" one more time, I'm storming the booth to have fisticuffs

duncan_idaho · 05-13-2013, 09:11 AM

"Hey guys, you know how bad Jeff Francoeur is?"

'How bad is he, Duncan?'

"Jeff Francoeur is SO bad, his current negative value (-0.5) is almost identical to the value Baseball Prospectus would project from Cheslor Cuthbert if he was playing a full season at the MLB level."

Seriously, Cuthbert is projected as a -0.7 WAR guy over the course of the full 2013 season, if he were in the majors.

This is a 20-year-old guy at High A who is still a project and still has a lot of work to do before he's ready for the majors.

The good news is that Cuthbert is starting to pick it up, and BP thinks he may be starting to put it together. He's putting up solid numbers in the hitter's hell that is Wilmington. If he continues to play well, we may see them move him to NWA later this summer.

Good news.

**gblowfish** · 05-13-2013, 09:13 AM

I'm pissed at the Royals Marketing and PR Wanks. Sunday they have "Let's kiss Mariano Rivera's Ass Day at the K". They give him flowers and give him a plaque and thank him for saving 30 straight games against us. You know, since half the weekend crowd's were Yankee Wannabe's, we have to kiss their ass in some fashion because they are so much more successful then we are. And in that same vein, we piss ourselves two straight games with the tying run on against Rivera, because, heaven forbid, we spoil his legacy of perfection in punking Kansas City.

Over the Fourth of July, they're having "Salute to the A's" weekend when Oakland comes here. Yeah, salute to Charlie ****ing Finley's A's. Because they loved Kansas City so much, they up and left to go to Oakland, then win three World Series. KC goes to Oakland next weekend. Do you think Oakland is having "Salute to the Royals" weekend? Hell no. It's 'Sweep these pathetic sad sacks of shit" weekend.

Maybe when the Cardinals come after Memorial Day, we can salute Albert Pujoles. Maybe let members of his family mow people down with their SUV in the parking lot? Or "Tribute to Scott Boras Day" since one of his former KC clients Carlos Beltran will be driving in runs to beat us?

QUIT BEING A PUSHOVER. QUIT DOING TRIBUTES TO YOUR OPPONENTS.

That is all.

Strongside · 05-13-2013, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I'm pissed at the Royals Marketing and PR Wanks. Sunday they have "Let's kiss Mariano Rivera's Ass Day at the K". They give him flowers and give him a plaque and thank him for saving 30 straight games against us. You know, since half the weekend crowd's were Yankee Wannabe's, we have to kiss their ass in some fashion because they are so much more successful then we are. And in that same vein, we piss ourselves two straight games with the tying run on against Rivera, because, heaven forbid, we spoil his legacy of perfection in punking Kansas City.

Over the Fourth of July, they're having "Salute to the A's" weekend when Oakland comes here. Yeah, salute to Charlie ****ing Finley's A's. Because they loved Kansas City so much, they up and left to go to Oakland, then win three World Series. KC goes to Oakland next weekend. Do you think Oakland is having "Salute to the Royals" weekend? Hell no. It's 'Sweep these pathetic sad sacks of shit" weekend.

Maybe when the Cardinals come after Memorial Day, we can salute Albert Pujoles. Maybe let members of his family mow people down with their SUV in the parking lot? Or "Tribute to Scott Boras Day" since one of his former KC clients Carlos Beltran will be driving in runs to beat us?

QUIT BEING A PUSHOVER. QUITE DOING TRIBUTES TO YOUR OPPONENTS.

That is all.

Yeah, I'm sick of that shit too. We need to stop making KC a comfortable place for opposing teams to play. For having so much energy during the ASG, our fans sit through home games and don't make a damn peep until the 9th inning. It's lame as hell...

We're not in church.

It baffles me that it's the same people, for the most part, that attend Chiefs games.

duncan_idaho · 05-13-2013, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I'm pissed at the Royals Marketing and PR Wanks. Sunday they have "Let's kiss Mariano Rivera's Ass Day at the K". They give him flowers and give him a plaque and thank him for saving 30 straight games against us. You know, since half the weekend crowd's were Yankee Wannabe's, we have to kiss their ass in some fashion because they are so much more successful then we are. And in that same vein, we piss ourselves two straight games with the tying run on against Rivera, because, heaven forbid, we spoil his legacy of perfection in punking Kansas City.

