(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?

[Great Expectations]

I have a friend who is a stl card fan. He told me that they are the best fans in MLB.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by KevB

I think you're overestimating Glass' willingness to add another $16M to the payroll with no off-set.

Getz and Mendoza aren't tendered, trade Hoch for prospects (and Davis if possible), and accept new tv revenue.

[P-90Rex]

Originally Posted by KevB

I think you're overestimating Glass' willingness to add another $16M to the payroll with no off-set.

I might be. But I'm not as pessimistic about Glass as everyone else. There's more money coming in this year from MLB. He's seeing an injection of energy in his franchise and the fanbase. Like I said, this isn't franchise crippling money. Just maybe, Glass takes a shot. I mean, at some point ego has to take over. Who wants to be a loser? If he's convinced this is the time to push the envelope, I think he will. This is his first REAL chance at a winner.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

Getz and Mendoza aren't tendered, trade Hoch for prospects (and Davis if possible), and accept new tv revenue.

and Santana is gone...

that's what? 13 million?

[Jerm]

Butler for Nick Franklin if Beltran is signed?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by P-90Rex

I might be. But I'm not as pessimistic about Glass as everyone else. There's more money coming in this year from MLB. He's seeing an injection of energy in his franchise and the fanbase. Like I said, this isn't franchise crippling money. Just maybe, Glass takes a shot. I mean, at some point ego has to take over. Who wants to be a loser? If he's convinced this is the time to push the envelope, I think he will. This is his first REAL chance at a winner.

I'm not writing it off as a possibility, but there's been a lot of smoke about a Butler trade. That only really makes sense if you're trying to make the dollars work. Otherwise, why weaken an offense that needs to be upgraded?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

and Santana is gone...

that's what? 13 million?

And some existing players will have increases in salary, and we signed Vargas, and we're still looking for another vet starting pitcher....

There are a number of ins and outs at this point, so I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

[MeatRock]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

and Santana is gone...

that's what? 13 million?

We signed Vargas.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by KevB

And some existing players will have increases in salary, and we signed Vargas, and we're still looking for another vet starting pitcher....

There are a number of ins and outs at this point, so I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

true. they have the ability to get to 100 million IMO

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

I have a friend who is a stl card fan. He told me that they are the best fans in MLB.

Tell your friend he can eat shit and die.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by MeatRock

We signed Vargas.

really? how did I miss that "MAJOR BASEBALL ANNOUNCEMENT"



but we came out 5 million ahead there correct?

[SAUTO]

wonder what kind of announcement they will call it if we do indeed sign beltran.

[MeatRock]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

really? how did I miss that "MAJOR BASEBALL ANNOUNCEMENT"



but we came out 5 million ahead there correct?

Then state that instead of making it sound like we still have 13 million to work with.

[P-90Rex]

Originally Posted by KevB

I'm not writing it off as a possibility, but there's been a lot of smoke about a Butler trade. That only really makes sense if you're trying to make the dollars work. Otherwise, why weaken an offense that needs to be upgraded?

Trust me, I see your point. And I completely agree. The only way trading Butler will make baseball sense is if they get an offensive 2B in return. And then you figure out your extra DH through a platoon of Lough/Maxwell, or whatever when Beltran isn't in that spot. If they just trade him to shed $...well what was the point of signing Beltran in the first place?

I'm also thinking part of Santanas' salary was actually being paid by the Angels, right? Didn't we only have $8-9MM on our books? Holland/Hosmer will go up a few million, who else? I don't think it will be a huge number honestly.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by MeatRock

Then state that instead of making it sound like we still have 13 million to work with.

I thought any fan would have known about the "MAJOR BASEBALL ANNOUNCEMENT"


I stated it fine