Over the Fourth of July, they're having "Salute to the A's" weekend when Oakland comes here. Yeah, salute to Charlie ****ing Finley's A's. Because they loved Kansas City so much, they up and left to go to Oakland, then win three World Series. KC goes to Oakland next weekend. Do you think Oakland is having "Salute to the Royals" weekend? Hell no. It's 'Sweep these pathetic sad sacks of shit" weekend.

Maybe when the Cardinals come after Memorial Day, we can salute Albert Pujoles. Maybe let members of his family mow people down with their SUV in the parking lot? Or "Tribute to Scott Boras Day" since one of his former KC clients Carlos Beltran will be driving in runs to beat us?

QUIT BEING A PUSHOVER. QUITE DOING TRIBUTES TO YOUR OPPONENTS.

That is all.

Agree.

Stop being "nice" to opposing teams. That's the schtick of the fans on the other side of the state. Let them own it.

Let's be assholes.

Also, let's stop with the ****ing Garth Brooks every sixth inning.

**alnorth** · 05-13-2013, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

Yost needs to be gone by the 1st week of June if we are to have a chance if this slide continues if not sooner. All Star break will be too late. Don't think for a moment that Yost is not somewhat responsible for these young guys not reaching their potential in the batter's box either. Yost is about as motivating as Ferris Buehler's Civic Teacher. Buehler ? Buehler ? Buehler ? This last week exposed Yost big time and his lack of saavy managing of the game all the way around and needs to be gone IMO.

Motivating?

Are they professional hitters and grown-ass men, or are they a first-grade T-ball team?

If you need to be motivated by your manager, then you are a terrible baseball player.

**Dartgod** · 05-13-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strongside

Yeah, I'm sick of that shit too. We need to stop making KC a comfortable place for opposing teams to play. For having so much energy during the ASG, our fans sit through home games and don't make a damn peep until the 9th inning. It's lame as hell...

We're not in church.

It baffles me that it's the same people, for the most part, that attend Chiefs games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I'm pissed at the Royals Marketing and PR Wanks. Sunday they have "Let's kiss Mariano Rivera's Ass Day at the K". They give him flowers and give him a plaque and thank him for saving 30 straight games against us. You know, since half the weekend crowd's were Yankee Wannabe's, we have to kiss their ass in some fashion because they are so much more successful then we are. And in that same vein, we piss ourselves two straight games with the tying run on against Rivera, because, heaven forbid, we spoil his legacy of perfection in punking Kansas City.

Over the Fourth of July, they're having "Salute to the A's" weekend when Oakland comes here. Yeah, salute to Charlie ****ing Finley's A's. Because they loved Kansas City so much, they up and left to go to Oakland, then win three World Series. KC goes to Oakland next weekend. Do you think Oakland is having "Salute to the Royals" weekend? Hell no. It's 'Sweep these pathetic sad sacks of shit" weekend.

Maybe when the Cardinals come after Memorial Day, we can salute Albert Pujoles. Maybe let members of his family mow people down with their SUV in the parking lot? Or "Tribute to Scott Boras Day" since one of his former KC clients Carlos Beltran will be driving in runs to beat us?

QUIT BEING A PUSHOVER. QUITE DOING TRIBUTES TO YOUR OPPONENTS.

That is all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Agree.

Stop being "nice" to opposing teams. That's the schtick of the fans on the other side of the state. Let them own it.

Let's be assholes.

Also, let's stop with the ****ing Garth Brooks every sixth inning.

These

12-11-2012, 09:59 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1770308	2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread 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? Last edited by duncan_idaho; 07-15-2013 at 10:01 AM..
Posts: 21,084

05-13-2013, 08:24 AM	#4006
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $2730588	Something tells me Anaheim will get well against us. Just a hunch. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 31,663

05-13-2013, 08:34 AM	#4009
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $12422899	We have an abundance of pitching in the bullpen and 2 guys who could be starters. Both the Dodgers and Angels need starting pitching. With Duffy/Paulino coming back in June/July, we can leverage pitching for hitting.
Posts: 17,319

05-13-2013, 08:34 AM	#4010
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $2730588	Gotta stay positive. Since 1985............. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 31,663

05-13-2013, 08:49 AM	#4012
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1770308	Some food for thought: 1) Remember that the goal for the month of May needs to be staying around .500 for the Royals. THis is by far KC's toughest month in the season. If they can skate through it AT .500 or slightly above, they'll pick up ground in June, July and August as the schedule softens. I said before the month started that I'd be THRILLED to still be 5 games over .500 at the end of the month. That still is true. 2) It's still too early to trade for a bat. The earliest deals really won't start happening until June, because most teams won't "give up" on the season until that point. Chase Utley will remain a prime target and should. Alex Rios is another guy that could be an option, if the White Sox continue to lag. He's got another year plus an option year at a decently-sized price, but Rios would look awfully nice in RF for 1.5 seasons. (Would also let them continue to slow-play Jorge Bonifacio, who probably is ready in 2015). Ethier is not really an option, IMO. Not a huge impact guy but has a huge impact contract. 3) Billy Butler is not going to slump all season. When he does, the offense is likely going to struggle because of how thin it is. 4) Francoeur and Getz are black holes offensively. They seem to have realized this with Getz. I like Johnson getting PT, because at least he provide elite 2B defense. They are starting to realize it was Francoeur (who should sit except against LHP). __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 21,084

05-13-2013, 08:56 AM	#4013
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $12422899	Good thoughts, Duncan. I guess getting swept at home sets off alarm bells with me that maybe take things out of proportion. I was looking at the Cubs as being out of it, and the Angels/Dodgers in need of pitching. But yeah, the deals probably won't happen yet. Until then, let's embrace a Dyson/Frenchy platoon and call up Giovatella to play 2B. I hadn't thought about Rios. Yeah, that would be boss. But yeah, Utley at 2B is my top choice, even if you're only renting him for the rest of the year. I have this hope that when I settle into my seat tonight at the big A, they announce Dyson's leading off.
Posts: 17,319

05-13-2013, 09:11 AM	#4014
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	Let's not eat the Rex Hudler rainbow & unicorn sandwich here. We suck right now. SUCK. 1-6 skid. Our offense has sucked balls all year. We just got humiliated by the Yankees "JV Team". Seriously, a bunch of geezers like Vernon Wells, Ichiro and Lyle Overbay and Pettite and Rivera just swept us. Hilariously awful weekend. PS: If I hear Rex say "Billy bomb" one more time, I'm storming the booth to have fisticuffs
Posts: 87,025

05-13-2013, 09:11 AM	#4015
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1770308	"Hey guys, you know how bad Jeff Francoeur is?" 'How bad is he, Duncan?' "Jeff Francoeur is SO bad, his current negative value (-0.5) is almost identical to the value Baseball Prospectus would project from Cheslor Cuthbert if he was playing a full season at the MLB level." Seriously, Cuthbert is projected as a -0.7 WAR guy over the course of the full 2013 season, if he were in the majors. This is a 20-year-old guy at High A who is still a project and still has a lot of work to do before he's ready for the majors. The good news is that Cuthbert is starting to pick it up, and BP thinks he may be starting to put it together. He's putting up solid numbers in the hitter's hell that is Wilmington. If he continues to play well, we may see them move him to NWA later this summer. Good news. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 21,084

05-13-2013, 09:13 AM	#4016
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $17686178 VARSITY	I'm pissed at the Royals Marketing and PR Wanks. Sunday they have "Let's kiss Mariano Rivera's Ass Day at the K". They give him flowers and give him a plaque and thank him for saving 30 straight games against us. You know, since half the weekend crowd's were Yankee Wannabe's, we have to kiss their ass in some fashion because they are so much more successful then we are. And in that same vein, we piss ourselves two straight games with the tying run on against Rivera, because, heaven forbid, we spoil his legacy of perfection in punking Kansas City. Over the Fourth of July, they're having "Salute to the A's" weekend when Oakland comes here. Yeah, salute to Charlie ***ing Finley's A's. Because they loved Kansas City so much, they up and left to go to Oakland, then win three World Series. KC goes to Oakland next weekend. Do you think Oakland is having "Salute to the Royals" weekend? Hell no. It's 'Sweep these pathetic sad sacks of shit" weekend. Maybe when the Cardinals come after Memorial Day, we can salute Albert Pujoles. Maybe let members of his family mow people down with their SUV in the parking lot? Or "Tribute to Scott Boras Day" since one of his former KC clients Carlos Beltran will be driving in runs to beat us? QUIT BEING A PUSHOVER. QUIT DOING TRIBUTES TO YOUR OPPONENTS. That is all. Last edited by gblowfish; 05-13-2013 at 10:01 AM..*
Posts: 40,830